History of Switzerland in Timeline

Switzerland, a landlocked country in west-central Europe, is bordered by Italy, France, Germany, Austria, and Liechtenstein. Its geography is divided into the Swiss Plateau, the Alps, and the Jura, with the Alps occupying most of the territory. The majority of its 9 million people reside on the plateau, where major cities and economic centers like Zurich, Geneva, and Lausanne are located.

1901: Albert Einstein Becomes Swiss Citizen

In 1901, Albert Einstein became a Swiss citizen. He later developed his theory of special relativity in Bern.

1901: Death of Johanna Spyri

In 1901, Johanna Spyri, the creator of the famous Swiss literary creation "Heidi", died.

1902: Inscribed on the Federal Palace

In 1902, the Latin name Confoederatio Helvetica appeared inscribed on the Federal Palace.

1911: Birth of Max Frisch

In 1911, Max Frisch, one of the classic authors of Swiss literature, was born.

1912: SUVA in Lucerne

In 1912, the later SUVA was assigned to Lucerne.

August 1914: Second General Mobilisation Declared

In August 1914, the second general mobilisation was declared in response to the First World War outbreak.

1917: Grimm–Hoffmann affair

In 1917, Swiss neutrality was seriously questioned by the short-lived Grimm–Hoffmann affair.

1917: Federal Insurance Court in Lucerne

In 1917, the Federal Insurance Court was assigned to Lucerne.

1920: Joined the League of Nations

In 1920, Switzerland joined the League of Nations, which was based in Geneva, after being exempted from military requirements.

1921: Birth of Friedrich Dürrenmatt

In 1921, Friedrich Dürrenmatt, a later Swiss writer, was born.

1928: Winter Olympic Games in St. Moritz

In 1928, St. Moritz hosted the second Winter Olympic Games.

1930: Bank for International Settlements Moves to Basel

In 1930, the headquarters of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) moved to Basel, Switzerland.

1930: Switzerland transitioned from rural to urban

Switzerland began its transition from a largely rural country to an urban one starting from 1930.

1931: First World Ski Championships in Mürren

In 1931, the first world ski championships were held in Mürren, Switzerland.

1934: World Ski Championships in St. Moritz

In 1934, St. Moritz, Switzerland, hosted the World Ski Championships.

1934: WIR franc complemented the Swiss franc

In 1934, the WIR franc was introduced, complementing the Swiss franc as a currency.

1935: Urban development claimed much of landscape

After 1935, urban development claimed as much of the Swiss landscape as it did during the prior 2,000 years.

September 1939: Third Mobilisation Takes Place

In September 1939, the third mobilisation took place in response to the German attack on Poland.

June 1940: Swiss Air Force shot down Luftwaffe planes

In May and June 1940, the Swiss Air Force engaged aircraft of both sides, shooting down 11 intruding Luftwaffe planes.

1942: Rail link severed through Vichy France

In 1942, a crucial rail link through Vichy France was severed, leaving Switzerland isolated and prompting concessions to Nazi Germany.

1945: Switzerland was bombed by the Allies

Between 1940 and 1945, Switzerland was bombed by the Allies, causing fatalities and property damage in various cities and towns.

1947: Death of Charles Ferdinand Ramuz

In 1947, Charles Ferdinand Ramuz, a French-speaking Swiss author known for his novels depicting peasant and mountain life, passed away.

1948: Used in the official seal

After 1948, the Latin name Confoederatio Helvetica was used in the official seal.

1948: Winter Olympic Games in St. Moritz

In 1948, St. Moritz hosted the fifth edition of the Winter Olympic Games.

1954: 1954 FIFA World Cup

In 1954, Switzerland hosted the FIFA World Cup.

1955: Motorsport Ban

Following the 1955 Le Mans disaster, motorsport racecourses and events were banned in Switzerland, with exceptions for events such as hillclimbing.

1956: Inaugural Eurovision Song Contest

Switzerland held the inaugural Eurovision Song Contest in Lugano in 1956 and won through Lys Assia.

