USD to CHF Live Rate

North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico

Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy

38 00 N, 97 00 W

47 00 N, 8 00 E

North America

Europe

total: 9,833,517 sq km

land: 9,147,593 sq km

water: 685,924 sq km

note: includes only the 50 states and District of Columbia, no overseas territories (2010)

country comparison to the world: 4

total: 41,277 sq km

land: 39,997 sq km

water: 1,280 sq km

country comparison to the world: 136

about half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the size of Africa; about half the size of South America (or slightly larger than Brazil); slightly larger than China; more than twice the size of the European Union

total: 12,048 km

border countries (2): Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska), Mexico 3,155 km

note: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba is leased by the US and is part of Cuba; the base boundary is 28.5 km

total: 1,770 km

border countries (5): Austria 158 km, France 525 km, Italy 698 km, Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 348 km

19,924 km

0 km (landlocked)

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: not specified

none (landlocked)

mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida, arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi River, and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low winter temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains

temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers

vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low mountains in east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in Alaska; rugged, volcanic topography in Hawaii

mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes

mean elevation: 760 m

elevation extremes: lowest point: Death Valley -86 m (lowest point in North America)

highest point: Denali (Mount McKinley) 6,190 m (highest point in North America)

note: the peak of Mauna Kea (4,205 m above sea level) on the island of Hawaii rises about 10,200 m above the Pacific Ocean floor; by this measurement, it is the world's tallest mountain - higher than Mount Everest (8,850 m), which is recognized as the tallest mountain above sea level

mean elevation: 1,350 m

elevation extremes: lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m

highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m

coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, rare earth elements, uranium, bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, petroleum, natural gas, timber, arable land

note: the US has the world's largest coal reserves with 491 billion short tons accounting for 27% of the world's total

hydropower potential, timber, salt

agricultural land: 44.5%

arable land 16.8%; permanent crops 0.3%; permanent pasture 27.4%

forest: 33.3%

other: 22.2% (2011 est.)

agricultural land: 38.7%

arable land 10.2%; permanent crops 0.6%; permanent pasture 27.9%

forest: 31.5%

other: 29.8% (2011 est.)

264,000 sq km (2012)

630 sq km (2012)

large urban clusters are spread throughout the eastern half of the US (particularly the Great Lakes area, northeast, east, and southeast) and the western tier states; mountainous areas, principally the Rocky Mountains and Appalachian chain, deserts in the southwest, the dense boreal forests in the extreme north, and the central prairie states are less densely populated; Alaska's population is concentrated along its southern coast - with particular emphasis on the city of Anchorage - and Hawaii's is centered on the island of Oahu

population distribution corresponds to elevation with the northern and western areas far more heavily populated; the higher Alps of the south limit settlement

tsunamis; volcanoes; earthquake activity around Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts; tornadoes in the Midwest and Southeast; mud slides in California; forest fires in the west; flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska, a major impediment to development

volcanism: volcanic activity in the Hawaiian Islands, Western Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, and in the Northern Mariana Islands; both Mauna Loa (4,170 m) in Hawaii and Mount Rainier (4,392 m) in Washington have been deemed Decade Volcanoes by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Pavlof (2,519 m) is the most active volcano in Alaska's Aleutian Arc and poses a significant threat to air travel since the area constitutes a major flight path between North America and East Asia; St. Helens (2,549 m), famous for the devastating 1980 eruption, remains active today; numerous other historically active volcanoes exist, mostly concentrated in the Aleutian arc and Hawaii; they include: in Alaska: Aniakchak, Augustine, Chiginagak, Fourpeaked, Iliamna, Katmai, Kupreanof, Martin, Novarupta, Redoubt, Spurr, Wrangell, Trident, Ugashik-Peulik, Ukinrek Maars, Veniaminof; in Hawaii: Haleakala, Kilauea, Loihi; in the Northern Mariana Islands: Anatahan; and in the Pacific Northwest: Mount Baker, Mount Hood

avalanches, landslides; flash floods

large emitter of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels; air pollution resulting in acid rain in both the US and Canada; water pollution from runoff of pesticides and fertilizers; limited natural freshwater resources in much of the western part of the country require careful management; desertification

air pollution from vehicle emissions and open-air burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use of agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

world's third-largest country by size (after Russia and Canada) and by population (after China and India); Denali (Mt. McKinley) is the highest point in North America and Death Valley the lowest point on the continent

landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France, northern Italy, and southwestern Austria, has the highest elevations in the Alps

326,625,791 (July 2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 3

8,236,303 (July 2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 98

noun: American(s)

adjective: American

noun: Swiss (singular and plural)

adjective: Swiss

white 72.4%, black 12.6%, Asian 4.8%, Amerindian and Alaska native 0.9%, native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 0.2%, other 6.2%, two or more races 2.9% (2010 est.)

note: a separate listing for Hispanic is not included because the US Census Bureau considers Hispanic to mean persons of Spanish/Hispanic/Latino origin including those of Mexican, Cuban, Puerto Rican, Dominican Republic, Spanish, and Central or South American origin living in the US who may be of any race or ethnic group (white, black, Asian, etc.); an estimated 16.3% of the total US population is Hispanic as of 2010

German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6%

English 79%, Spanish 13%, other Indo-European 3.7%, Asian and Pacific island 3.4%, other 1% (2015 est.)

note: data represent the language spoken at home; the US has no official national language, but English has acquired official status in 32 of the 50 states; Hawaiian is an official language in the state of Hawaii, and 20 indigenous languages are official in Alaska

German (or Swiss German) (official) 63%, French (official) 22.7%, Italian (official) 8.1%, English 4.9%, Portuguese 3.7%, Albanian 3%, Serbo-Croatian 2.4%, Spanish 2.2%, Romansch (official) 0.5%, other 7.1%

note: German, French, Italian, and Romansch are all national and official languages; totals more than 100% because some respondents indicated more than one main language (2015 est.)

