Switzerland vs. Austria
Introduction
| Switzerland | Austria | |
|---|---|---|
| Background | The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291 as a defensive alliance among three cantons. In succeeding years, other localities joined the original three. The Swiss Confederation secured its independence from the Holy Roman Empire in 1499. A constitution of 1848, subsequently modified in 1874 to allow voters to introduce referenda on proposed laws, replaced the confederation with a centralized federal government. Switzerland's sovereignty and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers, and the country was not involved in either of the two world wars. The political and economic integration of Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations, has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the country did not officially become a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains active in many UN and international organizations but retains a strong commitment to neutrality.
| Once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian Empire, Austria was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in World War I. Following annexation by Nazi Germany in 1938 and subsequent occupation by the victorious Allies in 1945, Austria's status remained unclear for a decade. A State Treaty signed in 1955 ended the occupation, recognized Austria's independence, and forbade unification with Germany. A constitutional law that same year declared the country's "perpetual neutrality" as a condition for Soviet military withdrawal. The Soviet Union's collapse in 1991 and Austria's entry into the EU in 1995 have altered the meaning of this neutrality. A prosperous, democratic country, Austria entered the EU Economic and Monetary Union in 1999. |
Geography
| Switzerland | Austria | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy | Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia |
| Geographic coordinates | 47 00 N, 8 00 E | 47 20 N, 13 20 E |
| Map references | Europe | Europe |
| Area | total: 41,277 sq km land: 39,997 sq km water: 1,280 sq km | total: 83,871 sq km land: 82,445 sq km water: 1,426 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey | about the size of South Carolina; slightly more than two-thirds the size of Pennsylvania |
| Land boundaries | total: 1,770 km border countries (5): Austria 158 km, France 525 km, Italy 698 km, Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 348 km | total: 2,524 km border countries (8): Czech Republic 402 km, Germany 801 km, Hungary 321 km, Italy 404 km, Liechtenstein 34 km, Slovakia 105 km, Slovenia 299 km, Switzerland 158 km |
| Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 0 km (landlocked) |
| Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | none (landlocked) |
| Climate | temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers | temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain and some snow in lowlands and snow in mountains; moderate summers with occasional showers |
| Terrain | mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes | mostly mountains (Alps) in the west and south; mostly flat or gently sloping along the eastern and northern margins |
| Elevation extremes | highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m mean elevation: 1,350 m | highest point: Grossglockner 3,798 m lowest point: Neusiedler See 115 m mean elevation: 910 m |
| Natural resources | hydropower potential, timber, salt | oil, coal, lignite, timber, iron ore, copper, zinc, antimony, magnesite, tungsten, graphite, salt, hydropower |
| Land use | agricultural land: 38.7% (2018 est.) arable land: 10.2% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.6% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 27.9% (2018 est.) forest: 31.5% (2018 est.) other: 29.8% (2018 est.) | agricultural land: 38.4% (2018 est.) arable land: 16.5% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.8% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 21.1% (2018 est.) forest: 47.2% (2018 est.) other: 14.4% (2018 est.) |
| Irrigated land | 630 sq km (2012) | 1,170 sq km (2012) |
| Natural hazards | avalanches, landslides; flash floods | landslides; avalanches; earthquakes |
| Environment - current issues | air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from agricultural fertilizers; chemical contaminants and erosion damage the soil and limit productivity; loss of biodiversity | some forest degradation caused by air and soil pollution; soil pollution results from the use of agricultural chemicals; air pollution results from emissions by coal- and oil-fired power stations and industrial plants and from trucks transiting Austria between northern and southern Europe; water pollution; the Danube, as well as some of Austria's other rivers and lakes, are threatened by pollution |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Antarctic-Environmental Protection |
| Geography - note | landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France, northern Italy, and southwestern Austria, has the highest elevations in the Alps | note 1: landlocked; strategic location at the crossroads of central Europe with many easily traversable Alpine passes and valleys; major river is the Danube; population is concentrated on eastern lowlands because of steep slopes, poor soils, and low temperatures elsewhere note 2: the world's largest and longest ice cave system at 42 km (26 mi) is the Eisriesenwelt (Ice Giants World) inside the Hochkogel mountain near Werfen, about 40 km south of Salzburg; ice caves are bedrock caves that contain year-round ice formations; they differ from glacial caves, which are transient and are formed by melting ice and flowing water within and under glaciers |
| Total renewable water resources | 53.5 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | 77.7 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Population distribution | population distribution corresponds to elevation with the northern and western areas far more heavily populated; the higher Alps of the south limit settlement | the northern and eastern portions of the country are more densely populated; nearly two-thirds of the populace lives in urban areas |
Demographics
| Switzerland | Austria | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 8,453,550 (July 2021 est.) | 8,884,864 (July 2021 est.) |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 15.34% (male 664,255/female 625,252) 15-24 years: 10.39% (male 446,196/female 426,708) 25-54 years: 42.05% (male 1,768,245/female 1,765,941) 55-64 years: 13.48% (male 569,717/female 563,482) 65 years and over: 18.73% (male 699,750/female 874,448) (2020 est.) | 0-14 years: 14.01% (male 635,803/female 605,065) 15-24 years: 10.36% (male 466,921/female 451,248) 25-54 years: 41.35% (male 1,831,704/female 1,831,669) 55-64 years: 14.41% (male 635,342/female 641,389) 65 years and over: 19.87% (male 768,687/female 991,621) (2020 est.) |
| Median age | total: 42.7 years male: 41.7 years female: 43.7 years (2020 est.) | total: 44.5 years male: 43.1 years female: 45.8 years (2020 est.) |
