Economic overview: Switzerland has a prosperous and stable modern market economy with a GDP per capita that is 20% higher than other large industrialized countries in Europe. GDP growth was 3% in 2000, but growth is expected to slow to 2% in 2001. The Swiss have recently aligned their economic practices with those of other EU countries to increase competitiveness in the world market. Although Switzerland does not intend to join the European Community anytime soon, in 1999 Berne and Brussels signed agreements to further liberalize trade relations, which should come into force in 2001. Switzerland is still considered a safe place to invest capital, as it protects banking secrecy and takes care of the stability of its currency. See topb2bwebsites.com to know more about Switzerland in 2004. GDP: at purchasing power parity – $ 207 billion (2000 est.). Real GDP growth rate: 3% (2000 est.). GDP per capita: Purchasing power parity – $28,600 (2000 est.). The composition of GDP by sectors of the economy: agriculture: 2.8%; industry: 31.1%; service sector: 66.1% (1995). Proportion of the population below the poverty line: no data available. Percentage distribution of household income or consumption: per 10% of the poorest families: 2.8%; by the top 10% of families: 25.2% (1992). Inflation rate at consumer prices: 1.5% (2000 est.). Labor force: 3.9 million people (964,000 foreign workers, mostly Italians) (1998 est.). Employment structure: service sector 69.1%, industry 26.3%, agriculture and forestry 4.6% (1998 est.). Unemployment rate: 1.9% (2000 est.). Budget: revenues: $32.66 billion; expenditures: $34.89 billion, including capital investments – $2.3 billion (1998 est.). Spheres of economy: mechanical engineering, chemical, watch and textile industries, production of high-precision equipment. Growth in industrial production: 8.6% (2000 est.). Electricity generation: 66.768 billion kWh (1999) Sources of electricity generation: fossil fuels: 3.44%; hydropower: 59.16%; nuclear fuel: 35.43%; others: 1.97% (1999). Electricity consumption: 51.862 billion kWh (1999) Electricity export: 31.955 billion kWh (1999) Electricity import: 21.723 billion kWh (1999) Agricultural products: cereals, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs. Export: $91.3 billion (free on board, 2000) Exports: machinery, chemicals, metal, watches, agricultural products. Export partners: EU 65.8% (Germany 22.6%, France 9.2%, Italy 8.0%, UK 5.5%, Austria 3.2%), USA 12.4%, Japan 4, 8% (1999). Imports: $91.6 billion (free on board, 2000) Imports: machinery, chemicals, transport, metals; agricultural products, textiles. Import partners: EU 77.7% (Germany 31.0%, France 12.0%, Italy 9.7%, Netherlands 5.1%, UK 5.7%), US 7.1%, Japan 2.9% (1999 ). External debt: no data. Economic Aid Donor: Official Development Support $1.1 billion (1995). Currency: Swiss franc. Currency code: CHF. Exchange rate: CHF/USD – 1.6303 (January 2001), 1.6888 (2000), 1.5022 (1999), 1.4498 (1998), 1.4513 (1997), 1.2360 (1996). Fiscal year: calendar year.
Telecommunications
Telecommunications Telephone lines: 4.82 million (1998). Mobile cell phones: 1.967 million (1999) Telephone system: excellent domestic and international service; internal: wide network of cable and microwave radio relay communication; international: satellite earth stations – 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean). Broadcast stations: AM -4, FM -113 (and many low power stations), shortwave – 2 (1998). Radio receivers: 7.1 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 115 (and 1,919 repeaters) (1997). Televisions: 3.31 million (1997) Internet country code: ch Internet service providers: 44 (Switzerland and Liechtenstein) (2000). Number of users: 2.4 million (2000).
Transport
Transport Railways: total: 4,492 km (1,564 km dual gauge); standard gauge: 3,317 km (1.435 m gauge) (3,288 km electrified); narrow gauge:} 165 km (1,000 m gauge) (1,165 km electrified); 10 km (0.800 m gauge) (1998). Roads: total: 71,059 km (including 1,638 km of expressways) (1998 est.). coated: no data; uncoated: no data. Waterways: 65 km; Rhine (from Basel to Rhinefelden and from Schaffhausen to Lake Constance); 12 navigable lakes. Pipelines: for crude oil – 314 km; for natural gas – 1,506 km. Ports and harbours: Basel. Merchant navy: in total: 24 vessels (of 1,000 tons displacement or more) with a total displacement of 435,966 gross register tons/780,458 long tons of gross tonnage; ships of various types: bulk carriers – 12, cargo ships – 6, chemical tankers – 5, oil tankers – 1 (2000 est.). Airports: 67 (2000 est.). Airports with paved runways: total: 42; over 3,047 m: 3; from 2438 to 3047 m:4; from 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13; from 914 to 1523 m:7; less than 914 m: 15 (2000 est.). Airports with unpaved runways: total: 25; less than 914 m: 25 (2000 est.).
Armed forces
Branches of the armed forces: army, air force, border guards, fortification guards. Enlistment age: 20 years old. Total Military Manpower: Male 15 to 49: 1,849,034 (2001 est.). Eligible for military service: men aged 15 to 49: 1,570,918 (2001 est.). Number of persons reaching military age each year: male: 42,597 (2001 est.). Military spending in dollar terms: $3.1 billion (1998) Military spending as part of GDP: 1.2% (1998).
International Issues
International issues International disputes: no. Illicit drugs: due to the adoption of stricter laws, it has become much less used for money laundering; transit point for cocaine from South America and heroin from Southwest Asia and user of these drugs.
