John Ham Culturegram

French, 6.5 percent (500,000) for the Swiss Italian, and less than 0.5 percent (35,000) for Romansh. Religion: For the majority of the people, (over 3 million people), belong to the Roman Catholic Church. It is a dominant religion in the rural areas and cities that experienced a wave of immigration from Southern Europe in the 1970s. Switzerland plays the central part in the history of Protestantism, which is the second largest in the country with over 2.7 million people. General Attitudes: A common value shared by all Swiss is punctuality. The Swiss are known for their punctuality in all aspects of life, going as far as considering 15 minutes early to be punctual. Starting a conversation with a peer standing close by is considered unnatural. Everybody takes care of his own business and the cows will be well guarded, is a Swiss saying. People are very privy to their own matters and usually will not interfere with a problem unless the dire need arises. Also, cleanliness is just as important to the Swiss as much as punctuality. People are very tight and strict on rules and expect neighborhoods to look spotless, clean, and in order. CUSTOMS AND COURTESIES Greetings: Greetings consist of handshakes in Switzerland. One is expected to shake everyones hands while looking the person in the eye. Throughout the day, people will use familiar terms, such as good morning or good day on the streets. And depending on the local custom, a light kiss on the cheek is common with familiars and non-business occasions. Gestures: It is always important to maintain good posture for the Swiss. It is considered impolite to talk to another person with hands in the pocket. Like most cultures, chewing gum in formal gatherings is looked down on. As well, it is important never to put the index finger towards the head, as this is considered offensive and connotes an insulting gesture. Visiting: Depending on the occasion, a simple visit over a neighbors or an acquaintance necessitates a small gift. Examples of such include flowers, a book, or sweets. It is good to keep in mind however, that red flowers signify love and white can be associated with death.

SWITZERLAND
BACKGROUND Land and Climate: Switzerland is a landlocked country, which is located in Central Europe, east of France and north of Italy. As a reference, it is slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey. Switzerlands three main geographical regions are the Jura (limestone region), Plateau (farmland/industry region) and the Alps (mountain region). Switzerland has a varied climate influenced by the differences in elevation and prevailing winds. The precipitation level in the country is controlled by the western winds of the sea. In general, temperature can be as high as above 27C during the summer and below freezing during the winter. Brief History: In the ancient times, Switzerland was referred to as Helvetia. Switzerland was a member of the Holy Roman Empire, as was Germany, in the late 1200s. In the mid 1600s, Switzerland obtained its independence from the Holy Roman Empire. Two centuries later, the Congress of Vienna granted Switzerland its neutrality and independence. Also around the same time, the French and Italian speaking peoples residing in Switzerland were granted political equality. For this reason, most of the inhabitants of Switzerland are of German, Italian or French decent. THE PEOPLE Population: The Swiss population of approximately 8 million people consists of 65% of German, 18% of French, and 10% Italian. Inhabitants are mainly concentrated on the Plateau, where the largest cities are found due to the Alps that occupy the greater part of the country. Language: German, French, Italian, and Romansh, are the four national languages of Switzerland. All languages maintain equal status as official languages at the national level, except Romansh. There are also a number of native speakers, about 64 percent (4.6 million) for the Swiss- German dialect, 20 percent (1.5 million) for the Swiss

Eating: The Swiss conform to the three-meals-aday routine of most cultures. Breakfast typically includes breads, with lunch a sandwich, and dinner a full main course. Plain water is a common beverage, but the Swiss are known to enjoy a light meal with coffee, beer or wine. There are many places to go out to eat; however, eating out is costlymore so, than any other European countries or the U.S. LIFESTYLE Family: In Switzerland, families are relatively consisted of 3 to 4 members in a household. Couples marry relatively late and have an average of 1 to 2 children. The reason for the relatively restricted family size is financial coverage. Surveys show that Swiss women are among the latest in the world to give birth to their first child, due to their focus on career before marriage. Housing: Surveys show Switzerland to have one of the lowest home ownership rates in Europe. This is due to the countrys scarce land and high population density. Housing varies depending on the region of Switzerland, from barns to dwellings, to traditional homes with stone-walled rooms. Diet: It is known that the Swiss dont have a fancy tradition of foods, as they borrow most from their historical French and German cuisines. Therefore, similar to Germany, the Swiss have a diet that is relatively sweet and spicy, consisting of meats, potatoes, breads, cakes, and sweets. In Switzerland, cheese and chocolate are considered a staple food. Due to the cold climates, fresh fruits are less available and vegetables are substituted for their fiber diet. Beer consumption is high in Switzerland. Holidays: Due to its historical roots in the Holy Roman Empire, Switzerland consists of cantons that celebrate catholic holidays, like Corpus Christi Day and All Saints Day. Also, towards the end of spring, the Swiss celebrate a very traditional holiday where they burn a snowman dummy to drive away the winter. In Zurich, the second week of September holds a shooting contest for boys and girls of age 13 to 17. All other holidays are celebrated similar to those of the United States.

SOCIETY Economy: Switzerland has one of the worlds most competitive economies, as they have high per capita GDP, low unemployment rates, high technology, and a high skilled labor force. The euro-zone countries play a big role in Switzerlands economy. Currently, due to the sovereign debt crises, financial stability in Switzerland is at risk. Switzerland has a long history of bank secrecy. With the current financial risk, government is considering imposing taxes on bank deposits made by foreigners. Transportation and Communications: Switzerland has many roads and railways due to its central location in Europe. The crossing of the Alps is an important route for the whole continent, as Switzerland is separated by some of its neighbors due to the landform. Airports and railways are funded by vehicle taxes of Switzerland. The communications system of Switzerland is highly advanced as the Swiss have high technology systems and high quality internet, radio-television streaming and telephone cable services. Education: The minimum age for primary school is roughly five-and-a-half to six years of age. Once a student completes his primary school years, he advances in his career path according to his abilities. Roughly 20% of all students attend secondary schools. It is obligatory for all children in Switzerland to attend school for at least 9 years. Health: The life expectancy rate in Switzerland is high for both males and females, with the average age being around 80 and 85 years, respectively. The Healthcare system of Switzerland is universal, meaning that health insurance is obligatory for everyone in the country. Due to this universal system, general health goals include enhancing public health as a whole, and encouraging individual responsibility. The insured is responsible for the costs of medical treatment and hospitalization, so insurers are required to offer basic insurance to everyone, regardless of age or medical condition. AT A GLANCE Contact information: The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs Presence Switzerland