Economy Of Switzerland

Economy overview Switzerland is a prosperous and stable modern market economy with low unemployment, a highly skilled labor force, and a per capita GDP larger than that of the big Western European economies. The Swiss in recent years have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with the EU's to enhance their international competitiveness. Switzerland remains a safe haven for investors, because it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and has kept up the franc's long-term external value. Reflecting the anemic economic conditions of Europe, GDP growth dropped in 2001 to about 0.8%, to 0.2% in 2002, and to -0.3% in 2003.
 
GDP purchasing power parity - $239.3 billion (2004 est.)
 
GDP - real growth rate -0.5% (2004 est.)
 
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $32,700 (2004 est.)
 
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: 1.5%
industry: 34%
services: 64.5% (2003 est.)
 
Investment gross fixed 20.1% of GDP (2004 est.)
 
Population below poverty line NA
 
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 25.2% (1992)
 
Distribution of family income - Gini index 33.1 (1992)
 
Inflation rate consumer prices 0.6% (2004 est.)
 
Labor force 3.72 million (2004 est.)
 
Labor force by occupation agriculture 4.6%, industry 26.3%, services 69.1% (1998)
 
Unemployment rate 3.7% (2004 est.)
 
Budget
revenues: $123.2 billion
expenditures: $128 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
 
Public debt 57.1% of GDP (2004 est.)
 
Agriculture products grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs
 
Industries machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments
 
Industrial production growth rate 0.4% (2004 est.)
 
Electricity production 68.68 billion kWh (2001)
 
Electricity production by source
fossil fuel: 1.3%
hydro: 59.5%
other: 2% (2001)
nuclear: 37.1%
 
Electricity consumption 53.43 billion kWh (2001)
 
Electricity exports 34.54 billion kWh (2001)
 
Electricity imports 24.1 billion kWh (2001)
 
Oil production 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
 
Oil consumption 290,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)
 
Oil exports 10,420 bbl/day (2001)
 
Oil imports 289,500 bbl/day (2001)
 
Oil proved reserves  
Natural gas production 0 cu m (2001 est.)
 
Natural gas consumption 3.093 billion cu m (2001 est.)
 
Natural gas exports 0 cu m (2001 est.)
 
Natural gas imports 3.093 billion cu m (2001 est.)
 
Natural gas proved reserves  
Current account balance $36 billion (2004 est.)
 
Exports $110 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
 
Exports commodities machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products
 
Exports partners Germany 20.8%, US 11.3%, France 8.7%, Italy 8.3%, UK 4.9%, Japan 4% (2003)
 
Imports $102.2 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
 
Imports commodities machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural products, textiles
 
Imports partners Germany 32.3%, France 10.8%, Italy 10.7%, US 5.5%, Netherlands 5%, Austria 4.2%, UK 4.1% (2003)
 
Reserves of foreign exchange gold $69.58 billion (2003)
 
Debt external NA (2000)
 
Economic aid recipient  
Currency Swiss franc (CHF)
 
Currency code CHF
 
Exchange rates Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.3467 (2003), 1.5586 (2002), 1.6876 (2001), 1.6888 (2000), 1.5022 (1999)
 
Fiscal year calendar year

 

 

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This information was reproduced in part from the CIA World Fact book.

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