Protestant 46.5%, Roman Catholic 20.8%, Jewish 1.9%, Mormon 1.6%, other Christian 0.9%, Muslim 0.9%, Jehovah's Witness 0.8%, Buddhist 0.7%, Hindu 0.7%, other 1.8%, unaffiliated 22.8%, don't know/refused 0.6% (2014 est.)

Roman Catholic 37.3%, Protestant 24.9%, other Christian 5.8%, Muslim 5.1%, other 1.4%, Jewish 0.2%, none 23.9%, unspecified 1.3% (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio: 51.2

youth dependency ratio: 29

elderly dependency ratio: 22.1

potential support ratio: 4.5 (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio: 48.8

youth dependency ratio: 22

elderly dependency ratio: 26.8

potential support ratio: 3.7 (2015 est.)

total: 38.1 years

male: 36.8 years

female: 39.4 years (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 60

total: 42.4 years

male: 41.4 years

female: 43.4 years (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 27

0.81% (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 129

0.69% (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 144

12.5 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 158

10.5 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 187

8.2 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 85

8.3 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 83

3.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 29

4.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 26

large urban clusters are spread throughout the eastern half of the US (particularly the Great Lakes area, northeast, east, and southeast) and the western tier states; mountainous areas, principally the Rocky Mountains and Appalachian chain, deserts in the southwest, the dense boreal forests in the extreme north, and the central prarie states are less densely populated; Alaska's population is concentrated along its southern coast - with particular emphasis on the city of Anchorage - and Hawaii's is centered on the island of Oahu

population distribution corresponds to elevation with the northern and western areas far more heavily populated; the higher Alps of the south limit settlement

urban population: 82% of total population (2017)

rate of urbanization: 0.99% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

urban population: 74.1% of total population (2017)

rate of urbanization: 1.1% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

New York-Newark 18.593 million; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana 12.31 million; Chicago 8.745 million; Miami 5.817 million; Dallas-Fort Worth 5.703 million; WASHINGTON, D.C. (capital) 4.955 million (2015)

Zurich 1.246 million; BERN (capital) 358,000 (2015)

at birth: NA

0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

26.4 years (2015 est.)

30.7 years (2014 est.)

14 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 138

5 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 172

total: 5.8 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 6.3 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 170

total: 3.6 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 4 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 202

total population: 80 years

male: 77.7 years

female: 82.2 years (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 43

total population: 82.6 years

male: 80.3 years

female: 85.1 years (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 10

1.87 children born/woman (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 143

1.56 children born/woman (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 189

74.1%

note: percent of women aged 15-44 (2011/13)

72.9% (2012)

17.1% of GDP (2014)

country comparison to the world: 1

11.7% of GDP (2014)

country comparison to the world: 7

2.57 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

4.25 physicians/1,000 population (2016)

2.9 beds/1,000 population (2013)

4.7 beds/1,000 population (2013)

improved:

urban: 99.4% of population

rural: 98.2% of population

total: 99.2% of population

unimproved:

urban: 0.6% of population

rural: 1.8% of population

total: 0.8% of population (2015 est.)

improved:

urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

unimproved:

urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2015 est.)

improved:

urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

unimproved:

urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2015 est.)

improved:

urban: 99.9% of population

rural: 99.8% of population

total: 99.9% of population

unimproved:

urban: 0.1% of population

rural: 0.2% of population

total: 0.1% of population (2015 est.)

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA

36.2% (2016)

country comparison to the world: 12

19.5% (2016)

country comparison to the world: 112

0.5% (2012)

country comparison to the world: 136

5% of GDP (2014)

country comparison to the world: 63

5.1% of GDP (2014)

country comparison to the world: 66

total: 17 years

male: 16 years

female: 17 years (2014)

total: 16 years

male: 16 years

female: 16 years (2014)

total: 10.4%

male: 11.4%

female: 9.3% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 127

total: 8.4%

male: 8.7%

female: 8.1% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 135

conventional long form: United States of America

conventional short form: United States

abbreviation: US or USA

etymology: the name America is derived from that of Amerigo VESPUCCI (1454-1512) - Italian explorer, navigator, and cartographer - using the Latin form of his name, Americus, feminized to America

conventional long form: Swiss Confederation

conventional short form: Switzerland

local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German); Confederation Suisse (French); Confederazione Svizzera (Italian); Confederaziun Svizra (Romansh)

local short form: Schweiz (German); Suisse (French); Svizzera (Italian); Svizra (Romansh)

abbreviation: CH

etymology: name derives from the canton of Schwyz, one of the founding cantons of the Old Swiss Confederacy that formed in the 14th century

constitutional federal republic

federal republic (formally a confederation)

name: Washington, DC

geographic coordinates: 38 53 N, 77 02 W

time difference: UTC-5 (during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November

note: the 50 United States cover six time zones

name: Bern

geographic coordinates: 46 55 N, 7 28 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

50 states and 1 district*; Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia*, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

26 cantons (cantons, singular - canton in French; cantoni, singular - cantone in Italian; Kantone, singular - Kanton in German); Aargau, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Berne/Bern, Fribourg/Freiburg, Geneve (Geneva), Glarus, Graubuenden/Grigioni/Grischun, Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais/Wallis, Vaud, Zug, Zuerich

note: 6 of the cantons - Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Nidwalden, Obwalden - are referred to as half cantons because they elect only one member (instead of two) to the Council of States and, in popular referendums where a majority of popular votes and a majority of cantonal votes are required, these 6 cantons only have a half vote

American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Wake Island

note: from 18 July 1947 until 1 October 1994, the US administered the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands; it entered into a political relationship with all four political entities: the Northern Mariana Islands is a commonwealth in political union with the US (effective 3 November 1986); the Republic of the Marshall Islands signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 21 October 1986); the Federated States of Micronesia signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 3 November 1986); Palau concluded a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 1 October 1994)

4 July 1776 (declared independence from Great Britain); 3 September 1783 (recognized by Great Britain)

1 August 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation)

Independence Day, 4 July (1776)

