Switzerland (Swiss Confederation)

Switzerland Swiss Confederation
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	8th best
Capital	Bern
Land Area	40 000km21
Location	Europe
Population	7.7m (2011)2
Life Expectancy	83.13yrs (2017)3
GNI	$56 364 (2017)4
ISO3166-1 Codes	CH, CHE, 7565
Internet Domain	.ch6
Currency	Franc (CHF)7
Telephone	+418

1. Overview
2. Switzerland National and Social Development
3. Population and Demographics
4. Gender Equality
5. Religion and Beliefs
6. The Internet
7. Public Health Issues
8. Politics and Freedom
9. More Charts and Comparisons to Other Countries
10. Links

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1. Overview

“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, 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.”

CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₉

“Look past the silk-smooth chocolate, cuckoo clocks and yodelling – contemporary Switzerland, land of four languages, is all about epic journeys and sublime experiences. This country begs outdoor escapades with its larger-than-life canvas of hallucinatory landscapes, so grab your boots, leap on board, toot the bike bell and let your spirits rip. Skiing and snowboarding in the winter wonderlands of Graubünden, Bernese Oberland and Central Switzerland are obvious choices. Hiking and biking trails abound in both glacier-encrusted mountain areas and lower down along lost valleys, mythical lakeshores and pea-green vines. Travels are mapped by mountain villages with timber storage barns and chalet farmsteads brightened with red.

The perfect antidote is a surprise set of cities: the capital Bern with its medieval Old Town and world-class modern art, deeply Germanic Basel and its bold architecture, shopping-chic Geneva astraddle Europe´s largest lake, tycoon-magnet Zug (play millionaire over a slice of liqueur-soaked cherry cake) and uber-cool Zürich with its rooftop bars and atypical Swiss street grit.”

"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₀

2. Switzerland National and Social Development

UN HDI (2016) Lower is better Rank11
1	Norway	1
2	Australia	2
3	Switzerland	2
4	Germany	4
5	Denmark	5
6	Singapore	5
7	Netherlands	7
8	Ireland	8
9	Iceland	9
10	Canada	10
11	USA	10
12	Hong Kong	12
	World Avg	94.3
q=188.

Social & Moral Development Index Higher is better Points12
1	Iceland	84.1
2	Sweden	80.8
3	Norway	80.0
4	Denmark	79.4
5	Belgium	79.3
6	Finland	78.4
7	Germany	77.8
8	Switzerland	77.7
9	Luxembourg	77.7
10	New Zealand	77.4
11	UK	77.1
12	Australia	76.8
	World Avg	54.5
q=198.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: What is the Best Country in the World? An Index of Morality, Conscience and Good Life.

3. Population and Demographics

Old-Age Dependency Ratio (2016) Lower is better Per 10013
1	Uganda	04.3
2	Mali	04.5
3	Chad	04.7
	...
167	Korea, S.	37.6
168	Estonia	37.9
169	Belgium	38.1
170	Switzerland	38.3
171	Canada	38.5
172	Croatia	39.7
173	Malta	39.9
174	France	40.5
	World Avg	18.3
q=185.

Emigrants (2010) %14
1	Dominica	104.8
2	Palestine	68.4
3	Samoa	67.3
	...
104	Congo, (Brazzaville)	5.6
105	Togo	5.4
106	Ivory Coast	5.4
107	Switzerland	5.4
108	Malaysia	5.3
109	Guinea	5.2
110	Turkmenistan	5.0
111	Mozambique	5.0
	World Avg	11.5
q=192.

Fertility Rate (2013) 2.0 is best15
1	Korea, N.	2.00
2	Brunei	1.99
3	St Vincent & Grenadines	2.01
	...
71	Thailand	1.54
72	Greece	1.54
73	Georgia	1.53
74	Switzerland	1.53
75	Mongolia	2.48
76	Russia	1.52
77	Albania	1.51
78	Latvia	1.50
	World Avg	2.81
q=180.

