Switzerland

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Drama

Swiss drama has a long history, and the theater has enjoyed tremendous growth as a popular art form since the late 19th century. Today, leading centers of drama include the Stadttheater Basel, Stadttheater Bern, Grand Théâtre de Genève, Théâtre de la Comédie in Geneva, and Théâtre Municipal de Lausanne. In addition to these large, state-subsidized venues, numerous small independent theaters are found throughout the country, giving aspiring dramatists the opportunity to have their plays produced. Even in Romansch-speaking Switzerland, for example, amateur groups perform Romansch plays and translated works. Professional ballet companies are present in Basel, Geneva, Lausanne, and Zürich.

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Libraries and Museums

Switzerland has many federal, cantonal, and municipal public libraries. These are complemented by collections maintained by universities, private organizations, and religious institutions. The library of Basel University, with several million volumes, is among the largest in Switzerland. The Swiss National Library, in Bern, and the libraries of the United Nations (UN) and of the International Labor Organization (ILO), both in Geneva, are among the most important specialized libraries. The Abbey Library in Sankt Gallen contains thousands of old and rare works that date from the 8th century.

The National Museum, in Zürich, houses the most important of several large historical collections in Switzerland. Fine arts museums in Basel, Bern, and Zürich contain collections of 15th- and 16th-century German, 17th- and 18th-century Dutch and Flemish, 19th-century French impressionist, and contemporary European works. The Museum of Art and History and the Museum of Natural History, both in Geneva, are perhaps the best of their types in the country. Noteworthy specialty museums include the International Museum of Horology, devoted to clocks and timepieces, in La Chaux-de-Fonds; the Swiss Transportation Museum, the country’s most visited museum, in Lucerne; and the Swiss Open Air Museum at Ballenberg, which preserves houses and farm buildings that epitomize the country’s rich rural architecture.

V

Economy

Switzerland has a highly developed industrialized economy and one of the highest standards of living in the world. Gross domestic product (GDP) in 2005 totaled $367 billion. Services constitute the dominant sector of the Swiss economy, with banking, insurance, tourism, government administration, and other services accounting for 72 percent of all employment. Industry, primarily manufacturing and construction, employs 24 percent. Switzerland’s domestic market is small, and most Swiss manufacturing is geared to the production of high-quality goods for export. Key exports include machinery and electronics; chemicals and pharmaceuticals; and watches, musical instruments, and jewelry. Agriculture, forestry, and fishing employ 4 percent of Swiss workers.

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Labor

In 2005 the Swiss labor force was made up of 4.2 million people. Switzerland’s excellent educational system produces large numbers of young people with academic, technical, and vocational training for the job market. Progressive employment legislation ensures that workers are well paid and well cared for. By federal law, men and women who perform the same work must receive the same pay. Imbued with a strong work ethic, the Swiss are among the world leaders in number of hours worked per year and in the least amount of time lost to labor strikes and other disruptions. Foreigners comprise about one-quarter of the labor force. The leading labor group is the Swiss Federation of Trade Unions.

B

Agriculture

Because cultivation is difficult on the steep slopes that characterize so much of Switzerland, a majority of the country’s arable land is devoted to pasture for grazing animals. The dairy cow was domesticated in Switzerland in prehistoric times, and dairying has long dominated the agricultural sector of the Swiss economy. Today, dairy products account for about 35 percent of the value of all Swiss agricultural activity; livestock accounts for another 28 percent. Cheese and milk chocolate—two quintessential Swiss products—are derived from the dairy industry. Dozens of varieties of cheese are produced and exported, including the world-famous Swiss cheese, also known as Emmentaler because it is produced in the valley of the Emme River. Almost equally famous is Gruyère, produced in and around the town of the same name. Milk chocolates are made in considerable quantity. Nestlé S.A., Switzerland’s largest single employer, and Lindt, are major manufacturers of chocolate products. Dozens of other Swiss chocolate manufacturers are known regionally and internationally.

Dairying has given rise to some of Switzerland’s most enduring practices and symbols. Among the most important is the transhumance, the seasonal movement of livestock between lowland pastures and alpine meadows. The cycle begins in spring with the alpaufzug, in which herders and their animals move up into alpine meadows as the snow retreats. During this time of year, cows are fitted with bells of different size and pitch so they can be found more easily in severe weather; the bells produce a pleasant clanging across the alps. In the fall, before the snow returns, herders and their animals return to lower elevations in a movement called the alpabfahrt. Both the ascent and descent are cause for local celebration and are marked by the donning of traditional costume.

Cultivation of grapes for wine began in Switzerland during Roman times. Today, the production of grapes, and other fruits, accounts for about 11 percent of the value of the country’s agricultural output. Warm, south-facing slopes are favored for grape cultivation. The land that rises above Lake Geneva between Lausanne and Montreux (locally called Corniche de Lavaux) is an important center of grape production and is especially picturesque.

Employment in the agricultural sector has dropped significantly in recent decades, declining 25 percent between the years 1985 and 1995. At the same time, the value of Switzerland’s agricultural production has risen. The employment loss is principally a result of the mechanization of agriculture and land consolidation, as many small, family-owned farms are replaced by larger agribusinesses.