Switzerland vs. Netherlands
Introduction
| Switzerland | Netherlands | |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
| The Dutch United Provinces declared their independence from Spain in 1579; during the 17th century, they became a leading seafaring and commercial power, with settlements and colonies around the world. After a 20-year French occupation, a Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed in 1815. In 1830, Belgium seceded and formed a separate kingdom. The Netherlands remained neutral in World War I, but suffered German invasion and occupation in World War II. A modern, industrialized nation, the Netherlands is also a large exporter of agricultural products. The country was a founding member of NATO and the EEC (now the EU) and participated in the introduction of the euro in 1999. In October 2010, the former Netherlands Antilles was dissolved and the three smallest islands - Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba - became special municipalities in the Netherlands administrative structure. The larger islands of Sint Maarten and Curacao joined the Netherlands and Aruba as constituent countries forming the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In February 2018, the Sint Eustatius island council (governing body) was dissolved and replaced by a government commissioner to restore the integrity of public administration. According to the Dutch Government, the intervention will be as "short as possible and as long as needed." |
Geography
| Switzerland | Netherlands | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy | Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany |
| Geographic coordinates | 47 00 N, 8 00 E | 52 31 N, 5 46 E |
| Map references | Europe | Europe |
| Area | total: 41,277 sq km land: 39,997 sq km water: 1,280 sq km | total: 41,543 sq km land: 33,893 sq km water: 7,650 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey | slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey |
| 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: 1,053 km border countries (2): Belgium 478 km, Germany 575 km |
| Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 451 km |
| Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
| Climate | temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers | temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters |
| Terrain | mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes | mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in southeast |
| Elevation extremes | highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m mean elevation: 1,350 m | highest point: Mount Scenery (on the island of Saba in the Caribbean, now considered an integral part of the Netherlands following the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles) 862 m lowest point: Zuidplaspolder -7 m mean elevation: 30 m note: the highest point on continental Netherlands is Vaalserberg at 322 m |
| Natural resources | hydropower potential, timber, salt | natural gas, petroleum, peat, limestone, salt, sand and gravel, arable land |
| 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: 55.1% (2018 est.) arable land: 29.8% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 1.1% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 24.2% (2018 est.) forest: 10.8% (2018 est.) other: 34.1% (2018 est.) |
| Irrigated land | 630 sq km (2012) | 4,860 sq km (2012) |
| Natural hazards | avalanches, landslides; flash floods | flooding volcanism: Mount Scenery (887 m), located on the island of Saba in the Caribbean, last erupted in 1640;; Round Hill (601 m), a dormant volcano also known as The Quill, is located on the island of St. Eustatius in the Caribbean;; these islands are at the northern end of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends south to Grenada |
| 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 | water and air pollution are significant environmental problems; pollution of the country's rivers from industrial and agricultural chemicals, including heavy metals, organic compounds, nitrates, and phosphates; air pollution from vehicles and refining activities |
| 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-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-Marine Living Resources, 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 |
| 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 | located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or Meuse, and Schelde); about a quarter of the country lies below sea level and only about half of the land exceeds one meter above sea level |
| Total renewable water resources | 53.5 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | 91 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 | an area known as the Randstad, anchored by the cities of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, the Hague, and Utrecht, is the most densely populated region; the north tends to be less dense, though sizeable communities can be found throughout the entire country |
Demographics
| Switzerland | Netherlands | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 8,453,550 (July 2021 est.) | 17,337,403 (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: 16.11% (male 1,425,547/female 1,358,894) 15-24 years: 11.91% (male 1,049,000/female 1,008,763) 25-54 years: 38.47% (male 3,334,064/female 3,313,238) 55-64 years: 13.69% (male 1,177,657/female 1,188,613) 65 years and over: 19.82% (male 1,558,241/female 1,866,380) (2020 est.) |