1959: Some cantons approved women's right to vote

In 1959, some Swiss cantons approved women the right to vote.

1959: Coalition of the four major political parties

Since 1959, the government has been a coalition of the four major political parties.

1960: Expenditures of the Swiss Confederation

In 1960, expenditures of the Swiss Confederation were 7% of GDP

1961: Death of Blaise Cendrars

In 1961, Blaise Cendrars (born Frédéric Sauser), a French-speaking Swiss author, died.

1963: Switzerland joined the Council of Europe

In 1963, Switzerland joined the Council of Europe.

1964: Joined Council of Europe

In 1964, Switzerland joined the Council of Europe, marking a step in its foreign policy.

1968: Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

In 1968, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty was seen as a valid alternative, influencing the decision to drop plans for building nuclear weapons.

1969: EPFL in Lausanne

In 1969, the EPFL was attributed to Lausanne.

1969: École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne Founded

In 1969, the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Lausanne was founded; it was formerly associated with the University of Lausanne.

1970: Shift in Religious Affiliation

Around 1970, a growing minority in traditionally Protestant cantons and cities began to identify as not affiliated with any religious body.

1971: Women's suffrage at the federal level

In 1971, women's suffrage was achieved at the federal level in Switzerland.

1975: European Space Agency Founding

In 1975, Switzerland was one of the 10 founders of the European Space Agency (ESA).

1979: Canton of Jura formed

In 1979, areas from the canton of Bern attained independence, forming the new canton of Jura.

1984: Elisabeth Kopp on Federal Council

In 1984, Elisabeth Kopp became the first woman on the seven-member Federal Council executive.

1986: Nobel Prize in Physics Awarded

In 1986, Gerd Binnig and Heinrich Rohrer earned the Nobel Prize in Physics for inventing the scanning tunnelling microscope.

1988: Plans for building nuclear weapons were dropped

By 1988, plans for building nuclear weapons in Switzerland were dropped due to financial problems, ethical considerations, and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

1988: Switzerland Wins Eurovision Song Contest

Switzerland won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1988 through Celine Dion.

1989: End of Elisabeth Kopp's term

In 1989, Elisabeth Kopp's term ended.

1989: Eurovision Song Contest in Lausanne

Switzerland held the Eurovision Song Contest in Lausanne in 1989.

1990: Swiss Population Growth

Between 1800 and 1990 the number of inhabitants quadrupled in Switzerland.

1990: Increasing Health Costs

From 1990, health costs in Switzerland steadily increased.

1990: Death of Gottfried Keller

In 1990, Friedrich Durrenmatt, a Swiss Writer, died.

1990: Expenditures of the Swiss Confederation

In 1990, expenditures of the Swiss Confederation were 9.7% of GDP

1990: Women's suffrage in Appenzell Innerrhoden

In 1990, women's suffrage was achieved in the last canton, Appenzell Innerrhoden.

1990: Baseline for GHG emissions cut target

The country pledged to cut GHG emissions by 50% by 2030 compared to the level of 1990.

1991: Death of Max Frisch

In 1991, Max Frisch, one of the classic authors of Swiss literature, died.

May 1992: Application for EU membership

In May 1992, an application for membership in the European Union was sent.

December 1992: Rejection of the EEA

In December 1992, Switzerland rejected the European Economic Area (EEA) in a referendum.

1995: Switzerland surrounded by the EU

In 1995, Switzerland, together with Liechtenstein, has been surrounded by the EU since Austria's entry.

April 1999: Revised federal constitution voted in favour

On 18 April 1999, the Swiss population and the cantons voted in favor of a completely revised federal constitution.

1999: Ruth Dreifuss was first female president

In 1999, Ruth Dreifuss became the first female president of Switzerland.

1999: Constitution does not mention Federal City

The 1999 Constitution does not mention a Federal City.

