German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 20.4%, Italian (official) 6.5%, Serbo-Croatian 1.5%, Albanian 1.3%, Portuguese 1.2%, Spanish 1.1%, English 1%, Romansch 0.5%, other 2.8% (2000 census)
note: German, French, Italian, and Romansch are all national languages, but only the first three are official languages

Roman Catholic 41.8%, Protestant 35.3%, Orthodox 1.8%, other Christian 0.4%, Muslim 4.3%, other 1%, unspecified 4.3%, none 11.1%

Switzerland is a peaceful, prosperous, and stable modern market economy with low unemployment, a highly skilled labor force, and a per capita GDP larger than that of the big Western European economies.

Swiss Armed Forces: Land Forces, Swiss Air Force (Schweizer Luftwaffe); Switzerland has no navy, but maintains a fleet of military patrol boats to patrol Swiss borders

Switzerland is a party to the Schengen agreement. As such, U.S. citizens may enter Switzerland for up to 90 days for tourist or business purposes without a visa. The passport should be valid for at least three months beyond the period of stay. For further details about travel into and within Schengen countries, please see our Schengen fact sheet .

Liechtenstein is not a party to the Schengen agreement. A visa is not required for stays up to 90 days.

For more information on entry requirements for both countries, travelers may contact the Embassy of Switzerland at 2900 Cathedral Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008, telephone (202) 745-7900, or the nearest Swiss Consulate General in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, or San Francisco. Visit the Embassy of Switzerland’s web site at http://www.swissemb.org for the most current visa information.

Information about dual nationality or the prevention of international child abduction can be found on our web site. For further information about customs regulations, please read our Customs Information sheet.

Airports:  65, Airports w/paved runways:  42

Although there have been no recent terrorist attacks in Switzerland, violence by anti-globalization, anti-Semitic, and anti-establishment (anarchist) groups occurs from time to time.  This violence is typically in the form of property damage and clashes between these groups and the police.  The potential for specific threats of violence involving American citizens in Switzerland is remote. Switzerland has a low rate of violent crime.

Infant MR total:  4.34 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:  TOTAL 80.51 years   (male 77.69/female 83.48)

Required: None

Recommended: Hep A & B, tetanus-diptheria booster

Tickborne encephalitis, a viral infection of the central nervous system, occurs in Austria, Germany, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, Denmark (only on the island of Bornholm); a few cases have also been reported from Italy, Norway, and France. Legionnaries disease, caused by the Legionella bacterium, is sporadic; some outbreaks have involved tourists at resort hotels.

HIV/AIDS– people living with HIV/AIDS: 13,000

 

Good medical care is widely available.

Country Code: +41
Internet Code: .ch