| Median age | total: 42.7 years male: 41.7 years female: 43.7 years (2020 est.) | total: 42.8 years male: 41.6 years female: 44 years (2020 est.) |
| Population growth rate | 0.65% (2021 est.) | 0.37% (2021 est.) |
| Birth rate | 10.41 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 10.98 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Death rate | 8.44 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 9.22 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Net migration rate | 4.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 1.9 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: 1.04 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 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: 3.45 deaths/1,000 live births male: 3.82 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.06 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: 81.95 years male: 79.72 years female: 84.3 years (2021 est.) |
| Total fertility rate | 1.58 children born/woman (2021 est.) | 1.78 children born/woman (2021 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | 0.2% (2020) | 0.2% (2020 est.) |
| Nationality | noun: Swiss (singular and plural) adjective: Swiss | noun: Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women) adjective: Dutch |
| 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 | Dutch 76.9%, EU 6.4%, Turkish 2.4%, Moroccan 2.3%, Indonesian 2.1%, German 2.1%, Surinamese 2%, Polish 1%, other 4.8% (2018 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | 17,000 (2020) note: estimate does not include children | 24,000 (2020 est.) note: estimate does not include children |
| 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.) | Roman Catholic 23.6%, Protestant 14.9% (includes Dutch Reformed 6.4%, Protestant Church of The Netherlands 5.6%, Calvinist 2.9%), Muslim 5.1%, other 5.6% (includes Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish), none 50.7% (2017 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths | <200 (2020) note: estimate does not include children | <100 (2020 est.) note: estimate does not include children |
| 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. | Dutch (official); note - Frisian is an official language in Fryslan province; Frisian, Low Saxon, Limburgish, Romani, and Yiddish have protected status under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages; Dutch is the official language of the three special municipalities of the Caribbean Netherlands; English is a recognized regional language on Sint Eustatius and Saba; Papiamento is a recognized regional language on Bonaire major-language sample(s): Het Wereld Feitenboek, een omnisbare bron van informatie. (Dutch) 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: 19 years male: 18 years female: 19 years (2018) |
| Education expenditures | 5.1% of GDP (2017) | 5.2% 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: 92.6% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 0.59% 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) | 1.158 million AMSTERDAM (capital), 1.012 million Rotterdam (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% (2018) |
| Physicians density | 4.3 physicians/1,000 population (2017) | 3.61 physicians/1,000 population (2017) |
| Hospital bed density | 4.7 beds/1,000 population (2017) | 3.3 beds/1,000 population (2017) |
| Obesity - adult prevalence rate | 19.5% (2016) | 20.4% (2016) |
| Mother's mean age at first birth | 30.7 years (2019 est.) | 30.1 years (2019 est.) |
| Contraceptive prevalence rate | 71.6% (2017) | 73% (2013) note: percent of women aged 18-45 |
| 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: 55.6 youth dependency ratio: 24.4 elderly dependency ratio: 31.2 potential support ratio: 3.2 (2020 est.) |
Government
| Switzerland | Netherlands | |
|---|---|---|
| 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: Kingdom of the Netherlands conventional short form: Netherlands local long form: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden local short form: Nederland abbreviation: NL etymology: the country name literally means "the lowlands" and refers to the geographic features of the land being both flat and down river from higher areas (i.e., at the estuaries of the Scheldt, Meuse, and Rhine Rivers; only about half of the Netherlands is more than 1 meter above sea level) |
| Government type | federal republic (formally a confederation) | parliamentary constitutional monarchy; part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands |
| 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: Amsterdam; note - The Hague is the seat of government geographic coordinates: 52 21 N, 4 55 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 note: time descriptions apply to the continental Netherlands only, for the constituent countries in the Caribbean, the time difference is UTC-4 etymology: the original Dutch name, Amstellerdam, meaning "a dam on the Amstel River," dates to the 13th century; over time the name simplified to Amsterdam |
