History of Switzerland in Timeline

Switzerland is a landlocked country in Central Europe, bordered by Germany, France, Austria, Liechtenstein, and Italy. Its geography is dominated by the Swiss Alps, though most of the population resides on the Swiss Plateau, home to major cities like Zurich, Geneva, and Bern. The country has a population of about 9 million and is known for its unique position within Europe.

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 Swiss author famous for creating Heidi, a beloved children's book character and a symbol of Switzerland, 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, a Swiss writer, was born.

1912: Federal Institutions attributed to Lucerne

In 1912, Federal Institutions were attributed to Lucerne, such as the later SUVA (1912).

August 1914: Second General Mobilisation

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

1917: Federal Institutions attributed to Lucerne

In 1917, Federal Institutions were attributed to Lucerne, such as the Federal Insurance Court (1917).

1917: Grimm–Hoffmann affair

In 1917, Swiss neutrality was seriously questioned by the short-lived Grimm–Hoffmann affair. Also during World War I, Vladimir Lenin remained in Switzerland until 1917.

1920: Joined 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: Birth of Friedrich Dürrenmatt

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

1928: Second Winter Olympic Games in St. Moritz

In 1928, St. Moritz 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 from rural to urban

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

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: Swiss franc complemented by the WIR franc

In 1934, the Swiss franc was complemented by the WIR franc.

1935: Urban development claimed as 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

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

June 1940: Shooting down of 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 through Vichy France severed

In 1942, a crucial rail link through Vichy France was severed, leaving Switzerland and Liechtenstein entirely isolated from the wider world by Axis-controlled territory.

1945: Bombings by the Allies

Between 1940 and 1945, Switzerland was bombed by the Allies, causing fatalities and property damage. Among the cities and towns bombed were Basel, Brusio, Chiasso, Cornol, Geneva, Koblenz, Niederweningen, Rafz, Renens, Samedan, Schaffhausen, Stein am Rhein, Tägerwilen, Thayngen, Vals, and Zurich.

1947: Death of Charles Ferdinand Ramuz

In 1947, Charles Ferdinand Ramuz, a French-speaking Swiss author known for his novels about peasants and mountain dwellers, passed away.

1948: Used in the official seal

After 1948, the Latin name Confoederatio Helvetica was used in the official seal (e.g., the ISO banking code "CHF" for the Swiss franc, the Swiss postage stamps ('HELVETIA') and the country top-level domain ".ch").

1948: Fifth Winter Olympic Games in St. Moritz

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

1954: Switzerland Hosted the FIFA World Cup

In 1954, Switzerland hosted the FIFA World Cup.

1955: Ban on Motorsport Racecourses and Events

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

1956: Eurovision Song Contest

In 1956, Switzerland hosted the Eurovision Song Contest (the inaugural edition, held in Lugano), and won through Lys Assia.

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1959: Some Swiss 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: Government Expenditure

In 1960, the 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: Joined the Council of Europe

Switzerland joined the Council of Europe in 1963.

1964: Joined the Council of Europe

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

1968: Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty of 1968 was seen as a valid alternative to the Swiss construction of a nuclear bomb.

1969: Federal Institutions attributed to Lausanne

In 1969, Federal Institutions were attributed to Lausanne (EPFL).

1969: École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) founded

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

1970: Religious Affiliation Changes

Around 1970, traditionally Protestant cantons and cities began to see a slight Catholic majority as a steadily growing minority did not affiliate with any religious body.

1971: Women given the right to vote at the federal level.

In 1971, women in Switzerland were given the right to vote at the federal level.

1975: Founder of the European Space Agency

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

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, serving until 1989.

1986: Nobel Prize in Physics

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

1988: Celine Dion wins Eurovision Song Contest

In 1988, Celine Dion won the Eurovision Song Contest for Switzerland.

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1988: Plans for building nuclear weapons were dropped.

In 1988, plans for building nuclear weapons were dropped. In 1988, the Paul Scherrer Institute was founded in his name to explore the therapeutic uses of neutron scattering technologies.

1989: End of term for first woman on the Federal Council

Elisabeth Kopp, the first woman on the seven-member Federal Council executive, served from 1984 to 1989.

1989: Eurovision Song Contest

In 1989, Switzerland hosted the Eurovision Song Contest (Lausanne).

