SWITZERLAND, a federal republic of Central Europe; bounded N. by Alsace Lorraine and Baden, from which it is separated for the most part by the Rhine; N. E. by Wiirttemberg and Ba varia, from which it is separated by the Lake of Constance; E. by Austria and the principality of Liechtenstein, from which it is separated by the Rhine and the Grisons Alps; S. by Italy and France, from which it is separated by the Alps and the Lake of Geneva; and W. and N. W. by France, from which it is separated in part by the Jura Mountains, the Doubs river and Lake Geneva; greatest length, 210 miles; greatest breadth 126 miles. It is com posed of 25 cantons and demi-cantons, represented in the government by 189 deputies. The constitution of 1848, re vised May 29, 1874, transformed the fed eration of States into a federal State. The largest cities are Geneva, Zurich, Basel, and Berne, the last being the capi tal (pop. 112,200) • total area, 15,976 square miles; pop. about 3,940,000; reve nues (1920) 281,400,000 francs.
Physical Features.—The characteristic physical features of Switzerland are its lofty mountain ranges, enormous gla ciers, magnificent lakes, and romantic valleys. The loftiest mountain chains belong to the Alps, and are situated chiefly in the S. The central nucleus is Mount St. Gothard, which unites the principal watersheds of Europe, and sends its waters into four large basins, N. by the Rhine to the German Ocean, S. W. by the Rhone to the Mediterra nean, S. E. by the Po to the Adriatic, and E. by the Danube to the Black Sea. In like manner it forms a kind of start ing point for the loftiest ranges of the Alps—the Helvetian or Lepontine Alps to which it belongs itself; the Pennine Alps which include Mount Blanc, the cul minating point of Europe, beyond the Swiss frontiers in Savoy; and the Rhm tian Alps which stretch E. and N. E. across the canton of Grisons into Tyrol. Besides the Alps, properly so called, the only range deserving of notice is that of the Jura, which is linked to the Alps by the small range, the Jorat.
Owing to the mountainous nature and the inland position of the country none of the rivers acquire such a size within its limits as to become of much navigable importance. The Rhine, formed by two head streams in the canton of Grisons, flows N. into the Lake of Constance, and thence W. to Schaffhausen, where it forms the celebrated falls of that name.
Below these falls its navigation properly begins. Its principal affluent in Switzer land is the Aar. The Rhone, rising in the Rhone glacier (Valais), flows N. W. into the Lake of Geneva. Immediately after issuing from the lake at the town of Geneva it receives the Arve, and about 10 miles below leaves the Swiss frontier. The waters which the Po receives from Switzerland are carried to it by the Ticino; those which the Danube receives are carried to it by the Inn. The largest lakes, that of Geneva in the S. W. and of Constance in the N. E., as well as that of Maggiore on the S. side of the Alps, belong partly to other countries; but within the limits of Switzerland, and not far from its center, are Lake Neu chatel, with Morat and Bienne in its vi cinity, Thun, with its feeder, Brienz, Lu cerne or Vierwaldstatter see, Sempach, Baldegg, Zug, Zurich, and Wallenstatter see. All these internal lakes belong to the basin of the Rhine.
Geology and Minerals.—All the loft iest Alpine ranges have a nucleus of granite, on which gneiss and mica-slate recline generally at a high angle. Coal bearing strata are found in the cantons of Valais, Vaud, Freiburg, Bern, and Thurgau, and brown coal is obtained in St. Gall and Zurich. Iron is worked to advantage in several quarters, particu larly among the strata connected with the Jura limestone. Rock and common salt are produced to some extent in the cantons of Vaud, Basel, and Aargau. The only other minerals deserving of notice are alabaster and marble, widely diffused, and asphalt, in the Val-de Travers, in the canton of Valais. Min eral springs occur in many quarters.