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Facts about Switzerland image7-1170x600.png Picture3 Swiss.png


Switzerland is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country shares a land border with Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, Italy and France. The capital city of Switzerland is Bern. However, the largest city of Switzerland is Zürich with a population of 1.3 million inhabitants. Switzerland is about half the size of Austria and has the highest mountains in Europe.


  • The Swiss Aletsch Glacier is the longest glacier in Europe. The glacier is about 23 km/ 14 miles but shrinking every year. 


  • The highest Swiss mountain summit is the Dufour-Spitze of Monte Rosa with a height of 4 634 m/ 15 203 ft. But the most famous Swiss mountain is the Matterhorn near Zermatt. Another famous Swiss mountain is the Jungfraujoch which spots the highest railway station in the world, a museum and an ice palace that are carved into the mountain.


  • Switzerland’s longest river is the Rhine River with about 375 km/ 233 miles. The Rhein river's source is in the Swiss Alps. 


  • The Rhein Falls are the most powerful waterfalls in Europe. They are 23 m/ 75 ft high and 150 m/ 470 ft wide.


  • The deepest lake of Switzerland is the Lago Maggiore in the southern part of Switzerland but Switzerland’s largest lake is called Lake Neuchâtel which is less than half the size of Lake Geneva (shared by Switzerland and France).


  • Switzerland’s Grande Dixence Dam is not only the tallest dam in Europe but the tallest gravity dam in the world. The dam wall is 285 m/ 935 ft high.


  • The world's longest and deepest rail tunnel is the Gotthard tunnel and the rail track is 57 km/ 35 miles long. 


  • This Swiss landmark Kapellbrücke with the Water tower are located in Lucerne. It is the oldest wooden covered bridge in Europe. 


  • The Geneva Water Fountain Jet d'eau, jets water as high as 140 m/ 460 ft. and can be seen also when flying over the lake at a hight of 10 000 m/33 000 ft.


  • The European Organization for Nuclear Research known as CERN, located in Meyrin near Geneva,  operates the largest particle physics laboratory in the world.