Immigrants (2010) %14
1	Qatar	86.5
2	Monaco	71.6
3	UAE	70.0
	...
18	Saudi Arabia	27.8
19	Australia	25.7
20	Antigua & Barbuda	23.6
21	Switzerland	23.2
22	New Zealand	22.4
23	Canada	21.3
24	Ireland	19.6
25	Kazakhstan	19.5
	World Avg	9.2
q=192.

Life Expectancy (2015) Higher is better Years16
1	Hong Kong	84.16
2	Japan	83.68
3	Italy	83.34
4	Singapore	83.21
5	Switzerland	83.13
6	Spain	82.77
7	Iceland	82.72
8	Israel	82.56
9	Australia	82.54
10	France	82.36
11	Sweden	82.35
12	Canada	82.22
	World Avg	71.27
q=190.

Population (2012)17
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.3b
3	USA	315.8m
	...
93	Austria	8.4m
94	UAE	8.1m
95	Honduras	7.9m
96	Switzerland	7.7m
97	Israel	7.7m
98	Bulgaria	7.4m
99	Hong Kong	7.2m
100	Papua New Guinea	7.2m
	World Avg	36.0m
q=195.

Switzerland's population is predicted to rise to 8.094 million by 2030. This rise is despite a low fertility rate, meaning, that this country is helping to alleviate problems with growing population in neighbouring countries by accepting immigrants, very likely as a requirement of maintaining an active workforce. This country has a fertility rate of 1.53. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population is growing, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity, i.e., the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate, which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1.

• The Overpopulation of the Earth
• Abortion, Birth Control and Contraception: How Religion is Making Overpopulation Worse

4. Gender Equality

Gender Inequality (2015) Lower is better18
1	Switzerland	0.04
2	Denmark	0.04
3	Netherlands	0.04
4	Sweden	0.05
5	Iceland	0.05
6	Norway	0.05
7	Slovenia	0.05
8	Finland	0.06
9	Germany	0.07
10	Korea, S.	0.07
11	Singapore	0.07
12	Belgium	0.07
	World Avg	0.36
q=159.

Year Women Can Vote Lower is better Year19
1	New Zealand	1893
2	Australia	1902
3	Finland	1906
	...
156	Congo, (Brazzaville)	1970
157	Congo, DR	1970
158	Yemen	1970
159	Switzerland	1971
160	Bangladesh	1972
161	Bahrain	1973
162	San Marino	1973
163	Andorra	1973
	World Avg	1930
q=189.

Gender inequality is not a necessary part of early human development. Although a separation of roles is almost universal due to different strengths between the genders, this does not have to mean that women are subdued, and, such patriarchialism is not universal in ancient history. Those cultures and peoples who shed, or never developed, the idea that mankind ought to dominate womankind, are better cultures and peoples than those who, even today, cling violently to those mores.

Switzerland is notable for its equality between the sexes, even though women were prevented equal voting and standing rights until quite late.

See:

• "Religion Versus Womankind" by Vexen Crabtree (2007)

5. Religion and Beliefs

#buddhism #christianity #hinduism #islam #judaism

Religiosity (2009) Lower is better %20
1	Estonia	16
2	Sweden	17
3	Denmark	19
	...
13	Hungary	39
14	Albania	39
15	Germany	40
16	Switzerland	41
17	Uruguay	41
18	Lithuania	42
19	Canada	42
20	Korea, S.	43
	World Avg	75.1
q=114.

Disbelief In God (2007) Higher is better21
1	Vietnam	81
2	Japan	65
3	Sweden	64
	...
26	Mongolia	20
27	Austria	18
28	Slovakia	17
29	Switzerland	17
30	Belarus	17
31	Greece	16
32	Iceland	16
33	Spain	15
	World Avg	9.9
q=137.

