Geography
Switzerland
Area
land
39,997 sq km
water
1,280 sq km
total
41,277 sq km
Climate
The climate is temperate, though it changes with elevation; winters are cold, often cloudy, and marked by rain or snow, while summers are cool to warm, typically cloudy and humid, featuring occasional rainfall.
Terrain
The landscape is predominantly mountainous, with the Alps to the south and the Jura range in the northwest, interspersed with a central plateau consisting of rolling hills, plains, and significant lakes.
Land use
other
32.6% (2023 est.)
forest
32% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
37.8% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 10% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0.6% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 27.1% (2023 est.)
Location
Located in Central Europe, it lies to the east of France and north of Italy.
Coastline
0 km (landlocked)
Elevation
lowest point
Lake Maggiore 195 m
highest point
Dufourspitze on Monte Rosa 4,634 m
mean elevation
1,350 m
Irrigated land
494 sq km (2020)
Map references
Europe
Land boundaries
total
1,770 km
border countries
Austria has a border of 158 km; France 525 km; Italy 698 km; Liechtenstein 41 km; Germany 348 km.
Maritime claims
none (landlocked)
Natural hazards
Natural hazards include avalanches, landslides, and flash floods.
Geography - note
It is a landlocked nation situated at the intersection of northern and southern Europe; it shares some of the highest peaks in the Alps with southeastern France, northern Italy, and southwestern Austria.
Natural resources
The country has potential for hydropower, timber resources, and salt production.
Area - comparative
Its area is slightly less than twice that of New Jersey.
Geographic coordinates
47 00 N, 8 00 E
Population distribution
The population distribution is influenced by elevation, with the northern and western regions being significantly more populated; settlement in the higher Alps to the south is limited.
Major lakes (area sq km)
fresh water lake(s)
Lake Constance, which it shares with Germany and Austria, spans 540 sq km; Lake Geneva, shared with France, covers 580 sq km.
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Atlantic Ocean drainage
The Rhine-Maas river basin measures 198,735 sq km, (Black Sea) the Danube basin is 795,656 sq km, (Adriatic Sea) the Po basin reaches 76,997 sq km, and (Mediterranean Sea) the Rhone basin is 100,543 sq km.
Major rivers (by length in km)
The source of the Rhein (Rhine) river is shared with Germany, France, and the Netherlands, measuring 1,233 km
note: [s] indicates river source; [m] indicates river mouth.