Land and Climate: Switzerland is a central European country bordering Austria, France, Germany, Italy and Liechtenstein. Its climate varies tremendously by altitude, as three-fifths of the country is covered by Alps.

History: The first recorded inhabitants of Switzerland (in about 200 B.C.) were known as the Helvetii, a semi-nomadic Celtic tribe. Due to its central location, the region was occupied by various forces throughout its early history, most notably the Romans, Burgundians, Franks and eventually the Germanic Habsburg family. In 1291, three original cantons refusing to submit to the Habsburgs took an oath, which became the founding document of the Confederation Helvetica. This pact is celebrated on August 1st each year as the Swiss National Day. In 1815, the Congress of Vienna guaranteed Switzerland independence and permanent neutrality. Since that time, the country has maintained that stance, and has not even joined the European Union.

Government: In 1848, Switzerland adopted its modern constitution, and the alliance of autonomous cantons became a federal state. The federal capital is Berne, the seat of parliament and the administration. Today, Switzerland is divided into 26 cantons, whose overarching characteristic is their diversity. They range widely in population, language and area. Some are made up of only a single city while others span mountains and valleys. Switzerland remains a haven of peace and neutrality, and Geneva is the seat of many international organizations, such as the U.N. High Commission for Refugees.

Technology: Switzerland boasts amazing technological accomplishments and is home to impressive research facilities such as CERN, the world's largest particle physics center (also the place where the World Wide Web was invented). The Swiss have won more Nobel Prizes and registered more patents per capita than most other nations on earth. Famous inventions include rayon, cellophane, Velcro, the scanning tunneling microscope and of course, Swiss chocolate. Zurich is the economic capital and the center of Switzerland's renowned banking and insurance expertise.

Education: In order to maintain their high-level technology and research and development, the Swiss place great importance on their education system. Compulsory education begins at age five and continues through grade nine. Students can then either pursue vocational studies or attend a higher-level secondary school in preparation for university studies. The majority of students choose to pursue vocational studies, which combine theoretical studies with on-the-job internships, before entering the work force or continuing at a technical college. Switzerland has 10 well-respected Cantonal universities focusing on specific areas of study including science, economics, humanities and law. In addition, two Federal Institutes of Technology - ETH in Zurich and EPFL in Lausanne - are among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world. Both are nationally funded and conduct research in all areas of physical, biological and computer sciences, while maintaining a rigorous involvement in the international scientific community.

Things to Do: Those studying in Switzerland will not find themselves lacking for choices of activities. The stunning mountains are not only awe-inspiring but provide skiing, mountaineering and hiking, and the country has more than 30,000 miles of designated trails with regular refreshment stops along the way. The Swiss enjoy a number of water activities including waterskiing, sailing, windsurfing, rafting and canoeing. The Swiss have a deep cultural heritage and hold many festivals and events each year, including music festivals in Montreux and Lucerne and a film festival in Locarno. Those wishing to explore the fine arts will find regular concerts and wonderful museums with collections ranging from international to national and local arts as well as industrial developments such as watches and textiles.

Switzerland provides a rich environment to both live and learn. As one of the world's leaders in science and technology, Switzerland has plenty to teach.

ONLINE RESOURCES
IIEPassport.org http://www.IIEPassport.org
Universities of Switzerland Portal: http://www.swissuniversity.ch
SECO Standort:Schweiz: http://www.standortschweiz.ch
Swissworld.org: http://www.swissworld.org
Lonely Planet: http://www.lonelyplanet.com
World InfoZone: http://www.worldinfozone.com
CIA Factbook: http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook

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