Founding of the Swiss Confederation in 1291; note - since 1 August 1891 celebrated as Swiss National Day

previous 1781 (Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union); latest drafted July - September 1787, submitted to the Congress of the Confederation 20 September 1787, submitted for states' ratification 28 September 1787, ratification completed by nine states 21 June 1788, effective 4 March 1789; amended many times, last in 1992 (2016)

history: previous 1848, 1874; latest adopted by referendum 18 April 1999, effective 1 January 2000

amendments: proposed by the two houses of the Federal Assembly or by petition of at least one million voters (called the "federal popular initiative"); passage of proposals requires majority vote in a referendum; following drafting of an amendment by the Assembly, its passage requires approval by majority vote in a referendum and approval by the majority of cantons; amended many times, last in 2016 (2016)

common law system based on English common law at the federal level; state legal systems based on common law except Louisiana, which is based on Napoleonic civil code; judicial review of legislative acts

civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts, except for federal decrees of a general obligatory character

withdrew acceptance of compulsory ICJ jurisdiction in 2005; withdrew acceptance of ICCt jurisdiction in 2002

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

citizenship by birth: yes

citizenship by descent: yes

dual citizenship recognized: no, but the US government acknowledges such situtations exist; US citizens are not encouraged to seek dual citizenship since it limits protection by the US

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Switzerland

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 12 years including at least 3 of the last 5 years prior to application

18 years of age; universal

18 years of age; universal

chief of state: President Donald J. TRUMP (since 20 January 2017); Vice President Michael R. PENCE (since 20 January 2017); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Donald J. TRUMP (since 20 January 2017); Vice President Michael R. PENCE (since 20 January 2017)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president, approved by the Senate

elections/appointments: president and vice president indirectly elected on the same ballot by the Electoral College of 'electors' chosen from each state; president and vice president serve a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 8 November 2016 (next to be held on 10 November 2020)

election results: Donald J. TRUMP elected president; electoral vote - Donald J. TRUMP (Republican Party) 304, Hillary D. CLINTON (Democratic Party) 227, other 7; percent of direct popular vote - Hillary D. CLINTON 48.2%, Donald J. TRUMP 46.1%, other 5.7%

chief of state: President of the Swiss Confederation Alain BERSET (since 1 January 2018); Vice President Ueli MAURER (since 1 January 2018); note - the Federal Council, which is comprised of 7 federal councillors, constitutes the federal government of Switzerland; council members rotate in a 1-year term as federal president (chief of state and head of government)

head of government: President of the Swiss Confederation Alain BERSET (since 1 January 2018); Vice President Ueli MAURER (since 1 January 2018)

cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) indirectly elected usually from among its members by the Federal Assembly for a 4-year term

elections/appointments: president and vice president elected by the Federal Assembly from among members of the Federal Council for a 1-year, non-consecutive term; election last held on December 2017 (next to be held in December 2018)

election results: Alain BERSET elected president; Federal Assembly vote - 190 of 210; Ueli MAURER elected vice president; Federal Assembly vote - 178 of 192

description: bicameral Congress consists of the Senate (100 seats; 2 members directly elected in each of the 50 state constituencies by simple majority vote except in Georgia and Louisiana which require an absolute majority vote with a second round if needed; members serve 6-year terms with one-third of membership renewed every 2 years) and the House of Representatives (435 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote except in Georgia which requires an absolute majority vote with a second round if needed; members serve 2-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held on 8 November 2016 (next to be held on 6 November 2018); House of Representatives - last held on 8 November 2016 (next to be held on 6 November 2018)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 24, Democratic Party 10; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 241, Democratic Party 194,

note: in addition to the regular members of the House of Representatives there are 6 non-voting delegates elected from the District of Columbia and the US territories of American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands; these are single seat constituencies directly elected by simple majority vote to serve a 2-year term (except for the resident commissioner of Puerto Rico who serves a 4-year term); the delegate can vote when serving on a committee and when the House meets as the Committee of the Whole House, but not when legislation is submitted for a “full floor” House vote; election of delegates last held on 8 November 2016 (next to be held on 6 November 2018)

description: bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German), Assemblee Federale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in Italian) consists of the Council of States or Staenderat (in German), Conseil des Etats (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats; members in multi-seat constituencies representing cantons and single-seat constituencies representing half cantons directly elected by simple majority vote; members serve 4-year terms) and the National Council or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats; 195 members in cantons directly elected by proportional representation vote and 6 in half cantons directly elected by simple majority vote; members serve 4-year terms)

elections: Council of States - last held in most cantons on 18 October 2015 (each canton determines when the next election will be held); National Council - last held on 18 October 2015 (next to be held in October 2019)

election results: Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party as of 18 October 2015 - CVP 13, FDP 13, SDP 12, SVP 5, other 3; National Council - percent of vote by party - SVP 29.4%, SPS 18.8%, FDP 16.4%, CVP 11.6%, Green Party 7.1%, GLP 4.6%, BDP 4.1%, other 8.0%; seats by party - SVP 68, SPS 43, FDP 33, CVP 30, Green Party 12, GLP 7, BDP 7

highest court(s): US Supreme Court (consists of 9 justices - the chief justice and 8 associate justices)

judge selection and term of office: president nominates and, with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoints Supreme Court justices; justices appointed for life

subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal (includes the US Court of Appeal for the Federal District and 12 regional appeals courts); 94 federal district courts in 50 states and territories

note: the US court system consists of the federal court system and the state court systems; although each court system is responsible for hearing certain types of cases, neither is completely independent of the other, and the systems often interact

highest court(s): Federal Supreme Court (consists of 38 judges and 31 substitutes and organized into 5 sections)

judge selection and term of office: judges elected by the Federal Assembly for 6-year terms; note - judges are affiliated with political parties and are elected according to linguistic and regional criteria in approximate proportion to the level of party representation in the Federal Assembly

subordinate courts: Federal Criminal Court (began in 2004); Federal Administrative Court (began in 2007); note - each of Switzerland's 26 cantons has its own courts

