Swiss Confederation: Map & History
Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located at the intersection of Central, Western, and Southern Europe.
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Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located at the intersection of Central, Western, and Southern Europe. It is bordered by Germany to the north, France to the west, Austria and Liechtenstein to the east, and Italy to the south. Switzerland is geographically divided among the Swiss Alps, the Swiss Plateau, and the Jura Mountains; the Alps cover most of the country's territory, whereas the majority of its 9 million people are concentrated on the plateau, which hosts many of the largest cities and economic centres, including Zurich, Geneva, Basel, Bern, Lausanne, Winterthur, and Lucerne.
Modern Countries Once Part of Swiss Confederation
At its mapped extent, Swiss Confederation covered territory in 2 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Swiss Confederation's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Swiss Confederation in Depth
History
The state of Switzerland took its present form with the adoption of the Swiss Federal Constitution in 1848. Switzerland's precursors established a defensive alliance in 1291, forming a loose confederation that persisted for centuries.
The oldest traces of hominid existence in Switzerland date to about 150,000 years ago. The oldest known farming settlements in Switzerland, which were found at Gächlingen, date to around 5300 BC.
The earliest known tribes formed the Hallstatt and La Tène cultures, named after the archaeological site of La Tène on the north side of Lake Neuchâtel. La Tène culture developed and flourished during the late Iron Age from around 450 BC, possibly influenced by Greek and Etruscan civilisations.
Government and politics
According to International IDEA's Global State of Democracy (GSoD) Indices and Democracy Tracker, Switzerland performs in the high range on overall democratic measures, with particular weaknesses in electoral participation.
The Federal Constitution adopted in 1848 is the legal foundation of Switzerland's federal state. It is regularly modified by referendum and has been completely revised twice, in 1874 and 1999. The constitution outlines rights of individuals and citizen participation in public affairs, divides the powers between the confederation and the cantons and defines federal jurisdiction and authority. Three main bodies govern on the federal level: the Federal Assembly (legislative), the Federal Council (executive) and the federal courts (judicial).
Economy
Switzerland has a stable, prosperous and high-tech economy. It is frequently ranked among the world's wealthiest country per capita; for example in 2024 the CIA world factbook ranked Switzerland as having the 10th highest GDP per capita (at purchasing power parity) in the world. The country ranks as one of the least corrupt countries in the world, while its banking sector was rated in 2018 as "one of the most corrupt in the world". It has the world's twentieth largest economy by nominal GDP and the thirty-eighth largest by purchasing power parity. As of 2021, it is the thirteenth largest exporter, and the fifth largest per capita. Zurich and Geneva are regarded as global cities, ranked as Alpha and Beta respectively.
Culture
Swiss culture is characterised by diversity, which is reflected in diverse traditional customs. A region may be in some ways culturally connected to the neighbouring country that shares its language, all rooted in western European culture. The linguistically isolated Romansh culture in Graubünden in eastern Switzerland constitutes an exception. It survives only in the upper valleys of the Rhine and the Inn and strives to maintain its rare linguistic tradition.
Switzerland is home to notable contributors to art, architecture, literature, music and sciences.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Switzerland (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Swiss Confederation: Key Facts
| Capital | Bern |
|---|---|
| Official languages | German, Italian, French, Romansh |
| Form of government | directorial system, federal republic |
| Currency | Swiss franc |
| Founded | 12 September 1848 |
Facts from Wikidata Q39 (CC0).
Swiss Confederation Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Swiss Confederation appears, with the other states of the time.
Swiss Confederation Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 46,555 km² in 1554 CE.
Swiss Confederation: Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Swiss Confederation exist?
The Swiss Confederation is dated to 1294 CE – 2024 CE, in the High & Late Middle Ages era.
What was the capital of the Swiss Confederation?
The capital of the Swiss Confederation was None (de jure); Bern (de facto).
How large was the Swiss Confederation at its peak?
At its peak in 1554 the Swiss Confederation covered about 46,555 km².
How did the map of the Swiss Confederation change over time?
The Swiss Confederation appears on 9 dated world maps in the atlas, from 1300 CE to 1945 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.
Other Sovereign Realms
High & Late Middle Ages • Capital: Avarga
Early Modern & Age of Discovery • Capital: Söğüt, Bursa, Edirne, Constantinople
Industrial Era • Capital: London
High & Late Middle Ages • Capital: Thanjavur, Gangaikonda Cholapuram