Interesting Switzerland Facts
Switzerland is a landlocked country located in Western-Central Europe where it is bordered by Austria, France, Italy, Liechtenstein and Germany. It spans across 41,277 km2 of land. The approximate population of Switzerland is more than 8,518,323.
Learn interesting Switzerland facts and information about this European country with our fact file for kids. Discover important facts about the climate, currency, flag, continent, geography, landscape, language, people, culture, landmarks, population, location and size of Switzerland.
Learn key information about Europe with our interesting Switzerland facts for kids based on questions such as: What continent is Switzerland in? What is the culture of Switzerland like? What is the capital city of Switzerland? What famous landmarks are there in Switzerland? How big is Switzerland?
Switzerland Fact File: Continent: Europe * Country Name(s): Switzerland, Swiss Confederation * Location: Western-Central Europe * Bordering: Austria, France, Italy, Liechtenstein and Germany * Capital City: Bern * Size: 41,277 km2 * Estimated Population: over 8,518,323 * Currency: Swiss franc (CHF) * Language(s): French, German, Italian and Romansh * Country Code: +41
Interesting Switzerland Facts for Kids
Interesting Facts for Kids 1: Size & location facts
Switzerland forms part of the continent of Europe, where it has a landlocked position and is bordered by Austria, France, Italy, Liechtenstein and Germany. There are seven continents in the world: Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe, Antarctica, Australia (Oceania). Europe is the second smallest continent in the world, it has 51 countries, with some countries belonging to both Europe and Asia, spans a total area of 10,180,000 km2 and forms 6.8% of the world's landmass. Switzerland is a landlocked country that encompasses a total area of approximately 41,277 km2. It is one of the smaller countries of mainland Europe. The size of Switzerland is very similar to the Netherlands.
Interesting Facts for Kids 2: Population facts
The population of this European country is over 8,518,323 people. The majority of Switzerland's inhabitants reside in Zurich which is the country's most populous city. Switzerland has an average population when compared to most other countries across the world, its overall population density is approximately 191 people per sq km. The estimated population of Europe is approximately 738,442,000 inhabitants, making it the continent with the second smallest population in the world. The continents in order of population, starting with highest population first, are: Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe, Australia (Oceania Region) and Antarctica. The total population of the entire world is in excess of 7.6 billion people.
Interesting Facts for Kids 3: Capital & major cities
The capital city of Switzerland is Bern. Other major cities located in this country include Zurich, Geneva, Basel, Lausanne and Winterthur.
Interesting Facts for Kids 4: Country borders
The following border information provides details on the length of Switzerland's borders:
Austria 158 km, France 525 km, Italy 698 km, Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 348 km.
Interesting Facts for Kids 5: Climate and geography facts
Switzerland has a temperate climate that is characterized by overcast, cold, rainy, snowy winters, particularly in areas of elevation, and overcast, humid summers with some rainfall. The geography of Switzerland is dominated by mountainous regions, namely the Alps mountain range in the south and the Jura mountains in the northwest. Switzerland is a stunning country composed of rolling plains, hilly regions and lakes. The lowest point of Switzerland is the Lake Maggiore at 195m, and the highest point of elevation is Dufourspitze at 4,634m.
Interesting Facts for Kids 6: Natural Resources of Switzerland
Natural resources can be described as materials and substances found naturally occurring on Earth. Natural resources are very important across the world, and can be exploited for economic gain. The level of resources that occur naturally in an individual country are influenced by varying factors such as the geography, climate and location of that country. Some countries are very rich in natural resources, where as others have limited to none. Countries that have particularly rich resources include Russia, The United States, Saudi Arabia and Canada. Three of the primary uses of natural resources are food, transport and construction. The following examples provide information on the everyday uses of natural resources: Fish occurs naturally in many bodies of water and can be caught for food consumption. Crude oils can be refined into various fuels in order to power vehicles/cars. Wood/timber can be extracted from forests and used to construct houses and furniture. The natural resources of Switzerland include hydropower (water power) potential, timber and salt.
Interesting Facts for Kids 7: Language facts
The official languages of Switzerland are German, French and Italian. The majority of the population speaks Swiss-German. Romansh is a national language of Switzerland that is spoken by a low percentage of the population.
Interesting Facts for Kids 8: Religion facts
The primary religion of Switzerland is Roman Catholic at approximately 37% of the population. Around 24% are Protestant, 5% The remaining population either belongs to other religions or no religion at all. Christian and 5% Muslim. The remaining population either belongs to other religions or no religion at all.
Interesting Facts for Kids 9: Symbols of Switzerland
Each country has its own individual culture, history and identity. Flags, emblems, symbols, colors, anthems, songs and mottos represent the national pride and identity of countries across the globe. These national symbols are created through the unique history of a nation and can portray both hardship and prosperity, embodying freedom, strength and unity. Flags, emblems, colors, songs and mottos reflect the past, present and future aspirations of a country, and create an important image to the rest of the world. National symbols can include a mixture of things that are symbolic to a nation such as wildlife, plants, geographical features, crops, tools of agriculture, and tools of war. The following facts depict some of the national symbols, songs and colors that are important to Switzerland:
National symbol(s): Swiss cross (white cross on red field, arms equal length)
National colors: red and white
National Anthem/Song: Schweizerpsalm, also known as Cantique Suisse, Salmo svizzero, Psalm svizzer (Translation: Swiss Psalm)
National Holiday(s): Swiss National Day 1 August (1891)
National Motto(s): Unus pro omnibus, omnes pro uno (Translation: One for all, all for one.)