Denominations in Switzerland. Swiss Confederation

Geography of Switzerland

Switzerland is a European country located between the Alps, the Swiss Plateau and the Jura Mountains. The area of ​​the state is 41,285 sq. km. Most of the country's territory is occupied by the mountain ranges of the Alps, therefore the bulk of the population of Switzerland lives on the flat territory of the plateau, here are the largest economic centers - the cities of Zurich and Geneva.

State structure of Switzerland

Switzerland is a federal state. The executive body is the Federal Council, a collegium of 7 ministers. The legislative body is the Federal Assembly, which consists of two chambers: the Council of Cantons and the National Council. The judicial authority is the Federal Tribunal. The country is divided into 26 cantons. Significant political parties: People's Party of Switzerland, Social Democratic Party, Free Democratic Party, Christian Democratic Party and Conservative Democratic Party.

Weather in Switzerland

Most of the country's territory is characterized by Central European climatic conditions, with summer temperatures of + 18 ° - 28 ° C and winter temperatures of -2 ° - 7 ° C. The coldest region of the country is the mountainous region of the Jura, especially in the Brevin valley. At the same time, the south of the country - Ticino - is characterized by a Mediterranean climate. The summer months usually bring a lot of sunshine to Switzerland, but the summer also receives most of the rainfall, which often leads to flooding.

Language of Switzerland

The official languages ​​of the country are Italian, German and French. Many Swiss are fluent in English.

Religion in Switzerland

Christianity is the dominant religion of the country. 41.8% of the population are followers of the Catholic Church, 35.3% are Protestant. Immigration brought Islam to Switzerland: 4.26% of the population is Muslim.

Swiss currency

The country's monetary unit is the Swiss franc. 1 franc = 100 centimes.

ATMs are the most convenient way to exchange foreign currency for francs. Their commission usually ranges from 1 to 2.5% per transaction.

Many Swiss establishments: hotels, some restaurants and souvenir shops accept payment in euros. However, you will receive change anyway in Swiss francs according to the current exchange rate.

Not all shops, hotels or restaurants accept credit cards for payment. In addition to ATMs, you can exchange currency at banks, airports and at almost every railway station. While banks usually charge 5%, some exchange offices do not charge them at all. The exchange rates for travel checks are slightly better than those for cash.

Customs restrictions

Import allowed

Personal belongings: clothes, toiletries, sports equipment, laptop computers, music.

Food to eat on the day of the flight

There are no restrictions on the import / export of currency

Tobacco and alcohol

Persons over 17 years old can import:

• 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco
• 2 liters of alcohol up to 15% strength or 1 liter of strong alcohol

Tips

For hotels, restaurants, bars and taxis in Switzerland, the service bill includes a 15% service charge. Therefore, the tip remains at the discretion of the tourist: in restaurants, you can simply leave change, porters in hotels and at train stations are usually left a franc or two.

Purchases

7.6% VAT or VAT in Switzerland is included in goods and services. In hotels, it is 3.6%. Tourists who make a purchase in the store for 400 francs can get the tax back (this does not apply to hotel and restaurant services). Before purchasing, you should make sure that the store can provide the required VAT refund receipt. The tourist can receive money when leaving the country at the airports of Zurich and Geneva, or send documents for reimbursement by mail.

Opening hours of institutions

Banking institutions of the country work from Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 18:00. Exchange offices - from 8:00 to 22:00.

Most shops are open from 8:30 am to 6:30 pm, on Saturdays until 4:00 pm. The lunch break usually starts at 12:00 and ends at 14:00.

Security

While vacationing in Switzerland, you need to adhere to the traditional safety rules: do not leave things unattended, keep documents and money in the hotel safe.

Mains voltage:

220V

Code of the country:

+41

Geographic first level domain name:

.ch

Emergency phones:

Police - 117
Fire services - 118
Ambulance - 14

The cultural and linguistic map of Switzerland presents a striking variety of inter-ethnic relations. In a religious sense, the confederation is a roughly balanced system of Protestants and Catholics, although in the country, in addition to them, there are also people of other faiths.

