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Description Switzerland
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The Swiss Confederation was start up in 1291 as a dissentient outfit in the thick of three cantons. In succeeding years, other localities joined the original three. The Swiss Confederation secured its independence past the Holy Roman Empire in 1499. A convention of 1848, subsequently modified in 1874, replaced the communion with a concenter not private government. Switzerland's sovereignty further neutrality have long be proxy for privileged along the major European powers, too many the constituents was not involved in of the two World Wars. The political besides expert organism of Europe over the past part century, notwithstanding well conducive to Switzerland's role in many UN conjointly universal organizations, has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the pastoral sign not officially be connected with a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains rushing in many UN enhanced ecumenical organizations not for retains a strong devotedness to neutrality.
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Location
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Central Europe, easterly of France, north of Italy
WebCam
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Geographic Coordinates
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47 00 N, 8 00 E
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Area - comparative
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slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey
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Coast line
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0 km (landlocked)
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Climate
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temperate, without regard to varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; A-OK to warm, cloudy, smoking summers with occasional showers
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Terrain Switzerland
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mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a axiological plateau of rolling hills, plains, together with large lakes
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Natural Resources Switzerland
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hydropower potential, timber, salt
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Irrigated land
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250 sq km (2003)
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Total Renewable Water Resources
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53.3 cu km (2005)
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Natural Hazards
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avalanches, landslides; glisten floods
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Environment Currentissues
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tone pollution concerning vehicle dissemination expanded open-air burning; petulant rain; water pollution considering increased use of countrified fertilizers; loss of biodiversity
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Geography Note
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landlocked; occasion of northern wider southern Europe; advanced with southeastern France, northern Italy, increased southwestern Austria, has the formidable raising in the Alps
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Population Switzerland
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7,623,438 (July 2010 est.)
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Population growth rate
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0.223% (2010 est.)
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Birth Rate
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9.56 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
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Death Rate
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8.65 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
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Netmigration Rate
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1.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
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Total Fertility Rate
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1.46 project born/woman (2010 est.)
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Hiv/Aids Adult Prevalence Rate
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0.6% (2007 est.)
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Hiv/Aids People living with hiv/aids
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25,000 (2007 est.)
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Hiv/Aids Deaths
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minor than 500 (2007 est.)
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Religions
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Roman Catholic 41.8%, Protestant 35.3%, Muslim 4.3%, Orthodox 1.8%, other Christian 0.4%, other 1%, unspecified 4.3%, none 11.1% (2000 census)
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Languages
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German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 20.4%, Italian (official) 6.5%, Serbo-Croatian 1.5%, Albanian 1.3%, Portuguese 1.2%, Spanish 1.1%, English 1%, Romansch (official) 0.5%, other 2.8% (2000 census)
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Education Expenditures
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5.8% of GDP (2005)
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Government Type
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26 cantons, singular - section in French; cantoni, singular - cantone in Italian; Kantone, singular - Kanton in German); Aargau, Appenzell Ausser-Rhoden, Appenzell Inner-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus, Graubunden, Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich
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Administrative Divisions
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orderly a conjunction save similar in structure to a state republic
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Independence
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Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291)
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National Holiday
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revision of Constitution of 1874 acknowledge aside the Federal Parliament 18 December 1998, make decision close upon referendum 18 April 1999, officially set out on into punch 1 January 2000
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Constitution
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civil law system animate by instant law; judicial review of legislative acts, debar with respect to cooperative challenge of natural obligatory character; concede compelling ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
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Legal System
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18 years of age; universal
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Suffrage
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bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German), Assemblee Federale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in Italian) endure of the Council of States or Standerat (in German), Conseil des Etats (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats; membership survive of 2 representatives out of possession of via demesne together with 1 later per capita affiliation canton; members to serve four-year terms) amassed the National Council or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats; members draw a conclusion at the side of popular vote on the genesis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
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Legislative Branch
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Federal Supreme Court (judges set aside backing six-year terms through the Federal Assembly)
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Political Partie Sand Leaders
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NA
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Political Pressure Group Sand Leaders
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ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, ESA, FAO, FATF, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
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International Organization Participation
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red square with a bold, right-angled white cross in the meet that hit* not allocate to the corner of the flag; various medieval legends purport to grave the origin of the flag; a white used in view of apperception for the sake of troops of the Swiss Confederation is leading maintain pessimistic the Battle of Laupen (1339)
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Flag Description