| Population growth rate | 0.65% (2021 est.) | 0.32% (2021 est.) |
| Birth rate | 10.41 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 9.48 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Death rate | 8.44 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 9.85 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Net migration rate | 4.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 3.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2020 est.) | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2020 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 3.64 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.15 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) | total: 3.29 deaths/1,000 live births male: 3.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 83.03 years male: 80.71 years female: 85.49 years (2021 est.) | total population: 82.07 years male: 79.42 years female: 84.85 years (2021 est.) |
| Total fertility rate | 1.58 children born/woman (2021 est.) | 1.5 children born/woman (2021 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | 0.2% (2020) | 0.1% (2017 est.) |
| Nationality | noun: Swiss (singular and plural) adjective: Swiss | noun: Austrian(s) adjective: Austrian |
| Ethnic groups | Swiss 69.3%, German 4.2%, Italian 3.2%, Portuguese 2.5%, French 2.1%, Kosovo 1.1%, Turkish 1%, other 16.6% (2019 est.) note: data represent permanent and non-permanent resident population by country of birth | Austrian 80.8%, German 2.6%, Bosnian and Herzegovinian 1.9%, Turkish 1.8%, Serbian 1.6%, Romanian 1.3%, other 10% (2018 est.) note: data represent population by country of birth |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | 17,000 (2020) note: estimate does not include children | 7,400 (2017 est.) |
| Religions | Roman Catholic 34.4%, Protestant 22.5%, other Christian 5.7%, Muslim 5.5%, other 1.6%, none 29.5%, unspecified 0.8% (2019 est.) | Catholic 57%, Eastern Orthodox 8.7%, Muslim 7.9%, Evangelical Christian 3.3%, other/none/unspecified 23.1% (2018 est.) note: data on Muslim is a 2016 estimate; data on other/none/unspecified are from 2012-2018 estimates |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths | <200 (2020) note: estimate does not include children | <100 (2017 est.) |
| Languages | German (or Swiss German) (official) 62.1%, French (official) 22.8%, Italian (official) 8%, English 5.7%, Portuguese 3.5%, Albanian 3.3%, Serbo-Croatian 2.3%, Spanish 2.3%, Romansh (official) 0.5%, other 7.9%; note - German, French, Italian, and Romansh are all national and official languages; shares sum to more than 100% because respondents could indicate more than one main language (2019 est.) major-language sample(s): Das World Factbook, die unverzichtbare Quelle für grundlegende Informationen. (German) The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French) L'Almanacco dei fatti del mondo, l'indispensabile fonte per le informazioni di base. (Italian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. | German (official nationwide) 88.6%, Turkish 2.3%, Serbian 2.2%, Croatian (official in Burgenland) 1.6%, other (includes Slovene, official in southern Carinthia, and Hungarian, official in Burgenland) 5.3% (2001 est.) major-language sample(s): Das World Factbook, die unverzichtbare Quelle für grundlegende Informationen. (German) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. |
| School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) | total: 16 years male: 17 years female: 16 years (2018) | total: 16 years male: 16 years female: 16 years (2018) |
| Education expenditures | 5.1% of GDP (2017) | 5.4% of GDP (2017) |
| Urbanization | urban population: 74% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 0.79% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) | urban population: 59% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 0.68% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) |
| Drinking water source | improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 100% of population total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0% of population (2017 est.) | improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 100% of population total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0% of population (2017 est.) |
| Sanitation facility access | improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 100% of population total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0% of population (2017 est.) | improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 100% of population total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0% of population (2017 est.) |
| Major cities - population | 1.408 million Zurich, 434,000 BERN (capital) (2021) | 1.945 million VIENNA (capital) (2021) |
| Maternal mortality rate | 5 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) | 5 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) |
| Health expenditures | 11.9% (2018) | 10.3% (2018) |
| Physicians density | 4.3 physicians/1,000 population (2017) | 5.17 physicians/1,000 population (2017) |
| Hospital bed density | 4.7 beds/1,000 population (2017) | 7.4 beds/1,000 population (2017) |
| Obesity - adult prevalence rate | 19.5% (2016) | 20.1% (2016) |
| Mother's mean age at first birth | 30.7 years (2019 est.) | 29.7 years (2019 est.) |
| Contraceptive prevalence rate | 71.6% (2017) | 79% (2019) note: percent of women aged 16-49 |
| Dependency ratios | total dependency ratio: 51.6 youth dependency ratio: 22.7 elderly dependency ratio: 29 potential support ratio: 3.5 (2020 est.) | total dependency ratio: 50.6 youth dependency ratio: 21.7 elderly dependency ratio: 28.9 potential support ratio: 3.5 (2020 est.) |
Government
| Switzerland | Austria | |
|---|---|---|
| Country name | conventional long form: Swiss Confederation conventional short form: Switzerland local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German); Confederation Suisse (French); Confederazione Svizzera (Italian); Confederaziun Svizra (Romansh) local short form: Schweiz (German); Suisse (French); Svizzera (Italian); Svizra (Romansh) abbreviation: CH etymology: name derives from the canton of Schwyz, one of the founding cantons of the Old Swiss Confederacy that formed in the 14th century | conventional long form: Republic of Austria conventional short form: Austria local long form: Republik Oesterreich local short form: Oesterreich etymology: the name Oesterreich means "eastern realm" or "eastern march" and dates to the 10th century; the designation refers to the fact that Austria was the easternmost extension of Bavaria, and, in fact, of all the Germans; the word Austria is a Latinization of the German name |
| Government type | federal republic (formally a confederation) | federal parliamentary republic |
