Switzerland

American  

[swit-ser-luhnd] / ˈswɪt sər lənd /

noun

1. a republic in central Europe. 15,944 sq. mi. (41,294 sq. km). Bern.

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Switzerland British  

/ ˈswɪtsələnd /

noun

1. Latin name: Helvetia.  German name: Schweiz.  Italian name: Svizzera.  French name: Suisse.  a federal republic in W central Europe: the cantons of Schwyz, Uri, and Unterwalden formed a defensive league against the Hapsburgs in 1291, later joined by other cantons; gained independence in 1499; adopted a policy of permanent neutrality from 1516; a leading centre of the Reformation in the 16th century. It lies in the Jura Mountains and the Alps, with a plateau between the two ranges. Official languages: German, French, and Italian; Romansch minority. Religion: mostly Protestant and Roman Catholic. Currency: Swiss franc. Capital: Bern. Pop: 7 996 026 (2013 est). Area: 41 288 sq km (15 941 sq miles)

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Switzerland Cultural  

1. Republic in central Europe, bordered by France to the west, Germany to the north, Liechtenstein and Austria to the east, and Italy to the east and south. Its capital is Bern, and its largest city is Zurich.

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Discover More

It is famous for its watchmaking industry and its milk chocolate.

Known for its strict neutrality, Switzerland maintained armed neutrality in both World War I and World War II.

Swiss banks allow depositors to be identified by a number known only to the depositor and a few bank officials; private fortunes can therefore be kept secret.

Example Sentences

Gael Clichy: Switzerland are a very dynamic group of young players, and their team and federation has progressed a lot in the past eight years or so.

From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026

Co-author Dr. Stefan Reimann, whose research team in Switzerland closely monitor the atmospheric abundance TFA-forming F-gases, said evidence of increasing contamination is appearing around the world.

From Science Daily • Jun. 9, 2026

They warn it could sink prosperity in Switzerland, where large swathes of the economy -- from medical research to construction to healthcare -- depend heavily on foreign labour, primarily from the surrounding EU.

From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026

On paper this is one of the weaker groups, with Switzerland being the only team that has advanced beyond the group stage.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026

I talked with one of them, and she was bored with yachts and bored with flying around in airplanes and bored with skiing in Switzerland at Christmas and bored with the men in Brazil.

From "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath