Geography
Switzerland has an area of 41,285 square kilometres (15,940 square miles). The productive area - that is, the area without the lakes, rivers, unproductive vegetation and no vegetation at all - covers 30,753 square km (11,870 square miles).
It measures 220 kilometers (137 miles) from north to south and 350 km (217 miles) from east to west.
The Jura, the Plateau and the Alps form the three main geographic regions of the country.
Switzerland has a population of 8,7 million. Population density is high, with 218,6 people per square km. However, the population distribution across the country varies greatly: The Alps, which cover a large part of the country in terms of area, are home to just 10% of the total population.
Switzerland at a glance
Capital: Bern
Cantons: 26
Area: 41,285 km2
Boundaries: total: 1852 km/Austria 164 km/France 573 km/Germany 334 km/Italy 740 km/Liechtenstein 41 km
Distance North to Souths: 220 km (137 miles)
Distance East to West: 346 km (216 miles)
Highes point: Dufour Peak, in the Monte Rosa mountain range, 4,634 m (15,203 feet)
Lowest point: Lake Maggiore (Ticino) 193 m (633 feet)
Lakes: 1'484
Glaciers: 1'400
Population entire country: 8,7 million
Population in larger cities :
Zurich: 402'782
Geneva: 198'979
Basel: 171'017
Berne: 133'115
Lausanne: 137'810
Winterthur: 109'775
St. Gallen: 75'481
Lucerne: 81'592
Lugano: 63'932
Geographic Facts