Data from the Pew Forum, a professional polling outfit, states that in 2010 the religious makeup of this country was as follows in the table below₂₂:

Christian	81.3%
Muslim	5.5%
Hindu	0.4%
Buddhist	0.4%
Folk Religion	0.1%
Jew	0.3%
Unaffiliated	11.9%

By adding up the Pew Forum data for the major monotheistic religions we can see that these make up 87.1% of the population. Yet there are simply too many who disbelieve in God for this to be true (17%). This is due to the so-called 'Census Effect', whereby many put down a religion for cultural reasons rather than because it reflects their beliefs. In highly Christian countries, as many as half of those who say they're a Christian lack any connection to a Church, and do not hold Christian beliefs (such as believing in God!).

It appears that when asked "What religion are you" many give pollsters the 'correct' answer despite how they actually feel, and despite what they actually believe. Although 88% of the populace say they belong to a religion, only 41% say that they are religious when the question is phrased as "Is religion an important part of your daily life?".

For more on this phenomenon, see:

• "Institutionalized Religions Have Their Numbers Inflated by National Polls" by Vexen Crabtree (2009)

The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states: Roman Catholic 41.8%, Protestant 35.3%, Muslim 4.3%, Orthodox 1.8%, other Christian 0.4%, other 1%, unspecified 4.3%, none 11.1% (2000 census)₂₃.

The International Humanist and Ethical Union produced a report in 2012 entitled "Freedom of Thought" (2012), in which they document bias and prejudice at the national level that is based on religion, belief and/or lack of belief. Their entry for Switzerland states:

“The constitution and other laws and policies protect freedom of religion or belief. However, some individual cantons still pursue discriminatory policies based on the locally dominant religion (Protestant or Catholic).

Most of the 26 cantons (with the exception of Geneva and Neuchatel, where church and state are separate) financially support at least one of the three traditional religious communities - Roman Catholic, Old Catholic, or Protestant - with funds collected through a church tax. Each canton observes its own regulations regarding the relationship between church and state. In some cantons the church tax is voluntary, while in others an individual who chooses not to contribute to the church tax may have to leave the church formally. In some cantons private companies are unable to avoid payment of the church tax. Some cantons also allow the church tax to be collected on behalf of the Jewish community. Islamic and other nontraditional religious and atheist groups are excluded from these benefits.

In October 2010, Valentin Abgottspon was dismissed from his job as teacher at a public school in the canton of Valais after he raised concerns about the state's promotion of Catholicism in public schools. Article 3 of the canton's education law states that schools should prepare students for their duties "as human beings and Christians". Abgottspon was told he was fired for removing the crucifix from the classrooms in the public school at which he taught.

”

"Freedom of Thought" by IHEU (2012)₂₄

Links:

• A List of All Religions and Belief Systems
• Secularisation Theory: Will Modern Society Reject Religion? What is Secularism?

6. The Internet

Internet Users (2016) Higher is better25
1	Iceland	100%
2	Faroe Islands	99%
3	Norway	98%
	...
23	Czech Rep.	88%
24	Germany	88%
25	Aruba	88%
26	Switzerland	87%
27	France	86%
28	Korea, S.	86%
29	Australia	85%
30	Bahamas	85%
	World Avg	48.1%
q=201.

IPv6 Uptake (2017) Higher is better Ratio26
1	Belgium	55.4
2	Germany	41.8
3	Switzerland	35.1
4	USA	35.0
5	Greece	33.5
6	Luxembourg	32.4
7	India	26.8
8	Portugal	26.6
9	Ireland	26.1
10	UK	24.7
11	Japan	22.1
12	France	18.8
	World Avg	3.82
q=176.

IT Security (2013) Lower is better27
1	Ireland	0.11
2	Luxembourg	0.11
3	Belize	0.11
	...
19	Romania	0.52
20	Turkey	0.52
21	Poland	0.55
22	Switzerland	0.55
23	Korea, S.	0.56
24	Australia	0.63
25	Libya	0.63
26	Qatar	0.65
	World Avg	0.98
q=81.

