The Red Cross was established in 1864 by Henri Dunant from Geneva. The symbol of the red cross is based on a reversed Swiss flag.

The average Swiss person eats 23 lbs of chocolate per year compared to the 11.7 lbs consumed by each American annually.

Switzerland is a multilingual nation. It has four official languages: German, French, Italian and Romansh.

The CHF1,000 (US$808) note is the highest denomination note in the world.

With an area of 41,285 square kilometres (15,940 sq mi), Switzerland is a relatively small country. The population is about 7.4 million, resulting in an average population density of 182 people per square kilometre.

Switzerland has a diverse landscape that ranges from 643 feet above sea level in Ascona (the Ticino region), where the climate is Mediterranean, to 15,199 feet above sea level in the Dufour Peak. These locations are just 43 miles (69km) apart.

Albert Einstein was working as a clerk in a patent office in the Swiss capital Bern when he proved his Theory of Relativity.

Banking, tourism, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals are very important industries in Switzerland. The manufacture of precision instruments for engineering, watch making, and the biological sciences industries as well enjoy a high place in the Swiss economy.