Switzerland Research Paper

Switzerland

Switzerland, federal republic in west central Europe, bounded on the north by France and Germany, on the east b Austria and Liechtenstein, on the south by Italy, and on the west by France. The country has an area of 15,940-sq. mi. Its largest city is Zurich, and the capitol is Bern. Switzerland is one of the most mountainous countries of Europe, with more than 70 percent of its area covered by the Alps, in the central and southern sections, and the Jura, in the northwest. The Swiss Alps are part of the largest mountain system in Europe, and famous for their jagged peaks and steep gorges. There are several ranges within the Alps, including the Pennine range, which has Switzerland's highest peak, the 15,203 ft. Dufourspitze
Between these two mountain systems lies the Swiss Plateau, about 1300 ft. above sea level in average elevation and some 30 miles wide; it extends from Lake Geneva in the extreme southwest to the Bodensee (Lake of Constance) in the extreme northeast. The plateau is thickly studded with hills. Between the rages of the Alps and Jura also stretch long valleys connected by transverse gorges; one such valley is the Engadine along the Inn River in the southeast. Nearly every Swiss valley is traversed by streams, often interrupted by picturesque waterfalls, including the Staubbach Falls (about 950 ft.) in the canton of Bern. The Rhine and its tributaries form the principal river system. Other important rivers are the Rhone, Ticino, and Inn. However, the Swiss rivers are not navigable for any appreciable extent. Switzerland in famous for its many lakes, particularly those of the Alpine region, known for their
Most of the rail traffic between France and Italy passes through Switzerland. Buses connect the more inaccessible regions. Roads totaled 44,190 miles in 1996. About 3.9 million motor vehicles were in use, of which more than 78 percent were passenger cars. A national system of expressways was under construction; by the early 1990s 82 percent of the system's planned 1152miles had been completed. There are three Alpine highway tunnels, including the 10.5 mile Saint Gotthard Tunnel, which is the longest highway tunnel in the world. There are also numerous railway tunnels through the Alps, with more being planned to alleviate highway traffic. In February 1994 Swiss voters addressed air and noise pollution issues by narrowly approving a controversial referendum banning all heavy truck traffic passing through Switzerland. The ban, heavily criticized by many European governments but also hailed as an important environmental measure, will go into effect in the year 204 and will shift all large trucks traveling through the country to flatbed railroad cars. Air transport, both domestic and international, in provided by Swissair, which is owned jointly by the federal government, the cantons, and private investors. Although Switzerland is landlocked, the Swiss merchant marine, created by decree of the