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Switzerland Cities with Hotels
 Switzerland (French Suisse; German Schweiz; Italian Svizzera), federal republic in west central Europe, bounded on the north by France and Germany, on the east by Austria and Liechtenstein, on the south by Italy, and on the west by France. The country has an area of 41,288 sq km (15,941 sq mi). Its largest city is Zürich, and the capital is Bern.
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Switzerland
Land and Resources
Switzerland is one of the most mountainous countries of
Europe, with more than 70 percent of its area covered by the Alps, in the
central and southern sections, and the Jura, in the northwest. The Swiss
Alps are part of the largest mountain system in Europe, and are famous for
their jagged peaks and steep gorges. There are several ranges within the
Alps, including the Pennine range, which has Switzerland's highest peak, the
4634-m (15,203-ft) Dufourspitze of Monte Rosa. The Jura (Celtic for
"forest") are much lower and smaller than the Alps, and are popular for
cross-country skiing. The renowned Swiss watchmaking industry began in the
Jura Mountains.
Between these two mountain systems lies the Swiss plateau,
about 400 m (about 1300 ft) above sea level in average elevation and some 50
km (some 30 mi) wide; it extends from Lake Geneva (Lac Léman) in the extreme
southwest to the Lake of Constance (Bodensee) in the extreme northeast. The
plateau is thickly studded with hills. Between the ranges of the Alps and
Jura also stretch long valleys connected by transverse gorges; one such
valley is the Engadine along the Inn River in the southeast. Nearly every
Swiss valley is traversed by streams, often interrupted by picturesque
waterfalls, including the Staubbach Falls (about 290 m/950 ft) in the canton
of Bern. The principal river system is formed by the Rhine and its
tributaries. Other important rivers are the Rhône, Ticino, and Inn. However,
the Swiss rivers are not navigable for any appreciable extent. Switzerland
is famous for its many lakes, particularly those of the Alpine region, known
for their scenic beauty. The most important include Lake Geneva, Lake of
Constance, Lake of Lugano, and Lake Maggiore (at which lies Switzerland's
lowest point, 194 m (636 ft) above sea level), which are not wholly within
Swiss borders; and Lake of Neuchâtel, Lake of Lucerne and Zürichsee,
Brienzersee, and Thunersee, which are entirely within Switzerland.
Climate
On the plateau and lower valleys of Switzerland a temperate
climate prevails, with a mean annual temperature of about 10° C (about 50°
F). The temperature decreases about 2° C (about 3° F) for every additional
300 m (about 1000 ft) of elevation. Precipitation also varies considerably
according to elevation. Precipitation on the plateau and in the lower
valleys is about 910 mm (about 36 in) annually; the higher regions generally
receive more precipitation. Much of the precipitation occurs during the
winter in the form of snow; the peaks of most mountains about 2700 m (about
9000 ft) or higher are snow-covered throughout the year. Large glaciers are
at higher elevations, especially in the Alps. The bise, a cold, northerly
wind, predominates in the winter, and the foehn, a warm, dry southeasterly
wind, predominates during the rest of the year.
"Switzerland," Microsoft® Encarta® 97 Encyclopedia.
© 1993-1996 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
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January 15, 2010 03:05 PM. |