Religious situation in Switzerland

Since 1848 (when the constitution was adopted) the cantons of Sheutsaria have been legally divided into Catholic and Protestant society. A 2005 opinion poll found that:

• 49 percent of the population is religious;
• 39% hope for the "power of life";
• 9% of residents are atheistic;
• 3% agnost.

However, the religious picture of Switzerland is constantly in flux due to the continuous change of religious unions and churches.

Catholicism

Catholicism is practiced by about 48% of the believers in the Swiss population, and this is about three and a half million followers. The Catholic Church in Switzerland is widely known and spread throughout the country. Catholicism is mainly practiced in the central part of the country and in the rural towns of the canton of Ticino, which brought a significant number of immigrants from southern Europe in the seventies of the twentieth century.

Protestantism

Protestantism in Switzerland is the second in the number of adherents of religion - it has about three million followers (46% of the Swiss). The predominantly Protestant religion is practiced in large cantons - Geneva, Bern, Basel, Zurich.

Orthodoxy

The number of adherents of the Orthodox Church in Switzerland today is estimated at about one percent of the entire country. In all fairness, it should be noted that the number of Orthodox Christians has tripled over the past twenty years. The geographical location of Christian communities is concentrated in cities located near Lake Geneva. Orthodox pilgrims from other countries are also accepted there, most of whom are Russians.

Islam

Only 150,000 people belong to Islam, brought into the country by foreign immigrants, and belong to the Swiss Muslim Union.

Buddhism and Hinduism

Buddhism and Hinduism accept the smallest number of Swiss in the confederation - 0.5% of all inhabitants of the country. Nowadays, the Swiss are increasingly seeking to appeal to these Eastern religions, which are gaining popularity in the country. Also, there are many unions that spread and preach this religion among the population. Muslims and Buddhists are concentrated mainly in Bern and Zurich.

Zoroastrianism

In addition, such a rare religion, Zoroastrianism, is popular among influential Swiss, politicians and businessmen. The most interesting thing is that there are no more than 150,000 supporters around the world.

Teaching religion

All Swiss parents, upon their child's admission to school, by all means fill out a questionnaire and there has recently appeared a column about belonging to a particular religion. Twenty percent of this column indicates that the family is atheistic. This paradoxical situation is developing mainly because there are more and more versatile convictions in society regarding the need to teach religion to children. However, in virtually all cantons, students learn about religious foundations and their role in society, culture and the world. And here an ambiguous situation arises: for children in whose families they believe in God, it is interesting in the classroom, and for those who live in atheistic families it is difficult to assimilate the material. After all, the children of atheists have to reflect on the real state of affairs in the family and the contradictions that arise after religious studies.

So, the religious picture in Switzerland is not static, it is constantly changing in one direction or another, but Catholicism and Protestantism remain the main and dominant religions.

Travel information for Switzerland

The de facto capital of Switzerland is Bern.

Main religion of Switzerland: Switzerland does not have a state religion, but some cantons officially recognize certain religious denominations. The Swiss Reformed Church and the Swiss Catholic Church are recognized. About 79% of the population are Christians, 4% are Muslims, all the rest are atheists.

Language of the population of Switzerland: More citizens of the country speak German; French is spoken in the Valais, Vaud, Geneva, Neuchâtel and Friborg regions; Italian is spoken in the province of Ticino.

Switzerland climate: The climate is moderate. However, different weather conditions prevail in different parts of Switzerland. For example, the north and central part of the country falls under the influence of the Atlantic; in the southern latitudes of Switzerland, a mild Mediterranean climate prevails. As for the mountains, a thick snow cover forms here in winter, which does not melt until summer. After all, it is here that 65% of precipitation falls on the entire territory of the country. The average temperature in Switzerland in the middle of summer is + 25 ºC. However, even in winter, temperatures rarely drop below -10ºC. The best time to visit Switzerland will depend on the type of holiday you prefer.

Average air temperature in Zurich (in the north):

January 0 ° C;
February +1 ° C;
March + 4 ° C;
April +8 ° C;
May +13 ° C;
June +16 ° C;
July +18 ° C;
August +17 ° C;
September +15 ° C;
October +10 ° C;
November +4 ° C;
December +1 ° C.

