 | |
| Continent | Europe |
|---|---|
| Region | Western/Central Europe |
| Coordinates | 47° N 8° E |
| Area | Ranked 134 |
| • Total | 41,293.2 km2 (15,943.4 sq mi) |
| • Land | 95.8% |
| • Water | 4.2% |
| Coastline | 0 km (0 mi) |
| Borders | Total land borders: 1,852 km (1,151 mi) Italy: 734.2 km (456.2 mi) France: 571.8 km (355.3 mi) Germany: 345.7 km (214.8 mi) Austria: 165.1 km (102.6 mi) Liechtenstein: 41.1 km (25.5 mi) |
| Highest point | Dufourspitze: 4,634 m |
| Lowest point | Lake Maggiore: 193 m |
| Longest river | Rhine: 375.5 km (longest entirely in Switzerland:Aare) |
| Largest lake | Lake Geneva (largest entirely in Switzerland:Lake Neuchâtel) |
Thegeography of Switzerland features a mountainous andlandlocked country located inWestern andCentral Europe. Switzerland's natural landscape is marked by its numerouslakes andmountains. It is surrounded by five countries:Austria andLiechtenstein to the east,France to the west,Italy to the south andGermany to the north. Switzerland has a maximum north–south length of 220 kilometres (140 mi) and an east–west length of about 350 kilometres (220 mi).[1]
Switzerland is well known for theAlps in the south and south east. North of the Alps, theSwiss Plateau runs along the east–west axis of the country. Most of the population of Switzerland lives on the rolling hills and plains of theplateau. The smallerJura Mountains are located on the north west side of the plateau. Much of the northern border with Germany follows theRhine, though the Rhine enters Switzerland nearSchaffhausen. The eastern border with Germany and a portion of Austria is drawn throughLake Constance (German:Bodensee). A portion of the southwest border with France is drawn throughLake Geneva.
Switzerland is divided into 26sovereign cantons. The cantons along the Swiss Plateau tend to be the most populous,[2] industrial and religiouslyProtestant.[3] The cantons in the Alps tend to be less populous,Catholic, and have an agrarian or tourism-based economy.[3]
Switzerland is divided by language as well. There are four national languages:German (spoken by 63.7% of population),French (by 20.4% of population),Italian (by 6.5%) andRomansh (0.5%).[4] FromBern east (except in thecanton of Ticino) the population generally speaks German. West of Bern, the population generally speaks French. In the southern canton of Ticino, most people speak Italian.Romansh, a group of dialects descended fromVulgar Latin, is spoken in several regions in thecanton of Graubünden.
Switzerland extends between the parallels 45°49'05 and 47°48'30 lat. and the meridians 5° 57'23 and 10°29'31 long. It forms an irregular quadrilateral, of which the greatest length from east to west is 350 kilometres (220 mi), and the greatest breadth from north to south is nearly 220 kilometres (140 mi). Switzerland is a landlocked country, the closest coastline being at theGulf of Genoa, 160 km south ofChiasso. Its political boundaries often do not coincide with those of nature. The entirecanton of Ticino is south of theAlps, as are the valleys ofSimplon (Valais),Mesocco,Bregaglia,Poschiavo andMüstair (all inGraubünden); except for a very small part of municipality ofStein am Rhein the whole of thecanton of Schaffhausen, part of that of thecanton of Basel-City, and a small part of thecanton of Zürich are north of theRhine, while the majority of Graubünden lies to the east of the Rhine basin, andPorrentruy is far down on the western slope of theJura. Putting these exceptional cases aside, the physical geography of Switzerland may thus be described:[5]
Putting aside the valleys of theTicino andInn, Switzerland may thus be described as consisting of three great river valleys (Rhône, Rhine and Aare) with the smaller one of the Thur, which all lie to the north of the main chain of the Alps and include the region between the Alps and the Jura. If matters are examined more carefully, it can be noted that the Rhône and Rhine valleys are shut off from that of the Aare (and of the Thur) by the great northern outlier of the Alps, which consists of the Bernese and Glarus Alps. Two wide and undulating valleys (Aare and Thur) and two deeply cut trenches (Rhône and Rhine) thus lie on the northern slope of the Alps, to the north and south respectively of the great northern outlier of the Alps. The main chain of the Alps rises in Swiss territory to the height of 4,634 metres (15,203 ft) in the loftiest summit orDufourspitze (wholly Swiss) ofMonte Rosa, though theDom (4,545 metres (14,911 ft)), in the Mischabel range, is the highest mountain mass which is entirely within Switzerland. The great northern outlier attains a height of 4,274 metres (14,022 ft) in theFinsteraarhorn, while the lowest level (193 metres (633 ft)) within the Confederation, is onLake Maggiore (on the course of the Ticino). The highest permanently inhabited village in Switzerland isJuf (2,126 metres (6,975 ft)) at the head of the high Alpine valley Avers (theAverser Rhein being a tributary of the Rhine), while the lowest isAscona (196 metres (643 ft)), on Lake Maggiore.[5]
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Different geological phenomena shaped the actual landscapes of Switzerland. TheAlpine orogeny had the most visible effects on the landscape: this term covers entire geological movements contributing to theAlps’ formation.