Democratic Party [Tom PEREZ]

Green Party [collective leadership]

Libertarian Party [Nicholas SARWARK]

Republican Party [Ronna Romney MCDANIEL]

Christian Democratic People's Party (Christlichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP, Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or PDC, Partito Popolare Democratico Svizzero or PPD, Partida Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Gerhard PFISTER]

Conservative Democratic Party (Buergerlich-Demokratische Partei Schweiz or BDP, Parti Bourgeois Democratique Suisse or PBD, Partito Borghese Democratico Svizzero or PBD, Partido burgais democratica Svizera or PBD) [Martin LANDOLT]

Free Democratic Party or FDP.The Liberals (FDP.Die Liberalen, PLR.Les Liberaux-Radicaux, PLR.I Liberali, Ils Liberals) [Petra GOESSI]

Green Liberal Party (Grunliberale or GLP, Parti vert liberale or PVL, Partito Verde-Liberale or PVL, Partida Verde Liberale or PVL) [Jurge GROSSEN]

Green Party (Gruene Partei der Schweiz or Gruene, Parti Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida Ecologica Svizra or La Verda) [Regula RYTZ]

Social Democratic Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SPS, Parti Socialiste Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS, Partida Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS) [Christian LEVRAT]

Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica di Centro or UDC, Uniun Democratica dal Center or UDC) [Albert ROESTI]

other minor parties

environmentalists; business groups; labor unions; churches; ethnic groups; political action committees or PACs; health groups; education groups; civic groups; youth groups; transportation groups; agricultural groups; veterans groups; women's groups; reform lobbies

NA

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), ANZUS, APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CD, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CICA (observer), CP, EAPC, EAS, EBRD, EITI (implementing country), FAO, FATF, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAFTA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SELEC (observer), SICA (observer), SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNRWA, UNSC (permanent), UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, EITI (implementing country), ESA, FAO, FATF, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMISS, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

13 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars; the 50 stars represent the 50 states, the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies; the blue stands for loyalty, devotion, truth, justice, and friendship; red symbolizes courage, zeal, and fervency, while white denotes purity and rectitude of conduct; commonly referred to by its nickname of Old Glory

note: the design and colors have been the basis for a number of other flags, including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, and Puerto Rico

red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that does not extend to the edges of the flag; various medieval legends purport to describe the origin of the flag; a white cross used as identification for troops of the Swiss Confederation is first attested at the Battle of Laupen (1339)

bald eagle; national colors: red, white, blue

Swiss cross (white cross on red field, arms equal length); national colors: red, white

name: "The Star-Spangled Banner"

lyrics/music: Francis Scott KEY/John Stafford SMITH

note: adopted 1931; during the War of 1812, after witnessing the successful American defense of Fort McHenry in Baltimore following British naval bombardment, Francis Scott KEY wrote the lyrics to what would become the national anthem; the lyrics were set to the tune of "The Anacreontic Song"; only the first verse is sung

the Swiss anthem has four names: "Schweizerpsalm" [German] "Cantique Suisse" [French] "Salmo svizzero," [Italian] "Psalm svizzer" [Romansch] (Swiss Psalm)

lyrics/music: Leonhard WIDMER [German], Charles CHATELANAT [French], Camillo VALSANGIACOMO [Italian], and Flurin CAMATHIAS [Romansch]/Alberik ZWYSSIG

note: unofficially adopted 1961, officially 1981; the anthem has been popular in a number of Swiss cantons since its composition (in German) in 1841; translated into the other three official languages of the country (French, Italian, and Romansch), it is official in each of those languages

chief of mission: Ambassador Martin Werner DAHINDEN (since 18 November 2014)

chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900

FAX: [1] (202) 387-2564

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco

chief of mission: Ambassador Edward "Ed" MCMULLEN (since 21 November 2017) note - also accredited to Liechtenstein

embassy: Sulgeneckstrasse 19, CH-3007 Bern

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [41] (031) 357-70-11

FAX: [41] (031) 357-73-20

The US has the most technologically powerful economy in the world, with a per capita GDP of $59,500. US firms are at or near the forefront in technological advances, especially in computers, pharmaceuticals, and medical, aerospace, and military equipment; however, their advantage has narrowed since the end of World War II. Based on a comparison of GDP measured at purchasing power parity conversion rates, the US economy in 2014, having stood as the largest in the world for more than a century, slipped into second place behind China, which has more than tripled the US growth rate for each year of the past four decades.

In the US, private individuals and business firms make most of the decisions, and the federal and state governments buy needed goods and services predominantly in the private marketplace. US business firms enjoy greater flexibility than their counterparts in Western Europe and Japan in decisions to expand capital plant, to lay off surplus workers, and to develop new products. At the same time, businesses face higher barriers to enter their rivals' home markets than foreign firms face entering US markets.

Long-term problems for the US include stagnation of wages for lower-income families, inadequate investment in deteriorating infrastructure, rapidly rising medical and pension costs of an aging population, energy shortages, and sizable current account and budget deficits.

The onrush of technology has been a driving factor in the gradual development of a "two-tier" labor market in which those at the bottom lack the education and the professional/technical skills of those at the top and, more and more, fail to get comparable pay raises, health insurance coverage, and other benefits. But the globalization of trade, and especially the rise of low-wage producers such as China, has put additional downward pressure on wages and upward pressure on the return to capital. Since 1975, practically all the gains in household income have gone to the top 20% of households. Since 1996, dividends and capital gains have grown faster than wages or any other category of after-tax income.

Imported oil accounts for more than 50% of US consumption and oil has a major impact on the overall health of the economy. Crude oil prices doubled between 2001 and 2006, the year home prices peaked; higher gasoline prices ate into consumers' budgets and many individuals fell behind in their mortgage payments. Oil prices climbed another 50% between 2006 and 2008, and bank foreclosures more than doubled in the same period. Besides dampening the housing market, soaring oil prices caused a drop in the value of the dollar and a deterioration in the US merchandise trade deficit, which peaked at $840 billion in 2008. Because the US economy is energy-intensive, falling oil prices since 2013 have alleviated many of the problems the earlier increases had created.