| Capital | name: Bern geographic coordinates: 46 55 N, 7 28 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: origin of the name is uncertain, but may derive from a 2nd century B.C. Celtic place name, possibly "berna" meaning "cleft," that was subsequently adopted by a Roman settlement | name: Vienna geographic coordinates: 48 12 N, 16 22 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: the origin of the name is disputed but may derive from earlier settlements of the area; a Celtic town of Vedunia, established about 500 B.C., came under Roman dominance around 15 B.C. and became known as Vindobona; archeological remains of the latter survive at many sites in the center of Vienna |
| Administrative divisions | 26 cantons (cantons, singular - canton in French; cantoni, singular - cantone in Italian; Kantone, singular - Kanton in German); Aargau, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Berne/Bern, Fribourg/Freiburg, Geneve (Geneva), Glarus, Graubuenden/Grigioni/Grischun, Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais/Wallis, Vaud, Zug, Zuerich note: 6 of the cantons - Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Nidwalden, Obwalden - are referred to as half cantons because they elect only one member (instead of two) to the Council of States and, in popular referendums where a majority of popular votes and a majority of cantonal votes are required, these 6 cantons only have a half vote | 9 states (Bundeslaender, singular - Bundesland); Burgenland, Kaernten (Carinthia), Niederoesterreich (Lower Austria), Oberoesterreich (Upper Austria), Salzburg, Steiermark (Styria), Tirol (Tyrol), Vorarlberg, Wien (Vienna) |
| Independence | 1 August 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation) | no official date of independence: 976 (Margravate of Austria established); 17 September 1156 (Duchy of Austria founded); 6 January 1453 (Archduchy of Austria acknowledged); 11 August 1804 (Austrian Empire proclaimed); 30 March 1867 (Austro-Hungarian dual monarchy established); 12 November 1918 (First Republic proclaimed); 27 April 1945 (Second Republic proclaimed) |
| National holiday | Founding of the Swiss Confederation in 1291; note - since 1 August 1891 celebrated as Swiss National Day | National Day (commemorates passage of the law on permanent neutrality), 26 October (1955) |
| Constitution | history: previous 1848, 1874; latest adopted by referendum 18 April 1999, effective 1 January 2000 amendments: proposed by the two houses of the Federal Assembly or by petition of at least one hundred thousand voters (called the "federal popular initiative"); passage of proposals requires majority vote in a referendum; following drafting of an amendment by the Assembly, its passage requires approval by majority vote in a referendum and approval by the majority of cantons; amended many times, last in 2018 | history: several previous; latest adopted 1 October 1920, revised 1929, replaced May 1934, replaced by German Weimar constitution in 1938 following German annexation, reinstated 1 May 1945 amendments: proposed through laws designated "constitutional laws" or through the constitutional process if the amendment is part of another law; approval required by at least a two-thirds majority vote by the National Assembly and the presence of one half of the members; a referendum is required only if requested by one third of the National Council or Federal Council membership; passage by referendum requires absolute majority vote; amended many times, last in 2020 |
| Legal system | civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts, except for federal decrees of a general obligatory character | civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts by the Constitutional Court |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 16 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President of the Swiss Confederation Guy PARMELIN (since 1 January 2021); Vice President Ignazio CASSIS (since 1 January 2021); note - the Federal Council, which is comprised of 7 federal councillors, constitutes the federal government of Switzerland; council members rotate the 1-year term of federal president head of government: President of the Swiss Confederation Guy PARMELIN (since 1 January 2021; Vice President Ignazio CASSIS (since 1 January 2021) cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) indirectly elected by the Federal Assembly for a 4-year term elections/appointments: president and vice president elected by the Federal Assembly from among members of the Federal Council for a 1-year, non-consecutive term; election last held on 11 December 2019 (next to be held in December 2020) election results: Guy PARMELIN elected president; Federal Assembly vote - 192 of 205; Ignazio CASSIS elected vice president; Federal Assembly vote - 162 of 199 | chief of state: President Alexander VAN DER BELLEN (since 26 January 2017) head of government: Sebastian KURZ elected chancellor (since 2 January 2020) cabinet: Council of Ministers chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 6-year term (eligible for a second term); elections last held on 24 April 2016 (first round), 22 May 2016 (second round, which was annulled), and 4 December 2016 (second round re-vote) (next election to be held in April 2022); chancellor appointed by the president but determined by the majority coalition parties in the Federal Assembly; vice chancellor appointed by the president on the advice of the chancellor election results: Alexander VAN DER BELLEN elected in second round; percent of vote in first round - Norbert HOFER (FPOe) 35.1%, Alexander VAN DER BELLEN (independent, allied with the Greens) 21.3%, Irmgard GRISS (independent) 18.9%, Rudolf HUNDSTORFER (SPOe) 11.3%, Andreas KHOL (OeVP) 11.1%, Richard LUGNER (independent) 2.3%; percent of vote in second round - Alexander VAN DER BELLEN 53.8%, Norbert HOFER 46.2% |
| Legislative branch | description: description: bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German), Assemblée Fédérale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in Italian) consists of: Council of States or Ständerat (in German), Conseil des États (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats; members in multi-seat constituencies representing cantons and single-seat constituencies representing half cantons directly elected by simple majority vote except Jura and Neuchatel cantons which use proportional representation vote; member term governed by cantonal law) National Council or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats; 195 members in cantons directly elected by proportional representation vote and 6 in half cantons directly elected by simple majority vote; members serve 4-year terms) (e.g. 2019) elections: Council of States - last held in most cantons on 20 October 2019 (each canton determines when the next election will be held) National Council - last held on 20 October 2019 (next to be held in 2023) (e.g. 2019) election results: Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CVP 13, FDP 12, SDP 9, Green Party 5, other 1; composition - NA National Council - percent of vote by party - SVP 25.6%, SP 16.8%, FDP 15.1%, Green Party 13.2%, CVP 11.4%, GLP 7.8%, other 10.1%; seats by party - SVP 53, SP 39, FDP 29, Green Party 28, CVP 25, GLP 16, other 10; composition - men 116, women 84, percent of women 42% (e.g. 2019) | description: bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung consists of: Federal Council or Bundesrat (61 seats; members appointed by state parliaments with each state receiving 3 to 12 seats in proportion to its population; members serve 5- or 6-year terms) National Council or Nationalrat (183 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms) (e.g. 2019) elections: Federal Council - last appointed - NA National Council - last held on 29 September 2019 (next to be held in 2024); note - election was originally scheduled for 2022, but President VAN DER BELLEN called for an early election (e.g. 2019) election results: Federal Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 44, women 17, percent of women 27.9% National Council - percent of vote by party - OeVP 37.5%, SPOe 21.2%, FPOe 16.2%, The Greens 13.9%, NEOS 8.1%, other 3.1%; seats by party - OeVP 71, SPOe 40, FPOe 31, The Greens 26, NEOS 15; composition - men 115, women 68, percent of women 37.2%; note - total Federal Assembly percent of women 34.8% (e.g. 2019) |
| Judicial branch | highest courts: Federal Supreme Court (consists of 38 justices and 19 deputy justices organized into 7 divisions) judge selection and term of office: judges elected by the Federal Assembly for 6-year terms; note - judges are affiliated with political parties and are elected according to linguistic and regional criteria in approximate proportion to the level of party representation in the Federal Assembly subordinate courts: Federal Criminal Court (established in 2004); Federal Administrative Court (established in 2007); note - each of Switzerland's 26 cantons has its own courts | highest courts: Supreme Court of Justice or Oberster Gerichtshof (consists of 85 judges organized into 17 senates or panels of 5 judges each); Constitutional Court or Verfassungsgerichtshof (consists of 20 judges including 6 substitutes; Administrative Court or Verwaltungsgerichtshof - 2 judges plus other members depending on the importance of the case) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by executive branch departments and appointed by the president; judges serve for life; Constitutional Court judges nominated by several executive branch departments and approved by the president; judges serve for life; Administrative Court judges recommended by executive branch departments and appointed by the president; terms of judges and members determined by the president subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal (4); Regional Courts (20); district courts (120); county courts |
| Political parties and leaders | Free Democratic Party or FDP.The Liberals (FDP.Die Liberalen, PLR.Les Liberaux-Radicaux, PLR.I Liberali, Ils Liberals) [Petra GOESSI] Green Liberal Party (Gruenliberale Partei or GLP, Parti vert liberale or PVL, Partito Verde-Liberale or PVL, Partida Verde Liberale or PVL) [Juerg GROSSEN] Green Party (Gruene Partei der Schweiz or Gruene, Parti Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida Ecologica Svizra or La Verda) [Regula RYTZ] Social Democratic Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SP, Parti Socialiste Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS, Partida Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS) [Christian LEVRAT] Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica di Centro or UDC, Uniun Democratica dal Center or UDC) [Albert ROESTI] other minor parties The Center (Die Mitte, Alleanza del Centro, Le Centre, Allianza dal Center) [Gerhard PFISTER] (merger of the Christian Democratic People's Party and the Conservative Democratic Party) | Austrian People's Party or OeVP [Sebastian KURZ] Communist Party of Austria or KPOe [Mirko MESSNER] Freedom Party of Austria or FPOe [Herbert KICKI] The Greens [Werner KOGLER] NEOS - The New Austria [Beate MEINL-REISINGER] NOW-Pilz List (JETZT-Liste Pilz) or PILZ [Maria STERN] Social Democratic Party of Austria or SPOe [Pamela RENDI-WAGNER] |
| International organization participation | ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, EITI (implementing country), ESA, FAO, FATF, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMISS, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC | ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Jacques PITTELOUD (since 16 September 2019) chancery: 2201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20007-4105 telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900 FAX: [1] (202) 387-2564 email address and website: washington@eda.admin.ch https://www.eda.admin.ch/washington consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, New York, San Francisco consulate(s): Boston | chief of mission: Ambassador Martin WEISS (since 6 January 2020) chancery: 3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035 telephone: [1] (202) 895-6700 FAX: [1] (202) 895-6750 email address and website: washington-ka@bmeia.gv.at https://www.austria.org/ consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York, Washington consulate(s): Chicago |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Eva Weigold SCHULTZ (since 17 January 2021) note - also accredited to Liechtenstein embassy: Sulgeneckstrasse 19, CH-3007 Bern mailing address: 5110 Bern Place, Washington DC 20521-5110 telephone: [41] (031) 357-70-11 FAX: [41] (031) 357-73-20 email address and website: https://ch.usembassy.gov/ | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant), Mario MESQUITA (since 12 July 2021) embassy: Boltzmanngasse 16, 1090, Vienna mailing address: 9900 Vienna Place, Washington DC 20521-9900 telephone: [43] (1) 31339-0 FAX: [43] (1) 310-06-82 email address and website: ConsulateVienna@state.gov https://at.usembassy.gov/ |
| Flag description | red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that does not extend to the edges of the flag; various medieval legends purport to describe the origin of the flag; a white cross used as identification for troops of the Swiss Confederation is first attested at the Battle of Laupen (1339) note: in 1863, a newly formed international relief organization convening in Geneva, Switzerland sought to come up with an identifying flag or logo, they chose the inverse of the Swiss flag - a red cross on a white field - as their symbol; today that organization is known throughout the world as the International Red Cross | three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red; the flag design is certainly one of the oldest - if not the oldest - national banners in the world; according to tradition, in 1191, following a fierce battle in the Third Crusade, Duke Leopold V of Austria's white tunic became completely blood-spattered; upon removal of his wide belt or sash, a white band was revealed; the red-white-red color combination was subsequently adopted as his banner |
