Switzerland is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It has borders with
France to the west, Italy to the south, Austria and Liechtenstein to the
east and Germany to the north.The climate is temperate, but varies with
altitude. Switzerland has cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters and cool to
warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers. Switzerland is known
for its mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) but it also has a
central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes. The highest
point is Dufourspitze at 4,634 m while Lake Maggiore is only 195 m above
sea level. Switzerland's independence and neutrality have long been
honored by the major European powers and Switzerland was not involved in
either of the two World Wars. The political and economic integration of
Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role in many
UN and international organizations has strengthened Switzerland's ties
with its neighbors. However, the country did not officially become a UN
member until 2002. Switzerland remains active in many UN and international
organizations, but retains a strong commitment to neutrality.
