In Switzerland one name really stands out. At the end of 2018, 82,577 people called Maria were living in Switzerland, almost twice the number with the second most popular female name Anna (41,582), according to figures from the Federal Statistical Office. Maria’s secret to success is partly its historical appeal across all of Switzerland’s linguistic […]
Swiss national day: 4 things you ought to know
Every year on 1 August, Swiss celebrate the founding of their nation with barbecues, friends, town celebrations and a lot of fireworks. But what is it all about? 1. The Federal Charter of 1291 Switzerland’s national celebration, held every year on 1 August, celebrates the signing of the Federal Charter of 1291 in early August […]
Children cleaning Swiss classrooms divides opinion
In 2002, Prilly, a municipality in French-speaking Switzerland decided it needed to cut its spending. The roughly 15,000 francs it was spending on school cleaning didn’t escape the cuts, according to 20 Minutes. Less commercial cleaning meant pupils and teachers had to pitch in and help keep the school clean. Commercial cleaners continued to clean […]
Mistrust of Islam nearly three times higher than negative views of muslims
A recent survey in Switzerland shows mistrust of Islam is close to three times more prevalent than negative views of muslims. Every two years, Switzerland’s Federal Statistical Office compiles a survey of attitudes towards people of different race, religion and nationality. The survey entitled: living together in Switzerland, asks a wide range of questions covering […]
Death of child in skiing accident acts as reminder of the dangers of reckless skiing
The recent death of a young girl in a skiing accident in Lenk in Switzerland has reopened the debate on how to deal with dangerous skiers. On 28 December 2018, a four year old girl, who was hit by a skier at the resort of Lenk in the canton of Bern, died in hospital after […]
Swiss prison rate one of world’s lowest
This week, Switzerland’s Federal Statistical Office released the latest Swiss prison figures. In 2017, the total incarceration rate was 81 per 100,000, down from 83 in 2016. Switzerland’s rate is a far cry from the 656 per 100,000 found in the US. In a world ranking of 222 countries, Switzerland comes in 162nd lowest. In […]
Switzerland slides significantly in expat country ranking
A recent survey suggests Switzerland might be losing its attractiveness as a place for foreigners to live and work. Switzerland fell 17 places from 27th to 44th in the ranking of 68 countries done by the networking company Internations. Switzerland’s overall ranking is a mix of good and bad. 78% of expats in Switzerland said […]
Don’t get caught out by Swiss summer train track closures
Swiss rail is closing parts of its network from 30 June 2018 until 26 August 2018. Engineering work across more than 30 sites means some sections of track will be closed. Work can be done at night, allowing trains to run during the day, however, work is much faster if it is done around the […]
42 suspected extremists in Swiss army
A recent reported published by Switzerland’s Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS), reveals that 42 extremism investigations were requested in 2017. In 2016, there were 50. Switzerland has a system of compulsory military service for all Swiss men who pass a physical and psychological aptitude test. Those who miss the mark on […]
Switzerland’s grueling high-altitude journey from Zermatt to Verbier
Every two years, around 5,000 hardy skiers make the grueling high-altitude journey from Zermatt to Verbier along a route known as the haute route. The event, known as the Patrouille des Glaciers, is organized by Switzerland’s army. This year it runs from Apr 17, 2018 – Apr 21, 2018, with different teams setting off on different […]
