part of their schooling. In ancient Japan
swimming races were held in the 1st
century BC.
Swimming contests first became popular
in the 1800s. The first swimming championship
was held in Australia in 1846.
In England a meeting of swimming
clubs in 1869 led to the creation of the
Amateur Swimming Association. It
became Great Britain’s governing body
of sport swimming. The Amateur Athletic
Union, founded in 1888, governs
swimming in the United States. In 1896
the first modern Olympic Games
included swimming events. The popularity
of the Olympics helped the sport
to grow.
#More to explore
English Channel • Olympic Games
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Swimming 217
Switzerland
The country of Switzerland is in the
heart of Europe’s highest mountain
range, the Alps. The country is known
for its long tradition of staying neutral,
or not taking sides, in wars. The capital
is Bern.
Geography
Switzerland is in central Europe. It
shares borders with France, Germany,
Liechtenstein, Austria, and Italy.
Mountains cover more than half of the
country’s land. The Swiss Alps are in the
central and southern parts of the country.
The Jura Mountains run along the
western border with France. A hilly
region lies between the Alps and the Jura
Mountains.
Many important rivers, including the
Rhine and the Rhone, begin in the Swiss
mountains. The largest lakes in Switzerland
are Lake Constance in the northeast
and Lake Geneva in the southwest.
Fog often covers the country’s lower
lands. The Swiss mountains receive
more rain and snow than the valleys.
About 10,000 avalanches happen each
year in the mountains.
Plants and Animals
Leafy trees and evergreens grow in the
lower areas. Shrubs, mosses, and lichens
grow in the higher regions. Grasses cover
much of the central hills.
Small, goatlike antelope called chamois
live high in the Alps. In the forests there
are deer, rabbits, foxes, badgers, and
squirrels.
People
Swiss people who speak German make
up most of the population. Swiss who
A small village in Switzerland sits in a valley
near the Swiss Alps. Much of the country
is mountainous.
218 Switzerland BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
speak French or Italian also form large
groups. A smaller group of people in the
east speak an ancient language called
Romansh. There are also small groups of
Slavs, Portuguese, Spanish, and others.
Most Swiss are Christians. There are
slightly more Roman Catholics than
Protestants. More than two thirds of the
population lives in cities.
Economy
Switzerland is one of the richest countries
in the world. The economy is based
on services and manufacturing. Tourism
and banking are important service
industries. Swiss banks are famous for
their policy of strict privacy. This has
allowed them to attract customers from
around the world. Manufacturers make
machinery, chemicals, clocks, watches,
food products, and other goods. Switzerland
has few natural resources, so most
raw materials needed for industry must
be bought from other countries.
Swiss farmers grow sugar beets, wheat,
barley, potatoes, apples, and grapes.
They also raise cattle and pigs. Switzerland
is known for its dairy products and
chocolates.
History
More than 2,000 years ago a Celtic
people known as the Helvetii lived in
western Switzerland. The ancient Rhaetians
controlled the east. After 58 BC the
region was a part of the Roman Empire.
From the AD 200s through the 500s
Germanic tribes invaded.
Hapsburg Rule
During the 1000s the Hapsburg family
of Austria gained power over Switzerland.
In 1291 some small Swiss communities,
called cantons, joined forces
against the Hapsburgs. They formed a
union known as the Swiss Confederation.
More cantons joined later. (Today
Switzerland has 26 cantons.)
During the 1500s Switzerland was a
center of the Reformation. The Reformation
began as an effort to change
some practices of the Roman Catholic
church. It turned into a revolution that
split the Christians of western Europe
into Protestants and Catholics. Protestants
battled Roman Catholics in parts
of Switzerland.
A Neutral Country
Switzerland gained independence from
the Hapsburgs in 1648. France invaded
Switzerland in 1798. In 1815 Switzerland
regained its independence. It also
became a neutral country. This meant
that the Swiss would not choose sides
during international conflicts.
Switzerland was neutral duringWorld
War I (1914–18) andWorldWar II
(1939–45). After the wars Switzerland
did not join international organizations
such as the United Nations (UN) and
the European Union. Nevertheless, the
country kept strong ties with the rest of
Europe. In 2002 Switzerland finally
joined the UN.
..More to explore
Alps, The • Bern • Reformation
Facts About
SWITZERLAND
Population
(2008 estimate)
7,617,000
Area
15,940 sq mi
(41,284 sq km)
Capital
Bern
Form of
government
Republic
Major cities
Zurich, Geneva,
Basel, Bern,
Lausanne
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Switzerland 219
Swordfish
The swordfish is a fish that was named
for its long, thin snout. The swordlike
snout is flat rather than rounded. For
this reason, the fish is sometimes called
the broadbill. The swordfish’s scientific
name is Xiphias gladius.
