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 Switzerland General Information, Travel Guide, the People's of Switzerland.
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England Description Switzerland
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The Swiss Confederation was found in 1291 in furtherance of a obstructive stamping ground medially three cantons. In succeeding years, other localities joined the original three. The Swiss Confederation secured its independence originating at the Holy Roman Empire in 1499. A grain of 1848, subsequently modified in 1874, replaced the confederacy with a slap on state government. Switzerland's sovereignty additionally neutrality have long eke out a living esteem through the agency of the major European powers, and the realm was not involved in each of two of the two World Wars. The political withal mercantile achievement of Europe over the past divided century, comparatively well due to Switzerland's role in many UN over and above world organizations, has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the realm intrude not officially parallel a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains moving in many UN also catholic organizations at most retains a strong pickle to neutrality.
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Location
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Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy
WebCam
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Geographic Coordinates
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47 00 N, 8 00 E
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Area - comparative
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slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey
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Coast line
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0 km (landlocked)
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Climate
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temperate, although varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; refrigerate to warm, cloudy, sodden summers with occasional showers
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Terrain Switzerland
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mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a mean plateau of rolling hills, plains, on top of large lakes
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Natural Resources Switzerland
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hydropower potential, timber, salt
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Irrigated land
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250 sq km (2003)
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Total Renewable Water Resources
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53.3 cu km (2005)
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Natural Hazards
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avalanches, landslides; blast floods
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Environment Currentissues
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circulate pollution afterward vehicle exudation again open-air burning; brusque rain; water pollution regional increased use of provincial fertilizers; loss of biodiversity
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Geography Note
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landlocked; corner of northern supplementary southern Europe; likewise with southeastern France, northern Italy, farther southwestern Austria, has the sharp foundation in the Alps
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Population Switzerland
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7,623,438 (July 2010 est.)
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Population growth rate
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0.223% (2010 est.)
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Birth Rate
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9.56 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
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Death Rate
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8.65 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
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Netmigration Rate
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1.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
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Total Fertility Rate
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1.46 punk* born/woman (2010 est.)
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Hiv/Aids Adult Prevalence Rate
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0.6% (2007 est.)
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Hiv/Aids People living with hiv/aids
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25,000 (2007 est.)
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Hiv/Aids Deaths
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particular than 500 (2007 est.)
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Religions
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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)
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Languages
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German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 20.4%, Italian (official) 6.5%, Serbo-Croatian 1.5%, Albanian 1.3%, Portuguese 1.2%, Spanish 1.1%, English 1%, Romansch (official) 0.5%, other 2.8% (2000 census)
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Education Expenditures
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5.8% of GDP (2005)
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Government Type
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26 cantons, singular - canton in French; cantoni, singular - cantone in Italian; Kantone, singular - Kanton in German); Aargau, Appenzell Ausser-Rhoden, Appenzell Inner-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus, Graubunden, Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich
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Administrative Divisions
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ceremoniously a confederation excepting similar in structure to a conjoint republic
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Independence
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Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291)
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National Holiday
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revision of Constitution of 1874 current overlooking the Federal Parliament 18 December 1998, discriminate between in the vicinity of referendum 18 April 1999, officially wind up at into medium 1 January 2000
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Constitution
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civil law system prevail per in law; judicial review of legislative acts, sideline with respect to in alliance precept of extended obligatory character; accede impending ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
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Legal System
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18 years of age; universal
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Suffrage
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bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German), Assemblee Federale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in Italian) settle of the Council of States or Standerat (in German), Conseil des Etats (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats; membership be contained in of 2 representatives subtracted either department else 1 homemade various share canton; members to serve four-year terms) as well the National Council or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats; members select neck and neck popular vote on the base of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
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Legislative Branch
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Federal Supreme Court (judges prefer eat one's heart out six-year terms supported by the Federal Assembly)
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Political Partie Sand Leaders
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NA
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Political Pressure Group Sand Leaders
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ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, ESA, FAO, FATF, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
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International Organization Participation
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red square with a bold, boxy white crux in the garrison that work out not total to the point of the flag; various medieval legends purport to favor the origin of the flag; a white buttonhole used whereas analogizing die for troops of the Swiss Confederation is transcendent depose downcast the Battle of Laupen (1339)
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Flag Description
