Switzerland: Forest Cover, 2005
| Total Land Area (ha) | 3,955,000 | | Total Forest Area (ha) | 1,221,000 | | Percent Forest Cover | 30.87% | | Primary Forest Cover (ha) | 14,000 | | Primary Forest, % total forest | 1.15% | | Primary Forest, % total land | 0.35% | | Other wooded land (ha) | 67,000 |
Switzerland : Forest types
| Tropical (% forest area) | 0% | | Subtropical (% forest area) | 0% | | Temperate (% forest area) | 100% | | Boreal/polar (% forest area) | 0% |
Switzerland: Breakdown of forest types, 2005
| Primary forest (ha | %) | 14,000 | 1.1% | | Modified natural (ha | %) | 15,000 | 1.2% | | Semi-natural (ha | %) | 1,188,000 | 97.3% | | Production plantation (ha | %) | 4,000 | 0.3% | | Production plantation (ha | %) | - | 0.0% |
Switzerland: Change in Forest Cover
| TOTAL FOREST COVER | | Forest 1990 (ha) | 1,155,000 | | Forest 2000 (ha) | 1,199,000 | | Forest 2005 (ha) | 1,221,000 | | Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) | 4,400 | 0.38% | | Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) | 4,400 | 0.37% | | Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) | 66,000 | 5.71% | | Change in rate (%) | -3.67% | | PRIMARY FOREST COVER | | Primary 1990 (ha) | 3,000 | | Primary 2000 (ha) | 6,000 | | Primary 2005 (ha) | 14,000 | | Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) | 300 | 10.00% | | Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) | 1,600 | 26.67% | | Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) | 11,000 | 366.67% | | Change in rate (%) | 166.67% | | OTHER WOODED LAND | | Other 1990 (ha) | 59,000 | | Other 2000 (ha) | 64,000 | | Other 2005 (ha) | 67,000 | | Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) | 500 | 0.85% | | Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) | 600 | 0.94% | | Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) | 8,000 | 13.56% | | Change in rate (%) | 10.63% | | PLANTATIONS | | Other 1990 (ha) | 3,000 | | Other 2000 (ha) | 4,000 | | Other 2005 (ha) | 4,000 | | Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) | 100 | 3.33% | | Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) | - | 0.00% | | Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) | 1,000 | 33.33% | | Change in rate (%) | -100.00% | TOTAL DEGRADATION/CONSERVSION
Forest area+Wooded Area-Plantations | | Other 1990 (ha) | 1,211,000 | | Other 2000 (ha) | 1,259,000 | | Other 2005 (ha) | 1,284,000 | | Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) | 4,800 | 0.40% | | Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) | 5,000 | 0.40% | | Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) | 73,000 | 6.03% | | Change in rate (%) | 0.20% |
Switzerland: Primary
| Primary or "old-growth" vegetation | | Primary Forest 2005 (ha) | 14,000 | | Other primary wooded land 2005 (ha) | 0 | | Other primary wooded land 2005 (ha) | 14,000 | | Undisturbed vegetation 2005 (% land area) | 0.35% |
Switzerland: Forest designation
| Ownership of forest land, 2000 | | Public (%) | 68.0% | | Private (%) | 32.0% | | Other (%) | - | | Ownership of other wooded land, 2000 | | Public (%) | 79.7% | | Private (%) | 20.3% | | Other (%) | - | | Designated functions of forest � primary function 2005 | | Production (%) | 62.7% | | Protection (%) | 35.0% | | Conservation (%) | 2.4% | | Social Services (%) | 0.0% | | Multiple Services (%) | 0.0% | | None of Unknown (%) | - |
Switzerland: Disturbances affecting forest land 2000
| Forest Area annually affected by | | Fire (%) | 0.00% | | Insects (ha) | - | | Diseases (ha) | - | | Other (ha) | 0.33% |
Switzerland: Protected areas
| Protected areas | | Biosphere reserves, 2005 | 2 | Wetlands of international importance (Ramsar sites), 2005 | 11 | | World Heritage sites, 2004 | 6 | | Protected Areas: IUCN categories I-V, percent of total land | 28.7% | | Protected Areas: IUCN categories Ia, Ib, and II, extent, percent of total land | 0.41% | | Protected Areas: IUCN categories III, IV, and V, percent of total land, 2004 | 28.29% | | Protected Areas: IUCN categories VI and other, percent of total land, 2004 | 0.00% |
