Hey everyone! Since you have clicked on this Title, I guess you want to learn more about the Swiss Confederation, or as it's better known as: Switzerland.

General Information:

Name: Switzerland
Flag:
Foundation Date: August 1st 1291
Size: 15,940 sq mi (4,2% Water)
Population: 8.401.120 (estimated for 2016)
Capital: Bern
Largest City: Zürich
Languages: German (63,3%), French (22,7%), Italian (8.1), Romansh (0,5%)
Currency: Swiss franc

History

While Switzerland was founded on August 1st 1291, the oldest known farming settlements date back to around 5300BC. It started out as an alliance among the valley Community of the Alps, which was created to ensure peace on important mountain trade routes, as well as the management of commin interests between its communities. This, during its beginning rather small alliance started to grow, until by 1353 the three original cantons that formed it had joined with the cantons of Glarus and Zug, as well as the Lcerne, Zürich and Bern city states, thus forming the old Swiss Confederace of eight states. By 1460, Switzerland controlled most of the territory South and West of the Rhine to the Alps and the Jura mountains. This expansion led through an increase in wealth and power, for the whole confederation.

This wealth and power lasted up into the Napoleonic era, until which Switzerland seemed invincible. During this time in 1798, the French revolutionary government managed to conquer Switzerland and putting it under it its rule, with the local population resisting against the invasion. This invasion was short-lived however, as Austria and Russia invaded Switzerland in 1803. In the 1815 Congress of Vienna, Switzerland fully re-established its independence, and European powers agreed on its neutrality the country is known for today.

In modern history, due to its established neutrality, Switzerland was not invaded during either of the World Wars, although Germany had detailed invasion plans. After the war, Switzerland exported credits through a fund known as 'Schweizerspende' and donated to the Marshall Plan, thus actively working on restoring the European Economy.

Today Switzerland is part of the European Council (joined in 1963), and the UN (joined in 2002), while remaining independent from the European Union.

They really did keep neutrality as long as possible. I didn't even realize how early they entered the UN! 2002 really isn't that long ago if you consider the context.

I never realized that Switzerland wasn't in the Eurozone or European Union, but they aren't. It makes sense because they are so neutral, but I never really thought about it. Thanks for showing me something new today!

I didn't know they started as a confederation~. Thanks for the info~.