DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION

FRANCE

France was historically the largest nation in Europe. During the Middle Ages more than one
quarter of Europe's population was French; by the 17th century it was still one fifth. Starting
around 1800, the historical evolution of the population in France has been atypical in
Europe. Unlike the rest of Europe, there was no strong population growth in France in the
19th and first half of the 20th century. The birth rate in France diminished much earlier than
in the rest of Europe in part because inheritance laws dictated distribution of estates
whereas in the UK wealth could be passed to the eldest son or child. The country's large
population gave Napoleon a seemingly limitless supply of men for the Grande Armée, but
the birth rate began to fall in the late 1700s; thus population growth was quite slow in the
19th century, and the nadir was reached in the first half of the 20th century when France,
surrounded by the rapidly growing populations of Germany and the United Kingdom, had
virtually zero growth. The slow growth of France's population in the 19th century was
reflected in the country's very low emigration rate. The French population only grew by 8.6%
between 1871 and 1911, while Germany's grew by 60% and Britain's by 54%.

French concerns about the country's slow population growth began after its defeat in the
Franco-Prussian War. For four years in the 1890s, the number of deaths exceeded the
number of births. The National Alliance for the Growth of the French Population (ANAPF)
was formed in 1896, and the Cognacq-Jay and other prizes were created for the parents of
large families. Émile Zola's 1899 novel Fécondité is representative of contemporary
concerns about the birthrate. France lost 10% of its active male population in World War I;
the 1.3 million French deaths, along with even more births forgone by potential fathers being
off at war, caused a drop of 3 million in the French population, and helped make Dénatalité a
national obsession;

It is estimated that 63-66% of the population identify as Catholic, 7-9% identify as Muslim,
0.5-0.75% identify as Jewish, 0.5-0.75% identify as Buddhist and 0.5-1% identify with some
other religion. A further 23-28% of the population is believed to be unaffiliated with any
religion.
SWITZERLAND

Switzerland is a mountainous Central European country, home to numerous lakes, villages

and the high peaks of the Alps. Its cities contain medieval quarters, with landmarks like
capital Bern’s Zytglogge clock tower and Lucerne’s wooden chapel bridge. The country is
also known for its ski resorts and hiking trails. Banking and finance are key industries, and
Swiss watches and chocolate are world renowned.

Switzerland had a population of 8.57 million as of mid-2019. Its population quadrupled over
the period 1800 to 1990 (average doubling time 95 years). Population growth was steepest
in the period after World War II (1.4% per annum during 1950–1970, doubling time 50
years), it slowed during the 1970s to 1980s and has since again picked up to 1% during the
2000s (doubling time 70 years). More than 75% of the population live in the central plain,
which stretches between the Alps and the Jura Mountains and from Geneva in the
southwest to the High Rhine and Lake Constance in the northeast. As of 2019, foreign
residents in the country make up 25.2% of the population.

Switzerland consistently ranks high on quality of life indices, including per capita income,
concentration of computer and internet usage per capita, insurance coverage per individual,
and health care rates. For these and many other reasons, such as the four languages, it
serves as an excellent test market for businesses hoping to introduce new products into
Europe. The number of registered resident foreigners was 1,001,887 (16.17%) in 1970. This
amount decreased to 904,337 (14.34%) in 1979, and has increased steadily since that time,
passing the 20% mark during 2001 and rising to 1,524,663 (20.56%) in 2004. The number of
Swiss citizens thus numbered about 5.9 million in that year. In 2013 there were a total of
1,937,447 permanent residents (23.8% of the total population of 8.14 million) in Switzerland.
Religion in Switzerland is predominantly Christianity, which, according to the national survey
of the Swiss Federal Statistical Office, in 2020 was adhered to by 61.2% of the Swiss
people, of whom 33.8% were Catholics, 21.8% were Swiss Protestants, and 5.6% were
followers of other Christian denominations.
POLAND

Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16
administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of 312,696 km2 (120,733 sq
mi). Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous member state
of the European Union. Warsaw is the nation's capital and largest metropolis. Other major
cities include Kraków, Łódź, Wrocław, Poznań, Gdańsk, and Szczecin. Poland's territory
extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudeten and Carpathian Mountains in the
south. The country is bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and
Ukraine to the east, Slovakia and the Czech Republic to the south, and Germany to the
west. Poland also shares maritime boundaries with Denmark and Sweden.