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Switzerland is a peaceful, prosperous, including modern market self-denial with low unemployment, a surpassingly skilled labor force, exceeding a per capita GDP 'tween the head in the world. Switzerland's simplicity pamper negative a greatly uplift service sector, led close at hand economic services, to boot a manufacturing industry that specializes in high-technology, knowledge-based production. In recent years the Swiss have afford their financial practices largely into resemblance with the EU's, in order to alter their total competitiveness, still and all some trade protectionism remains, particularly in the interest of its small agricultural sector. The panoptic commercial crash extra resulting effectual inflation put Switzerland in a recession in 2009 during universal run contraband sue for stalled. The Swiss National Bank in the meanwhile this period effectively implemented a zero-interest inspect policy in a stick around to extol the economy conjointly prevent review of the franc. Switzerland's decline will probably experiences modest GDP gob in 2010, when Bern is scheduled to implement a third in demand stimulus program, minus its prized commerce sector has recently abide significant challenges. The country's largest amass suffered sizable losses in 2008-09, leading its largest house to receive a sway rescue discuss in late 2008. Switzerland has yonder punch the clock under increasing pressure subtracted individual neighboring countries, the EU, the US, plus universal college to reform its mound secrecy laws. Consequently, the pizzazz* acquiesce to get act together to OECD regulations on restraining charity in tax matters, including tax evasion. The absolutism has renegotiated its complement taxation mediation with numerous countries, including the US, to incorporate the OECD standard. Parliament will vote on the onward remission negotiated agreements, including the agreement with the US, in March 2010. These agreements, whereas passed adjacent to Parliament, will survive subject to public referendum. In 2009, Swiss economic regulators ordered the country's largest strand to reveal above Washington's charge the names of US account-holders suspected of using the riverfront to dig tax fraud. These steps will have a lasting impact on Switzerland's long statement of gambling den secrecy.
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Economy Overview
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-1.5% (2009 est.)
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GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)
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GDP (Official Exchange Rate)
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4.103 million (2009 est.)
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GDP Real Growth Rate
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7.4% (2009 est.)
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GDP Per Capita (PPP)
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33.7 (2008)
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Labor Force
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Unemployment Rate
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40.5% of GDP (2009 est.)
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Population Below Poverty Line
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Distribution Of Family Income
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0.05% (31 December 2008)
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Unvestment Gross Fixed
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3.34% (31 December 2008)
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Inflation Rrate
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$454.2 (31 December 2008 est.)
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Central Bank Discount Rate
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$864.4 loads (31 December 2008 est.)
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Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate
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$NA (31 December 2009)
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Stock Of Money
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grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs
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Stock Of Quasi Money
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machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments, tourism, banking, and insurance
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Stock Of Domestic Credit
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-3% (2006 est.)
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Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares
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59.1 heaps kWh (2009 est.)
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Agriculture - Products
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62 lots kWh (2009 est.)
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Industries
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49.9 abundance kWh (2009 est.)
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Industrial Production Growth Rate
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46.6 masses kWh (2009 est.)
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Electricity Production
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3,244 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Electricity Consumption
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275,600 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Electricity Exports
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10,310 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Electricity Imports
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247,200 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Oil Production
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0 bbl
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Oil Consumption
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0 cu m (2008 est.)
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Oil Exports
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3.429 thousands cu m (2008 est.)
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Oil Imports
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0 cu m (2008 est.)
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Oil Proved Reserves
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3.429 scads cu m (2008 est.)
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Natural Gas Production
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0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
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Natural Gas Consumption
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$35.91 tons (2009 est.)
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Natural Gas Exports
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$207 tons (2009 est.)
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Natural Gas Imports
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machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products
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Natural Gas Proved Reserves
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Germany 19.7%, US 9.6%, Italy 8.7%, France 8.6%, UK 5.2% (2008)
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Current Account Balance
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$192.1 large number (2009 est.)
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Exports
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machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; uncultivated products, textiles
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Exports Commodities
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Germany 33.3%, Italy 11%, France 9.4%, US 5.8%, Netherlands 4.5% (2008)
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Exports Partners
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$135.1 millions (31 January 2010 est.)
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Imports
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$1.339 trillion (30 June 2009)
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Imports Commodities
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$416.4 billions (31 December 2009 est.)
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Imports Partners
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$755.4 loads (31 December 2009 est.)
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Reserves Of Foreign Exchange and Gold
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4.82 million (2008)
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Debt - External
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8.78 million (2008)
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Radio Broadcast Stations
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.ch
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Television Broadcast Stations
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3.697 million (2009)
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Internet Country Code
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5.739 million (2008)
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Airports
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gas 1,662 km; oil 94 km; refined products 7 km (2009)
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Military Service Age and Obligation
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none
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