History of Switzerland in Timeline

Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country in west-central Europe, 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 its territory. The majority of Switzerland's 9 million people reside on the plateau, which hosts its major cities and economic hubs, including Zurich, Geneva, and Lausanne.

1901: Albert Einstein Became a Swiss Citizen

In 1901, Albert Einstein became a Swiss citizen.

1901: Death of Johanna Spyri

In 1901, Johanna Spyri, the author of "Heidi", a famous Swiss literary creation, died. She was known for books on similar themes.

1902: Confoederatio Helvetica inscribed on the Federal Palace

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

1911: Max Frisch was born

In 1911, Max Frisch, a Swiss writer, was born.

1912: Other federal institutions attributed to Lucerne, such as the later SUVA

In 1912, SUVA was attributed to Lucerne.

August 1914: Second General Mobilisation due to World War I

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

1917: Swiss neutrality was questioned by the Grimm–Hoffmann affair

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

1917: Other federal institutions attributed to Lucerne, such as the later Federal Insurance Court

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

1920: Switzerland joins the League of Nations

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

1921: Friedrich Dürrenmatt was born

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

1928: Second Winter Olympic Games in St. Moritz

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

1930: BIS Headquarters Move to Basel

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

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

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

1931: First World Ski Championships in Mürren

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

1934: The WIR franc complemented the Swiss franc

In 1934, the WIR franc became the complement to the Swiss franc as a single currency.

1934: World Ski Championships in St. Moritz

In 1934, the World Ski Championships were held in St. Moritz, Switzerland.

1935: Urban development claimed much of the Swiss landscape

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

September 1939: Third General Mobilisation due to German attack on Poland

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

June 1940: Swiss Air Force engaged Luftwaffe planes

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

1942: Switzerland Isolated by Axis-Controlled Territory

In 1942, Concessions reached a peak after a crucial rail link through Vichy France was severed, leaving Switzerland (together with Liechtenstein) entirely isolated from the wider world by Axis-controlled territory.

1945: Switzerland was bombed by the Allies

In 1945, Switzerland was bombed by the Allies, causing fatalities and property damage.

1947: Death of Charles Ferdinand Ramuz

In 1947, Charles Ferdinand Ramuz, a French-speaking Swiss author, passed away. He was known for novels about peasants and mountain dwellers in harsh environments.

1948: Confoederatio Helvetica used in the official seal

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

1948: Fifth Winter Olympic Games in St. Moritz

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

1954: Switzerland hosted the FIFA World Cup

In 1954, Switzerland hosted the FIFA World Cup.

1955: Motorsport racecourses and events were banned

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

1956: Eurovision Song Contest 1956

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

1959: Some Swiss cantons approved women's right to vote

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

1959: Government coalition of the four major political parties

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

1960: Government Spending in 1960

In 1960, the expenditures of the Swiss Confederation amounted to 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.

1968: Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty seen as a valid alternative

In 1968, The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty was seen as a valid alternative.

1969: Federal institutions attributed to Lausanne

In 1969, EPFL was attributed to Lausanne.

1969: École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) Founded

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

1970: Growing minority not affiliated with any religious body

Around 1970, a steadily growing minority in Switzerland were not affiliated with any religious body.

1971: Women's right to vote achieved at the federal level

In 1971, women's right to vote was achieved at the federal level.

1975: European Space Agency Founding Member

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

1979: The new canton of Jura was formed

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

1980: Initiative for separation of church and state rejected

In 1980, an initiative calling for the complete separation of church and state in Switzerland was rejected by 78.9% of the voters.

1984: Elisabeth Kopp served on the Federal Council executive

In 1984, Elisabeth Kopp became the first woman on the seven-member Federal Council executive, serving until 1989.

1986: Nobel Prize in Physics

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

1988: Plans for building nuclear weapons were dropped

By 1988, plans for building nuclear weapons were dropped in Switzerland, and the Paul Scherrer Institute was founded to explore neutron scattering technologies.

1988: Eurovision Song Contest 1988

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

1989: Elisabeth Kopp leaves Federal Council executive

In 1989, Elisabeth Kopp leaves the Federal Council executive.

1989: Eurovision Song Contest 1989

Switzerland held the Eurovision Song Contest in Lausanne in 1989.

1990: Population Quadrupled

Between 1800 and 1990, the Swiss population quadrupled.

1990: Healthcare Costs Increased

From 1990, healthcare costs steadily increased.

1990: Appenzell Innerrhoden granted women the right to vote

In 1990, Appenzell Innerrhoden, the last canton, granted women the right to vote.

1990: Friedrich Dürrenmatt died

In 1990, Friedrich Dürrenmatt, a Swiss writer, died.

1990: Government Spending in 1990

In 1990, the expenditures of the Swiss Confederation amounted to 9.7% of GDP.

1990: Base year for GHG emissions

The GHG emissions level of 1990 serves as the base for comparison with the emissions cut target of 2030.

1991: Max Frisch died

In 1991, Max Frisch, a Swiss writer, died.

May 1992: Application for membership in the European Union was sent

In May 1992, an application for membership in the European Union was sent, but did not advance.