A crystalline basement formed at the beginning of thePaleozoic era, between 540 and 360 million years ago. Later, between 205 and 96 million years ago, the alpine ocean orTethys Ocean formed between Eurasia and Africa. The ocean reached its maximum width at the end ofJurassic period, 135 million years ago. The collision between the Eurasian and African plates made it progressively disappear. This plate collision (still in progress) began 100 million years ago. The Alps resulted from this geological movement, the two plates creating folding zones. The Central Plateau is mainly composed ofmolasse, a sedimentary rock that formed at the bottom of the Tethys ocean.
Switzerland is situated in a relatively tectonically inactive area, although the city of Basel wascompletely destroyed in 1356 by an earthquake, the largest historical seismic event in central Europe. The most seismically active regions are theRhine Rift Valley (region ofBasel) and theValais.
Switzerland is divided in three main geographic regions: theSwiss Alps, theCentral Plateau and theJura, each corresponding to very different geological realities. In addition, two small regions are not part of those three. The first, north of theRhine in theBasel area, is situated beyond the Jura. The second, on the south in theMendrisio area, is located in thePo Valley. But these two territories are not extensive in comparison to the total area of the country.
The Swiss Alps occupy the southern part of Switzerland. They were formed by the thrust of the African plate, which also caused the formation of the Jura in the north-east and the plateau between the two massifs. In terms of area the Alps constitute about 60% of the country, the plateau 30% and the Jura 10%.
The rugged terrain of the Jura and the Alps are very sparsely populated, except for some large valleys such as the Valais. Most of the population lives on the plateau where the country's major cities such asGeneva,Zürich,Basel,Lucern, andBern are located.
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The Swiss Plateau extends from Lake Geneva on the French border across central Switzerland to Lake Constance on the German and Austrian borders. In the north and northwest, the Swiss Plateau is sharply delimited geographically and geologically by the Jura Mountains. In the south, there is no clear border with the Alps. Usually, the rising of the terrain to altitudes above 1500 metres, which is very abrupt in certain places, is taken as a criterion for delimitation. The plateau has an average altitude of 580 metres (1,900 ft).[7] Even though the Swiss Plateau forms a basin, it is by no means a flat territory and it is covered with rolling hills, lakes and rivers. Most of Switzerland's large lakes are located in the plateau. Both Lake Geneva (581.3 square kilometres (224.4 sq mi)) and Lake Constance (541.1 square kilometres (208.9 sq mi)) are located in the plateau but are shared with other countries. The largest lake totally in Switzerland,Lake Neuchâtel (218.3 square kilometres (84.3 sq mi)), is located in the Swiss Plateau.
The Swiss Plateau is crossed by three great river valleys (Rhône,Rhine andAare) and the smallerThur valley. While theheadwaters of these four rivers all lie in the Alps, they all cut across the plateau between the Alps and the Jura mountains. NearSchaffhausen the Rhine passes through theRhine Falls, Europe's largest waterfall. The Rhine Falls are 150 metres (490 ft) wide and 25 metres (82 ft) high.
The plateau occupies about one third of the land area of Switzerland, and about two thirds of the population live in this area. The population density on the plateau averages about 450 people per km2 (1,166 per square mile).[7] In the regions around Lake Geneva,Lake Zurich and other cities, the population density exceeds 1000 people per km2.[8] As well as the majority of the population, the Swiss Plateau is also home to the majority of industry, manufacturing and farming in Switzerland. The farms are generally small and very organized. Most farms include small meadows alternating with fields with a variety of crops and small wooded areas.