1999: Federal Constitution revised

The Federal Constitution adopted in 1848 has been completely revised twice, in 1874 and 1999.

June 2000: Unemployment Rate Increased

In June 2000, the unemployment rate in Switzerland was 1.7%.

2000: English Elevated in Cantons

In 2000, English was elevated to the first foreign language taught in schools in a few cantons, previously it was one of the other Swiss languages.

2000: Moratorium Expired

In 2000, a moratorium on building new nuclear power plants expired.

2000: Onyx Intelligence Gathering System Maintained

Since 2000, the Swiss armed force department has maintained the Onyx intelligence gathering system to monitor satellite communications.

2000: Switzerland transitioned from rural to urban

Switzerland went from a largely rural country to an urban one from 1930 to 2000.

2001: Release of "The Pledge"

In 2001, Friedrich Dürrenmatt's "Das Versprechen" (The Pledge) was released as a Hollywood film starring Jack Nicholson.

2001: Bilateral Agreements Liberalise Trade Ties

In 2001, seven bilateral agreements liberalised trade ties, including the free movement of persons.

2002: Switzerland Joins United Nations

In 2002, Switzerland became a full member of the United Nations, marking the first state to join the UN by referendum.

2002: Switzerland becomes a member of UN

In 2002, Switzerland became a full member of the United Nations.

2002: Joined the United Nations

In 2002, Switzerland joined the United Nations, becoming a full member and pursuing an active foreign policy.

May 2003: Anti-Nuclear Referendums Defeated

In May 2003, two anti-nuclear referendums were defeated: Moratorium Plus, aimed at forbidding the building of new nuclear power plants, and Electricity Without Nuclear.

2003: Foreign Students in Tertiary Education

In 2003, Switzerland had the second highest rate (almost 18%) of foreign students in tertiary education, after Australia (slightly over 18%).

2003: Alinghi Wins America's Cup

In 2003, the Swiss sailing team Alinghi won the America's Cup, marking the first time a European team achieved this victory.

2003: Army XXI Reform Adopted

In 2003, the reform "Army XXI" was adopted by popular vote, replacing "Army 95" and reducing the military rolls from 400,000 to about 200,000.

2003: Distribution of seats in the Federal Council

Since 2003, the seven seats in the Federal Council have been distributed as follows:

2004: Roger Federer Ranked No. 1

In 2004, Roger Federer ended the year ranked no. 1 in the ATP rankings.

2004: Second Series of Agreements Signed

In 2004, a second series of agreements covering nine areas, including the Schengen Treaty and the Dublin Convention, was signed.

2004: Trade Union Membership

In 2004, about 25% of employees in Switzerland belonged to a trade union.

2004: Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona

In 2004, the Federal Criminal Court was attributed to Bellinzona.

June 2005: Swiss voters agreed to join the Schengen treaty

On 5 June 2005, Swiss voters agreed by a 55% majority to join the Schengen treaty.

2005: Roger Federer Ranked No. 1

In 2005, Roger Federer ended the year ranked no. 1 in the ATP rankings.

2005: Thomas Lüthi Wins MotoGP World Championship

In 2005, Swiss motorcycle racer Thomas Lüthi won the MotoGP World Championship in the 125cc category.

2006: Roger Federer Ranked No. 1

In 2006, Roger Federer ended the year ranked no. 1 in the ATP rankings.

2006: Referendum Approves Investment in European Countries

In 2006, a referendum approved 1 billion francs of supportive investment in Southern and Central European countries to support positive ties to the EU.

2006: UN Human Rights Council Hosted in Geneva

Since 2006, Geneva hosts the United Nations Human Rights Council, reinforcing Switzerland's role as a hub for international organizations.

June 2007: Swiss National Council Votes on Motorsport Ban

In June 2007, the Swiss National Council voted to overturn the ban on motorsport racecourses and events, but the Swiss Council of States rejected the change, so the ban remained in place.

2007: Roger Federer Ranked No. 1

In 2007, Roger Federer ended the year ranked no. 1 in the ATP rankings.