| 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 | 12 provinces (provincies, singular - provincie), 3 public entities* (openbare lichamen, singular - openbaar lichaam (Dutch); entidatnan publiko, singular - entidat publiko (Papiamento)); Bonaire*, Drenthe, Flevoland, Fryslan (Friesland), Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg, Noord-Brabant (North Brabant), Noord-Holland (North Holland), Overijssel, Saba*, Sint Eustatius*, Utrecht, Zeeland (Zealand), Zuid-Holland (South Holland) note 1: the Netherlands is one of four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; the other three, Aruba, Curacao, and Sint Maarten, are all islands in the Caribbean; while all four parts are considered equal partners, in practice, most of the Kingdom's affairs are administered by the Netherlands, which makes up about 98% of the Kingdom's total land area and population note 2: although Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are officially incorporated into the country of the Netherlands under the broad designation of "public entities," Dutch Government sources regularly apply to them the more descriptive term of "special municipalities"; Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are collectively referred to as the Caribbean Netherlands |
| Independence | 1 August 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation) | 23 January 1579 (the northern provinces of the Low Countries conclude the Union of Utrecht breaking with Spain; on 26 July 1581, they formally declared their independence with an Act of Abjuration; however, it was not until 30 January 1648 and the Peace of Westphalia that Spain recognized this independence) |
| National holiday | Founding of the Swiss Confederation in 1291; note - since 1 August 1891 celebrated as Swiss National Day | King's Day (birthday of King WILLEM-ALEXANDER), 27 April (1967); note - King's or Queen's Day are observed on the ruling monarch's birthday; currently celebrated on 26 April if 27 April is a Sunday |
| 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: many previous to adoption of the "Basic Law of the Kingdom of the Netherlands" on 24 August 1815; revised 8 times, the latest in 1983 amendments: proposed as an Act of Parliament by or on behalf of the king or by the Second Chamber of the States General; the Second Chamber is dissolved after its first reading of the Act; passage requires a second reading by both the First Chamber and the newly elected Second Chamber, followed by at least two-thirds majority vote of both chambers, and ratification by the king; amended many times, last in 2018 |
| Legal system | civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts, except for federal decrees of a general obligatory character | civil law system based on the French system; constitution does not permit judicial review of acts of the States General |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 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: King WILLEM-ALEXANDER (since 30 April 2013); Heir Apparent Princess Catharina-Amalia (daughter of King WILLEM-ALEXANDER, born 7 December 2003) head of government: Prime Minister (vacant); note - Prime Minister Mark RUTTE resigned on 15 January 2021; Deputy Prime Ministers (since 26 October 2017) Hugo DE JONGE, Karin Kajsa OLLONGREN, and Carola SCHOUTEN (since 26 October 2017); note - Mark RUTTE heads his third cabinet put in place since 26 October 2017 cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; following Second Chamber elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch; deputy prime ministers are appointed by the monarch |
| 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 States General or Staten Generaal consists of: First Chamber or Eerste Kamer (75 seats; members indirectly elected by the country's 12 provincial council members by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms) Second Chamber or Tweede Kamer (150 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve up to 4-year terms) elections: First Chamber - last held on 27 May 2019 (next to be held on NA May 2023) Second Chamber - last held on 15 March 2017 (next to be held on 17 March 2021) election results: First Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FvD 12, VVD 12, CDA 9, GL 8, D66 7, MvdA 6, PVV 5, SP 4, CU 4, other 8; composition - men 49, women 26, percent of women 34.7% Second Chamber - percent of vote by party - VVD 21.3%, PVV 13.1%, CDA 12.4%, D66 12.2%, GL 9.1%, SP 9.1%, PvdA 5.7%, CU 3.4%, PvdD 3.2%, 50 Plus 3.1%, other 7.4%; seats by party - VVD 33, PVV 20, CDA 19, D66 19, GL 14, SP 14, PvdA 9, CU 5, PvdD 5, 50 Plus 4, other 8; composition - men 96, women 54, percent of women 36%; note - total States General percent of women 35.6% |
| 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 or Hoge Raad (consists of 41 judges: the president, 6 vice presidents, 31 justices or raadsheren, and 3 justices in exceptional service, referred to as buitengewone dienst); the court is divided into criminal, civil, tax, and ombuds chambers judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the monarch from a list provided by the Second Chamber of the States General; justices appointed for life or until mandatory retirement at age 70 subordinate courts: courts of appeal; district courts, each with up to 5 subdistrict courts; Netherlands Commercial Court |