The sub-prime mortgage crisis, falling home prices, investment bank failures, tight credit, and the global economic downturn pushed the US into a recession by mid-2008. GDP contracted until the third quarter of 2009, the deepest and longest downturn since the Great Depression. To help stabilize financial markets, the US Congress established a $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) in October 2008. The government used some of these funds to purchase equity in US banks and industrial corporations, much of which had been returned to the government by early 2011. In January 2009, Congress passed and former President Barack OBAMA signed a bill providing an additional $787 billion fiscal stimulus to be used over 10 years - two-thirds on additional spending and one-third on tax cuts - to create jobs and to help the economy recover. In 2010 and 2011, the federal budget deficit reached nearly 9% of GDP. In 2012, the Federal Government reduced the growth of spending and the deficit shrank to 7.6% of GDP. US revenues from taxes and other sources are lower, as a percentage of GDP, than those of most other countries.

Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan required major shifts in national resources from civilian to military purposes and contributed to the growth of the budget deficit and public debt. Through FY 2018, the direct costs of the wars will have totaled more than $1.9 trillion, according to US Government figures.

In March 2010, former President OBAMA signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), a health insurance reform that was designed to extend coverage to an additional 32 million Americans by 2016, through private health insurance for the general population and Medicaid for the impoverished. Total spending on healthcare - public plus private - rose from 9.0% of GDP in 1980 to 17.9% in 2010.

In July 2010, the former president signed the DODD-FRANK Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, a law designed to promote financial stability by protecting consumers from financial abuses, ending taxpayer bailouts of financial firms, dealing with troubled banks that are "too big to fail," and improving accountability and transparency in the financial system - in particular, by requiring certain financial derivatives to be traded in markets that are subject to government regulation and oversight.

In December 2012, the Federal Reserve Board (Fed) announced plans to purchase $85 billion per month of mortgage-backed and Treasury securities in an effort to hold down long-term interest rates, and to keep short-term rates near zero until unemployment dropped below 6.5% or inflation rose above 2.5%. The Fed ended its purchases during the summer of 2014, after the unemployment rate dropped to 6.2%, inflation stood at 1.7%, and public debt fell below 74% of GDP. In December 2015, the Fed raised its target for the benchmark federal funds rate by 0.25%, the first increase since the recession began. With continued low growth, the Fed opted to raise rates several times since then, and in December 2017, the target rate stood at 1.5%.

In December 2017, Congress passed and President Donald TRUMP signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which, among its various provisions, reduces the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%; lowers the individual tax rate for those with the highest incomes from 39.6% to 37%, and by lesser percentages for those at lower income levels; changes many deductions and credits used to calculate taxable income; and eliminates in 2019 the penalty imposed on taxpayers who do not obtain the minimum amount of health insurance required under the ACA. The new taxes took effect on 1 January 2018; the tax cut for corporations are permanent, but those for individuals are scheduled to expire after 2025. The Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) under the Congressional Budget Office estimates that the new law will reduce tax revenues and increase the federal deficit by about $1.45 trillion over the 2018-2027 period. This amount would decline if economic growth were to exceed the JCT’s estimate.

Switzerland, a country that espouses neutrality, is a prosperous and modern market economy with low unemployment, a highly skilled labor force, and a per capita GDP among the highest in the world. Switzerland's economy benefits from a highly developed service sector, led by financial services, and a manufacturing industry that specializes in high-technology, knowledge-based production. Its economic and political stability, transparent legal system, exceptional infrastructure, efficient capital markets, and low corporate tax rates also make Switzerland one of the world's most competitive economies.

The Swiss have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with the EU's to gain access to the Union’s Single Market and enhance the country’s international competitiveness. Some trade protectionism remains, however, particularly for its small agricultural sector. The fate of the Swiss economy is tightly linked to that of its neighbors in the euro zone, which purchases half of Swiss exports. The global financial crisis of 2008 and resulting economic downturn in 2009 stalled demand for Swiss exports and put Switzerland into a recession. During this period, the Swiss National Bank (SNB) implemented a zero-interest rate policy to boost the economy, as well as to prevent appreciation of the franc, and Switzerland's economy began to recover in 2010.

The sovereign debt crises unfolding in neighboring euro-zone countries, however, coupled with economic instability in Russia and other eastern European economies drove up demand for the Swiss franc by investors seeking a safe-haven currency. In January 2015, the SNB abandoned the Swiss franc’s peg to the euro, roiling global currency markets and making active SNB intervention a necessary hallmark of present-day Swiss monetary policy. The independent SNB has upheld its zero interest rate policy and conducted major market interventions to prevent further appreciation of the Swiss franc, but parliamentarians have urged it to do more to weaken the currency. The franc's strength has made Swiss exports less competitive and weakened the country's growth outlook; GDP growth fell below 2% per year from 2011 through 2017.

In recent years, Switzerland has responded to increasing pressure from neighboring countries and trading partners to reform its banking secrecy laws, by agreeing to conform to OECD regulations on administrative assistance in tax matters, including tax evasion. The Swiss government has also renegotiated its double taxation agreements with numerous countries, including the US, to incorporate OECD standards.

$19.36 trillion (2017 est.)

$18.95 trillion (2016 est.)

$18.67 trillion (2015 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars

country comparison to the world: 3

$516.7 billion (2017 est.)

$511.5 billion (2016 est.)

$504.5 billion (2015 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars

country comparison to the world: 40

$19.36 trillion (2017 est.)

$680.6 billion (2017 est.)

2.2% (2017 est.)

1.5% (2016 est.)

2.9% (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 144

1% (2017 est.)

1.4% (2016 est.)

1.2% (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 185

$59,500 (2017 est.)

$58,600 (2016 est.)

$58,200 (2015 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars

country comparison to the world: 20

$61,400 (2017 est.)

$61,400 (2016 est.)

$61,200 (2015 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars

country comparison to the world: 17

17.5% of GDP (2017 est.)

