Switzerland is a mountainous Central European country, home to numerous lakes, villages and the high peaks of the Alps. Its cities contain medieval quarters, with landmarks like capital Bern‚s Zytglogge clock tower and Lucerne‚s wooden chapel bridge. The country is also known for its ski resorts and hiking trails. Banking and finance are key industries, and Swiss watches and chocolate are world renowned.

Switzerland is one of the richest countries in the world with Zurich and Geneva ranked as the cities with the second and third highest quality of life in the world. Switzerland comprises three main linguistic and cultural regions: German, French, and Italian, which showcase three of Europe‚s most distinct cultures ‚ beer-drinking, sausage-eating German-speaking Swiss in the northeast; wine drinking and shopping spills effortlessly French Swiss in the south-west; the cappuccino-sippers loitering in Italian-style plazas in the south-east; and the classic Swiss flugelhorns and mountain landscapes in the centre.‚  Swiss are relatively reserved people, polite and helpful, but rather discrete with highly respected privacy.