| 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) | Christian Democratic Appeal or CDA [Sybrand VAN HAERSMA BUMA] Christian Union or CU [Gert-Jan SEGERS] Democrats 66 or D66 [Rob JETTEN] Denk [Tunahan KUZU] 50 Plus [Henk KROL] Forum for Democracy or FvD (vacant) Green Left or GL [Jesse KLAVER] Labor Party or PvdA [Lodewijk ASSCHER] Party for Freedom or PVV [Geert WILDERS] Party for the Animals or PvdD [Marianne THIEME] People's Party for Freedom and Democracy or VVD [Mark RUTTE] Reformed Political Party or SGP [Kees VAN DER STAAIJ] Socialist Party or SP [Emile ROEMER] plus a few minor parties |
| 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), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CBSS (observer), CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNRWA, UN Security Council (temporary), UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, 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 Andre HASPELS (since 16 September 2019) chancery: 4200 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 244-5300 FAX: [1] (202) 362-3430 email address and website: https://www.netherlandsworldwide.nl/countries/united-states/about-us/embassy-in-washington-dc consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Miami, New York, San Francisco |
| 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); Charge d'Affaires Marja VERLOOP (since 17 January 2021) embassy: John Adams Park 1, 2244 BZ Wassenaar mailing address: 5780 Amsterdam Place, Washington DC 20521-5780 telephone: [31] (70) 310-2209 FAX: [31] (70) 310-2207 email address and website: AmsterdamUSC@state.gov https://nl.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Amsterdam |
| 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 (bright vermilion; top), white, and blue (cobalt); similar to the flag of Luxembourg, which uses a lighter blue and is longer; the colors were derived from those of WILLIAM I, Prince of Orange, who led the Dutch Revolt against Spanish sovereignty in the latter half of the 16th century; originally the upper band was orange, but because its dye tended to turn red over time, the red shade was eventually made the permanent color; the banner is perhaps the oldest tricolor in continuous use |
| 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: "Het Wilhelmus" (The William) lyrics/music: Philips VAN MARNIX van Sint Aldegonde (presumed)/unknown note: adopted 1932, in use since the 17th century, making it the oldest national anthem in the world; also known as "Wilhelmus van Nassouwe" (William of Nassau), it is in the form of an acrostic, where the first letter of each stanza spells the name of the leader of the Dutch Revolt |
| International law organization participation | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
| National symbol(s) | Swiss cross (white cross on red field, arms equal length); national colors: red, white | lion, tulip; national color: orange |
| 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 the Netherlands dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years |
Economy
| Switzerland | Netherlands | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | The Netherlands, the sixth-largest economy in the European Union, plays an important role as a European transportation hub, with a consistently high trade surplus, stable industrial relations, and low unemployment. Industry focuses on food processing, chemicals, petroleum refining, and electrical machinery. A highly mechanized agricultural sector employs only 2% of the labor force but provides large surpluses for food-processing and underpins the country's status as the world's second largest agricultural exporter. The Netherlands is part of the euro zone, and as such, its monetary policy is controlled by the European Central Bank. The Dutch financial sector is highly concentrated, with four commercial banks possessing over 80% of banking assets, and is four times the size of Dutch GDP. In 2008, during the financial crisis, the government budget deficit hit 5.3% of GDP. Following a protracted recession from 2009 to 2013, during which unemployment doubled to 7.4% and household consumption contracted for four consecutive years, economic growth began inching forward in 2014. Since 2010, Prime Minister Mark RUTTE's government has implemented significant austerity measures to improve public finances and has instituted broad structural reforms in key policy areas, including the labor market, the housing sector, the energy market, and the pension system. In 2017, the government budget returned to a surplus of 0.7% of GDP, with economic growth of 3.2%, and GDP per capita finally surpassed pre-crisis levels. The fiscal policy announced by the new government in the 2018-2021 coalition plans for increases in government consumption and public investment, fueling domestic demand and household consumption and investment. The new government's policy also plans to increase demand for workers in the public and private sector, forecasting a further decline in the unemployment rate, which hit 4.8% in 2017. |
| 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 | $986.847 billion (2019 est.) $970.567 billion (2018 est.) $948.181 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.) | 1.63% (2019 est.) 2.32% (2018 est.) 3.02% (2017 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | $68,628 (2019 est.) $68,479 (2018 est.) $67,139 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars | $56,935 (2019 est.) $56,325 (2018 est.) $55,348 (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: 1.6% (2017 est.) industry: 17.9% (2017 est.) services: 70.2% (2017 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | 16% (2018 est.) | 13.6% (2019 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 7.5% highest 10%: 19% (2007) | lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 24.9% (2014 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 0.3% (2019 est.) 0.9% (2018 est.) 0.5% (2017 est.) | 2.6% (2019 est.) 1.7% (2018 est.) 1.3% (2017 est.) |