| National anthem | lyrics/music: Leonhard WIDMER [German], Charles CHATELANAT [French], Camillo VALSANGIACOMO [Italian], and Flurin CAMATHIAS [Romansch]/Alberik ZWYSSIG the Swiss anthem has four names: "Schweizerpsalm" [German] "Cantique Suisse" [French] "Salmo svizzero," [Italian] "Psalm svizzer" [Romansch] (Swiss Psalm) note: unofficially adopted 1961, officially 1981; the anthem has been popular in a number of Swiss cantons since its composition (in German) in 1841; translated into the other three official languages of the country (French, Italian, and Romansch), it is official in each of those languages | name: "Bundeshymne" (Federal Hymn) lyrics/music: Paula von PRERADOVIC/Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART or Johann HOLZER (disputed) note: adopted 1947; the anthem is also known as "Land der Berge, Land am Strome" (Land of the Mountains, Land by the River); Austria adopted a new national anthem after World War II to replace the former imperial anthem composed by Franz Josef HAYDN, which had been appropriated by Germany in 1922 and was thereafter associated with the Nazi regime; a gendered version of the lyrics was adopted by the Austrian Federal Assembly in fall 2011 and became effective 1 January 2012 |
| International law organization participation | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
| National symbol(s) | Swiss cross (white cross on red field, arms equal length); national colors: red, white | eagle, edelweiss, Alpine gentian; national colors: red, white |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Switzerland dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 12 years including at least 3 of the last 5 years prior to application | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Austria dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years |
Economy
| Switzerland | Austria | |
|---|---|---|
| Economy - overview | Switzerland, a country that espouses neutrality, is a prosperous and modern market economy with low unemployment, a highly skilled labor force, and a per capita GDP among the highest in the world. Switzerland's economy benefits from a highly developed service sector, led by financial services, and a manufacturing industry that specializes in high-technology, knowledge-based production. Its economic and political stability, transparent legal system, exceptional infrastructure, efficient capital markets, and low corporate tax rates also make Switzerland one of the world's most competitive economies. The Swiss have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with the EU's to gain access to the Union's Single Market and enhance the country's international competitiveness. Some trade protectionism remains, however, particularly for its small agricultural sector. The fate of the Swiss economy is tightly linked to that of its neighbors in the euro zone, which purchases half of Swiss exports. The global financial crisis of 2008 and resulting economic downturn in 2009 stalled demand for Swiss exports and put Switzerland into a recession. During this period, the Swiss National Bank (SNB) implemented a zero-interest rate policy to boost the economy, as well as to prevent appreciation of the franc, and Switzerland's economy began to recover in 2010. The sovereign debt crises unfolding in neighboring euro-zone countries, however, coupled with economic instability in Russia and other Eastern European economies drove up demand for the Swiss franc by investors seeking a safehaven currency. In January 2015, the SNB abandoned the Swiss franc's peg to the euro, roiling global currency markets and making active SNB intervention a necessary hallmark of present-day Swiss monetary policy. The independent SNB has upheld its zero interest rate policy and conducted major market interventions to prevent further appreciation of the Swiss franc, but parliamentarians have urged it to do more to weaken the currency. The franc's strength has made Swiss exports less competitive and weakened the country's growth outlook; GDP growth fell below 2% per year from 2011 through 2017. In recent years, Switzerland has responded to increasing pressure from neighboring countries and trading partners to reform its banking secrecy laws, by agreeing to conform to OECD regulations on administrative assistance in tax matters, including tax evasion. The Swiss Government has also renegotiated its double taxation agreements with numerous countries, including the US, to incorporate OECD standards. | Austria is a well-developed market economy with skilled labor force and high standard of living. It is closely tied to other EU economies, especially Germany's, but also the US', its third-largest trade partner. Its economy features a large service sector, a sound industrial sector, and a small, but highly developed agricultural sector. Austrian economic growth strengthen in 2017, with a 2.9% increase in GDP. Austrian exports, accounting for around 60% of the GDP, were up 8.2% in 2017. Austria's unemployment rate fell by 0.3% to 5.5%, which is low by European standards, but still at its second highest rate since the end of World War II, driven by an increased number of refugees and EU migrants entering the labor market. Austria's fiscal position compares favorably with other euro-zone countries. The budget deficit stood at a low 0.7% of GDP in 2017 and public debt declined again to 78.4% of GDP in 2017, after reaching a post-war high 84.6% in 2015. The Austrian government has announced it plans to balance the fiscal budget in 2019. Several external risks, such as Austrian banks' exposure to Central and Eastern Europe, the refugee crisis, and continued unrest in Russia/Ukraine, eased in 2017, but are still a factor for the Austrian economy. Exposure to the Russian banking sector and a deep energy relationship with Russia present additional risks. Austria elected a new pro-business government in October 2017 that campaigned on promises to reduce bureaucracy, improve public sector efficiency, reduce labor market protections, and provide positive investment incentives. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity) | $588.472 billion (2019 est.) $583.056 billion (2018 est.) $567.448 billion (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars | $498.78 billion (2019 est.) $491.803 billion (2018 est.) $479.433 billion (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars |
| GDP - real growth rate | 1.11% (2019 est.) 3.04% (2018 est.) 1.65% (2017 est.) | 1.42% (2019 est.) 2.58% (2018 est.) 2.4% (2017 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | $68,628 (2019 est.) $68,479 (2018 est.) $67,139 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars | $56,188 (2019 est.) $55,631 (2018 est.) $54,496 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 0.7% (2017 est.) industry: 25.6% (2017 est.) services: 73.7% (2017 est.) | agriculture: 1.3% (2017 est.) industry: 28.4% (2017 est.) services: 70.3% (2017 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | 16% (2018 est.) | 13.3% (2018 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 7.5% highest 10%: 19% (2007) | lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 23.5% (2012 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 0.3% (2019 est.) 0.9% (2018 est.) 0.5% (2017 est.) | 1.5% (2019 est.) 2% (2018 est.) 2% (2017 est.) |