According to the 2011 census by the Polish Central Statistical Office (GUS), at the end of
2011, Poland had a population of 38,538,447, which translates into an average population
density of 123 people/km2 (urban 1,105/km2 or 2,860/sq mi; rural 50/km2 or 130/sq mi).
61.5% of the Polish population lives in urban areas, a number which is slowly diminishing.
Poland is the 37th most populous country in the world (8th in Europe, with 5.4% of the
European population). The total population of Poland is almost stagnant (population growth
was 0.08%). In 2018, the average life expectancy was 77.9 years; 74.1 for men and 82 for
women. Population distribution is uneven. Ethnically, Poland is a very homogeneous
country, with 96.7% of population being Polish. In connection with the Russian invasion of
Ukraine on 24 February 2022, as part of the Russian-Ukrainian war, by 14 April 2022, more
than 4.8 million Ukrainian refugees left the territory of Ukraine, moving to the countries
closest to the west of Ukraine, of which more than 2.7 million people fled to neighboring
Poland.
Catholic 85.9% (includes Roman Catholic 85.6% and Greek Catholic, Armenian Catholic,
and Byzantine-Slavic Catholic .3%), Orthodox 1.3% (almost all are Polish Autocephalous
Orthodox), Protestant 0.4% (mainly Augsburg Evangelical and Pentacostal), other 0.4%
(includes Jehovah's Witness, Buddhist, Hare Krishna, Gaudiya Vaishnavism, Muslim,
Jewish, Mormon), unspecified 12.1%.
GERMANY

Germany (German: Deutschland}, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in

Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most
populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated between the Baltic and
North seas to the north, and the Alps to the south; it covers an area of 357,022 square
kilometres (137,847 sq mi), with a population of over 83 million within its 16 constituent
states. Germany borders Denmark to the north, Poland and the Czech Republic to the east,
Austria and Switzerland to the south, and France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the
Netherlands to the west. The nation's capital and largest city is Berlin, and its financial centre
is Frankfurt; the largest urban area is the Ruhr.

Germany is the ninth most visited country in the world as of 2017, with 37.4 million visits.
Domestic and international travel and tourism combined directly contribute over €105.3
billion to German GDP. Including indirect and induced impacts, the industry supports 4.2
million jobs. Germany's most visited and popular landmarks include Cologne Cathedral, the
Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag, the Dresden Frauenkirche, Neuschwanstein Castle,
Heidelberg Castle, the Wartburg, and Sanssouci Palace. The Europa-Park near Freiburg is
Europe's second most popular theme park resort.

After the United States, Germany is the second most popular immigration destination in the
world. The majority of migrants live in western Germany, in particular in urban areas. Of the
country's residents, 18.6 million people (22.5%) were of immigrant or partially immigrant
descent in 2016 (including persons descending or partially descending from ethnic German
repatriates). In 2015, the Population Division of the United Nations Department of Economic
and Social Affairs listed Germany as host to the second-highest number of international
migrants worldwide, about 5% or 12 million of all 244 million migrants. As of 2019, Germany
ranks seventh amongst EU countries in terms of the percentage of migrants in the country's
population, at 13.1%.

The main religion in Germany is Christianity, with around two-thirds of the population
identifying as Christian. The number that actively practices Christianity in the form of church
attendance, however, is significantly lower. Roman Catholic 27.1%, Protestant 24.9%,
Muslim 5.2%, Orthodox 2%, other Christian 1%, other 1%, none 38.8%
SOCIAL CULTURAL

FRANCE

French culture was historically shaped by Celtic, Roman, and Germanic cultures. As these
influences evolved, France became a patchwork of local communities and customs. What’s
true for one community may not be true for another. Despite the growing global culture
today, France has made an effort to preserve the cultures of its smaller communities.

The French take immense pride in their nation and government and are typically offended by
any negative comments about their country. Visitors, particularly Americans, often interpret
their attitude toward foreigners as rude.

"From around the 16th century, in Europe, culture became a term for the cultivation of the
mind, the intellect, knowledge, learning, creative faculties and acceptable ways of behaving,"
said De Rossi. The French embrace style and sophistication and take pride in the fact that
even their public spaces strike a regal tone. The French believe in égalité, which means
equality, and is part of the country's motto: "Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité." Many say they place
a higher importance on equality than liberty and fraternity, the other two words in the motto.

The French embody romance and passion, and there is an open attitude toward sex outside
of marriage, according to a study by France's National Research Agency on AIDS quoted by
"Time." Even the country's top politicians have been known to carry out extramarital affairs
without making an effort to conceal them. As a reflection of the country's secular nature, it is
not uncommon for children are born to unmarried couples.

