Politics
- Conventional Long Form Name: Swiss Confederation
- Capital City: Bern
- Type of Government: formally a confederation, but similar in structure to a federal republic
- Date of Independence: August 1, 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation)
- National Holiday: Founding of the Swiss Confederation; August 1, 1291
- Chief of State: Didier Burkhalter (President of the Swiss Confederation)
- Head of Government: Didier Burkhalter; Simonetta Sommaruga (Vice President)
- Executive Branch/Powers: The Federal Council is elected by the Federal Assembly usually from among its members for a four-year term; president and vice president elected by the Federal Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council for a one-year term (they may not serve consecutive terms).
- Legislative Branch/Powers: The bicameral Federal Assembly consists of the Council of States (46 seats; membership consists of 2 representatives from each canton and 1 from each half canton; members serve four-year terms), and the National Council (200 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation serve four-year terms).
- Judicial Branch/Powers: Federal Supreme Court (consists of 38 judges, 31 substitutes, and is divided into 5 sections.) Judges are assigned six year terms.
- Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
- Charge d'Affaires: Jeffrey R. Cellars
- Embassy in the US: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
- Consulates in the US: Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Boston
- US Ambassador to Switzerland: Ambassador Manuel Sager
- US Embassy in Switzerland: Sulgeneckstrasse 19, CH-3007 Bern
- US Consulates in Switzerland: none
- UN Representative: N/A
- Description of Symbolism of Flag: 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)
- National Symbol: Swiss cross (white cross on red field; arms equal length)
- Description of International Disputes: none
- Quantity of Refugees inside Country and Country of Origin of Refugees: 10,981 (Eritrea)
- Quantity of Internally Displaced Persons: N/A
- Quantity of Stateless Persons: 69
- Description of Human Trafficking issues: N/A
- Illicit Drug trafficking/use: 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
Flag of Switzerland
- Description of Symbolism of Flag: 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)
- National Symbol: Swiss cross (white cross on red field; arms equal length)
Didier Burkhalter
- President of the Swiss Confederation
- Chief of State
- Head of Government