| Labor force | 5.067 million (2020 est.) | 3.739 million (2020 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 3.3% industry: 19.8% services: 76.9% (2015) | agriculture: 0.7% industry: 25.2% services: 74.1% (2017 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 2.31% (2019 est.) 2.55% (2018 est.) | 7.35% (2019 est.) 7.7% (2018 est.) |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index | 32.7 (2017 est.) 33.1 (1992) | 29.7 (2017 est.) 30.5 (2014) |
| Budget | revenues: 242.1 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 234.4 billion (2017 est.) note: includes federal, cantonal, and municipal budgets | revenues: 201.7 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 204.6 billion (2017 est.) |
| Industries | machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments, tourism, banking, insurance, pharmaceuticals | construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food, metals, chemicals, lumber and paper, electronics, tourism |
| Industrial production growth rate | 3.4% (2017 est.) | 6.5% (2017 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | milk, sugar beet, wheat, potatoes, pork, barley, apples, maize, beef, grapes | milk, maize, sugar beet, wheat, barley, potatoes, pork, triticale, grapes, apples |
| Exports | $443.997 billion (2019 est.) $444.605 billion (2018 est.) $430.129 billion (2017 est.) note: trade data exclude trade with Switzerland | $270.888 billion (2019 est.) $263.145 billion (2018 est.) $249.312 billion (2017 est.) |
| Exports - commodities | gold, packaged medicines, medical cultures/vaccines, watches, jewelry (2019) | cars, packaged medical supplies, vehicle parts, medical vaccines/cultures, flavored water (2019) |
| Exports - partners | Germany 16%, United States 14%, United Kingdom 8%, China 7%, France 6%, India 6%, Italy 5% (2019) | Germany 28%, United States 7%, Italy 6%, Switzerland 5% (2019) |
| Imports | $344.477 billion (2019 est.) $344.557 billion (2018 est.) $343.367 billion (2017 est.) | $253.276 billion (2019 est.) $247.225 billion (2018 est.) $235.385 billion (2017 est.) |
| Imports - commodities | gold, packaged medicines, jewelry, cars, medical cultures/vaccines (2019) | cars, vehicle parts, broadcasting equipment, refined petroleum, packaged medical supplies (2019) |
| Imports - partners | Germany 21%, Italy 8%, United States 6%, France 6%, United Kingdom 5%, United Arab Emirates 5% (2019) | Germany 39%, Italy 7%, Czechia 5% (2019) |
| Debt - external | $1,909,446,000,000 (2019 est.) $1,930,819,000,000 (2018 est.) | $688.434 billion (2019 est.) $686.196 billion (2018 est.) |
| Exchange rates | Swiss francs (CHF) per US dollar - 0.88995 (2020 est.) 0.98835 (2019 est.) 0.99195 (2018 est.) 0.9627 (2014 est.) 0.9152 (2013 est.) | euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.82771 (2020 est.) 0.90338 (2019 est.) 0.87789 (2018 est.) 0.885 (2014 est.) 0.7634 (2013 est.) |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
| Public debt | 41.8% of GDP (2017 est.) 41.8% of GDP (2016 est.) note: general government gross debt; gross debt consists of all liabilities that require payment or payments of interest and/or principal by the debtor to the creditor at a date or dates in the future; includes debt liabilities in the form of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs), currency and deposits, debt securities, loans, insurance, pensions and standardized guarantee schemes, and other accounts payable; all liabilities in the GFSM (Government Financial Systems Manual) 2001 system are debt, except for equity and investment fund shares and financial derivatives and employee stock options | 78.6% of GDP (2017 est.) 83.6% of GDP (2016 est.) note: this is general government gross debt, defined in the Maastricht Treaty as consolidated general government gross debt at nominal value, outstanding at the end of the year; it covers the following categories of government liabilities (as defined in ESA95): currency and deposits (AF.2), securities other than shares excluding financial derivatives (AF.3, excluding AF.34), and loans (AF.4); the general government sector comprises the sub-sectors of central government, state government, local government and social security funds; as a percentage of GDP, the GDP used as a denominator is the gross domestic product in current year prices |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | $811.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $679.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $21.57 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $23.36 billion (31 December 2016 est.) |
| Current Account Balance | $79.937 billion (2019 est.) $63.273 billion (2018 est.) | $12.667 billion (2019 est.) $5.989 billion (2018 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate) | $731.502 billion (2019 est.) | $445.025 billion (2019 est.) |
| Credit ratings | Fitch rating: AAA (2000) Moody's rating: Aaa (1982) Standard & Poors rating: AAA (1988) | Fitch rating: AA+ (2015) Moody's rating: Aa1 (2016) Standard & Poors rating: AA+ (2012) |
| Ease of Doing Business Index scores | Overall score: 76.6 (2020) Starting a Business score: 88.4 (2020) Trading score: 96.1 (2020) Enforcement score: 64.1 (2020) | Overall score: 78.7 (2020) Starting a Business score: 83.2 (2020) Trading score: 100 (2020) Enforcement score: 75.5 (2020) |
| Taxes and other revenues | 35.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | 48.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | 1.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | -0.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| Unemployment, youth ages 15-24 | total: 8% male: 8.8% female: 7.2% (2019 est.) | total: 8.5% male: 9.2% female: 7.8% (2019 est.) |
| GDP - composition, by end use | household consumption: 53.7% (2017 est.) government consumption: 12% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 24.5% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: -1.4% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 65.1% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -54% (2017 est.) | household consumption: 52.1% (2017 est.) government consumption: 19.5% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 23.5% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 1.6% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 54.2% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -50.7% (2017 est.) |
| Gross national saving | 35.3% of GDP (2019 est.) 33.8% of GDP (2018 est.) 30.6% of GDP (2017 est.) | 28.5% of GDP (2019 est.) 26.9% of GDP (2018 est.) 26.3% of GDP (2017 est.) |
Energy
| Switzerland | Austria | |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity - production | 59.01 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 60.78 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption | 58.46 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 64.6 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - exports | 30.17 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 19.21 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - imports | 34.1 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 26.37 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Oil - production | 0 bbl/day (2018 est.) | 13,000 bbl/day (2018 est.) |
