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Switzerland
Introduction
Key Economic Facts
Switzerland is a landlocked country in Central Europe.
Neighboring countries include Austria, France, Italy,
Liechtenstein, and Germany. The geography of Switzerland
is mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in
northwest) with a central plateau of rolling
hills, plains, and large lakes. The
government system is formally a
confederation but similar in structure to a
federal republic; the chief of state and head of government
is the president. Switzerland has a modern market economy
in which the prices of goods and services are determined in
a free price system. Switzerland
is a member of the European
Free Trade Association (EFTA).
Income Level (by per capita
GNI):
Level of Development:
GDP, PPP (current international
$):
GDP growth (annual %):
GDP per capita, PPP (current
international $):
External debt stocks, total
(DOD, current US$):
Manufacturing, value added (%
of GDP):
Current account balance (BoP,
current US$):
Inflation, consumer prices
(annual %):
Labor force, total:
Unemployment, total (% of
total labor force) (modeled ILO
estimate):
Imports of goods and services
(current US$):
Exports of goods and services
(current US$):
Location: Western Europe
Capital City: Bern (+1 GMT)
Chief of State: President of the Swiss Confederation
Doris Leuthard
Head of Govt.: President of the Swiss Confederation
Doris Leuthard
Currency: Swiss Franc (CHF)
Major Languages: German (official) 63.5%, French
(official) 22.5%, Italian (official) 8.1%,
English 4.4%, Portuguese 3.4%,
Albanian 3.1%, Serbo-Croatian 2.5%,
Spanish 2.2%, Romansch (official)
0.5%, other 6.6% 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
Primary Religions: Roman Catholic 38.2%, Protestant
26.9%, Muslim 4.9%, other Christian
5.7%, other 1.6%, none 21.4%,
unspecified 1.3%
Calling Code: 41
Voltage: 230
Key Websites
Main Government Page:
Commerce Ministry:
Export Promotion Agency:
Investment Promotion
Agency:
admin.ch
seco.admin.ch
s-ge.com
s-ge.com
Risk Assessment (Provided by Coface)
High Income
Developed
$518.07 billion (2015)
0.84% (2015)
$62,557.49 (2015)
$604,546,000.00 (2011)
17.96% (2015)
$77.38 billion (2015)
-0.43% (2016)
4,876,026 (2016)
4.58% (2016)
$343.37 billion (2015)
$421.95 billion (2015)
GDP Composition %
Agriculture
Industry
Manufacturing
26
18
Services
74
1
*Although Manufacturing is included in the Industry figures, it is also separately
reported because it plays a critical role in economy.
Rankings
Index
Corruption Perceptions Index
EY Globalization Index
Global Competitiveness Index
Global Enabling Trade Index
Global Manufacturing Competitiveness Index
(GMCI)
Index of Economic Freedom
International Logistics Performance Index (LPI)
Inward FDI Potential Index
KOF Index of Globalization
Networked Readiness Index (NRI)
Rank
5 / 176
5 / 60
1 / 138
11 / 136
12 / 40
4 / 180
11 / 160
21 / 139
5 / 187
7 / 139
Country rating: A1 - The political and economic situation is
very good. A quality business environment has a positive
influence on corporate payment behavior. Corporate default
probability is very low on average.
Business Climate rating: A1 - The business environment
is very good. Corporate financial information is available and
reliable. Debt collection is efficient. Institutional quality is
very good. Intercompany transactions run smoothly in
environments rated A1.
Strengths
• Political, economic and social stability
• Balanced public accounts
• Limited sensitivity of exports to exchange rates/ high
technology
• Relatively low taxes
• Low unemployment and diversified labor
• High standard of living
• External position largely as creditor
Weaknesses
• Heavy dependence on trading, financial services, and
the presence of multinationals
• Overvaluation of the Swiss franc
• Uncertainty about the migratory policy and its impact
on the relation with the EU
• Low-productivity agriculture
• High housing prices and household debt
• Highly concentrated banking sector
U.S. Embassy
Sulgeneckstrasse 19
CH-3007 Bern, Switzerland
2900 Cathedral Avenue NW,
Washington DC 20008
Tel: [41] 031 357 70 11
http://bern.usembassy.gov/
Country Memo Provided by: globalEDGE.msu.edu and EXPORT.GOV