Internet access has become an essential research tool. It facilitates an endless list of life improvements, from the ability to network and socialize without constraint, to access to a seemingly infinite repository of technical and procedural information on pretty much any task. The universal availability of data has sped up industrial development and personal learning at the national and personal level. Individuals can read any topic they wish regardless of the locality of expert teachers, and, entire nations can develop their technology and understanding of the world simply because they are now exposed to advanced societies and moral discourses online. Like every communications medium, the Internet has issues and causes a small range of problems, but these are insignificant compared to the advantages of having an online populace.

7. Public Health Issues

Adolescent Birth Rate (2015) Lower is better Per 100018
1	Korea, N.	0.5
2	Korea, S.	1.6
3	Switzerland	2.9
4	Hong Kong	3.2
5	Slovenia	3.8
6	Singapore	3.8
7	Netherlands	4.0
8	Denmark	4.0
9	Japan	4.1
10	Cyprus	5.0
11	Sweden	5.7
12	Norway	5.9
	World Avg	47.9
q=185.

Alcohol Consumption (2010) Lower is better Per Capita28
1	Libya	0.1
2	Pakistan	0.1
3	Kuwait	0.1
	...
155	Austria	10.3
156	Greece	10.3
157	St Lucia	10.4
158	Switzerland	10.7
159	Namibia	10.8
160	Gabon	10.9
161	New Zealand	10.9
162	Belgium	11.0
	World Avg	6.2
q=191.

Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 (2015) Higher is better Avg %29
1	Hungary	99.0
2	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
	...
62	Botswana	95.4
63	Gambia	95.4
64	Cyprus	95.3
65	Switzerland	95.3
66	Israel	95.2
67	Grenada	95.2
68	Slovenia	95.2
69	Macedonia	95.2
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

Smoking Rates (2014) Lower is better30
1	Guinea	15
2	Solomon Islands	26
3	Kiribati	28
	...
155	Slovakia	1 618
156	Romania	1 620
157	Tunisia	1 628
158	Switzerland	1 634
159	Serbia	1 644
160	Cyprus	1 688
161	Croatia	1 709
162	Japan	1 713
	World Avg	819
q=182.

Suicide Rate (2013) Lower is better Per 100k31
1	Haiti	0
2	Grenada	0
3	Egypt	0.1
	...
72	Uruguay	32.3
73	France	33.2
74	Moldova	35.7
75	Switzerland	36.2
76	Croatia	36.4
77	Estonia	37.9
78	Serbia	38.1
79	Finland	39
	World Avg	20.93
q=91.

8. Politics and Freedom

Nominal Commitment to HR (2009) Higher is better Treaties32
1	Argentina	24
2	Chile	23
3	Costa Rica	23
	...
50	New Zealand	20
51	Uganda	19
52	Colombia	19
53	Switzerland	19
54	UK	19
55	Venezuela	19
56	Lesotho	19
57	Rwanda	19
	World Avg	15.1
q=194.

Personal, Civil & Economic Freedom (2014) Lower is better Rank33
1	Hong Kong	1
2	Switzerland	2
3	New Zealand	3
4	Ireland	4
5	Denmark	5
6	UK	6
7	Canada	6
8	Australia	6
9	Finland	9
10	Netherlands	10
11	Luxembourg	11
12	Austria	11
	World Avg	79.7
q=159.

Press Freedom (2013) Lower is better34
1	Finland	638
2	Netherlands	648
3	Norway	652
	...
11	Estonia	926
12	Austria	940
13	Jamaica	988
14	Switzerland	994
15	Ireland	1006
16	Czech Rep.	1017
17	Germany	1024
18	Costa Rica	1208
	World Avg	3249
q=178.

9. More Charts and Comparisons to Other Countries