The Swiss Alps form part of a chain of mountains that stretch across southern Europe and isolate Northern Europe from theMediterranean Sea. Several important passes through the Alps are located in Switzerland, and control of the passes has been important throughout Switzerland's history. The Alps have an average altitude of 1,700 metres (5,600 ft)[9] and cover nearly two thirds of the total surface area. Within the Alps there are 48 mountains that are 4,000 metres (13,000 ft) or higher.
The Alps are the watershed of Western Europe. The Rhine, together with its tributaries the Aare and the Thur drain about two thirds of the water into theNorth Sea. TheRhône and theTicino drain about 18% of the water into the Mediterranean Sea. TheInn which flows into theDanube outside of Switzerland drains about 4.4% of the water into theBlack Sea.[10] The Swiss Alps also contain many of Central Europe'sglaciers. There are about 1,800 glaciers[9] which cover 1,200 square kilometres (460 sq mi) of the total glaciated area of the Alps.[11]
The Alps are a popular tourist destination and are one of the most recognizable symbols of Switzerland. The tallest point in Switzerland,Monte Rosa (4,634 metres (15,203 ft)) incanton of Valais, is located in the Alps as is tallest mountain wholly in Switzerland, theDom (4,545 metres (14,911 ft)). One of the most recognizable symbols of Switzerland, theMatterhorn, is also located in the Alps. The Matterhorn (4,478 metres (14,692 ft)) is the seventh highest peak in the Swiss Alps and is the most photographed mountain in Switzerland. The tallest mountain in the northern outlier[5] orBernese Alps is theFinsteraarhorn (4,274 metres (14,022 ft)).
Switzerland encompasses a significant portion of the south side of the Alps. Most of it is constituted by the canton of Ticino, almost reaching the plains of the Po and including Switzerland's lowest point on Lake Maggiore (193 metres (633 ft)).[5] Thecanton of Graubünden is also partially located on the south side of the Alps with the four valleys ofMisox,Bregaglia,Poschiavo andMüstair. Finally, thecanton of Valais comprises the upperDiveria valley, located south of theSimplon Pass.
The Jura is alimestone mountain range running from Lake Geneva to the Rhine river. This area makes up about 12% of Switzerland's land area. Located about 700 metres (2,300 ft) above sea level, this region is characterized by a limestone highland with deep river valleys.
The limestone rock in the Jura is aJurassic period rock with numerousfossils anddinosaur tracks. The name Jurassic actually refers to the Jura region where these fossils were studied at the end of the 18th century.[12] The Jura is considered one of the most important sites for dinosaur footprints in the world. In one area near the village ofCourtedoux, over 13,000 footprints were discovered in between 2002 and 2011.[13]
The range is being continually built up and decreasing in width by mountain building, accommodating the compression from alpine folding as the mainAlpine orogenic front moves roughly northwards. The deformation becomes less pervasive away from the younger, more active Alpine mountain building.
Structurally, the Jura consists of a sequence of folds, the formation of which is facilitated by anevaporiticdecollement layer. The box folds are still relatively young, evidenced by their defining the shape of the overlyinglandscape (meaning they have not existed long enough to experienceerosion). The folds comprise three major (lithological units) bands of building evidence dated roughly byera: theMalm,Dogger, andLias (part of theJurassicGeologic period). Each era of folding represents effects on a previously shallow marine environment as evidenced by beds with particularcarbonate sequences, containing abundantbioclasts andoolitic divisions between layers (called horizons).
The Jura Mountains rise in Swiss territory to a height of 1,679 metres (5,509 ft) atMont Tendre. Other high summits areLa Dôle (1,677 metres (5,502 ft)), theChasseron (1,607 metres (5,272 ft)) and theChasseral (1,607 metres (5,272 ft)), all located in the western part of the range, in the cantons ofVaud,Neuchâtel andBern.
