Swit 1-c

SWITZERLAND

SWITZERLANDSwitzerland is a country

of Europe, but it isn't in the European Union. It is divided in 26 cantons. The capital is Bern, and Zurich and Lucerne are also important cities.

Switzerland has currently a population of approximately 8 million people.

COORDINATES● Switzerland lies between latitudes 45° and 48° N, and

longitudes 5° and 11° E.

LANGUAGES

In Switzerland there are four languages: French, Italian, German and Romansh.

● The country is situated in Western and Central Europe, and is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east.

LOCATION

CURRENCY, PRESIDENT AND FLAG

The currency of Switzerland is the Swiss franc.

The current president of Switzerland is Johann Niklaus Schneider-Ammann

Switzerland's flag is a red square (not a rectangle) with a white cross

ECONOMIC SECTORSwitzerland's most

important economic sector activities are:

● Banking● Tourism● Production of chemical

and pharmaceutical goods

● Manufacturing of watches

INSTITUTIONSIn Switzerland there are

a lot of important institutions:

● Red Cross● World Health

Organization● International

Olympic Comittee● FIFA and UEFA

Climate● The Swiss climate is

generally temperate.● Summers tend to be warm

and humid at times with periodic rainfall so they are ideal for pastures and grazing.

THE MOST IMPORTANT RIVERS

● Rhine - 375 km - 36,494 km2

● Aare (or Aar) – 295 km - 17,779 km2

● Rhône - 264 km - 10,403 km2

RHIN

AARE

RHONE

● Switzerland has more than 1,500 lakes, and contains 6% of Europe's stock of fresh water.

● Lakes and glaciers cover about 6% of the national territory.

LAKES

THE MOST IMPORTANT LAKES● Lake Geneva and Lake Constance are the largest

lakes of Europe.

LAKE GENEVA LAKE CONSTANCE

● The Alps are a high mountain range running across the central-south of the country, comprising about 60% of the country's total area.

● The more populous northern part of the country, comprising about 30% of the country's total area, is called the Swiss Plateau.

MOUNTAINS

THE HIGHEST MOUNTAINS IN SWITZERLAND

● Dufourspitze: 4634 m● Nordend: 4609 m● Zumsteinspitze: 4563 m● Signalkuppe: 4554 m

Dufourspitze

Nordend

Zumsteinspitze

Signalkuppe

FLORA AND FAUNA

● By Aloia Moreno Bodega 1ºC

PLANTS ● In the cantons of Ticino and the southern valleys of

Grisons the pines and chestnut trees are natural.● Vine, apricots and tomatoes can be grown.

The reduction in temperature in higher altitudes limits growth of plants considerably.

Above 1,800 m trees become smaller and rare, the trees are similar to the bonsai trees.

PLANTS

Chamois, marmot, and ibex can be found in the Alpine regions.

The ibex was extinct once and has been reintroduced again.

MAMMALS

Fox and marten live in the forests.

Wolf, bear, lynx and beaver were extinct for about a century, but lynx and beaver were reintroduced. Today there live some 800 beavers along Switzerland's rivers and lakes.

MAMMALS

Beaver Bear

BIRDS● A variety of almost 200 species of birds are breeding in

Switzerland: chaffinchs, blackcaps, great and blue tits, robins, wrens, sparrows, swans, mallards, coots, woodpeckers, starlings, swallows, buzzards, kites...

Blackcap Blue tit

BIRDS

Robin Wren

BIRDSBIRDS

Sparrow Swan

BIRDS

Woodpecker Starling

BIRDS

SWISS CUSTOMSChristmas

● Traditions of St. Nicholas Day: children learn verses that they recite to Samichlaus (bishop figure) and his helpers in return for sweets.

● The end of the year is celebrated in many places with loud parades, fireworks, drums, bells and whips.

● The Three Wise Men Day children sing carols.

SWISS CUSTOMS

Carnival

On Shrove Tuesday people are wearing masks and fancy dress costumes

TYPICAL DISHES

● Cheese fondue: melted cheese and croutons.

● Raclette: melted cheese served with potatoes cooked unpeeled.

● Älplermagronen: a kind of gratin potatoes, macaroni, cheese, cream and onions.

There are some Swiss dishes and specialties such as:

TYPICAL DISHES

● Rösti: a sort of flat omelet.● Birchermüesli: consisting

of oatmeal, lemon juice, milk condensed, grated apples, hazelnuts or almonds.

● Swiss chocolate.● Swiss cheese.

● We have spoken about...

● a) Sweden● b) Switzerland● c) Swaziland

TEST

Switzerland

TEST● What is the flag of Switzerland?● a)

● b)

● c)

GWhat language is not spoken in Switzerland?

a) French

b) Italian

c) English

TEST

ENGLISH

● What river flows through Switzerland?

a) Thames

b) Rhine

c) Nile

TEST

RHINE

● What animals were reintroduced in Switzerland?

a) Lynx, beaver and ibex

b) Wolf, rabbit and bear

c) Horse, butterfly and frog

TEST

a) Chocolate

b) Money

c) Sweets

TEST● Children recite verses to Samichlaus (bishop figure)

and his helpers in return for...

● An essential ingredient for Swiss cooking is...

a) Cheese

b) Snails

c) Chicken

TEST

MARKS● 7: Excellent!● 6: Very good!● 5: Good● 4: Fair● 3:● 2:● 1:● 0:

THE ENDGood job!Only one

mistake. (I have corrected it)