Fun and Interesting Facts About Switzerland for Kids

History of Switzerland

Switzerland, a beautiful country located in Europe, has a rich history full of invasions and changing rulers. The earliest Swiss settlers were the Helvetians, and the Celtic thrived between 500 BC and 400 AD. The country was later taken over by the Romans, who were responsible for building towns, roads, and schools in the country. The Swiss have gone through many other invasions from countries like France and Russia. However, they later claimed their independence in the early 1800s, and Europe finally recognized their desire for neutrality. Neutrality here means that they decided to be a country that did not want to take sides with anybody in a war or a disagreement.

Geography And Culture of Switzerland

Switzerland is often known as a landlocked country because there are no borders that touch the ocean. Most of the country is covered by mountains, and these include the Jura mountains and the Swiss Alps, and one of the tallest mountains of Europe is located on this Swiss-Italian border. The northern part of the country also includes large plateau, a flat area of raised land, and the climate depends on which part of the country you are staying in. The southern regions of the country are warmer, while the northern parts of the country are colder. The temperatures and rainfall in the country are usually exceptionally unpredictable.

One of the most popular Switzerland culture facts is that it has four official languages – German, French, Italian, and Romansh (a language spoken by very small sections in the country). Switzerland is one of the wealthiest countries in the world and is famous worldwide for its clocks and watches.

Education Facts of Switzerland

A few popular educational facts are:

1. There are 12 universities in Switzerland.
2. The largest university in the country is the University of Zurich, and around 25,000 students are studying here.
3. The oldest university in Switzerland is the University of Basel that was established in 1460.
4. One of the best physicists to ever exist, Albert Einstein, came up with his Special Theory of Relatively in Switzerland, in the city of Bern.
5. The country is linked to about 114 Nobel Price Laureates.
6. The most prominent laboratory for particle physics on Earth, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, is located in Geneva, Switzerland. It is also known as CERN.
7. In tertiary education, the country is second, right after Australia, for the highest international students.

Economy Facts of Switzerland

Check out these few economic facts about Switzerland for children:

1. Switzerland’s biggest business partner is Germany.
2. The country ranks at the top in terms of the skilled labor force.
3. It is the 19th biggest economy on earth according to nominal GDP.
4. Switzerland is the 17th biggest importer of goods in the world.
5. According to a report by the World Economic Forum, the country’s economy is the world’s most competitive.
6. During the 20th century, Switzerland was considered the wealthiest nation in Europe.
7. Switzerland is the 15th largest exporter of goods in the world.

Famous Things In Switzerland

Switzerland is famous for a lot of stuff, and some of these include:

1. Switzerland is renowned for its cheese, chocolate, watches, mountains, and banking.
2. The largest producer of chocolate in the world is Switzerland. They also eat more chocolate per capita when compared to the rest of the countries in the world.
3. Instant coffee was invented in the country, and the first one to manufacture it was Nescafe.
4. The World Wide Web was created in 1989 by Tim Berners-Lee, an English scientist staying in Switzerland.
5. The country is famous for its mountains. The highest peak in Switzerland is the Dufour Peak, and this is the second-highest mountain located in Western Europe.
6. Karl Elsener invented the world’s most miniature toolbox, and it is called the Swiss Army Knife.

Other Switzerland Facts For Kids

A few other fun and weird facts about Switzerland include:

1. The biggest birds of prey in the country are the golden eagles, and they can grow as large as 7 ft (2 m).
2. Switzerland is home to around 7000 lakes, and these lakes include some of the best ones to swim in. The largest lake in the country is Lake Geneva, and it is shared with France. The largest lake within the country is Lake Neuchatel.
3. The country has one of the highest gun ownership rates, but it still has one of the lowest crime rates globally. However, many people own guns in the country due to the mandatory military service, after which they are allowed to take their guns home without ammunition.
4. According to The Global Innovation Index, Switzerland is believed to be the most innovative country globally.
5. It is still one of the smallest countries in the world, such that California is around ten times larger than the country.
6. Switzerland is one of the most expensive countries to live in, but the people there get value for everything they spend. The country shines when it comes to nutritional, medical, and access to basic knowledge.
7. It is also the least obese country in Europe, where only around 17.5% of the population is overweight.
8. Two of the most livable cities in the world are Geneva and Zurich, Switzerland. The concept of liveability is assessed by considering Healthcare, Stability, Education, Culture and Environment, and infrastructure.
9. Though Swiss contains less than 15% of the Alps, the country is still famous for the Alps when it comes to tourism.
10. One of the most expensive pieces of meat in the world is Swiss meat.
11. The country has enough nuclear fallout shelters to accommodate all its people and is already prepared for nuclear war. The laws also require its government to create bunkers accessible through the buildings or nearby for everybody, and the bunkers are kept entirely secret by the military.
12. The longest tunnel in the world is the Gotthard tunnel, and it is located in Switzerland.

These interesting facts about Switzerland will surely make your children want to go to the country to explore the place themselves!

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