Often referred to as the water tower of Europe, Switzerland has 6% of all freshwater reserves of the continent, while only accounting for 0.4% of its total area.[14] The country shares five river basins and some of the largest lakes in western Europe with its neighbours. It is the source of several major European rivers that ultimately flow into theNorth Sea (Rhine), into theMediterranean Sea (Rhône), into theBlack Sea (Inn, through theDanube) and into theAdriatic Sea (Ticino, through thePo andRom through theAdige).
Most of the great Swiss rivers, being in their origin mere mountain torrents, tend to overflow their banks. Much has been done to prevent this by embanking them, regaining arable land: the Rhine (betweenBad Ragaz and Lake Constance), the Rhône, the Aare, the Reuss and in particular the great works on theLinth (carried out 1807–1810 byHans Conrad Escher, earning him the surname of "Von der Linth") and theZihl near the lakes ofNeuchâtel andBiel, while the diversion of theKander from its junction with the Aare to a channel by which it flows intoLake Thun was effected as early as 1714.
Switzerland has considerable reserves of groundwater and a large number of lakes, large and small, can be found in most areas. The two most extensive, those ofGeneva and ofConstance, balance each other, as it were, at the south-west and north-east corners of the land. But neither of these is wholly Swiss, this distinction being claimed by the next in size, that ofNeuchâtel,Lake Maggiore (partly Swiss only) coming next in the list, and being followed by the wholly Swiss lakes ofLucerne and ofZurich. Then comeLake Lugano,Lake Thun,Lake Biel,Lake Zug,Lake Brienz,Lake Walenstadt andLake Murten. These thirteen only are over 20 km2 (7.7 sq mi) in extent. Ten of them are in the Rhine basin (also in that of the Aare), two (Maggiore and Lugano) in that of the Po, and one (Geneva) in that of the Rhône. There are no large lakes in the Swiss portion of theInn basin, the most extensive being that ofSils. Smaller Alpine lakes such as theOeschinensee are innumerable, and often constitute popular tourist destination. Since the twentieth century a large number of dams have been built in the Alps and elsewhere, resulting in many artificial lakes. The largest are theSihlsee and theLake of Gruyère both approximately 10 km2 (3.9 sq mi) in extent. Also notable isLac des Dix, withheld by theGrande Dixence, the tallest gravity dam in the world.
In total, lakes and reservoirs contain 50% of the stored water, glaciers 28%, groundwater 20% and rivers 2%.[15]
The geography of Switzerland encompasses a wide range ofclimates, from subtropical to perennial snow climate. However, the lowlands are part of thetemperate zone and typically experience neither extreme temperatures nor extreme weather conditions. In theKöppen climate classification, theSwiss Plateau and most low-elevation areas are at the transition betweenoceanic climate (Cfb) andcontinental climate (Dfb). As a consequence, all four seasons (spring, summer, autumn and winter) are well marked and present distinct weather conditions. At the same time, the influence of the nearby seas (especially theAtlantic Ocean) tends to prevent extreme temperatures in summer and winter, with changeable, often overcast weather.[16] TheAlps, and in a minor way theJura Mountains, have a considerable impact on the Swiss climate. They influence it both on a horizontal level, bycompartmentalizing it into distinct areas, and on a vertical level, bystratificating it into distinct layers. As a result, four other Köppen climate types are also found in Switzerland:humid subtropical climate (Cfa),subarctic climate (Dfc),tundra climate (ET) andice cap climate (EF).
At lower altitudes, the weather is generally moderate. On the Plateau, freezing temperatures generally occur during December-early March[17] with an average temperature of 9 °C (48.2 °F) for elevations between 400–600 metres (1,312–1,969 ft). On the Plateau, the averageprecipitation is 1,000 millimetres (39 in) with a range of about 800–1,300 millimetres (31.5–51.2 in).[1] Ticino, on the south side of the Alps, is usually 2–4 °C (3.6–7.2 °F) warmer, and wetter than the Plateau, with often different weather conditions, which are particularly noticeable when crossing theGotthard or other major tunnels through the Alps.
