The Matterhorn near Zermatt
Often described as the "Heart of Europe”, Switzerland with its 41,285 square kilometres is a relatively small country best known for its cheese, its watches and its picturesque landscapes. But Switzerland has much more to offer. The federal state took its final shape with the passing of the constitution of 1848 and has often served as a neutral platform for negotiations in international conflicts since then.
Nowadays, the country
is divided into 26 cantons; the four official languages
– German, French, Italian and Rhaeto-Rumantsch – represent Switzerland’s diversity and the multiculturalism
of its 7,3 million citizens.
Being one of
the world’s most important financial centres with a highly
competitive export industry, the country benefits from the fact that the main route linking northern
and southern Europe runs through the Alps, making Switzerland a perfect market for foreign trade.