Average air temperature in Geneva (in the south):

January + 3 ° C;
February +5 ° C;
March + 10 ° C;
April +14 ° C;
May +19 ° C;
June +22 ° C;
July +25 ° C;
August +24 ° C;
September +20 ° C;
October +14 ° C;
November +8 ° C;
December +4 ° C.

Swiss currency : Swiss frank. International value - CHF. One Swiss franc is equal to one hundred centimes. In circulation there are banknotes in denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000 francs, as well as coins of 5, 2, 1 franc, 50, 20, 10 and 5 centimes. Most prices are quoted in both local currency and European currency.

Payment methods in Switzerland: Cash, both Swiss francs and euros. The system of using credit cards to pay for goods and services is widespread throughout the country. Visa, Mastercard and others are used.

Currency exchange in Switzerland : Currency exchange in the country is best done at government offices. Swiss Banks usually open from 8:00 am (8:30 am) and are open until 4:00 pm (4:30 pm), except on weekends and national holidays. Banks usually work longer once a week than on other days. You can find out about this directly at the bank itself, where you will make the exchange of currencies. Currency exchange offices at airports and train stations are open every day from 8:00 to 22:00 or around the clock. However, at a later time, foreign currency can be exchanged at the exchange offices of large stores.

Calls to Switzerland from other countries : Switzerland international dialing code: +41. In order to call Switzerland, you need to go to the long distance and international line by dialing a special code (different for each country). Then dial the international dialing code of Switzerland, the area code and the subscriber's phone number. To make a call from a mobile phone to a mobile within Switzerland, it will be enough to dial the international country code, the mobile operator's number and the subscriber's phone number itself.

Calls from Switzerland to other countries : In order to call from a landline phone from Switzerland, you need to dial 00, then the international country dialing code, area code and the subscriber's phone number. You can also call from a payphone. Telephone booths are located at post offices, cafes, supermarkets or just on the streets of cities. Telephone cards for payphones are sold at the post office or newsagents, train stations and gas stations. The cost of one card will start at 10 or 20 Swiss francs and depend on the limit. Calls on weekdays between 6:00 pm and 8:00 am are cheaper. Big discounts on phone calls are available on weekends and national holidays. To connect to a number in Switzerland, dial 111, to connect to an international number, dial 1159. Within the country, however, it will be cheaper to use local mobile operators. The three most popular mobile network operators in Switzerland are Orange (78), Swisscom (79) and Sunrise (76). In order to buy a package and a sim card, you need to show your passport.

Useful telephone numbers in Switzerland:
... police - 117;
... ambulance - 144;
... fire service - 118;
... emergency service - 144;
... emergency technical assistance on the roads - 140;
... rescue helicopter - 1414.

Switzerland time zone:
UTC / GMT +1 hour - Greenwich Mean Time.
The transition to summer and winter time is carried out in spring and autumn on the last Sunday of the second month.

Swiss Customs:
The import and export of local and any foreign currency in unlimited quantities is allowed.

Duty free import allowed:
- up to 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 250 grams of pipe tobacco;
- up to 1 liter of spirits and up to 2 liters of wine, which is not stronger than 15 °.

It is forbidden to import:
- absinthe;
- skins of wild animals, especially felines, as well as crocodiles and lizards, and - products from them;
- ivory products;
- fruits and flowers with soil.

Shopping in Switzerland:

Most shops are open on weekdays from 08:30 - 9:00 to 18:30. Some - until 21:00 or 22:00. On Saturday all shops are open from 08:00 - 9:00 to 12:00 and from 14:00 to 16:00. On weekends, shops are usually closed except for those located at airports, train stations and places where tourists stop for recreation. All major credit cards and travelers checks are accepted. Cheese, watches, chocolate and jewelry are often bought as souvenirs in Switzerland.

Transport in Switzerland:

1. Urban.

Buses, trams and trolleybuses... In public transport, there is a single ticket system for all types of transport "Travel Systems in Switzerland". The standard fare, for example, in Zurich is 3.8 Swiss francs, for a short distance - 2.4 Swiss francs, a day pass - 7.6 Swiss francs. For travel without a ticket on public transport in Switzerland, you must pay a fine of 80 Swiss francs.

Taxi... The starting fare for boarding is CHF 5 per passenger, then it is charged at CHF 2 per kilometer. There is an additional charge or double rate in the evenings and on Sundays.

