瑞士(Switzerland)
正式名称瑞士联邦（Swiss Confederation）
法语作Suisse，德语作Schweiz
义大利语作Svizzera
罗曼什语作Helvetica
欧洲中部的内陆国家。面积41,293平方公里。人口约7,222,000（2001）。首都︰伯恩。人民为德国人、法国人和义大利人。语言︰德语、法语和义大利语（均为官方语）。宗教︰天主教（约占45%），新教（40%）。货币︰瑞士法郎（Sw F）。瑞士地形分成三个部分︰草地覆盖的侏罗山脉；中部的中央高原，农业富庶及城市化地区；巍峨崎岖的阿尔卑斯山脉区。该国是世界着名的金融中心之一；经济主要以国际贸易、银行业及轻、重工业为基础。制造业主要生产手表、精确仪器、机器和化学产品。旅游业和农业亦重要；农产品有谷物、糖用甜菜、水果和蔬菜、乳制品、巧克力和葡萄酒。除了有不同的种族、语言和宗教外，瑞士还维持了近七百年的民主体制，是世界最古老的民主国家。政府形式是联邦国家，两院制。总统是国家元首暨政府首脑。
最初的居民是赫尔维蒂人，西元前1世纪被罗马人征服。从3～6世纪起日耳曼部落向该地区渗透，10世纪期间穆斯林和马札儿入侵者也前来冒险。9世纪时由法兰克人统治，11世纪时属神圣罗马帝国。1291年三个州组成反哈布斯堡联盟，成为瑞士邦联的核心。它是宗教改革运动的中心，这场运动分裂了邦联，并导致一段政治和宗教冲突的时期。1798年法国人把瑞士组织成为赫尔维蒂共和国。1815年维也纳国会承认瑞士独立并保证它的中立。1848年组成新的联邦国家，首都为伯恩。瑞士在两次世界大战中都保持中立，并继续保持这种姿态。欧洲联盟成立後，它开始努力实现与欧洲经济区的临时性联合。
English version：
Switzerland
FrenchSuisseGermanSchweizItalianSvizzeraRomanshHelveticaLandlocked country, central Europe. Area: 15,940 sq mi (41,284 sq km). Population (1997 est.): 7,116,000. Capital: Bern. The population is German, French, and Italian. Languages: German, French, and Italian (all official). Religions: Roman Catholicism (about 45%), Protestantism (40%). Currency: Swiss franc. Switzerland is divided into three regions: the meadow-covered Jura Mtns.; the central Mittelland, a rich agricultural and urbanized area; and the lofty crags of the Alps. It is one of the world's major financial centers; its economy is based largely on international trade and banking, as well as light and heavy industries. Its manufactures include watches, precision instruments, machinery, and chemicals. Tourism and agriculture are also important; products include grains, sugar beets, fruits and vegetables, dairy products, chocolate, and wine. Despite diverse races, religions, and languages, Switzerland has maintained the world's oldest democracy for some 700 years. It is a federal state with two legislative houses; its head of state and government is the president. The original inhabitants were the Helvetians, who were conquered by the Romans in the 1st century BC. Germanic tribes penetrated the region from the 3rd-6th century AD, and Muslim and Magyar raiders ventured in during the 10th century. It came under the Franks in the 9th century and the Holy Roman Empire in the 11th. century. In 1291 three cantons formed an anti-Habsburg league that became the nucleus of the Swiss Confederation. It was a center of the Reformation, which divided the confederation and led to a period of political and religious conflict. The French organized Switzerland as the Helvetic Republic in 1798. In 1815 the Congress of Vienna recognized Swiss independence and guaranteed its neutrality. A new federal state was formed in 1848 with Bern as the capital. It remained neutral in both World Wars, and continued to guard this stance. With the formation of the European Union, it began the effort to achieve provisional association with the European economic area.