| Oil - imports | 57,400 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 146,600 bbl/day (2017 est.) |
| Oil - exports | 0 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 0 bbl/day (2017 est.) |
| Oil - proved reserves | 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.) | 41.2 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves | NA cu m (1 January 2011 est.) | 6.513 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.) |
| Natural gas - production | 0 cu m (2017 est.) | 1.274 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption | 3.709 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 9.486 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports | 0 cu m (2017 est.) | 5.437 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports | 3.681 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 14.02 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - installed generating capacity | 20.84 million kW (2016 est.) | 24.79 million kW (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from fossil fuels | 3% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) | 25% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from hydroelectric plants | 67% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 43% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - from nuclear fuels | 18% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - from other renewable sources | 13% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 31% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - production | 61,550 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 186,500 bbl/day (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - consumption | 223,900 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 268,000 bbl/day (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - exports | 7,345 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 49,960 bbl/day (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - imports | 165,100 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 135,500 bbl/day (2017 est.) |
| Electricity access | electrification - total population: 100% (2020) | electrification - total population: 100% (2020) |
Telecommunications
| Switzerland | Austria | |
|---|---|---|
| Telephones - main lines in use | total subscriptions: 3,102,504 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 37.19 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 3,722,128 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 42.17 (2019 est.) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | total subscriptions: 10,829,031 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 129.79 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 10.726 million subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 121.53 (2019 est.) |
| Internet country code | .ch | .at |
| Internet users | total: 7,437,820 percent of population: 89.69% (July 2018 est.) | total: 7,712,665 percent of population: 87.71% (July 2018 est.) |
| Telecommunication systems | general assessment: Switzerland emerged as a European leader for 1Gb/s fiber broadband, complemented by 5G to 97% of the population; competitive market buttressed by regulator assurances of 5G-compatible network infrastructure; although not a member of the EU, Switzerland follows the EU's telecom framework and regulations; Zurich is being developed as a smart city (2021) (2020) domestic: ranked among leading countries for fixed-line teledensity and infrastructure; fixed-line 36 per 100 and mobile-cellular subscribership 127 per 100 persons; extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks (2019) international: country code - 41; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments | general assessment: mature telecom market benefitting from effective competition; government and regulator are focused on improving telecom infrastructure; program to provide a national gigabit service by 2030 based on 5G networks; fixed-line broadband market is dominated by DSL sector, while cable broadband enjoys steady share of connections; fiber penetration remains low pending build out network infrastructure; EU-funded projects develop infrastructure to enable an 'Internet of Services; Vienna is a smart city; importer of broadcasting equipment from Vietnam and China (2021) (2020)domestic: developed and efficient; 41 per 100 fixed-line for households, 174 per 100 for companies; 120 per 100 mobile-cellular; broadband: 138 per 100 on smartphones; 62 per 100 fixed broadband, 54 per 100 mobile broadband (2019) international: country code - 43; earth stations available in the Astra, Intelsat, Eutelsat satellite systems (2019) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments |
| Broadband - fixed subscriptions | total: 4,029,445 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 48.3 (2019 est.) | total: 2.519 million subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 28.54 (2019 est.) |
| Broadcast media | the publicly owned radio and TV broadcaster, Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG/SSR), operates 8 national TV networks, 3 broadcasting in German, 3 in French, and 2 in Italian; private commercial TV stations broadcast regionally and locally; TV broadcasts from stations in Germany, Italy, and France are widely available via multi-channel cable and satellite TV services; SRG/SSR operates 17 radio stations that, along with private broadcasters, provide national to local coverage ) (2019) | worldwide cable and satellite TV are available; the public incumbent ORF competes with three other major, several regional domestic, and up to 400 international TV stations; TV coverage is in principle 100%, but only 90% use broadcast media; Internet streaming not only complements, but increasingly replaces regular TV stations (2019) |
Transportation
| Switzerland | Austria | |
|---|---|---|
| Railways | total: 5,690 km (includes 19 km in neighboring countries) (2015) standard gauge: 3,836 km 1.435-m gauge (3,634 km electrified) (2015) narrow gauge: 1,630 km 1.200-m gauge (2 km electrified) (includes 19 km in neighboring countries) (2015) 1188 km 1.000-m gauge (1,167.3 km electrified) 36 km 0.800-m gauge (36.4 km electrified) | total: 5,800 km (2017) standard gauge: 5,300 km 1.435-m gauge (3,826 km electrified) (2016) |
| Roadways | total: 71,557 km (2017) paved: 71,557 km (includes 1,458 of expressways) (2017) | total: 137,039 km (2018) paved: 137,039 km (includes 2,232 km of expressways) (2018) |
| Waterways | 1,292 km (there are 1,227 km of waterways on lakes and rivers for public transport and 65 km on the Rhine River between Basel-Rheinfelden and Schaffhausen-Bodensee for commercial goods transport) (2010) | 358 km (2011) |
| Pipelines | 1,800 km gas, 94 km oil (of which 60 are inactive), 17 km refined products (2017) | 1888 km gas, 594 km oil, 157 km refined products (2017) |