| Labor force | 5.067 million (2020 est.) | 8.907 million (2020 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 3.3% industry: 19.8% services: 76.9% (2015) | agriculture: 1.2% industry: 17.2% services: 81.6% (2015 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 2.31% (2019 est.) 2.55% (2018 est.) | 3.41% (2019 est.) 3.84% (2018 est.) |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index | 32.7 (2017 est.) 33.1 (1992) | 28.5 (2017 est.) 25.1 (2013 est.) |
| Budget | revenues: 242.1 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 234.4 billion (2017 est.) note: includes federal, cantonal, and municipal budgets | revenues: 361.4 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 352.4 billion (2017 est.) |
| Industries | machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments, tourism, banking, insurance, pharmaceuticals | agroindustries, metal and engineering products, electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum, construction, microelectronics, fishing |
| Industrial production growth rate | 3.4% (2017 est.) | 3.3% (2017 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | milk, sugar beet, wheat, potatoes, pork, barley, apples, maize, beef, grapes | milk, potatoes, sugar beet, pork, onions, wheat, poultry, tomatoes, carrots/turnips, beef |
| Exports | $443.997 billion (2019 est.) $444.605 billion (2018 est.) $430.129 billion (2017 est.) note: trade data exclude trade with Switzerland | $857.574 billion (2019 est.) $835.759 billion (2018 est.) $801.942 billion (2017 est.) |
| Exports - commodities | gold, packaged medicines, medical cultures/vaccines, watches, jewelry (2019) | refined petroleum, packaged medicines, broadcasting equipment, photography equipment, computers (2019) |
| Exports - partners | Germany 16%, United States 14%, United Kingdom 8%, China 7%, France 6%, India 6%, Italy 5% (2019) | Germany 20%, Belgium 12%, United Kingdom 9%, France 7%, United States 5% (2019) |
| Imports | $344.477 billion (2019 est.) $344.557 billion (2018 est.) $343.367 billion (2017 est.) | $755.65 billion (2019 est.) $732.865 billion (2018 est.) $700.657 billion (2017 est.) |
| Imports - commodities | gold, packaged medicines, jewelry, cars, medical cultures/vaccines (2019) | crude petroleum, refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, computers, cars (2019) |
| Imports - partners | Germany 21%, Italy 8%, United States 6%, France 6%, United Kingdom 5%, United Arab Emirates 5% (2019) | Germany 15%, China 11%, Belgium 9%, United States 8%, Russia 7%, United Kingdom 5% (2019) |
| Debt - external | $1,909,446,000,000 (2019 est.) $1,930,819,000,000 (2018 est.) | $4,345,413,000,000 (2019 est.) $4,625,016,000,000 (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 | 56.5% of GDP (2017 est.) 61.3% of GDP (2016 est.) note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment, debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | $811.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $679.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $38.44 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $38.21 billion (31 December 2015 est.) |
| Current Account Balance | $79.937 billion (2019 est.) $63.273 billion (2018 est.) | $90.207 billion (2019 est.) $98.981 billion (2018 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate) | $731.502 billion (2019 est.) | $907.042 billion (2019 est.) |
| Credit ratings | Fitch rating: AAA (2000) Moody's rating: Aaa (1982) Standard & Poors rating: AAA (1988) | Fitch rating: AAA (1994) Moody's rating: Aaa (1986) Standard & Poors rating: AAA (2015) |
| 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: 76.1 (2020) Starting a Business score: 94.3 (2020) Trading score: 100 (2020) Enforcement score: 59.9 (2020) |
| Taxes and other revenues | 35.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | 43.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | 1.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | 1.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| Unemployment, youth ages 15-24 | total: 8% male: 8.8% female: 7.2% (2019 est.) | total: 6.7% male: 7.3% female: 6.2% (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: 44.3% (2017 est.) government consumption: 24.2% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 20.5% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 0.2% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 83% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -72.3% (2017 est.) |
| Gross national saving | 35.3% of GDP (2019 est.) 33.8% of GDP (2018 est.) 30.6% of GDP (2017 est.) | 31.2% of GDP (2019 est.) 31.8% of GDP (2018 est.) 31.4% of GDP (2017 est.) |
Energy
| Switzerland | Netherlands | |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity - production | 59.01 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 109.3 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption | 58.46 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 108.8 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - exports | 30.17 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 19.34 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - imports | 34.1 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 24.26 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Oil - production | 0 bbl/day (2018 est.) | 18,000 bbl/day (2018 est.) |
