Part 716

Description: red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that does not extend to the edges of the flag

Geography ---------

Location: Central Europe, east of France

Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 8 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total area: 41,290 sq km land area: 39,770 sq km comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of New Jersey

Land boundaries: total: 1,852 km border countries: Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km, Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

International disputes: none

Climate: temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers

Terrain: mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m

Natural resources: hydropower potential, timber, salt

Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 40% forest and woodland: 26% other: 23%

Irrigated land: 250 sq km (1989)

Environment: current issues: air pollution from vehicle emissions and open-air burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use of agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity natural hazards: avalanches, landslides, flash floods international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Tropical Timber 94

Geographic note: landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France and northern Italy, contains the highest elevations in Europe

People ------

Population: 7,207,060 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 17% (male 638,728; female 610,546) 15-64 years: 68% (male 2,495,325; female 2,405,226) 65 years and over: 15% (male 424,394; female 632,841) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.59% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 11.35 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 9.64 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 4.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female all ages: 0.98 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 5.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.62 years male: 74.58 years female: 80.82 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.47 children born/woman (1996 est.)