Bicycle rental... In cities, besides public transport, you can also get around on bicycles. For example, free bike rentals can be found in Zurich. At the rental point you need to leave your identity document and a 20 CHF security deposit.

2. Intercity.

- bus... The yellow, so-called postal buses provide transport links between cities in Switzerland and remote villages in the mountainous regions. Buses are mainly used as train aids. Buses are used to transport passengers to suburban settlements, so the fixed fare is 15-25 francs for the entire route. In large cities, tickets can be sold in vending machines at stops next to the schedule and route of this bus. In smaller towns, you can buy a ticket from the driver.

- railway transport... Eurocity and Intercity ICE trains carry passengers between all major cities of the country. Regular tickets for a distance of up to 80 km are valid for 1-2 days. Tickets for distances up to 36 km are valid for 1 day, up to 80 km - 2 days, and special tickets are valid for 1 month. From the capital of Switzerland, you can reach the administrative centers of all regions of the country.

- air transport... Domestic flights operate between Basel, Bern, Geneva, Zurich, Lugano, Sion and Samedan.

Car rental in Switzerland:
Large car rental companies are located in all cities in Switzerland. To rent a car, you must be at least 21 years old with at least one year of driving experience, and have an international driving license with you. To rent a regular car you need 1 credit card, 2 credit cards for a higher class car rental. If the client wishes to rent a car for a number of people that exceeds the capacity of a regular car, you need to have 2 credit cards.

Some traffic rules:

1. The car must have an emergency stop sign;
2. It is possible to transport children under 7 years old only in a special chair;
3. The permissible blood alcohol rate is 0.8 ppm;
4. Permissible speed for vehicles (without a trailer):
- in the city: 50 km / h;
- outside the city: 80 km / h;
- highways: 100 km / h;
- motorways: 120 km / h.

5. Some features: yellow line means that parking is prohibited, dashed line - stop is prohibited; it is allowed to ride only with seat belts; those who ride on the ring have the upper hand.

Water transport in Switzerland:
Water transport in Switzerland is represented by ferries, motor ships and boats. Water transport is part of the general transport system in Switzerland. Water communication operates on all major lakes and rivers of the country. Routes along the coast on steamers are usually excursion in nature. They are transported from one coast to another by ferries, which can be transported and cars. Tickets for water transport can be bought both at the box offices on the shore and on board. With the Switzerland Travel System passes, water transport is free of charge.

Hotels in Switzerland: Switzerland has been renowned for its tradition of hospitality for many decades. Therefore, here you can stay both in a luxurious five-star hotel and in a modest but very cozy family hotel. Most of the hotels in Switzerland are members of a national association that sets certain standards for hotels in the country and certifies them. Smaller non-member hotels and guesthouses can also offer excellent accommodation and good service.

Accepted tip in Switzerland:
Typically, the tip is 3-5 francs at a cafe for a service. If the company is large, then the tip can be about 10 francs, for example, in restaurants. Tipping should only be given after change has been brought in. Tipping in Switzerland is given to guides, drivers, porters and porters in hotels.

National holidays in Switzerland :
January 1 - New Year;
March 28 - Good Friday;
The first Sunday and Monday after the vernal equinox are Easter and Easter Monday;
May 8-12 - Ascension;
May 18-19 - Trinity and Spirits Day;
June 11 - Feast of the Body of the Lord (Corpus Christi);
August 1 - Day of the Swiss Confederation;
December 25 - Christmas

Switzerland visa regime: A visa is not needed for the Schengen countries, but these are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Vatican, Hungary, Germany, Greece, Denmark, Iceland, Spain, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Finland, France, Czech Republic, Sweden, Estonia. Citizens of other countries wishing to visit Switzerland must apply for a visa.

Electricity in Switzerland:
Mains voltage - 220V and current frequency - 50Hz. Plugs in Switzerland are of two types - international standard and Swiss special standard - triple.

Tourist Code of Conduct in Switzerland:

In Switzerland, public places are governed by accepted rules of conduct typical of European countries. When talking with the Swiss, it is indecent to compare them with the Germans, this is not accepted. Communication etiquette in Switzerland involves such forms of address as "master" and "mistress". After all, addressing local residents by name is considered a sign of bad taste. An invitation to visit from the Swiss can be obtained mainly only with a long acquaintance. In addition, the visit must be agreed in advance. Tourists traveling through the mountains in Switzerland are welcome to meet shepherds and peasants.

