Short facts about the geography of Switzerland
| Location: |
Central Europe, east of France, north
of Italy |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
47 00 N, 8 00
E |
| Area: |
total: 41,290 sq km
land: 39,770 sq km
water:
1,520 sq km |
| Area -
comparative: |
slightly less than twice the size of
New Jersey |
| Land
boundaries: |
total: 1,852 km
border countries: Austria 164 km, France 573 km,
Italy 740 km, Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334
km |
| Coastline: |
0 km
(landlocked) |
| Maritime
claims: |
none
(landlocked) |
| Climate: |
temperate, but varies with altitude;
cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with
occasional showers |
| Terrain: |
mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura
in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large
lakes |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
Lake Maggiore 195 m
highest point: Dufourspitze
4,634 m |
| Natural
resources: |
hydropower potential, timber,
salt |
| Land
use: |
arable land: 10%
permanent crops: 2%
permanent pastures:
28%
forests and woodland: 32%
other: 28% (1993
est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
250 sq km (1993
est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
avalanches, landslides, flash
floods |
| Environment
- current issues: |
air pollution from vehicle emissions
and open-air burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use of
agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity |
| Environment
- international agreements: |
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent
Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the
Sea |
| Geography -
note: |
landlocked; crossroads of northern and
southern Europe; along with southeastern France and northern Italy, contains the
highest elevations in Europe | Source: World Factbook |
