Switzerland

Official name: Swiss Confederation
Also known as: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German), Confédération suisse (French), Confederazione Svizzera (Italian), Confederaziun svizra (Romansh), Cōnfoederātiō Helvētica (Latin)
Switzerland is also known as "Confoederatio Helvetica", therefore the abbreviation "CH". "Confoederatio" stands for "confederation", "Helvetica" derives from the Latin word "Helvetier", the name of the people who lived in the area which became later Switzerland.

Religions of Switzerland: Unaffiliated 35.6%, Roman Catholic 30.7%, Protestant Church of Switzerland 19.5%, Other Christian churches 5.8%, Islam 6%, Other religions 1.5%, Undetermined 0.9% - (2023 est.)
Currency: Swiss franc (CHF) Calling code: (+41)
Organizations: United Nations, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

Borders countries (8): Austria: 165.1 km (102.6 mi), France: 571.8 km (355.3 mi), Germany: 345.7 km (214.8 mi), Italy: 734.2 km (456.2 mi), Liechtenstein: 41.1 km (25.5 mi).
Coastline: 0 km (0 mi); landlocked)

Switzerland — officially called the Swiss Confederation, is a small country in Central Europe made up of 16,000 square miles of glacier-carved Alps, lakes and valleys. It is one of the world’s wealthiest countries, and has been well-known for centuries for its neutrality.
Switzerland has low unemployment, a skilled labor force and one of the highest gross domestic products per capita in the world, according to the CIA World Factbook. The country’s b economy is powered by low corporate tax rates, a highly developed service sector led by financial services and a high-tech manufacturing industry.
A landlocked country of towering mountains, deep Alpine lakes, grassy valleys dotted with neat farms and small villages, and thriving cities that blend the old and the new, Switzerland is the nexus of the diverse physical and cultural geography of western Europe, renowned for both its natural beauty and its way of life. Aspects of both have become bywords for the country, whose very name conjures images of the glacier-carved Alps beloved of writers, artists, photographers, and outdoor sports enthusiasts from around the world.

Administrative divisions (26) cantons (cantons, singular - canton in French; cantoni, singular - cantone in Italian; Kantone, singular - Kanton in German):
Aargau, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Berne/Bern, Fribourg/Freiburg, Geneve (Geneva), Glarus, Graubuenden/Grigioni/Grischun, Jura, Luzern (Lucerne), Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais/Wallis, Vaud, Zug, Zuerich

Cities, towns, and villages

• Basel — is one of the important cities of Switzerland. One of Switzerland's underrated tourist destinations, Basel has a beautiful medieval old town centre, a vibrant Carnival, excellent museums numbering 40 or so and ART BASEL, the world's largest art fair; also famous for its huge and contemplating carnival around February (Basler Fasnacht); German-speaking worldwide renowned theatre (including opera and ballet).
  Located in the Dreiländereck (three countries' corner), Basel is a gateway to the Swiss Jura mountains and nearby cities of Zürich and Lucerne, as well as the neighbouring French region of Alsace and the German Black Forest. If interested in a trip to the country side visit Sissach a nice little town about 20 minutes from Basel. There are a number of things to see and do if you have a few days to spend.
• Bern (ger; eng/fre: Berne; ita/roh: Berna) — Although Berne is the seat of most of the institutions of the Swiss Confederation, the remarkable design coherence of Berne's old town has earned it a place on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It has 6.4 km (4 miles) of arcaded walkways along streets decked out with fountains and clock-towers. It sits on a peninsula formed by the meandering turns of the river Aare.
• Geneva (eng; fre: Genève; ger: Genf; ita: Ginevra; roh: Genevra) — this center of arts and culture is an international city that is home to around 200 governmental and non-governmental organizations (with some major UN organizations) at the end of Lake Geneva (Lac Léman flows into the river Rhône), founding place of Calvinism and THE Red Cross (ICRC); almost every second inhabitant is a foreigner.
• Interlaken (ger/eng/fre/ita/roh) — the outdoor and action sports capital of Switzerland; anything from skydiving, bungee jumping, hiking, white-water rafting, to canyoning; between the two lakes Brienz and Thun; starting point for many, many tourists for excursions into the Bernese Alps.
• Lausanne (fre/eng/ger; ita/roh: Losanna) — scenery, dining, dancing, boating, and the Swiss wine country are the draws at the shores of the great Lake Geneva (Lac Léman) with a view of Swiss and French Alps; world-wide renowned for its Béjart Ballet Lausanne
• Lucerne (eng/fre; ger: Luzern; ita/roh: Lucerna) — main medieval city of the Central region with direct water links to all of the early Swiss historic sights at the end of the many-branched lake Lucerne (Vierwaldstättersee ends into the river Reuss) along of many steep mountains; also famous for its tremendous and ethnic carnival (Lozärner Fasnacht) around February; host of the world-renowned Lucerne Festivals, a classical summer music festival in the Culture and Congress Centre (KKL) designed by Jean Nouvel; starting point for many excursions into the Alps
• Lugano (ita/eng/ger/fre/roh) — a bustling old town in Italian-spoken Switzerland, at the southern end of the Alps with a Mediterranean climate at the pretty lake of Lugano in the middle of forested mountains; much Italianata combined with Swiss seriousness.
• St. Gallen  (St. Gallen, German: Sankt Gallen) — is the main city of north-eastern Switzerland. For travellers, its main draw is the centuries old Abbey of Saint Gall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and its library contains books which date back to the 9th century. It's a place packed with listed heritage buildings and well-maintained museums. And if you are tired of all the urban highlights, Saint Gallen also serves as a gateway to the Appenzell Alps.
• Zurich (German: Zürich, Swiss German: Züri) — the largest city of Switzerland at the end of Lake Zurich (ends into the river Limmat), a major center of international banking and national major companies and media; great culture & arts possibilities; more than 50 museums and around 100 galleries; great restaurants (more than 1500) and bars (more than 500); excellent cinema selection (~60 showrooms); has a thriving nightlife (~80 clubs on weekends); host of the largest European party rave Street Parade in August with almost 1 million visitors every year; renowned opera, excellent theatre; host of the renowned theatre festival Zürcher Theater Spektakel during August; every third inhabitant is a foreigner. Zurich is close to some excellent skiing resorts and many people headed for the Swiss Alps don't spend much time in Zurich itself, but you'd be missing a lot if you don't stay in Zurich for a couple of days at least.

Natural resources: hydropower potential, timber, salt.

note: the canton names are in the official language(s) of the canton with the exception of Geneve and Luzern, where the conventional names (Geneva and Lucerne) have been added in parentheses; 6 of the cantons - Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Nidwalden, Obwalden - are referred to as half cantons because they elect only one member (instead of two) to the Council of States and, in popular referendums where a majority of popular votes and a majority of cantonal votes are required, these 6 cantons only have a half vote.