December 1992: Switzerland rejecting the EEA

In December 1992 Switzerland conducted a referendum on the EEA, and rejected it.

1995: Austria's entry in the EU

In 1995, Austria's entry in the EU surrounded Switzerland, together with Liechtenstein.

April 1999: Swiss population voted in favour of a revised federal constitution

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

1999: Ruth Dreifuss became the first female president

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

1999: No mention of a Federal City

The 1999 Constitution does not mention a Federal City and the Federal Council has yet to address the matter.

1999: The constitution has been completely revised

The Federal Constitution has been completely revised in 1999.

June 2000: Unemployment Rate in June 2000

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

2000: English Elevated in Cantons

In 2000, English was elevated in a few cantons as the first foreign language taught in schools, although traditionally 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 System Maintained

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

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

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

2001: Release of "Das Versprechen" as a Hollywood film

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

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2001: First Series of Bilateral Agreements with EU Takes Effect

In 2001, the first series of seven bilateral agreements between Switzerland and the EU took effect, liberalizing trade ties, including the free movement of persons.

2002: Switzerland Joins the United Nations

In 2002, Switzerland became a full member of the United Nations, marking a shift from its traditional neutrality. It was the first state to join the UN via referendum.

2002: Switzerland becomes a full member of the United Nations

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

May 2003: Anti-Nuclear Referendums Defeated

On May 18, 2003, two anti-nuclear referendums, Moratorium Plus and Electricity Without Nuclear, were defeated.

2003: Alinghi won the America's Cup

In 2003, Alinghi, a Swiss sailing team, was the first European team to win the America's Cup.

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: Adoption of "Army XXI" Reform

In 2003, the reform "Army XXI" was adopted by popular vote, replacing "Army 95" and reducing the army 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 according to the "magic formula".

2004: Roger Federer ended the year 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 nine agreements was signed, covering areas including the Schengen Treaty and the Dublin Convention.

2004: Trade Union Membership

In 2004, about 25% of employees in Switzerland belonged to a trade union and population growth reached 0.52% of population due to net immigration.

2004: Federal institutions attributed to Bellinzona

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

June 2005: Swiss voters agreed to join the Schengen treaty

On June 5, 2005, Swiss voters agreed to join the Schengen treaty.

2005: Roger Federer ended the year ranked no. 1

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

2005: Thomas Lüthi won MotoGP World Championship

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

2006: UN Human Rights Council Hosted in Geneva

In 2006, Geneva became the host of the United Nations Human Rights Council, further solidifying Switzerland's role as a center for international institutions.

2006: Roger Federer ended the year 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.

June 2007: Swiss National Council voted to overturn motorsport ban

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

2007: Alinghi defended the America's Cup title

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

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: Roger Federer ended the year ranked no. 1

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

2008: Switzerland joint host of UEFA Euro tournament

In 2008, Switzerland was the joint host, with Austria, of the UEFA Euro tournament.

December 2009: Unemployment Rate in December 2009

In December 2009, the unemployment rate in Switzerland was 4.4%.

2009: Roger Federer ended the year ranked no. 1

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

2009: Switzerland hosted the IIHF World Championship

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

2010: Swiss Federal Budget in 2010

In 2010, The Swiss Federal budget reached 62.8 billion Swiss francs, 11.35% of GDP.

2010: Healthcare Spending

In 2010, spending on health was 11.4% of GDP.

2011: Government Plans to End 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: Percentage of Swiss not affiliated with any religious body

In 2012, 21.4% of the population in Switzerland was not affiliated with any religious body.

2012: Population with Immigrant Background

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

2012: Zurich Airport Passenger Traffic

In 2012, Zurich Airport handled 22.8 million passengers.

2012: Federal institutions attributed to St. Gallen

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

2012: Life Expectancy

In 2012, the life expectancy at birth in Switzerland was 80.4 years for men and 84.7 years for women.

2013: Switzerland became World Vice-Champion in ice hockey

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

February 2014: Swiss voters approved ballot initiative to restrict immigration

In February 2014, 50.3% of Swiss voters approved a ballot initiative launched by the Swiss People's Party (SVP/UDC) to restrict immigration.

2014: Switzerland ranks first in the Environmental Performance Index

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

2014: Racial Discrimination

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

2014: Marcel Fässler won 24 Hours of Le Mans

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

2014: Switzerland won the Davis Cup title

In 2014, Switzerland won the Davis Cup title.

2014: Multilingual Residents

In 2014, almost two-thirds (64.4%) of the permanent resident population indicated speaking more than one language regularly.

2014: Global Green Economy Index Ranking

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

2014: Unemployment Rate in 2014

In 2014, the unemployment rate in Switzerland decreased to 3.2%.

2015: Nico Müller won 24 Hours Nürburgring

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

2015: Rail Travel per Resident

In 2015, each Swiss resident travelled on average 2,550 kilometers by rail, more than any other European country.