Horizontally, the low-elevation regions having a distinct climate are essentially the Plateau (north of the Alps), southern Switzerland (south of the Alps) and the inner valleys (neither really north of south of the Alps but well within them). To those can be added the northerly regions ofAjoie, both cantons of Basel (canton of Basel-City andcanton of Basel-Country) andcanton of Schaffhausen (well beyond the Jura Mountains), which are comparable to the Plateau. In those regions, the lowest averages temperatures can be found on the Plateau (Bern: 8.8 °C (47.8 °F)) or north of the Jura Mountains (Fahy: 8.9 °C (48.0 °F)). On the other hand, the highest average temperatures are found south of the Alps (Locarno: 12.4 °C (54.3 °F),Lugano: 12.4 °C (54.3 °F)), which are partially subtropical. The precipitation levels are also deeply affected by the Alps, with the highest rainfalls being experienced south of the Alps (Locarno: 1,897 millimetres (74.7 in),Lugano: 1,559 millimetres (61.4 in)). In general, the proximity to the Alpine foothills increases the precipitations (Interlaken 1,196 millimetres (47.1 in)),Lucerne: 1,173 millimetres (46.2 in)), while places further away from the Alps experience less precipitation (Basel: 842 millimetres (33.1 in)). The driest regions of the country are, however, deep within the Alps (the inner valleys), particularly in Valais (Sion: 603 millimetres (23.7 in)), which is often described as "semi-arid",[18][19] but also inGraubünden (Chur: 849 millimetres (33.4 in)). Precipitation levels do not always negatively correlate with sunshine hours. While Locarno is one of the wettest low-elevation locations in the country, it is also the one with the most sunshine hours (2,171). In comparison, the drier locations on the Plateau experience much less sunshine hours (Lucerne: 1,570,Zürich: 1,544). Being sheltered by the mountains, the regions well within the Alps also naturally experience more sunshine hours than the north side of the Alps (Sion: 2,093, Chur: 1,692).
The widest range of climates in Switzerland is spread vertically. As the elevation above sea-level ranges from 193 to 4,634 metres (633 to 15,203 ft), manyecosystems are naturally found, from the regions of olives, vines, oaks and beeches, pines and firs, to those of the high mountain pastures, rhododendrons, and of eternal snow. In general, rainfall increase with elevation, while temperature decrease with it. Just above the plains and the foothills zone, at roughly 800 metres (3,000 ft), is themontane zone, which still encompasses numerous inhabited regions of the Alps and Jura Mountains. In the montane zone, which comprehends a large diversity of ecosystems, coniferous trees and snowfall progressively replace deciduous tree and rainfall. At roughly 2,000 metres (7,000 ft) is thetree line, which marks the beginning of theAlpine zone. The latter marks the end of the inhabited regions as well, with a few exceptions, such asJuf. The final layer lies above 3,000 metres (10,000 ft). It is the snow zone (ice cap climate). It only concerns the high Alps, notably theBernese Alps andPennine Alps. The coldest meteorological station is at theJungfraujoch, and overlook one of Europe's largest glaciers. The Jura and Alpine foothills have more precipitation than the plains, with an average of 1,200–1,600 millimetres (47.2–63.0 in), while the high Alps may have over 3,000 millimetres (118.1 in).
While the highest temperature ever recorded in Switzerland was 41.5 °C (106.7 °F) in August 2003 inGrono, the lowest officially recorded was −41.8 °C (−43.2 °F) in January 1987 inLa Brévine. Lower temperatures have also been registered, independently from theFederal Office of Meteorology and Climatology, for instance atGlattalpsee.[20]
| Place | Altitude of meteorological station (m) | Average rainfall (mm per year) | Average sunshine in August (%) | Average sunshine in December (%) | Average maximum temperature in July (°C) | Average minimum temperature in January (°C) | Illustration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jungfraujoch (Alps) | 3571 | >3000[22] | 49 | 48 | +3.1 | -15.7 |  |
| Säntis (Alps) | 2501 | 2837 | 40 | 44 | +8.8 | -9.6 |  |
| Arosa (Alps) | 1878 | 1365 | 51 | 48 | +15.4 | -7.0 |  |
| La Chaux-de-Fonds (Jura Mountains) | 1017 | 1441 | 50 | 35 | +20.7 | -6.0 |  |
| Bern (Swiss Plateau) | 553 | 1059 | 54 | 20 | +24.3 | -3.6 | .jpg) |
| Sion (Inner valleys) | 482 | 603 | 64 | 50 | +27.0 | -3.6 |  |
| Locarno (Southern Switzerland) | 367 | 1897 | 62 | 57 | +27.1 | +0.8 |  |
