Situated between the Swiss Alps, the Swiss Plateau and the Jura Mountains, Swiss German is the predominant language spoken (Germany is to their north), with French and Italian also spoken. These countries also border Switzerland. Music and dance are popular with the alphorn and yodeling being loved by all. Skiing, snowboarding, mountaineering and hiking are all popular in Switzerland also.
They are involved in peace building around the world and have not been in an international war since 1815. They have a strong commitment to neutrality and they are a peaceful, prosperous and stable people. Chocolate has been made in Switzerland since the 18th century and they are considered to be one of the largest consumers of it. They are also known for their watch making skills.
There is diversity in landscape and climate. There are more than 1500 lakes in this small country. In the middle area, which is about 30% of the land, it is hilly, partly forested with some open pastures usually with grazing herds or garden fields. The Swiss Alps takes up about 60% of the land area. In general, the climate is temperate with autumn being the driest season and the winter season receiving less precipitation than during the summer months.
The biggest cities of Zurich and Geneva are in the middle area. Berne and Basel are also fairely large cities. Lucerne, where we visited, is considered a city but definitely one of the smaller ones wheras Interlacken is a town. Switzerland is predominantly an urban country as the largest part of the country is the Swiss Alps where the population is small, as are the towns, if there are any.
With a country that is so peaceful and stable, it is no wonder that the people are that way as well. So visiting Switzerland where the people are so friendly and laid-back, was definitely a pleasure.
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