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SWITZERLAND
A landlocked, majestically scenic country near the geographical centre of Europe, the Swiss Confederation's long-standing neutral status has given it political stability that has helped it become one of the world's wealthiest countries.
Formally neutral since just after the Napoleonic wars of the early 19th century and informally for about 300 years before that, Switzerland joined the United Nations in September 2002. The Swiss rejected EU membership in a referendum in 1992 and voted not to open talks on the issue nine years later.
- Capital City: Bern
- Population: 7.1 million (UN, 2003)
- Major languages: German, French, Italian, Romansch
- Major religion: Christianity
- Life expectancy: 76 years (men), 82 years (women) (UN)
- Monetary unit: 1 Swiss Franc = 100 Rappen
- Main exports: Machinery and electronics, chemicals, precision instruments, watches
- Average annual income: US $38,330 (World Bank, 2001)
- Internet domain: .ch
- International dialling code: +41
Switzerland's press has full editorial freedom and mainly operates along regional lines which reflect the country's linguistic divisions.
THE MEDIA
- The Press
- Neue Zürcher Zeitung - Zurich-based daily
- Tages-Anzeiger - Zurich-based daily
- Le Temps - Geneva-based daily
- La Tribune de Geneve - daily
- Corriere del Ticino - Lugano-based daily
- Television
- SF-DRS - German-language public broadcaster, operates three channels
- RTSI- Italian-language public broadcaster, operates two channels
- TSR - French-language public broadcaster, operates two channels
- Radio
- SR-DRS - German-language public broadcaster, operates five stations
- RSR - French-language public broadcaster, operates four stations
- RSI - Italian-language public broadcaster, operates three stations
- RR - Romansch-language public radio station
- Swiss Radio International-Swissinfo - external broadcaster, news pages in English
- News agency
- Swiss News Agency (SDA/ATS)
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