Switzerland is a politically neutral country located in Central Europe, north of Italy (Switzerland was involved in neither world war.) It is a landlocked country slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey, and is also referred to as "Confederatio Helvetica" (abbreviated to CH.) It is bordered on the west by France, on the north by Germany, on the east by Austria, and on the south Italy. .
Switzerland is a country of mostly mountains (the Alps in the south, Jura in the northwest.) In the central regions of the country one can find a plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes also. The Swiss experience avalanches, landslides, and flash floods as natural disasters more than anything else due to their mountainous surroundings. .
These four neighboring countries have influenced Swiss culture. The Swiss are an ethnic mix of German, French, and Italian speakers. Most towns in Switzerland have three or four correct names in each of these languages.
Switzerland is also referred to as "Confederatio Helvetica" due to the area's rich history. The name honors the Helvetii, who ruled the region until they were defeated by Julius Caesar in the first century. Once a province of Rome, the region was known as Helvetia. The name, CH, honors this rich history and the desires of the Swiss to reach unity among a diverse population.
Many other groups have influenced Swiss history, including the Etruscans, Celts, Romans and Germanic tribes. The ethnic composition of Switzerland today, however, can be traced to Alpine, Nordic, and southern European people. Switzerland has many official languages, including German, French, Italian, and an almost forgotten romance language called Romansch. Languages in the country do not change abruptly between different cities and areas. Most people grow up learning to be bilingual, and the shift into a dominant language from one area to another is rather gradual.