Religious neutrality of the state is an important basis for ensuring individual freedom of religion. Therefore, at the federal level, Switzerland is a secular state. The Swiss Confederation does not in principle maintain any organizational relationship with any of the religious denominations. The exception is spiritual assistance to the military in the person of the church and cooperation with church and Jewish organizations on refugee and asylum issues. The cantons themselves are directly responsible for the regulation of relations between the state and religious confessions.

The relationship between church and state is historically predetermined. Before the formation of modern Switzerland in 1848, relations between the church and the political elite in the individual cantons were very close. Both the Catholic and Evangelical churches had state status.

And today this connection of the two Christian churches with the state is clearly expressed in many knatons. Only the cantons of Geneva and Neuenburg adhere to a clear division between state and church.

Christian churches take an active part in the democratic processes in Switzerland. They intervene in human rights issues and take an interest in social and ethical issues. In recent years, based on their own experience in the issue of the importance of freedom of religion, churches have advocated religious tolerance towards other faiths.

Officially recognized religious denominations

The main form of relations between the state and the church in Switzerland is the recognition of a religious denomination as an official legal entity, the so-called state church.

• The Catholic and Reform churches are universally recognized (with the exception of the cantons of Geneva and Neuenburg).
• The cantons of Zurich, Bern, Lucerne, Solothurn, Baselland, Baselstadt, Schaffhausen, St. Gallen and Aargau also recognize the Christian Catholic Church as a state one.
• The cantons of Bern, Freiburg, Baselstadt and St. Gallen is also granted official legal status to the Jewish community.

The cantons of Zurich, Bern, Obwalden, Nidwalden, Glarus, Baselland, Schaffhausen, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Aargau, Tessin, Wallis and Jura provide the opportunity to be recognized and other religious denominations. Despite the fact that there is an increasing number of cantons that grant formal legal recognition to religions in their Constitutions, in fact, apart from the Jewish-Christian union, none of the religions has such a right of recognition.

Rights and obligations related to recognition

A certain set of rights and obligations is associated with official legal recognition. Along with the right to receive church tax, recognized churches have simplified access to official institutions (schools, hospitals, prisons, etc.).

Legal recognition is subject to certain conditions.

There should be: a democratic form of organization; compliance with the legal norms of the state; recognition of religious freedom and financial transparency.

Simplified options for official recognition

Cantons such as Zurich and Baselstadt pay special attention to simplified form of official recognition along with legal recognition. In this case, the communities are of a private legal nature, being at the same time in close interchange with state institutions, and upon the order of the state they can provide certain services. Likewise, communities such as the Israeli and Jewish liberal communities are recognized in the canton of Zurich.

Unrecognized religious communities

All unrecognized religious communities such as Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist and non-religious public organizations are governed and regulated by private law. They have the status of associations or foundations.

The name comes from the name of the canton Schwyz, derived from the Old German "burn".

Capital of Switzerland... Berne.

Switzerland square... 41284 km2.

Switzerland population... 7300 thousand people

Administrative divisions of Switzerland... Switzerland is a federation of 23 cantons (3 of them are divided into half cantons).

Form of government of Switzerland... Federal parliamentary republic. Each canton has its own constitution, parliament and government.

Head of State Switzerland... President, elected by the parliament for a year from among the members of the government.

Highest legislative body in Switzerland... Federal Assembly (bicameral parliament), consisting of the National Council and the Council of Cantons and elected for a term of 4 years.

Highest executive body in Switzerland... Federal Council (government).

Major cities in Switzerland... Zurich, Geneva, Basel, Lausanne, Lucerne.

Official language of Switzerland... German, French, Italian, Romansh.

Fauna of Switzerland... The fauna is represented by: chamois, marten, hare, marmot, fox, etc. For birds, the climate of the Alps provides a unique opportunity for fast seasonal ones, so there are a large number of them here. There are many swans and ducks on the lakes and floodplains. The Swiss National Park has been created along the border with Italy.