18% of GDP (2016 est.)

19.4% of GDP (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 105

33.5% of GDP (2017 est.)

33.6% of GDP (2016 est.)

34.5% of GDP (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 18

household consumption: 69.1%

government consumption: 17.2%

investment in fixed capital: 16.3%

investment in inventories: 0.3%

exports of goods and services: 12.2%

imports of goods and services: -15.1% (2017 est.)

household consumption: 53.7%

government consumption: 11.5%

investment in fixed capital: 24%

investment in inventories: -0.7%

exports of goods and services: 67.5%

imports of goods and services: -56% (2017 est.)

agriculture: 0.9%

industry: 18.9%

services: 80.2%

(2017 est.)

agriculture: 0.7%

industry: 25.6%

services: 73.7% (2017 est.)

wheat, corn, other grains, fruits, vegetables, cotton; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish; forest products

grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs, dairy products

highly diversified, world leading, high-technology innovator, second-largest industrial output in the world; petroleum, steel, motor vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food processing, consumer goods, lumber, mining

machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments, tourism, banking, insurance, pharmaceuticals

1.8% (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 144

2% (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 131

160.4 million

note: includes unemployed (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 4

5.159 million (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 81

farming, forestry, and fishing: 0.7%

manufacturing, extraction, transportation, and crafts: 20.3%

managerial, professional, and technical: 37.3%

sales and office: 24.2%

other services: 17.6%

note: figures exclude the unemployed

(2009 est.)

agriculture: 3.3%

industry: 19.8%

services: 76.9% (2015 est.)

4.4% (2017 est.)

4.9% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 60

3% (2017 est.)

3.3% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 35

15.1% (2010 est.)

6.6% (2014 est.)

lowest 10%: 2%

highest 10%: 30% (2007 est.)

lowest 10%: 7.5%

highest 10%: 19% (2007 est.)

45 (2007 est.)

40.8 (1997 est.)

country comparison to the world: 41

29.5 (2014 est.)

33.1 (1992 est.)

country comparison to the world: 133

revenues: $3.336 trillion

expenditures: $3.991 trillion

note: for the US, revenues exclude social contributions of approximately $1.0 trillion; expenditures exclude social benefits of approximately $2.3 trillion (2017 est.)

revenues: $223.5 billion

expenditures: $222.1 billion

note: includes federal, cantonal, and municipal budgets (2017 est.)

17.2% of GDP

note: excludes contributions for social security and other programs; if social contributions were added, taxes and other revenues would amount to approximately 22% of GDP (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 176

32.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 70

-3.4% of GDP (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 128

0.2% of GDP (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 29

77.4% of GDP (2017 est.)

76.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

note: data cover only what the United States Treasury denotes as "Debt Held by the Public," which includes all debt instruments issued by the Treasury that are owned by non-US Government entities; the data include Treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data exclude debt issued by individual US states, as well as intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental debt consists of Treasury borrowings from surpluses in the trusts for Federal Social Security, Federal Employees, Hospital and Supplemental Medical Insurance (Medicare), Disability and Unemployment, and several other smaller trusts; if data for intra-government debt were added, "gross debt" would increase by about one-third of GDP

country comparison to the world: 43

32.9% of GDP (2017 est.)

32.6% of GDP (2016 est.)

note: general government gross debt; gross debt consists of all liabilities that require payment or payments of interest and/or principal by the debtor to the creditor at a date or dates in the future; includes debt liabilities in the form of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs), currency and deposits, debt securities, loans, insurance, pensions and standardized guarantee schemes, and other accounts payable; all liabilities in the GFSM 2001 system are debt, except for equity and investment fund shares and financial derivatives and employee stock options

country comparison to the world: 154

1 October - 30 September

calendar year

2.1% (2017 est.)

1.3% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 97

0.5% (2017 est.)

-0.4% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 20

0.5% (31 December 2010 est.)

0.5% (31 December 2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 134

0.5% (31 December 2016 est.)

0.75% (31 December 2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 132

4.3% (31 December 2017 est.)

3.51% (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 156

2.6% (31 December 2017 est.)

2.65% (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 175

$3.627 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$3.25 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 4

$619.4 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$555.7 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 11

$14 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$12.84 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 2

$1.335 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.232 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 16

$21.59 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$20.24 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 2

$1.267 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.166 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 16

$25.07 trillion (31 December 2015 est.)

$26.33 trillion (31 December 2014 est.)

$24.03 trillion (31 December 2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 1

$1.519 trillion (31 December 2015 est.)

$1.495 trillion (31 December 2014 est.)

$1.541 trillion (31 December 2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 10

$-462 billion (2017 est.)

$-451.7 billion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 201

$67.33 billion (2017 est.)

$70.54 billion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 8

$1.576 trillion (2017 est.)

$1.456 trillion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 3

$336.8 billion (2017 est.)

$318.1 billion (2016 est.)

note: trade data exclude trade with Switzerland

country comparison to the world: 16

agricultural products (soybeans, fruit, corn) 9.2%, industrial supplies (organic chemicals) 26.8%, capital goods (transistors, aircraft, motor vehicle parts, computers, telecommunications equipment) 49.0%, consumer goods (automobiles, medicines) 15.0% (2008 est.)

machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products

Canada 18.3%, Mexico 15.9%, China 8%, Japan 4.4% (2016)

Germany 14.4%, US 12.1%, UK 10.7%, China 9%, Hong Kong 6.1%, France 5.8%, Italy 4.9%, India 4.8% (2016)

$2.352 trillion (2017 est.)

$2.208 trillion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 1

$286.7 billion (2017 est.)