2007: High Housing and Food Prices

In 2007, housing and food price levels in Switzerland were 171% and 145% of the EU-25 index, respectively.

2007: Alinghi Defends America's Cup

In 2007, the Swiss sailing team Alinghi successfully defended its title in the America's Cup.

2008: UEFA Euro 2008

In 2008, Switzerland jointly hosted the UEFA Euro tournament with Austria.

December 2009: Unemployment Rate Increased

In December 2009, the unemployment rate increased to 4.4%.

2009: Roger Federer Ranked No. 1

In 2009, Roger Federer ended the year ranked no. 1 in the ATP rankings.

2009: IIHF World Championship

In 2009, Switzerland hosted the IIHF World Championship for the tenth time.

2010: Public Transport Usage in Zurich

In 2010, a microcensus discovered that in Zurich, 32% of its inhabitants use the city's public transport regularly, while 26% depended on a personal vehicle.

2010: Federal Budget Reached 62.8 Billion Swiss Francs

In 2010, the Swiss Federal budget reached 62.8 billion Swiss francs, which was 11.35% of GDP.

2011: Government Announces End to Nuclear Energy Use

Following the Fukushima nuclear disaster, in 2011 the government announced plans to end the use of nuclear energy in the following 20 to 30 years.

2012: Religious Affiliation Statistics

In 2012, 21.4% of Switzerland's population was not affiliated with any religious body, particularly in traditionally Protestant regions like Basel-City (42%), Neuchâtel (38%), Geneva (35%), Vaud (26%), and Zurich (23%).

2012: Permanent Resident Population with Immigrant Background

In 2012, 34.7% of the permanent resident population aged 15 or over, had an immigrant background.

2012: Geneva Airport Passenger Statistics

In 2012, Geneva Airport handled 13.9 million passengers.

2012: Federal Administrative Court and Federal Patent Court in St. Gallen

In 2012, the Federal Administrative Court and Federal Patent Court were attributed to St. Gallen.

2013: World Vice-Champion in Ice Hockey

In 2013, Switzerland became World Vice-Champion in ice hockey.

February 2014: Ballot initiative to restrict immigration

On 9 February 2014, 50.3% of Swiss voters approved a ballot initiative to restrict immigration.

2014: Ranked first in Environmental Performance Index

According to the 2014 Environmental Performance Index, Switzerland ranked first among 132 nations in safeguarding the environment.

2014: Population Targeted by Racial Discrimination

In 2014, 10% of the population claimed to have been targeted by racial discrimination, according to the Federal Statistical Office.

2014: Marcel Fässler Wins 24 Hours of Le Mans

In 2014, Marcel Fässler, a Swiss racing driver, won the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

2014: Switzerland Wins Davis Cup

In 2014, Switzerland won the Davis Cup title.

2014: Global Green Economy Index Ranking

In 2014, the Global Green Economy Index placed Switzerland among the top 10 green economies.

2014: Unemployment Rate Decreased

In 2014, the unemployment rate decreased to 3.2%.

2015: Nico Müller Wins 24 Hours Nürburgring

In 2015, Nico Müller, a Swiss racing driver, won the 24 Hours Nürburgring.

2015: University of Zurich and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich Ranking

In 2015, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ) and the University of Zurich were listed 20th and 54th respectively, on the Academic Ranking of World Universities.

2015: Foreign Citizen Population

In 2015, the foreign citizen population was 28.9% of Switzerland.

2015: Wealth Inequality

In 2015, the richest 1% in Switzerland owned 35% of the wealth.

2015: Reduction of expenditures in agriculture and national defence

In 2015, there was an estimation for a significant reduction of expenditures in agriculture and national defence; from 26.5% to 12.4%.

November 2016: Swiss Voters Reject Nuclear Phaseout Referendum

In November 2016, Swiss voters rejected a Green Party referendum to accelerate the phaseout of nuclear power.

