Switzerland
Europe Β· Capital: Bern
How it is run: Switzerland is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Switzerland is home to 9.1 million people in Western Europe, where people speak French, Swiss German, Italian.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
9.1 million people
That is 0.1% of everybody alive (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
41,284 kmΒ²
About the size of a small US state such as Vermont or New Hampshire.
ποΈ How crowded
About 220 people per square kilometre β busy towns with countryside in between.
π Size in its region
18th most people in Europe
31st largest by land in Europe.
π£οΈ Official languages
French, Swiss German, Italian, Romansh
More than one language is used for official business.
π° Money
Swiss franc (Fr.)
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
84.4 years on average
One of the healthier countries β good hospitals and clean water make a big difference.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$114,769
A high-income country: most families can afford cars, travel and new technology.
π’ Living in cities
85.7% of people
Mostly a city country β think buses, trains and apartment blocks.
π Kids under 15
14.9% of the population
An older country β there are more grandparents than schoolchildren.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+41
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.ch
π§ People here are called
Swiss
π·οΈ Name at home
Suisse Β· Schweiz Β· Svizzera
Also written: Swiss Confederation, Schweiz, Suisse.
π Coast or inland
Landlocked β no coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
Western European and Others Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders π€
Switzerland is landlocked β it has no coastline, so anything arriving by sea must cross a neighbour's border first.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Suiza
French
Suisse
Arabic
Ψ³ΩΩΨ³Ψ±Ψ§
Chinese
η士
Japanese
γΉγ€γΉ
Russian
Π¨Π²Π΅ΠΉΡΠ°ΡΠΈΡ
Portuguese
SuΓΓ§a
German
Schweiz
Put it in perspective π
- Russia β the most populated country in Europe β has about 15.8Γ as many people as Switzerland.
- Switzerland covers roughly 393 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in Switzerland lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 4,546 km.
Flags through time π
A flag is a country telling you what it believes. Scroll the timeline and watch Switzerland change.
The square flag
One of only two square national flags in the world.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: Switzerland is a full member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly β the same as every other member, big or small.
π·οΈ Official name
Swiss Confederation
ποΈ Capital
Bern
π Region
Europe Β· Western Europe
π€ Country code
CH
ποΈ UN status
UN member state
π© Independence
Independent country
More about Switzerland π
The Matterhorn
A near-perfect pyramid of rock 4,478 m tall on the Swiss-Italian border. Cars are banned in the village below, so people travel by train and horse cart.
See it in Street Viewπ§ Where on the map
47.0Β° N, 8.0Β° E
π Half of the world
Northern & Eastern hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC+1 β when it is noon in London it is about 13:00 in Bern.
- The capital of Switzerland is Bern β that's where the country's big decisions get made.
- Switzerland is close to the line of 0Β° longitude, so its clocks are near the world's reference time (UTC).
- Switzerland is a full member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly β the same as every other member, big or small.
- Switzerland sits in Western Europe, in the northern and eastern half of the globe.
- Switzerland sits in the temperate zone, the belt where most of the world's farms and big cities are.
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Switzerland has 4 official languages. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Being landlocked means paying neighbours to move goods to the sea. What deal would you offer a neighbour if you led Switzerland?
- If Switzerland spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Switzerland?
Bern
Which money do people spend in Switzerland?
Swiss franc (Fr.)
How many countries share a land border with Switzerland?
5 β Austria, France, Italy, Liechtenstein, Germany.
Roughly how many people live in Switzerland?
9.1 million people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.