In addition to traditional marriage, French couples also have the choice of getting a pacte
civil de solidarité (PACS). This is a union that has many of the same benefits of marriage,
like tax breaks, but can be dissolved with a notice or by marrying someone else or instead of
a divorce. Two-thirds as many French couples are in a PACS as are married, according to
"The Economist."
SWITZERLAND

Swiss people love their niceties and we should respect that. Anywhere, even if it’s to the
grocery store to visit weekly, be sure to greet everyone with Salü, Hoi, Grüetzi, or Ciao,
depending on what part of the country. The Swiss consider this polite. Unsurprisingly, social
etiquette in Switzerland expects punctuality, even at parties. Don’t be late but had to be give
them a call ahead and inform the people expecting.

When meeting someone for the first time, the safest bet is to remain formal. If you’re being
introduced, give the person a firm handshake and maintain eye contact. Be sure to refer to
them using their surname. To clarify, if the person is German-speaking, use the formal Sie,
until they ask to refer to them with the informal Du. For friends or more informal peers, its
okay to air-kiss three times on the cheek (starting with the right). When being invited over for
dinner or a party, bringing a small gift like (an odd number of) flowers or wine, and
something for any children in the house is good social etiquette in Switzerland. When
planning to visit someone’s house, be sure that they’re expecting guest, as dropping in is
usually reserved for close friends and family. The later it is in the evening, the less likely it is
to be appropriate to call or drop in. If it’s after 21:00, should probably just wait until the next
day, unless it’s an emergency.

Switzerland is a small country with a lot of people. In short, might feel a bit squeezed at
times when it comes to personal spaceIn one-on-one conversations, people usually stand an
arms-length apart, sometimes a little less in the Italian Swiss regions. Close friends and
family often touch when speaking, but this is not common in workplaces or with
acquaintances. Social etiquette in Switzerland is to maintain good posture as it’s considered
impolite to slouch or stretch in public. Oh, and tapping your forehead with your index finger is
a gesture suggests that someone is crazy and is very insulting. It can take a while for Swiss
people to warm up and get comfortable with new people. Once you’re in the inner circle,
though, they considered a close friend. One way to befriend Swiss people is to share
common interests; Swiss people love hobby clubs, ranging from sports clubs to firefighters
clubs to a butchers club. Another way to get to know people is to invite co-workers to drinks
after work. This informal setting (and social lubrication) can help break the ice.
POLAND

Poland is a country with a thousand-year history and rich traditions. Despite being at the
heart of much destruction during World War II, it has kept much of its cultural heritage
remarkably intact. Home to wonderful, captivating landscapes, like the Carpathian
Mountains, the coastline of the Baltic Sea, or the winding river Vistula, Poland offers many
natural wonders. In fact, Poland is home to 14 United Nations Educational, Scientific, and
Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage sites.

Poles are generally friendly and active people, who like to keep themselves busy with
extracurricular activities, trips, and family get-togethers. You’re likely to find a close-knit
family with grandparents often living in the home. In Polish culture, parents usually give their
children quite a bit of independence and responsibility. Polish families come in all shapes
and sizes, some lead very quiet lives, others are quite busy and their household is noisy.
Some take frequent trips or outings, while others spend most of their time at home. Both
parents may work outside the home or only one. Families also come from a variety of socio-
economic backgrounds. Families will usually gather on Sundays to have lunch with
immediate and extended family members. Polish society is young and well-educated, with a
strong sense of initiative and creativity.

Religion plays a big role in Polish culture. Poland is one of the most devotedly religious
countries in Europe, having most of its population belonging to the Roman Catholic Church.
Christmas and Easter are two major holidays in Poland. Poland’s official language, Polish,
belongs to the West Slavic branch of Slavic languages. It has several dialects that
correspond to the old tribal divisions and it has also been influenced by contact with foreign
tongues.

Poles are direct and frank communicators. They generally do not hesitate to state their
opinions and can deliver criticism quite honestly. People of other cultures may get the
impression that Polish people are blunt or self-confident. However, in Polish culture it is
believed that the more direct a person is with someone, the greater their respect. In addition,
humor and sarcasm play a large role in the Polish communication style.
GERMANY

The German people face their fair share of stereotypes such as how they like to save their
space on a deck chair with a towel whilst on holiday or ensure that public transport (and,
well, everything) runs on time. These things should be seen as a testament to their
dedication to good planning and time-keeping. Secondly, there is, of course, a bit more to
this nation’s populous than this.