December 2016: Compromise with the EU

In December 2016, a political compromise with the EU was attained that eliminated quotas on EU citizens, but still allowed favorable treatment of Swiss-based job applicants.

2016: Christianity in Switzerland

According to national surveys of Swiss Federal Statistical Office 2016-2018, about 67% of resident population in Switzerland is Christian.

2016: National Languages Statistics

In 2016, German was spoken natively by 62.8% of the population; French by 22.9%; and Italian by 8.2%.

2016: Switzerland's biocapacity far lower than world average

In 2016, Switzerland had 1.0 hectares of biocapacity per person within its territory, 40 per cent less than world average of 1.6.

2016: Swiss Membership Application Withdrawn

In 2016, Switzerland's membership application to the European Union was formally withdrawn due to negative popular sentiment.

2016: Languages Spoken at Home

In 2016, the languages most spoken at home among permanent residents aged 15 and older were Swiss German (59.4%), French (23.5%), Standard German (10.6%), and Italian (8.5%). Other languages spoken at home included English (5.0%), Portuguese (3.8%), Albanian (3.0%), Spanish (2.6%) and Serbian and Croatian (2.5%).

2016: Switzerland's Economy Ranked Most Competitive

The 2016 World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report ranked Switzerland's economy as the world's most competitive.

2017: Switzerland Ranked 11th in Purchasing Power

In 2017, Switzerland ranked 11th when adjusted for purchasing power.

2017: Population Growth

In 2017, population growth (from net immigration) reached 0.54% of population

2018: Reported Increase in Racial Discrimination

A follow-up study conducted in 2018 reported that 59% considered racism a serious problem in Switzerland. The proportion of the population that claimed to have been targeted by racial discrimination increased to almost 17% in 2018.

2018: Christianity in Switzerland

According to national surveys of Swiss Federal Statistical Office 2016-2018, about 67% of resident population in Switzerland is Christian.

2018: Number of municipalities

As of 2018, the cantons comprised 2,222 municipalities.

2018: World Vice-Champion in Ice Hockey

In 2018, Switzerland became World Vice-Champion in ice hockey.

2018: Switzerland Ranked 5th in Purchasing Power

In 2018, Switzerland ranked fifth when adjusted for purchasing power.

2018: Basel-City Has Highest GDP per Capita

In 2018, the canton of Basel-City had the highest GDP per capita in Switzerland, ahead of Zug and Geneva.

2018: Weiterentwicklung der Armee Reform Started

In 2018, the newest military reform, Weiterentwicklung der Armee (WEA), began.

2018: Cooperatives Account for 11% of GDP

In 2018, the ten largest cooperative companies in Switzerland accounted for more than 11% of GDP.

2018: Unemployment Rate Dropped

In 2018, the unemployment rate further dropped to 2.5%.

2019: Switzerland Ranks Fifth Globally

As of 2019, Switzerland's economy ranks fifth globally in terms of competitiveness.

2019: Multilingualism

In 2019 more than two-thirds (68%) of the permanent resident population indicated speaking more than one language regularly.

2019: Switzerland's Ranking on Academic Ranking of World Universities

In 2019, Switzerland was ranked 87th on the Academic Ranking of World Universities.

2019: Average population density

In 2019, the average population density in Switzerland was 215.2 inhabitants per square kilometre (557/sq mi).

2019: Unemployment Rate Dropped

In 2019, the unemployment rate was 2.3%.

2019: Wealth Inequality Increased

In 2019, wealth inequality in Switzerland increased.

2019: Forest Landscape Integrity Index

Switzerland had a 2019 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 3.53/10, ranking it 150th globally out of 172 countries.

September 2020: Referendum to end free movement of people rejected

In September 2020, a referendum calling for a vote to end the pact that allowed a free movement of people from the European Union was rejected by voters.

September 2020: Anti-free movement referendum rejected

On 27 September 2020, 62% of Swiss voters rejected the anti-free movement referendum by SVP.