Switzerland: Biodiversity - Wildlife
| Amphibians | | total species | 21 | | endemic species | 0 | | threatened species | 1 | | Birds | | total species | 382 | | endemic species | 0 | | threatened species | 8 | | Mammals | | total species | 93 | | endemic species | 0 | | threatened species | 4 | | Reptiles | | total species | 17 | | endemic species | 0 | | threatened species | 0 | | Wildlife diversity | | total species | 513 | | endemic species | 0 | | threatened species | 13 |
Switzerland: Biodiversity - Plants
| Growing stock composition | 3 most common species
% of total growing stock | 78.90% | | Growing stock composition | 3 most common species
% of total growing stock | 95.40% | | Number of Native tree species | | | Native tree species | 52 | | Number of tree species in IUCN red list | | Critically Endangered | | 0 | | Endangered | 0 | | Vulnerable | 0 | | Vascular Plant Species, 2004 | | Total | 3030 | | Number endemic | 1 | | Number of Threatened Plant Species, 2004 | | Species threatened | 2 |
Switzerland: Value of forests
| Biomass stock in forest, 2005 | | Above-ground biomass (M t) | 248 | | Below-ground biomass (M t) | 60 | | Dead wood (M t) | 8 | | Total (M t) | 316 | | Carbon stock in forest, 2005 | | Carbon in above-ground biomass (M t) | 124 | | Carbon in below-ground biomass (M t) | 30 | | Carbon in dead wood (M t) | 4 | | Carbon in litter (M t) | 16 | | Soil carbon (M t) | 93 | | Change in growing stock 1990 - 2005 | | Annual change rate (1000 cubic m/yr) | | 1990-2000 | 4,400 | | 2000-2005 | 4,000 | | Growing stock per hectare 1990 - 2005 | | Annual change rate ( cubic m/ha per yr) | | 1990-2000 | 2.45 | | 2000-2005 | 1.99 | | Wood removal 2005 | | Industrial roundwood (1000 cubic m) | 5,664 | | Wood fuel (1000 cubic m) | 1,294 | | Total wood removal 2005 (1000 cubic m) | 6,958 | | Total wood removal 2005 (% of growing stock) | 2 | | Plant products 2005 | | Food (t) | 462 | | Fodder (t) | - | | Raw material for medicine and aromatic products (t) | - | | Raw material for colorants and dyes (t) | - | | Raw material for utensils, handicrafts & construction (t) | - | | Ornamental plants (t) | - | | Exudates (t) | - | | Other plant products (t) | 2 | | Animal products 2005 | | Living animals (units) | - | | Hides, skins and trophies (units) | - | | Wild honey and bee-wax (t) | 550 | | Bush meat (t) | 1,700 | | Raw material for medicine and aromatic products (t) | - | | Raw material for colorants and dyes (t) | - | | Other edible animal products (t) | - | | Other non-edible animal products (t) | - | | Value of wood and non-wood forest product removal 2005 | | Industrial roundwood (US$) | $287,809,000 | | Wood fuel (US$) | $39,762,000 | | Non-wood forest products (US$) | $37,375,000 | | Total value (US$) | $364,946,000 | | Total value ($USD/ha) | $299 | | Employment in forestry 2000 | | Total people employed | 7,000 |
Switzerland : Production, trade and consumption of forest products, 2002
| Woodfuel ('000 cubic m), 2002 | | Production | 5,900 | | Imports | 7 | | Exports | 35 | | Consumption | 5,872 | | Industrial roundwood ('000 cubic m), 2002 | | Production | 3,500 | | Imports | 374 | | Exports | 1,970 | | Consumption | 1,904 | | Sawnwood ('000 cubic m), 2002 | | Production | 1,420 | | Imports | 409 | | Exports | 197 | | Consumption | 1,632 | | Wood-based panels ('000 cubic m), 2002 | | Production | 716 | | Imports | 491 | | Exports | 665 | | Consumption | 542 | | Pulp for paper ('000 metric tons), 2002 | | Production | 280 | | Imports | 464 | | Exports | 125 | | Consumption | 619 | | Paper and paperboard ('000 metric tons), 2002 | | Production | 1,805 | | Imports | 1,005 | | Exports | 1,284 | | Consumption | 1,526 |
