Switzerland

Switzerland is a federal parliamentary republic consisting of 26 cantons officially known as the Swiss Confederation or Confoederatio Helvetica (CH). The country is situated in Central Europe, where it is bordered by Germany to the north, France to the west, Italy to the south, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east.

Switzerland is a landlocked country geographically divided between the Alps, the Swiss Plateau, and the Jura. The Swiss Confederation has a long history of armed neutrality and did not join the United Nations until 2002. It pursues, however, an active foreign policy and is frequently involved in peace-building processes around the world. Switzerland is also the birthplace of the Red Cross and home to a large number of international organizations. On the European level, it is part of the Schengen Area although it is not a member of the European Union. Read the Department of State’s Fact Sheet on Switzerland for additional information on U.S.- Swiss relations