| Oil - imports | 57,400 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 1.094 million bbl/day (2017 est.) |
| Oil - exports | 0 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 7,984 bbl/day (2017 est.) |
| Oil - proved reserves | 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.) | 81.13 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves | NA cu m (1 January 2011 est.) | 801.4 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.) |
| Natural gas - production | 0 cu m (2017 est.) | 45.33 billion cu m (2017 est.) note: the Netherlands has curbed gas production due to seismic activity in the province of Groningen, largest source of gas reserves |
| Natural gas - consumption | 3.709 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 43.38 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports | 0 cu m (2017 est.) | 51.25 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports | 3.681 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 51 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - installed generating capacity | 20.84 million kW (2016 est.) | 34.17 million kW (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from fossil fuels | 3% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) | 75% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from hydroelectric plants | 67% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - from nuclear fuels | 18% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - from other renewable sources | 13% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 23% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - production | 61,550 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 1.282 million bbl/day (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - consumption | 223,900 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 954,500 bbl/day (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - exports | 7,345 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 2.406 million bbl/day (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - imports | 165,100 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 2.148 million bbl/day (2017 est.) |
| Electricity access | electrification - total population: 100% (2020) | electrification - total population: 100% (2020) |
Telecommunications
| Switzerland | Netherlands | |
|---|---|---|
| Telephones - main lines in use | total subscriptions: 3,102,504 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 37.19 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 5.56 million subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 32.31 (2019 est.) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | total subscriptions: 10,829,031 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 129.79 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 21.762 million subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 126.45 (2019 est.) |
| Internet country code | .ch | .nl |
| Internet users | total: 7,437,820 percent of population: 89.69% (July 2018 est.) | total: 16,243,928 percent of population: 94.71% (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: highly developed and well maintained; Dutch telecom market is gradually migrating to upgraded platforms; operators repurposing their spectrum and physical assets for LTE and 5G; one of the highest fixed broadband penetration rates in the world, with competition between DSL and fiber networks; fixed-line voice market is in decline while VoIP and mobile platforms advance; plans for 3G network shutdown in 2023; operators are concentrating investment on LTE-A and 5G services; operators and banks launch m-payments system; adoption of smart city concepts and technology in major cities; major exporter of broadcasting equipment and computers to Europe, and importer of same from China (2021) (2020)domestic: extensive fixed-line, fiber-optic network; large cellular telephone system with five major operators utilizing the third generation of the Global System for Mobile Communications technology; one in five households now use Voice over the Internet Protocol services; fixed-line 33 per 100 and mobile-cellular 127 per 100 persons (2019) international: country code - 31; landing points for Farland North, TAT-14, Circe North, Concerto, Ulysses 2, AC-1, UK-Netherlands 14, and COBRAcable submarine cables which provide links to the US and Europe; satellite earth stations - 5 (3 Intelsat - 1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean, 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat) (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: 7.459 million subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 43.34 (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) | more than 90% of households are connected to cable or satellite TV systems that provide a wide range of domestic and foreign channels; public service broadcast system includes multiple broadcasters, 3 with a national reach and the remainder operating in regional and local markets; 2 major nationwide commercial television companies, each with 3 or more stations, and many commercial TV stations in regional and local markets; nearly 600 radio stations with a mix of public and private stations providing national or regional coverage |