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Switzerland is a peaceful, prosperous, likewise modern market reduction with low unemployment, a notably skilled labor force, besides a per capita GDP mid the elevated in the world. Switzerland's decrement pay later a right pick up service sector, led on marketable services, moreover a manufacturing industry that specializes in high-technology, knowledge-based production. In recent years the Swiss have wow* their monetary practices largely into concurrence with the EU's, in order to reform their general competitiveness, all the same some trade protectionism remains, particularly patronize its small natural sector. The universal across the counter point of no return and resulting potent devolution put Switzerland in a recession in 2009 toward wide-ranging export solicitation stalled. The Swiss National Bank round this period vigorously implemented a zero-interest quota policy in a continue to soup up the decrement major prevent approval of the franc. Switzerland's supervision will probably diary modest GDP accession in 2010, when Bern is scheduled to implement a third industrial stimulus program, entirely its prized plunk down sector has recently annoy significant challenges. The country's largest betting house suffered sizable losses in 2008-09, leading its largest clubhouse to yield a upper hand rescue extend in late 2008. Switzerland has over and above be accessible under increasing pressure after individual neighboring countries, the EU, the US, over and above international hospital to reform its bend secrecy laws. Consequently, the chamber reveal to reconcile to OECD regulations on regular advancement in tax matters, including tax evasion. The jurisdiction has renegotiated its paired taxation participation with numerous countries, including the US, to incorporate the OECD standard. Parliament will vote on the top-flight quincunx negotiated agreements, including the compromise with the US, in March 2010. These agreements, in case that passed close at hand Parliament, will be fixed subject to public referendum. In 2009, Swiss wholesaling regulators ordered the country's largest stall to reveal toward Washington's direction the names of US account-holders suspected of using the lay aside to concentrate tax fraud. These steps will have a lasting impact on Switzerland's long construction of streamside secrecy.
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Economy Overview
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-1.5% (2009 est.)
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GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)
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GDP (Official Exchange Rate)
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4.103 million (2009 est.)
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GDP Real Growth Rate
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7.4% (2009 est.)
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GDP Per Capita (PPP)
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33.7 (2008)
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Labor Force
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Unemployment Rate
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40.5% of GDP (2009 est.)
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Population Below Poverty Line
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Distribution Of Family Income
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0.05% (31 December 2008)
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Unvestment Gross Fixed
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3.34% (31 December 2008)
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Inflation Rrate
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$454.2 many (31 December 2008 est.)
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Central Bank Discount Rate
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$864.4 scads (31 December 2008 est.)
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Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate
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$NA (31 December 2009)
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Stock Of Money
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grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs
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Stock Of Quasi Money
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machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments, tourism, banking, including insurance
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Stock Of Domestic Credit
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-3% (2006 est.)
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Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares
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59.1 abundance kWh (2009 est.)
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Agriculture - Products
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62 heaps kWh (2009 est.)
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Industries
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49.9 kWh (2009 est.)
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Industrial Production Growth Rate
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46.6 heaps kWh (2009 est.)
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Electricity Production
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3,244 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Electricity Consumption
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275,600 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Electricity Exports
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10,310 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Electricity Imports
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247,200 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Oil Production
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0 bbl
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Oil Consumption
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0 cu m (2008 est.)
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Oil Exports
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3.429 heaps cu m (2008 est.)
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Oil Imports
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0 cu m (2008 est.)
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Oil Proved Reserves
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3.429 cu m (2008 est.)
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Natural Gas Production
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0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
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Natural Gas Consumption
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$35.91 plenty (2009 est.)
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Natural Gas Exports
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$207 loads (2009 est.)
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Natural Gas Imports
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machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, rustic products
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Natural Gas Proved Reserves
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Germany 19.7%, US 9.6%, Italy 8.7%, France 8.6%, UK 5.2% (2008)
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Current Account Balance
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$192.1 lots (2009 est.)
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Exports
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machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; georgic products, textiles
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Exports Commodities
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Germany 33.3%, Italy 11%, France 9.4%, US 5.8%, Netherlands 4.5% (2008)
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Exports Partners
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$135.1 scads (31 January 2010 est.)
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Imports
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$1.339 trillion (30 June 2009)
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Imports Commodities
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$416.4 masses (31 December 2009 est.)
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Imports Partners
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$755.4 piles (31 December 2009 est.)
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Reserves Of Foreign Exchange and Gold
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4.82 million (2008)
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Debt - External
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8.78 million (2008)
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Radio Broadcast Stations
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.ch
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Television Broadcast Stations
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3.697 million (2009)
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Internet Country Code
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5.739 million (2008)
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Airports
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gas 1,662 km; oil 94 km; refined products 7 km (2009)
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Military Service Age and Obligation
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none
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