$264.9 billion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 18

agricultural products 4.9%, industrial supplies 32.9% (crude oil 8.2%), capital goods 30.4% (computers, telecommunications equipment, motor vehicle parts, office machines, electric power machinery), consumer goods 31.8% (automobiles, clothing, medicines, furniture, toys) (2008 est.)

machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural products, textiles

China 21.1%, Mexico 13.4%, Canada 12.7%, Japan 6%, Germany 5.2% (2016)

Germany 19.4%, US 9%, Italy 7.4%, UK 7.1%, UAE 6.2%, France 6.1%, China 4.7% (2016)

$117.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$117.6 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 22

$679.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$679.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 4

$17.91 trillion (31 March 2016 est.)

$17.85 trillion (31 March 2015 est.)

note: approximately 4/5ths of US external debt is denominated in US dollars; foreign lenders have been willing to hold US dollar denominated debt instruments because they view the dollar as the world's reserve currency

country comparison to the world: 1

$1.664 trillion (31 March 2016 est.)

$1.663 trillion (31 March 2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 13

$4.084 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$3.614 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 3

$1.23 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.217 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 9

$5.644 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$5.352 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 3

$1.556 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.528 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 7

British pounds per US dollar: 0.7836 (2017 est.), 0.738 (2016 est.), 0.738 (2015 est.), 0.607 (2014 est), 0.6391 (2013 est.)

Canadian dollars per US dollar: 1, 1.308 (2017 est.), 1.3256 (2016 est.), 1.3256 (2015 est.), 1.2788 (2014 est.), 1.0298 (2013 est.)

Chinese yuan per US dollar: 1, 6.7588 (2017 est.), 6.6445 (2016 est.), 6.2275 (2015 est.), 6.1434 (2014 est.), 6.1958 (2013 est.)

euros per US dollar: 0.885 (2017 est.), 0.903 (2016 est.), 0.9214(2015 est.), 0.885 (2014 est.), 0.7634 (2013 est.)

Japanese yen per US dollar: 111.10 (2017 est.), 108.76 (2016 est.), 108.76 (2015 est.), 121.02 (2014 est.), 97.44 (2013 est.)

Swiss francs (CHF) per US dollar -

0.99 (2017 est.)

0.99 (2016 est.)

0.99 (2015 est.)

0.96 (2014 est.)

0.92 (2013 est.)

electrification - total population: 100% (2016)

electrification - total population: 100% (2016)

4.088 trillion kWh (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 2

64.06 billion kWh (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 45

3.911 trillion kWh (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 2

58.45 billion kWh (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 44

9.695 billion kWh (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 25

30.17 billion kWh (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 6

80.66 billion kWh (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 2

34.1 billion kWh (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 5

1.074 billion kW (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 3

19.62 million kW (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 45

70.6% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 103

2.9% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 208

9.2% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 18

17% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 12

7.4% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 124

61% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 26

10.7% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 69

11.1% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 67

8.853 million bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 3

0 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 198

590,900 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 21

319.1 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 77

7.85 million bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 1

58,400 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 53

36.52 billion bbl (1 January 2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 11

0 bbl (1 January 2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 197

20.08 million bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 1

63,400 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 79

19.69 million bbl/day (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 1

217,400 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 54

4.67 million bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 1

8,894 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 85

2.205 million bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 2

166,300 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 39

766.2 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 1

25 million cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 91

773.2 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 1

4.639 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 67

50.52 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 7

0 cu m (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 189

76.96 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 4

3.484 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 40

8.714 trillion cu m (1 January 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 4

NA cu m (1 January 2011 est.)

5.402 billion Mt (2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 2

45 million Mt (2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 63

total subscriptions: 121.53 million

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 38 (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 3

total subscriptions: 3,968,500

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 49 (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 38

total: 395.881 million

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 121 (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 4

total: 11,242,100

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 136 (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 81

general assessment: a large, technologically advanced, multipurpose communications system

domestic: a large system of fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and domestic satellites carries every form of telephone traffic; a rapidly growing cellular system carries mobile telephone traffic throughout the country

international: country code - 1; multiple ocean cable systems provide international connectivity; satellite earth stations - 61 Intelsat (45 Atlantic Ocean and 16 Pacific Ocean), 5 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 4 Inmarsat (Pacific and Atlantic Ocean regions) (2016)

general assessment: highly developed telecommunications infrastructure with excellent domestic and international services

domestic: ranked among leading countries for fixed-line teledensity and infrastructure; mobile-cellular subscribership roughly 140 per 100 persons; extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks

international: country code - 41; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean) (2016)

4 major terrestrial TV networks with affiliate stations throughout the country, plus cable and satellite networks, independent stations, and a limited public broadcasting sector that is largely supported by private grants; overall, thousands of TV stations broadcasting; multiple national radio networks with many affiliate stations; while most stations are commercial, National Public Radio (NPR) has a network of some 600 member stations; satellite radio available; overall, nearly 15,000 radio stations operating (2008)

the publicly owned radio and TV broadcaster, Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG/SSR), operates 7 national TV networks, 3 broadcasting in German, 2 in Italian, and 2 in French; private commercial TV stations broadcast regionally and locally; TV broadcasts from stations in Germany, Italy, and France are widely available via multi-channel cable and satellite TV services; SRG/SSR operates 17 radio stations that, along with private broadcasters, provide national to local coverage (2015)

.us

.ch

total: 246,809,221

percent of population: 76.2% (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 4

total: 7,312,744

percent of population: 89.4% (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 60

number of registered air carriers: 92

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 6,817

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 798.23 million

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 37.219 billion mt-km (2015)

number of registered air carriers: 12

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 163

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 26,843,991

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 1,322,379,468 mt-km (2015)

N (2016)

HB (2016)

13,513 (2013)

country comparison to the world: 1

63 (2013)

country comparison to the world: 78

total: 5,054

over 3,047 m: 189

2,438 to 3,047 m: 235

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1,478

914 to 1,523 m: 2,249

under 914 m: 903 (2013)

total: 40

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 12

914 to 1,523 m: 6

under 914 m: 17 (2013)

total: 8,459

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 6

1,524 to 2,437 m: 140

914 to 1,523 m: 1,552

under 914 m: 6,760 (2013)

total: 23

under 914 m: 23 (2013)

5,287 (2013)

