Switzerland is a landlocked mountainous country in Western and Central Europe.

Switzerland is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Along with Geneva, it serves as a chief gateway to the Swiss country. Zurich is also a major International financial hub. It is the country’s main cultural and commercial center and the most cosmopolitan city. Located in the northern part of the country, Zurich (Zuerich) is the largest city of Switzerland. With a population of over 144,000 people, Bern is the 5 th largest city and the 2 nd largest canton in Switzerland. Located on the Swiss plateau, in the west-central part of the country, the city of Bern – is the de-facto seat of the government of Switzerland. Switzerland is the only country that is without an official capital city. In alphabetical order, these cantons are: Aargau (AG), Appenzell Ausserrhoden (AR), Appenzell Innerrhoden (AI), Basel-Landschaft (BL), Basel-Stadt (BS), Berne/Bern (BE), Fribourg/Freiburg (FR), Geneve (GE), Glarus (GL), Graubuenden /Grigioni/Grischun (GR), Jura (JU), Luzern (LU), Neuchatel (NE), Nidwalden (NW), Obwalden (OW), Sankt Gallen (SG), Schaffhausen (SH), Schwyz (SZ), Solothurn (SO), Thurgall (TG), Ticino (TI), Uri (UR), Valais/Wallis (VS), Vaud (VD), Zug (ZG) and Zuerich (ZH). Switzerland (officially, the Swiss Confederation) is divided into 26 cantons. Switzerland's two largest lakes are Lake Geneva (shared with France) and Lake Neuchatel - which is the largest lake entirely within the country's borders. Moving north, the Rhine River makes up much of Switzerland's border with Germany, as well as part of Lake Constance. The position of these mountains have been marked on the map above.īetween the mountains, there's a hilly, central plateau that extends on through the east-west axis of the country.

Also located within the Pennine Alps is the infamous Matterhorn whose summit is 4,690 ft.

Switzerland's highest point is Dufourspitze (Monte Rosa), in the Pennine Alps, which rises to 15,206 ft (4,634 m). The Alpine ranges lie to the south and the Jura Mountains to the north. The country is famous across the world for its picturesque landscapes.Īs observed on the physical map above, it is a highly mountainous nation covering nearly 60% of the country's area. Switzerland, a small landlocked country, covers an area of 41,285 sq.

Map of the world outline