Transportation
| Switzerland | Netherlands | |
|---|---|---|
| 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: 3,058 km (2016) standard gauge: 3,058 km 1.435-m gauge (2,314 km electrified) (2016) |
| Roadways | total: 71,557 km (2017) paved: 71,557 km (includes 1,458 of expressways) (2017) | total: 139,124 km (includes 3,654 km of expressways) (2016) |
| 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) | 6,237 km (navigable by ships up to 50 tons) (2012) |
| Pipelines | 1,800 km gas, 94 km oil (of which 60 are inactive), 17 km refined products (2017) | 14000 km gas, 2500 km oil and refined products, 3000 km chemicals (2016) |
| Ports and terminals | river port(s): Basel (Rhine) | major seaport(s): IJmuiden, Vlissingen container port(s) (TEUs): Rotterdam (14,810,804) (2019) LNG terminal(s) (import): Rotterdam river port(s): Amsterdam (Nordsee Kanaal); Moerdijk (Hollands Diep River); Rotterdam (Rhine River); Terneuzen (Western Scheldt River) |
| Merchant marine | total: 28 by type: bulk carrier 21, general cargo 3, oil tanker 1, other 3 (includes Liechtenstein) (2020) | total: 1,200 by type: bulk carrier 10, container ship 45, general cargo 557, oil tanker 23, other 565 (2020) |
| Airports | total: 63 (2013) | total: 29 (2013) |
| 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: 23 (2017) over 3,047 m: 3 (2017) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 (2017) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2017) 914 to 1,523 m: 6 (2017) under 914 m: 2 (2017) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 23 (2013) under 914 m: 23 (2013) | total: 6 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2013) under 914 m: 2 (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: 8 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 238 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 43,996,044 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 5,886,510,000 mt-km (2018) |
| Civil aircraft registration country code prefix | HB | PH |
Military
| Switzerland | Netherlands | |
|---|---|---|
| Military branches | Swiss Armed Forces: Land Forces, Swiss Air Force (Schweizer Luftwaffe) (2021) | Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (includes Naval Air Service and Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force, Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (Military Constabulary) (2021) note: the Netherlands Coast Guard and the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard are civilian in nature, but managed by the Royal Netherlands Navy |
| 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) | 17 years of age for an all-volunteer force; conscription abolished in 1996 (2019) |
| 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) | 1.49% of GDP (2020 est.) 1.35% of GDP (2019) 1.22% of GDP (2018) 1.15% of GDP (2017) 1.16% 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 Royal Netherlands Armed Forces have approximately 35,000 active duty personnel (15,000 Army; 7,500 Navy; 6,500 Air Force; 6,000 Constabulary) (2020) |
| 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 inventory of the Netherlands Armed Forces consists of a mix of domestically-produced and modern European- and US-sourced equipment; since 2010, the US is the leading supplier of weapons systems to the Netherlands, followed by several European countries; the Netherlands has an advanced domestic defense industry that focuses on armored vehicles, naval ships, and air defense systems; it also participates with the US and other European countries on joint development and production of advanced weapons systems (2020) |
| Military deployments | 165 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR) (2021) | 270 Lithuania (NATO) (2021) |
Transnational Issues
| Switzerland | Netherlands | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | major European producer of synthetic drugs, including ecstasy, and cannabis cultivator; important gateway for cocaine, heroin, and hashish entering Europe; major source of US-bound ecstasy and a significant consumer of ecstasy; a large financial sector vulnerable to money laundering |
| 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): 31,694 (Syria), 14,809 (Eritrea), 13,007 (Somalia), 8,423 (Iraq), 5,815 (Afghanistan) (2019) stateless persons: 2,006 (2020) |
Terrorism
| Switzerland | Netherlands | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Netherlands | |
|---|---|---|
| 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: 12.07 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 170.78 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 17.79 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: 1.26 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 14.74 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 76.5 million cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Revenue from forest resources | forest revenues: 0.01% of GDP (2018 est.) | forest revenues: 0.01% 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: 8.855 million tons (2015 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 2,179,216 tons (2015 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 24.6% (2015 est.) |
Source: CIA Factbook