2 (2013)

natural gas 1,984,321 km; petroleum products 240,711 km (2013)

gas 1,800 km; oil 94 km; refined products 7 km (2013)

total: 293,564.2 km

standard gauge: 293,564.2 km 1.435-m gauge (2014)

country comparison to the world: 1

total: 5,651.5 km

standard gauge: 4,424.8 km 1.435-m gauge (3,634.1 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 2 km 1.200-m gauge (2 km electrified); 1,188.3 km 1.000-m gauge (1,167.3 km electrified); 36.4 km 0.800-m gauge (36.4 km electrified) (2014)

country comparison to the world: 34

total: 6,586,610 km

paved: 4,304,715 km (includes 76,334 km of expressways)

unpaved: 2,281,895 km (2012)

country comparison to the world: 1

total: 71,464 km

paved: 71,464 km (includes 1,415 of expressways) (2011)

country comparison to the world: 66

41,009 km (19,312 km used for commerce; Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint Lawrence River of 3,058 km, is shared with Canada) (2012)

country comparison to the world: 5

1,292 km (there are 1,227 km of waterways on lakes and rivers for public transport and 65 km on the Rhine River between Basel-Rheinfelden and Schaffhausen-Bodensee for commercial goods transport) (2010)

country comparison to the world: 57

total: 3,611

by type: bulk carrier 5, container ship 61, general cargo 114, oil tanker 66, other 3,365 (2017)

country comparison to the world: 5

total: 51

by type: bulk carrier 30, general cargo 12, oil tanker 1, other 8 (2017)

country comparison to the world: 115

cargo ports: Baton Rouge, Corpus Christi, Hampton Roads, Houston, Long Beach, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Plaquemines (LA), Tampa, Texas City

container port(s) (TEUs): Hampton Roads (2,549,000), Houston (2,131,000), Long Beach (7,192,000), Los Angeles (8,160,000), New York/New Jersey (6,372,000), Oakland (2,278,000), Savannah (3,737,000), Seattle (3,531,000) (2015)

cruise departure ports (passengers): Miami (2,032,000), Port Everglades (1,277,000), Port Canaveral (1,189,000), Seattle (430,000), Long Beach (415,000) (2009)

oil terminal(s): LOOP terminal, Haymark terminal

LNG terminal(s) (import): Cove Point (MD), Elba Island (GA), Everett (MA), Freeport (TX), Golden Pass (TX), Hackberry (LA), Lake Charles (LA), Neptune (offshore), Northeast Gateway (offshore), Pascagoula (MS), Sabine Pass (TX)

LNG terminal(s) (export): Kenai (AK)

river port(s): Basel (Rhine)

3.29% of GDP (2016)

3.3% of GDP (2015)

3.51% of GDP (2014)

3.83% of GDP (2013)

4.24% of GDP (2012)

country comparison to the world: 25

0.71% of GDP (2016)

0.67% of GDP (2015)

0.66% of GDP (2014)

0.73% of GDP (2013)

0.69% of GDP (2012)

country comparison to the world: 132

United States Armed Forces: US Army, US Navy (includes Marine Corps), US Air Force, US Coast Guard; note - Coast Guard administered in peacetime by the Department of Homeland Security, but in wartime reports to the Department of the Navy (2017)

Swiss Armed Forces: Land Forces, Swiss Air Force (Schweizer Luftwaffe) (2013)

18 years of age (17 years of age with parental consent) for male and female voluntary service; no conscription; maximum enlistment age 42 (Army), 27 (Air Force), 34 (Navy), 28 (Marines); 8-year service obligation, including 2-5 years active duty (Army), 2 years active (Navy), 4 years active (Air Force, Marines); all military occupations and positions open to women (2016)

19-26 years of age for male compulsory military service; 18 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; every Swiss male has to serve at least 260 days in the armed forces; conscripts receive 18 weeks of mandatory training, followed by seven 3-week intermittent recalls for training during the next 10 years (2012)

the US has intensified domestic security measures and is collaborating closely with its neighbors, Canada and Mexico, to monitor and control legal and illegal personnel, transport, and commodities across the international borders; abundant rainfall in recent years along much of the Mexico-US border region has ameliorated periodically strained water-sharing arrangements; 1990 Maritime Boundary Agreement in the Bering Sea still awaits Russian Duma ratification; Canada and the United States dispute how to divide the Beaufort Sea and the status of the Northwest Passage but continue to work cooperatively to survey the Arctic continental shelf; The Bahamas and US have not been able to agree on a maritime boundary; US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased from Cuba and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease; Haiti claims US-administered Navassa Island; US has made no territorial claim in Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do so) and does not recognize the claims of any other states; Marshall Islands claims Wake Island; Tokelau included American Samoa's Swains Island among the islands listed in its 2006 draft constitution

none

refugees (country of origin): the US admitted 53,716 refugees during FY2017 including: 9,377 (Democratic Republic of the Congo); 6,886 (Iraq); 6,557 (Syria); 6,130 (Somalia); 5,078 (Burma); 3,550 (Bhutan); 2,577 (Iran)

note: more than 46,000 Venezuelans have claimed asylum since 2014 because of the economic and political crisis (2017)

refugees (country of origin): 26,264 (Eritrea); 11,159 (Syria); 5,675 (Afghanistan); 5,458 (Sri Lanka) (2016)

stateless persons: 66 (2016)

world's largest consumer of cocaine (shipped from Colombia through Mexico and the Caribbean), Colombian heroin, and Mexican heroin and marijuana; major consumer of ecstasy and Mexican methamphetamine; minor consumer of high-quality Southeast Asian heroin; illicit producer of cannabis, marijuana, depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens, and methamphetamine; money-laundering center

a major international financial center vulnerable to the layering and integration stages of money laundering; despite significant legislation and reporting requirements, secrecy rules persist and nonresidents are permitted to conduct business through offshore entities and various intermediaries; transit country for and consumer of South American cocaine, Southwest Asian heroin, and Western European synthetics; domestic cannabis cultivation and limited ecstasy production