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Switzerland: Environment
| 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 | | Environment - international agreements | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea | | Natural hazards | avalanches, landslides, flash floods |
Switzerland: Land use / Resources
| Land use (%) | arable land: 10.42%
permanent crops: 0.61%
other: 88.97% (2001) | | Natural resources | hydropower potential, timber, salt |
Switzerland: Economy
| Economy - overview: | Switzerland is a peaceful, prosperous, and stable modern market economy with low unemployment, a highly skilled labor force, and a per capita GDP larger than that of the big Western European economies. The Swiss in recent years have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with the EU's to enhance their international competitiveness. Switzerland remains a safe haven for investors, because it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and has kept up the franc's long-term external value. Reflecting the anemic economic conditions of Europe, GDP growth dropped in 2001 to about 0.8%, to 0.2% in 2002, and to -0.3% in 2003, with a small rise to 1.8% in 2004, and 1.2% in 2005. Even so, unemployment has remained at less than half the EU average. | | GDP - per capita | $35,000 (2005 est.) | | GDP - real growth rate (%) | 1.2% (2005 est.) | | Agriculture - products | grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs | | GDP - composition by sector (%) | agriculture: 1.5%, industry: 34%, services: 64.5% (2003 est.) | | Industries | machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments | | Population below poverty line (%) | NA | | Debt - external | $856 billion (30 June 2005) | | Labor force - by occupation (%) | agriculture 4.6%, industry 26.3%, services 69.1% (1998) |
Switzerland: Population / Demographics
| Population (July 2005) | 7,489,370 | | Population growth rate (%) (2005) | 0.49% | | Population density (people/sq km) (2005) | 188.3 | | Percent rural (2003) | 32.5% | | Median age (years) | total: 39.77 years | | Total fertility rate (children born/woman) | 1.42 (2005 est.) | | Ethnic groups (%) | German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6% |
Largest Cities in Switzerland
Cities and urban areas in Switzerland with population over 100,000 All figures are estimates for 2002.
| City | Country | City Population | Urban Area Population |
| Zurich | Switzerland | 333400 | 965700 |
| Geneva | Switzerland | 172800 | 172800 |
| Basel | Switzerland | 161900 | 553300 |
| Bern | Switzerland | 120200 | 120200 |
| Lausanne | Switzerland | 114700 | 114700 |
 Environment, Land use / Resources, Economy, Population / Demographics, Infrastructure, Health -- CIA World Factbook, 2005
Forest Cover, Forest types, Breakdown of forest types, Change in Forest Cover, Primary forests, Forest designation, Disturbances affecting forest land, Value of forests, Production, trade and consumption of forest products -- The FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS's Global Forest Resources Assessment (2005) and the State of the World�s Forests (2005, 2003, 2001)
Protected Areas, Plant and animal biodiversity -- United Nations Environment Programme - World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). 2004. World Database on Protected Areas.
Biosphere reservers -- United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - Man and Biosphere Program. 2004. UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory.
RAMSAR sites -- The Bureau of the Convention on Wetlands . 2005. The Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.
World Resources Institute's EarthTrends web site
The 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Population Data -- United Nations Population Fund
With additional analysis by Rhett Butler of mongabay.com
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