| Ports and terminals | river port(s): Basel (Rhine) | river port(s): Enns, Krems, Linz, Vienna (Danube) |
| Airports | total: 63 (2013) | total: 50 (2020) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 40 (2013) over 3,047 m: 3 (2013) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2013) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 6 (2013) under 914 m: 17 (2013) | total: 24 (2017) over 3,047 m: 1 (2017) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 (2017) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2017) 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2017) under 914 m: 13 (2017) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 23 (2013) under 914 m: 23 (2013) | total: 28 (2013) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2013) under 914 m: 24 (2013) |
| Heliports | 2 (2013) | 1 (2013) |
| National air transport system | number of registered air carriers: 6 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 179 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 28,857,994 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 1,841,310,000 mt-km (2018) | number of registered air carriers: 11 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 130 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 12,935,505 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 373.51 million mt-km (2018) |
| Civil aircraft registration country code prefix | HB | OE |
Military
| Switzerland | Austria | |
|---|---|---|
| Military branches | Swiss Armed Forces: Land Forces, Swiss Air Force (Schweizer Luftwaffe) (2021) | Austrian Armed Forces: Land Forces, Air Forces, Cyber Forces, Special Forces (2021) |
| Military service age and obligation | 18-30 years of age generally for male compulsory military service; 18 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; every Swiss male has to serve at least 245 days in the armed forces; conscripts receive 18 weeks of mandatory training, followed by six 19-day intermittent recalls for training during the next 10 years (2021) | registration requirement at age 17, the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; 18 is the legal minimum age for compulsory military service (6 months), or optionally, alternative civil/community service (9 months); males 18 to 50 years old in the militia or inactive reserve are subject to compulsory service; in a January 2012 referendum, a majority of Austrians voted in favor of retaining the system of compulsory military service (with the option of alternative/non-military service) instead of switching to a professional army system (2015) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 0.7% of GDP (2019) 0.7% of GDP (2018) 0.7% of GDP (2017) 0.7% of GDP (2016) 0.7% of GDP (2015) | 0.7% of GDP (2020 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2019) 0.7% of GDP (2018) 0.8% of GDP (2017) 0.7% of GDP (2016) |
| Military and security service personnel strengths | the Swiss Armed Forces maintain a full-time professional cadre of about 4,000 personnel along with approximately 20,000 conscripts brought in annually for 18-23 weeks of training; approximately 120,000 reserve forces (2021) | the Austrian Armed Forces have approximately 23,000 total active duty personnel (13,000 Land Forces; 2,500 Air Force; 7,500 other, support forces) (2021) |
| Military equipment inventories and acquisitions | the Swiss Armed Forces inventory includes a mix of domestically-produced and imported weapons systems; the US is the leading supplier of military armaments to Switzerland since 2010; the Swiss defense industry produces a range of military land vehicles (2020) | the Austrian military's inventory includes a mix of domestically-produced and imported weapons systems from European countries and the US; since 2010, Germany and Italy are the leading suppliers of armaments to Austria; the Austrian defense industry produces a range of equipment and partners with other countries (2020) |
| Military deployments | 165 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR) (2021) | 300 Bosnia-Herzegovina (EUFOR stabilization force); 320 Kosovo (NATO); 180 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (March 2021) |
Transnational Issues
| Switzerland | Austria | |
|---|---|---|
| Disputes - international | none | none |
| Illicit drugs | a major international financial center vulnerable to the layering and integration stages of money laundering; despite significant legislation and reporting requirements, secrecy rules persist and nonresidents are permitted to conduct business through offshore entities and various intermediaries; transit country for and consumer of South American cocaine, Southwest Asian heroin, and Western European synthetics; domestic cannabis cultivation and limited ecstasy production | transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine destined for Western Europe; increasing consumption of European-produced synthetic drugs |
| Refugees and internally displaced persons | refugees (country of origin): 36,698 (Eritrea), 18,755 (Syria), 13,455 (Afghanistan), 5,819 (Sri Lanka) (2019) stateless persons: 711 (2020) | refugees (country of origin): 51,955 (Syria), 37,276 (Afghanistan), 8,664 (Russia), 8,568 (Iraq), 7,636 (Somalia), 6,393 (Iran) (2019) stateless persons: 3,267 (2020) |
Terrorism
| Switzerland | Austria | |
|---|---|---|
| Terrorist Group(s) | Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T | Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T |
Environment
| Switzerland | Austria | |
|---|---|---|
| Air pollutants | particulate matter emissions: 10.21 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 34.48 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 4.98 megatons (2020 est.) | particulate matter emissions: 12.43 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 61.45 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 6.34 megatons (2020 est.) |
| Total water withdrawal | municipal: 931 million cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 642.7 million cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 160.1 million cubic meters (2017 est.) | municipal: 720 million cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 2.695 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 77.1 million cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Revenue from forest resources | forest revenues: 0.01% of GDP (2018 est.) | forest revenues: 0.07% of GDP (2018 est.) |
| Revenue from coal | coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.) | coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.) |
| Waste and recycling | municipal solid waste generated annually: 6.056 million tons (2016 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 1,937,920 tons (2015 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 32% (2015 est.) | municipal solid waste generated annually: 4.836 million tons (2015 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 1,240,918 tons (2015 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 25.7% (2015 est.) |
Source: CIA Factbook