German people tend to be thrifty, be sensible, and respect one another’s privacy, and they
typically respect the structure and laws of society to an above-average degree. There is no
place that this sense of ‘order’ is more apparent than in German business culture.
Traditionally, German people tie a lot of importance to notions of family and community.
Regarding the latter, this is partially where the well-known ‘rule-following’ and orderly nature
of the German people comes from: if everyone in the community follows the rules and does
things the right way, the neighborhood/town/city/country will be a nice place for all residents
to live, hence why many might seem like sticklers when it comes to correct recycling and
late-night noise .

Considered a country of thinkers, poets, and, nowadays, businesspeople, German culture

and people are, to a large extent, all about reason and logic. Germany shares a lot of culture
and tradition with neighboring countries, especially the Germanic-speaking Austria and
Switzerland. An important thing to know about German culture is that residents are expected
to respect order and structure. It’s important to be on time, not just for work but for social
events too, and to follow rules that are in place for the greater good of everybody who lives
there. German culture has been shaped over thousands of years. It was originally a pagan
country, and then an important seat of the Holy Roman Empire. It was also the birthplace of
the Protestant reformation. Today, Christians, Catholics, and Muslims coexist happily in
Germany

Some of the key characteristics of German culture that the nation is famously known for
include the aforementioned timeliness and order that is apparent in most parts of German
society. From an onlooker’s viewpoint, good beer (and Oktoberfest), delicious sausage,
hiking, traditional ‘Oom-Pah’ folk music, and holiday-making make-up a key part of the
country’s identity.

FESTIVALS

FRANCE (BASTILLE DAY)

Celebrated nationwide on 14 July, Bastille Day is the biggest and most important festival in
the French calendar. It commemorates the day that Parisian commoners and peasants
stormed the fortress and prison of Bastille. This provoked events that would end the
monarchy and usher in the age of liberty, fraternity, and equality. Celebrations are held all
over France, including large-scale public events and parties. The best place to be, however,
is in Paris. Here, celebrations start on the night of 13 July when many fire stations throw all-
night parties. On Bastille Day itself, a huge parade and various free concerts take place
around the city. At the nightfall, some of the best fireworks light up the sky over the Eiffel
Tower.
SWITZERLAND (ESCALADE)

The Escalade is a Genevan festival celebrated every year in December to commemorate

Geneva's victory against the Duke of Savoy's troops in 1602. The battle was severe, but the
people of Geneva valiantly defended their town. To let people be transported back to the
17th century as a parade of some 800 people in traditional costumes roam around Geneva's
Old Town on foot or horseback. Keep warm beside a bonfire while enjoying the traditional
chocolate cauldron (marmite en chocolat)

During the night of December 11-12, 1602, the city of Geneva was attacked by Savoyard
soldiers, who attempted to scale the city ramparts. The Duke of Savoy, who had lost his
former possession of Geneva, was trying to reclaim it. The battle was severe, but the people
of Geneva valiantly defended their town. Examples of bravery were many: one especially
remembers Mère Royaume, who climbed onto the ramparts and poured her pot of hot soup
over the head of a Savoyard soldier.

Ever since that time, the people of Geneva have remembered and celebrated their day of
victory. A large, torchbearing procession dressed in period costumes proceeds through the
streets of the old city along both banks of the Rhone. Historic and legendary figures like
Mère Royaume, armed with her pot, are always present. At several points along the
traditional route, the procession stops and a herald on horseback reads the proclamation of
victory over the invaders. Arriving in good spirits at St. Peter's Cathedral, the participants
sing patriotic songs. The entire ceremony concludes with generalized merrymaking.
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<https://www.livescience.com/39149-french-culture.html> [Accessed 19 April 2022].

2) Expat Guide to Switzerland | Expatica. 2022. Culture and social etiquette in

Switzerland. [online] Available at:
<https://www.expatica.com/ch/living/integration/social-etiquette-switzerland-106551/
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%20is%20used.> [Accessed 19 April 2022].

3) AFS-USA. 2022. Poland: Exploring Polish Culture | AFS-USA. [online] Available at:
<https://www.afsusa.org/countries/poland/> [Accessed 19 April 2022].

4) expatrio.com. 2022. German Culture. [online] Available at:

<https://www.expatrio.com/living-germany/german-culture#:~:text=German
%20people%20tend%20to%20be,than%20in%20German%20business%20culture.>
[Accessed 19 April 2022].

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Tourism. Available at:
<https://www.myswitzerland.com/en/experiences/events/traditional-events-winter-
fruehling/escalade-in-geneva/> [Accessed 19 April 2022].

6) Expat Guide to France | Expatica. 2022. Top 10 French festivals you don't want to
miss. [online] Available at: <https://www.expatica.com/fr/lifestyle/holidays/top-french-
festivals-444873/> [Accessed 19 April 2022].