As a federal state, Switzerland is composed of26 cantons, which are further divided intodistricts andmunicipalities. Each canton was a fullysovereign state[23] with its own borders, army and currency from theTreaty of Westphalia (1648) until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848. There are considerable differences between the individual cantons, most particularly in terms of population and geographical area; hence seven larger and more homogeneous regions have been defined. They do not, however, constitute administrative units and are mostly used for statistical and economic purposes.[24]
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| Land use Source:FSO (1992–1997)[25] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Main areas | Surface (in %) | Land use | Surface (inha) |
| Surfaces of housing and infrastructure | 6.8 | Building areas | 137,564 |
| Industrial areas | 20,233 | ||
| Special infrastructure areas | 16,111 | ||
| Green spaces and recreation areas | 15,860 | ||
| Transportation areas | 89,329 | ||
| Agricultural land | 36.9 | Orchards, vineyards, horticulture | 60,956 |
| Arable land, local pastures | 926,378 | ||
| Alpine pastures | 537,802 | ||
| Forests | 30.8 | Forest | 1,102,160 |
| Scrub forests | 60,514 | ||
| Other woodlands | 108,978 | ||
| Unproductive areas | 25.5 | Lakes | 142,234 |
| Rivers | 31,724 | ||
| Unproductive vegetation | 263,051 | ||
| Unvegetated surfaces | 615,597 | ||
The Swiss territory is divided into four major types ofland use. As of 2001[update], 36.9%[26] of the land in Switzerland was used for farming. 30.8% of the country is covered with forests and woodlands,[26] with an additional 6.8% covered with houses or buildings.[1] About one-fourth (25.5%) of the country is either mountains, lakes or rivers and is categorised as unproductive.[25]
The habitat is mainly developed in the Swiss Plateau and the northern slopes of the Alps, near lakes and along major rivers. It occupies 14.6% of the Plateau, the Jura (7.4%), the southern (4.3%) and the northern Alps (4%), and finally the western central Alps (2.9%) and Eastern Alps (1.6%).
Habitat areas and infrastructure grow around the urban areas but also in the countryside, at the expense of agricultural land. This growth (calledsuburbanization) is particularly pronounced along the main transport routes such as motorways and railways. New roads lead to a significant increase in construction activity in the affected regions. Many people who work in the city prefer to live in the countryside to take advantage of cheaper land and better quality of life. This is also reflected in the construction statistics: single-family homes arise mainly in rural areas, multi-family homes in the cities. Household structures are also evolving and tend to become smaller. In twelve years, the area devoted to housing increased by 25% while the increase of the population was only 9%.
Although it is declining, agriculture represents the most important use of the territory in Switzerland. Farmlands dominates the Plateau, occupying just over half of the area. The situation is similar in the Jura (44%), on the northern slopes of the Alps (38.2%) and in the eastern Central Alps (31.4%). In the mountainous regions of the western Central Alps (Valais) and in the south, the agricultural areas (mostly pastures) are proportionately lower.
In 1993 it was estimated that 250 square kilometres (97 sq mi) (or about 0.6%) of the entire country was irrigated[4] meaning that most Swiss farms receive enough rainfall to grow.
The protection of forested areas led to numerous conflicts of interests around the farmland, especially on the Plateau and near urban areas where the habitat area development and infrastructure tend to reduce the amount of arable land. Conversely, the number of farms in the mountains tend to decrease, many areas are left for the benefit of woodlands to the detriment of landscape diversity. This decline is particularly marked in Valais and Ticino.
Forests cover less than a third of the territory, but the area is increasing year by year. Thereforestation is essentially natural, mainly in the Alps where the forest areas reoccupy those abandoned by farmers.Afforestation contributes 13% to reforestation, and is conducted for compensation following a clearance or to provide protection against natural hazards in the mountainous areas (avalanches, landslides). Forests are more predominant in the Jura and in the southern Alps, occupying respectively 47.7% and 47.2% of the soil in these regions. On the northern slopes of the Alps, Alpine forest occupy 33.2% and on the Plateau 24.6%. It is in the Central Alps that forest areas occupy less floor with about 22% coverage.