2020: Largest Ethnic Group

According to the World Factbook, as of 2020, the largest ethnic group in Switzerland is Swiss, accounting for 69.2% of the population.

2020: Switzerland Ranked Most Innovative Country

In 2020, Switzerland has been ranked the most innovative country in the Global Innovation Index.

2020: Switzerland Ranked 9th in Purchasing Power

In 2020, Switzerland ranked ninth when adjusted for purchasing power.

2020: Ranked third in Environmental Performance Index

In 2020, Switzerland was ranked third out of 180 countries in the Environmental Performance Index.

2020: Religious Demographics in Switzerland

In 2020, a national survey by the Swiss Federal Statistical Office revealed the composition of Christian minority communities, including Neo-Pietism (0.5%), Pentecostalism (0.4%), Apostolic communities (0.3%), other Protestant denominations (1.1%), the Old Catholic Church (0.1%), and other Christian denominations (0.3%). Non-Christian religions included Islam (5.3%), Hinduism (0.6%), Buddhism (0.5%), and Judaism (0.25%).

2020: Registered Members of Religious Churches

In 2020, the Roman Catholic Church had 3,048,475 registered members, while the Swiss Reformed Church had 2,015,816 members.

2021: Permanent Resident Population with Immigrant Background

2021 figures show that 39.5% of the permanent resident population aged 15 or over, had an immigrant background.

2021: Switzerland Thirteenth Largest Exporter

As of 2021, Switzerland is the thirteenth largest exporter, and the fifth largest per capita.

2021: Switzerland Ranked Most Innovative Country

In 2021, Switzerland has been ranked the most innovative country in the Global Innovation Index.

2022: Reduction of Army Personnel Expected

By the end of 2022, the Weiterentwicklung der Armee (WEA) reform was expected to reduce the number of army personnel to 100,000.

2022: Switzerland Ranked Most Innovative Country

In 2022, Switzerland has been ranked the most innovative country in the Global Innovation Index.

2022: Life Expectancy at Birth

In 2022, the life expectancy at birth in Switzerland was 82.2 years for men and 85.8 years for women.

2022: Median Monthly Gross Income

In 2022, the median monthly gross income in Switzerland was 6,788 francs per month.

2023: Switzerland Joins UN Security Council

In 2023, Switzerland became a member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2023–2024 period.

2023: Switzerland Second-Highest in Index of Economic Freedom

In 2023, Switzerland had the second-highest global rating in the Index of Economic Freedom.

2023: Switzerland Ranked Most Innovative Country

In 2023, Switzerland has been ranked the most innovative country in the Global Innovation Index.

2023: Unemployment Rate Dropped

In 2023, Switzerland's unemployment rate reached a 20-year low of 2%.

2023: Foreign Residents in Switzerland

In 2023, resident foreigners made up 26.3% of Switzerland's population.

2023: Rail Network Statistics

In 2023, the rail network in Europe spanned 5,250 kilometres and carried 614 million passengers. Also in 2023, each Swiss resident travelled on average 2,446 kilometers by rail.

June 2024: Swiss Population

As of June 2024, the Swiss population is about 9 million.

2024: Switzerland Ranks 6th in Global Peace Index

According to the 2024 Global Peace Index, Switzerland is the 6th most peaceful country in the world.

2024: Decline in Religious Attendance

By 2024, half of the Swiss population had not attended a religious event in the past 12 months, according to the Federal Statistical Office. Over a quarter of those who left their religion cited loss of faith or disagreement with their religious community.

2024: World Vice-Champion in Ice Hockey

In 2024, Switzerland became World Vice-Champion in ice hockey.

2024: Switzerland Ranked Most Innovative Country

In 2024, Switzerland has been ranked the most innovative country in the Global Innovation Index.

2024: 9th in the Environmental Performance Index

In 2024, Switzerland ranked 9th in the Environmental Performance Index, with good scores in air pollution, sanitation, drinking water, waste management, and climate change mitigation.