Capital: Bern
Population (million): 8.002
Total Area: 41,290km²
Currency: 1 CAN$ = 0.94 Swiss franc (CHF)(2012)
National Holiday: August 1, Confederation day
Language(s): German, French, Italian, Romansch

Type of State:
Confederation

Type of Government:
Parliamentary democracy. Bicameral Federal Assembly with a 46-seat Council of States (Ständerat) (upper house) and a 200-seat National Council (Nationalrat ). The Federal Council (cabinet) consists of 7 members elected by the Federal Assembly (both Houses). The President of the Federal Council is both Head of State and Head of Government. Administrative divisions: 26 cantons. Governing coalition: Social Democrats (SD), Free Democratic Party (FDP), Swiss People’s Party (SVP), Christian Democratic People’s Party (CVP), Conservative Democratic Party (CDP).

Head of State:
President Ueli Maurer (SVP)

Head of Government:
President Ueli Maurer (SVP)

Ministers:
Foreign Affairs: Didier Burkhalter (FDP)
Finances: Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf (PBD)
Economic Affairs: Johann Schneider-Ammann (FDP)

Main Political Parties:
Swiss People’s Party (SVP), Social Democrats (SD), Christian Democratic People’s Party (CVP), Free Democratic Party (FDP), Green Party (Grünen), Conservative Democratic Party (CDP). National Council: SVP (54); SD (46); FDP (30); CVP (28); Grünen (15); CDP (9) Council of States: CVP (13); SD (11); FDP (11); SVP (5); Grünen (2); CDP (1)

Elections:
President: 1 year term. Members of Council of States and of the National Council: 4 year terms; Next: 2015

Please note that the economic statistics reflect Canadian dollars and the yearly averages for the year. If listed as ’0’ or absent, the statistic is currently unavailable.

Canadian exports to country: $870,723,742
Canadian imports from country: $3,575,350,002
FDI in Canada: (2011) $21398 million
CDI in Switzerland: (2011) $3802 million

Foreign Representation in Canada:
Ambassador Ulrich Lehner

Canadian Representation Abroad:
Ambassador Roberta Santi