2015: University Rankings

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: Estimation for Agriculture and National Defence Expenditure

In 2015, the estimation for expenditure on agriculture and national defense was 12.4% of GDP

2015: Foreign Citizen Population in 2015

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

2015: Wealth Ownership in 2015

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

November 2016: Referendum to Phaseout Nuclear Power Rejected

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

December 2016: Political compromise with the EU was attained

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: Religious Demographics

According to national surveys from 2016 to 2018, Christianity is the predominant religion in Switzerland, with about 67% of the resident population and 75% of Swiss citizens identifying as Christian.

2016: Withdrawal of EU Membership Application

In 2016, Switzerland formally withdrew its application for European Union membership due to considerable negative popular sentiment.

2016: Switzerland's biocapacity

In 2016, Switzerland had 1.0 hectares of biocapacity per person within its territory, and Swiss consumption required 4.6 hectares of biocapacity.

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%).

2016: Native Languages

In 2016, the main native languages spoken in Switzerland were German (62.8%), French (22.9%), and Italian (8.2%).

2016: Median Monthly Gross Income in Switzerland in 2016

In 2016, the median monthly gross income in Switzerland was 6,502 francs per month.

2016: Global Competitiveness Report Ranking

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

2017: Purchasing Power Ranking

In 2017, Switzerland ranked 11th in the world when its GDP was adjusted for purchasing power.

2017: Population Growth Rate in 2017

In 2017, Switzerland's population growth (from net immigration) was 0.54% of the population.

2018: Racism as a Serious Problem

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 from 10% in 2014 to almost 17% in 2018.

2018: Religious Demographics

According to national surveys from 2016 to 2018, Christianity is the predominant religion in Switzerland, with about 67% of the resident population and 75% of Swiss citizens identifying as Christian.

2018: Number of municipalities in the cantons

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

2018: Cocaine Use in Swiss Cities

In 2018, 5 Swiss cities were listed among the top 10 European cities for cocaine use as measured in wastewater.

2018: Switzerland became World Vice-Champion in ice hockey

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

2018: Purchasing Power Ranking

In 2018, Switzerland ranked 5th in the world when its GDP was adjusted for purchasing power.

2018: Highest GDP per Capita in Basel-City

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

2018: Start of "Weiterentwicklung der Armee" Reform

In 2018, the newest reform of the military, Weiterentwicklung der Armee (WEA), started, aiming to reduce army personnel to 100,000 by the end of 2022.

2018: Cooperative Companies Accounting for GDP

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

2018: Unemployment Rate in 2018

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

2019: Global Competitiveness Ranking

As of 2019, Switzerland's economy ranks fifth globally in the Global Competitiveness Report.

2019: Academic Ranking

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

2019: Average population density in Switzerland

In 2019, the average population density in Switzerland was 215.2 inhabitants per square kilometer.

2019: Unemployment Rate in 2019

In 2019, the unemployment rate in Switzerland was at 2.3%.

2019: Switzerland's 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.

2019: Wealth Inequality Increase Through 2019

Wealth inequality increased through 2019 in Switzerland.

September 2020: Referendum to end free movement of people from the EU 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 introduced but 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: Cannabis Consumption

According to a 2020 survey, fourteen per cent of men and 6.5% of women between 20 and 24 reported consuming cannabis in the past 30 days.

2020: Minority Religious Communities

As of 2020, Christian minority communities in Switzerland included Neo-Pietism (0.5%), Pentecostalism (0.4%), Apostolic communities (0.3%), other Protestant denominations (1.1%), and the Old Catholic Church (0.1%).

2020: Switzerland ranked third in the Environmental Performance Index

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

2020: Global Innovation Index Ranking

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

2020: Purchasing Power Ranking

In 2020, Switzerland ranked 9th in the world when its GDP was adjusted for purchasing power.

2020: Religious Affiliation

In 2020, the Roman Catholic Church had 3,048,475 registered members (35.2% of the total population), while the Swiss Reformed Church had 2,015,816 members (23.3% of the total population).

2020: Ethnic Groups in Switzerland

In 2020, the ethnic groups in Switzerland were estimated as follows: Swiss 69.2%, German 4.2%, Italian 3.2%, Portuguese 2.5%, French 2.1%, Kosovan 1.1%, Turkish 1%, and other 16.7%.

2021: 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's Economy in 2021

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

2021: Global Innovation Index Ranking

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

2022: Target Year for Army Personnel Reduction

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

2022: Global Innovation Index Ranking

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

2023: Switzerland Joins UN Security Council

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

2023: Economic Freedom Ranking

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

2023: Global Innovation Index Ranking

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

2023: Unemployment Rate in 2023

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

2023: Foreign Population

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

2023: Population Estimate

In 2023, the estimated population of Switzerland is about 9 million.

2023: Rail Passengers

In 2023, the rail network in Switzerland carried 614 million passengers.

2024: Global Peace Index Ranking

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

2024: Switzerland became World Vice-Champion in ice hockey

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

2024: Switzerland ranked 9th in the Environmental Performance Index

Switzerland ranked 9th in the Environmental Performance Index for 2024, scoring well in air pollution, sanitation and drinking water, waste management, and climate change mitigation.