Switzerland is home to mixed maple-ash forests of fertile and deep earth that collects at the base of slopes. They replace the moist oak-hornbeam forests in areas with higher rainfall. This type of forest has been called "one of the most productive in Switzerland" and the tree growth has been described as "aggressive". It takes one third of the time for trees to reach the same height as it would in a mull-beech forest and within 100 years trees in maple-ash forests can reach a height of 35m, though the quality of wood will not be as high. The rich undergrowth of these forests is dominated by theallium ursinum (wild garlic) common throughout Western Europe.[27]
The unproductive areas correspond to all areas occupied by rocks, boulders, ice, snow fields and unproductive vegetation beyond the limits of forests. Lakes, rivers and wetlands are also unproductive areas. Occupying 25.5% of Swiss soil, these surfaces are in very slight decline (-0.1% over 10 years). They are predominant in the Central Alps (half of the soil), on the contrary they only cover 10% of the surface of the plateau and 1% of the Swiss Jura. The uncultivated mountain areas are exploited by the tourism and the production ofhydroelectricity. Climatic conditions strongly affect the landscape of these areas: waterseepage,landslides,avalanches,torrents in spate. Man intervenes on 0.2% of this surface area to create infrastructure protecting against floods or avalanches. The channels of communication, with many works of art occupy a portion of these surfaces.
In the plains, lakes and streams near areas of habitat are used for recreation and relaxation. Habitats, damp or dry, and nature reserves are managed and these areas contribute to maintainbiodiversity.
The population of Switzerland is heavily urbanised. In 2009, 74% of the 7,785,800 inhabitants lived in urban areas. The distribution of population is shaped by the topography of the country, the plateau being the most populous area and including the major cities of Switzerland. With a population density of 450 inhabitants per km2, it is one of the most densely populated region in Europe. There are large disparities of population densities between the cantons lying in the plateau and those lying in the Alps. Thus, the population densities of the cantons ofLucerne,Solothurn andZürich are respectively 261.0, 319.7 and 813.6 inhabitants per km2. On the other hand, the cantons ofUri andGraubünden have very low population densities, respectively 33.4 and 27.0 inhabitants per km2. In the southern Alps, thecanton of Ticino also has a population density less than the national average, with 122.5 inhabitants per km2 (against 194.7).[28]
With the delicate alpine and glacial environments making up a significant portion of the country and providing a major industry, Switzerland has been concerned with environmental issues. Some of the main issues are listed below.
The main environmental issues in Switzerland's air isair pollution from vehicle emissions and open-air burning as well asacid rain.[4] In 2004, the average amount ofcarbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per resident was 6tonnes (6.6short tons; 5.9long tons)[26] and in 2005 was 6.2 tonnes (6.8 short tons; 6.1 long tons).[29] With these numbers, Switzerland is 31st to 33rd among the 45 nations listed by United NationsMillennium Development Goals Indicators asdeveloped nations and 69th worldwide.[29] In 2009 Switzerland announced that they expected by 2010 to reduce their total greenhouse gas emissions by 8% to 10% over emissions in 1990.[1]
The population (as of 2005[update]) uses 3.76tonnes of oil equivalent per person per year, of which 43.7% comes frompetroleum and 19% fromnuclear power.[26]
The major water issue in Switzerland iswater pollution from the increased use of agricultural fertilizers as well ashydrocarbon pollution from transport and industry.[4] While improvements have been made, there are still issues witheutrophication (an increase in nitrogen and phosphates) in many lakes in the Swiss Plateau.[1]
The total renewablewater resources of Switzerland, as of 2005[update], totals 53.3 km3 (1.17×1013 imp gal; 1.41×1013 US gal),[4] of which the totalfreshwater withdrawal is 2.5 km3 (5.5×1011 imp gal; 6.6×1011 US gal) per year. This breaks down to aper capita freshwater withdrawal of 348 m3 (77,000 imp gal; 92,000 US gal) per year. Of that water (as of 2002[update]), 24% is used in households, 74% in industry and only 2% is used for agriculture.[4]
In Switzerland, there are officially 38,000 polluted sites, 4,000 of which represent a real threat togroundwater.[30]
Switzerland is facing aloss of biodiversity.[4] While the country is quite small, the wide range of climates allow a variety of organisms to flourish. There are about 50,000 animal and plant species living in Switzerland.[1] While most species that live on north and south foothills of the Alps are generally doing well, the Swiss Plateau is seeing a decrease in many species. The pressure from city and agricultural growth is reducing or eliminating the habitat of many species that once flourished along the plateau. There are about 60 species that are considered endangered that live in Switzerland.[1] To help offset this, 28.6% of the country is set aside as a protected natural area.[29] In 2001, theFederal Office for the Environment FOEN launched a nationwide programme to systematically monitor biodiversity (Biodiversity Monitoring Switzerland).[31]
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The borders of Switzerland were established by the original formation of theHelvetic Republic in 1798, the accession thereto ofValais andGrisons and the incorporation of various remaining feudal territories such as theCounty of Neuchâtel,Prince-Bishopric of Basel andAbbey of St. Gall. The cantons largely have had their current borders since 1815 (at the accession ofcanton of Valais,canton of Neuchâtel andcanton of Geneva), except for the notable changewhen Jura seceded from Berne in 1979.The total length of the border is 1,899 km,[32]enclosing an area of 41,290 km2 (15,940 sq mi) (land: 39,770 km2 (15,360 sq mi), water: 1,520 km2 (590 sq mi)).
