Switzerland — Capital, Flag and Country Facts

Explore Switzerland: capital Bern, population, flag, geography, languages, history and culture.

Switzerland is in Europe. Its capital is Bern.

Climate

Temperate varying with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers

Mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes

Switzerland has enough nuclear bunkers to shelter 114% of its population.

Switzerland has four official languages: German, French, Italian, and Romansh.

The Swiss consume more chocolate per capita than any other nation — about 10 kg per person per year.

1291: Federal Charter signed — traditional founding date of the Swiss Confederation

1499: Treaty of Basel grants de facto independence from the Holy Roman Empire

1648: Peace of Westphalia formally recognizes Swiss sovereignty

1815: Congress of Vienna confirms Swiss neutrality

1863: Henry Dunant founds the International Red Cross in Geneva

2002: Switzerland joins the United Nations