Switzerland was officially formed in 1648 when independent cantons joined together. At first, only a few cantons joined Switzerland but over time more joined. Today, Switzerland is made up of 26 cantons. In a way, each canton is its own little country. Each canton has its own taxes, laws and educational system. Cantons are made up of communes, which have their own elected officials who decide on issues at a local level. As a whole, the Swiss people are very active in their country’s politics. In the majority of communes, individuals assemble once a year to vote on important issues. Switzerland has been considered a neutral country since 1815. As a result, Switzerland dodged the destruction of many wars… Free of wars, Switzerland is an extremely stable country. Stability has allowed Switzerland to develop a prosperous economy. Despite popular belief, Switzerland’s wealth is not based on cuckoo clocks, chocolate and banking. In fact, Switzerland’s prosperity is predominantly a result of its high quality, high tech exports including micro-technology, biotechnology, and the pharmaceutical industry. Swiss products are internationally known for their superior quality… With four official languages, German (74%), French (20%), Italian (4%), and Romansh (1%) and many different cultures expressed, being Swiss can mean many different things.

Country Officer
John Spilane

763-545-3495

jspilane@comcast.net