| Border | km | mi | Cantons | Lowest point | Highest point |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| with Italy[note 1] | 734.2 | 460 | Valais Ticino Graubünden | Lake Maggiore (193 m) | Grenzgipfel (4,618 m) |
| with France[note 2] | 571.8 | 356 | Basel-City Basel-Country Solothurn Jura Neuchâtel Vaud Geneva Valais | Rhine at Basel (246 m) | Aiguille d'Argentière (3,901 m) |
| with Germany[note 3] | 345.7 | 208 | Basel-City Basel-Country Aargau Zürich Schaffhausen Thurgau St. Gallen | Rhine at Basel (246 m) | Randen mountains near Beggingen (900 m) |
| with Austria[note 4] | 165.1 | 102 | St. Gallen Graubünden | Lake Constance (395 m) | Fluchthorn (3,398 m) |
| withLiechtenstein | 41.1 | 25 | St. Gallen Graubünden | Rhine near Sennwald (430 m) | Grauspitz (2599 m) |
| Total | 1852 | 1,151 | the ones mentioned above | Lake Maggiore (193 m) | Grenzgipfel (4,618 m) |
The border of Switzerland has sixtripoints, of which two are located in rivers, one undefined location in theLake of Constance, and the three others in high mountains.
No subdivision ofEurope is universally accepted, therefore naming the different European regions and defining the borders between them is subject to debates. Depending on the definition chosen, Switzerland can be either part ofWestern orCentral Europe: both concepts depend heavily on context and carry cultural, economic and political connotations.
The term "Western Europe" commonly indicates the region west of theBaltic andAdriatic Sea. Countries described as Western European (including Switzerland, according to theUnited Nations Statistics Division and theNational Geographic Society[33]) are invariably high-income developed countries, characterized by stable democratic political systems,mixed economies combining thefree market with aspects of thewelfare state. On the other hand, the term "Central Europe" refers to the region between Western andEastern Europe. Central European countries (including Switzerland in the westernmost part, according to theWorld Factbook[34] and various encyclopedias such asBritannica andColumbia) show high disparities with regard to income but possibly share similar cultural characteristics. The concept came back into use by the end of the Cold War, which had divided Europe politically into theWestern World and theEast Bloc, splitting Central Europe in half. Before World War I, the German-speaking world used the somewhat-related termMitteleuropa (from German:Middle Europe) for an area larger than most conceptions of Central Europe, notably encompassing Switzerland among the other German-speaking countries.
Physically, Switzerland is situated approximately in the middle of the portion of Europe west of theCarpathian Mountains. Defining theUral Mountains as the eastern limit of the continent, Switzerland is located within the western third of Europe, approximately 15degrees oflongitude away from the extreme west and 50 degrees away from extreme east.[35]Phytogeographically, the part of Switzerland that lies north of the Alps belongs to Central Europe, while the part south of the Alps belongs toSouthern Europe.[36]
Am 7. Februar 1991 wurde auf der Glattalp mit -52.5 Grad der schweizerische Minusrekord gemessen.[On February 7, 1991, the Swiss minus record was measured on the Glattalp with -52.5 degrees.]
