Conventional Long Name: Swiss Confederation
Capital City: Bern
Type of Government: Federal Parliamentary Republic
Date of Independence: August 1,1291
National Holiday: August 1
Chief of State: Simonetta Sommaruga
Head of Government: Simonetta Sommaruga
Executive Branch/Powers: Chief of state or president and vice president are elected by the Federal Assembly for a one year non-consecutive term. Cabinet members are the Federal Council and are elected by the Federal Assembly, usually from among Federal Assembly members for a four year term.
Legislative Branch/Powers: Bicameral Federal Assembly which consists of the council of states. Membership consists of 2 representatives from one canton and 1 representative from half of a canton, and serve a four year term. National Council elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation serve four year terms.
Judicial Branch/Powers: Highest court is the Federal Supreme Court which consists of 38 judges and 31 substitutes and organized into 5 sections. Judges are elected by the Federal Assembly and serve for 6 years.
Suffrage: 18 years of age, universal
Ambassador to the United States: Manuel Sager
Location of Embassy in United States: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20008
Location of Consulate in United States: Boston, Massachusetts
United States Ambassador to Switzerland: Suzan Levine
Location of United States Embassy: Sulgeneck Street 19, 3007 Bern, Switzerland
Location of United States Consulate in Switzerland: Geneva, Switzerland
Representative in U.N.: Alexandre Fasel
Switzerland National Anthem
National Symbol: Swiss Cross
International Disputes: none
Quantity of Refugees Inside Country: 13,106
Country of Origin of Refugees: Eritrea
Quantity of Internally Displaced Persons: N/A
Quantity of Stateless Persons: 69
Current Human Trafficking Issues: N/A
Illegal Drug Trafficking/Use Issues: It is a transit country for and consumer of South American cocaine, Southwest Asian heroine, Western European synthetics. Also problems with domestic cannabis cultivation and limited ecstasy production.