On 31 August 2022, Switzerland’s federal government launched its campaign to cut energy consumption to reduce the risks of an energy shortfall over the coming winter. The government stressed that there was currently no energy shortfall. However, Simonetta Sommaruga, the minister in charge of energy, said it was important to cut energy consumption to avoid […]
Swiss GDP growth jumps in 2021
Switzerland’s Gross domestic product (GDP) grew 4.2% in 2021, according to recently released data by Switzerland’s Federal Statistical Office (FSO). The increase follows a decrease of -2.4% in 2020, a year marking the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. Thanks to this upswing, GDP in 2021 was above the level of 2019, although some areas of the […]
Chart of the week: Swiss forest cover compared to other European nations
Before humans settled in western Europe the majority of its surface was covered in forest. Since then much of the natural forest has been displaced by agriculture, buildings and infrastructure. In a list of 16 western European nations, Switzerland was ranked 9th in terms of the percentage of its surface covered in forest (32%). Finland, […]
Swiss inflation up slightly in August 2022
Figures published by Switzerland’s Federal Statistical Office (FSO) on 2 September 2022 show annual inflation running at 3.5% in August, up from 3.4% in July. Switzerland’s consumer price index (CPI) was up slightly in August 2022 compared with the previous month, and 3.5% higher compared with the same month of the previous year, said FSO. […]
Covid among top three causes of death in Switzerland in 2020
In a typical year there are around 70,000 deaths in Switzerland. In 2020, there were 76,195 deaths, 12.4% more than the year before. The jump in deaths was due to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the Federal Statistical Office (FSO), which published mortality data this week. The two leading causes of death in Switzerland in […]
The 3 biggest current concerns in Switzerland, based on survey
According to a recent survey, health costs, pensions and climate change and the three greatest concerns among Switzerland’s population. The online survey published by Tamedia on 26 August 2022 looks at support for the main political parties along with the main concerns of voters. Since the previous survey on 5 January 2022, support for the […]
2022 Switzerland’s second hottest summer since 1864
The summer of 2022 was Switzerland’s second hottest since the beginning of measurements in 1864, according to weather forecaster Meteo Swiss. The only hotter summer was recorded in 2003. The last three months were extremely dry, especially in western Switzerland, with repeated heat waves and sunshine hours well above the norm, wrote Meteo News. Average […]
Swiss to vote on marriage tax penalty
In Switzerland, marriage can increase the amount of tax a couple pays, something referred to as the marriage penalty. Higher tax is levied on married couples because they are assessed on their combined income rather than separately. Another argument against the current system is that it presents an economic barrier for second income earners who […]
Chart of the week: the nationalities becoming Swiss in 2021
In 2021, nearly 37,000 people became Swiss, roughly 11% more than in 2020, according to data published this week by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO). The largest contingent of newly minted Swiss citizens in 2021 were German, followed by Italians, citizens of the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, French and Portuguese. Back in 2000, Italians […]
Early grape harvest looks promising for 2022 Swiss wine vintage
An unusually hot summer in Switzerland has brought forward grape harvesting by a record three weeks, reported RTS. A harvest this early has never been seen before and is expected to result in good quality grapes that could produce excellent wine. Last year, disturbed weather patterns took a huge toll on Swiss grape harvests. Yields […]
