Switzerland

Swiss state was founded in 1291, residents of three small mountain valleys: Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden (hence the name of the country - Switzerland). They sought to unite in the fight against the Austrian invaders. Over time, they were joined by other areas - in Switzerland they are called cantons. Switzerland is a modern democratic republics Union 26 - cantons and August 1st is celebrated as a national holiday in Switzerland, recalling the events of more than semivekovoy ago. The capital of Switzerland - Bern.





The Swiss population - 7.3 million people. More than half of Swiss living in cities. In Zurich, Basel, Geneva, Bern, Lausanne live more than 100 thousand inhabitants each. The main part of cities with fewer than 20,000 residents.
State languages: German - 65%, France - 20%, Italian - 8% and Romansh - 1%, other - 6%
Religion: 48% of believers - Catholics, 46% - Protestants, 6% - other religions.
The climate is temperate, humid, cold in the mountains. If in Geneva, the average January temperature + 1 ° C, while July is + 20 ° C, the at the foot of the Jungfrau, respectively -14 ° C and 0 ° C. In the winter mountains formed thick snow cover, avalanches often.
Currency Switzerland - Swiss Franc (CHF). In ob increments are notes of denomination of 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1,000 francs and coins 1/2, 1, 2 and 5 francs, as well as 5, 10 and 20 centimes.