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1990: Population growth

Between 1800 and 1990, the number of inhabitants quadrupled due to rapid population growth during the industrial era.

1990: Healthcare costs increase

From 1990, healthcare costs more or less steadily increased.

1990: Appenzell Innerrhoden grants women the right to vote

In 1990, Appenzell Innerrhoden, one of the last cantons, granted women the right to vote.

1990: Death of Friedrich Dürrenmatt

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

1990: Government Expenditure

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

1990: Level to cut GHG emissions by 50%

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, a Swiss writer, died.

May 1992: Application for EU membership sent

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

December 1992: Switzerland conducted a referendum on the EEA

In December 1992 Switzerland conducted a referendum on the EEA but did not advance since rejecting the EEA.

1995: Switzerland surrounded by EU

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

April 1999: Revised federal constitution voted in favor

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

1999: First female president

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

1999: 1999 Constitution

In 1999, the Swiss Constitution did not mention a Federal City, and the Federal Council didn't address the matter, leaving Switzerland without an officially designated capital or Federal City. Bern is commonly referred to as "Federal City".

1999: Federal Constitution Revised

The Federal Constitution adopted in 1848 is the legal foundation of Switzerland's federal state and was completely revised in 1999.

June 2000: Unemployment Rate

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

2000: English elevated in a few cantons

In 2000, English was elevated in a few cantons to be the first foreign language taught in schools.

2000: Moratorium expired

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

2000: Onyx Intelligence System Maintained

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

2000: Switzerland from rural to urban

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

2001: Release of "Das Versprechen" (The Pledge) as a Hollywood Film

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

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Friedrich Dürrenmatt: Das Versprechen

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2001: Bilateral Agreements Liberalise Trade Ties

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

2002: Switzerland became a full member of the United Nations.

In 2002 Switzerland became a full member of the United Nations, leaving Vatican City as the last widely recognised state without full UN membership.

2002: Switzerland Joins the United Nations

In 2002, Switzerland became a full member of the United Nations, joining by referendum. This marked a departure from its traditional neutrality.

2002: Joined the United Nations

In 2002, Switzerland joined the United Nations, furthering its active role in foreign policy and global governance.

May 2003: Anti-nuclear referendums defeated

In May 2003, two anti-nuclear referendums were defeated: Moratorium Plus 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 Won the America's Cup

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

2003: Army XXI Reform

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

2003: Seven seats in the Federal Council

Since 2003, the seven seats in the Federal Council have been distributed among the four major political parties.

2004: Federal Institutions attributed to Bellinzona

In 2004, Federal Institutions were attributed to Bellinzona (Federal Criminal Court).

2004: Roger Federer Ended the Year Ranked No. 1

In 2004, Swiss tennis player 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 between Switzerland and the EU covering nine areas was signed, including the Schengen Treaty and the Dublin Convention.

2004: Trade Union Membership and Population Growth

In 2004, about 25% of employees belonged to a trade union, and population growth (from net immigration) reached 0.52% of the population.

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: Thomas Lüthi Won the MotoGP World Championship

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

2005: Roger Federer Ended the Year Ranked No. 1

In 2005, Swiss tennis player Roger Federer ended the year ranked No. 1 in the ATP rankings.

2006: Geneva Hosts UN Human Rights Council

In 2006, Geneva became the host of the United Nations Human Rights Council.

2006: Roger Federer Ended the Year Ranked No. 1

In 2006, Swiss tennis player Roger Federer ended the year ranked No. 1 in the ATP rankings.

2006: Referendum Approves Investment in Europe

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

2007: Alinghi Defended the America's Cup

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

2007: Roger Federer Ended the Year Ranked No. 1

In 2007, Swiss tennis player Roger Federer ended the year ranked No. 1 in the ATP rankings.

2007: Switzerland Won the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport

In 2007, Switzerland won the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport with driver Neel Jani.

2007: Housing and Food Price Levels

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

2008: Switzerland Jointly Hosted the UEFA Euro Tournament

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

December 2009: Unemployment Rate

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

2009: Roger Federer Ended the Year Ranked No. 1

In 2009, Swiss tennis player 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: Public transport usage in Zurich

According to a 2010 microcensus, 32% of Zurich inhabitants use public transport regularly, while 26% depend on a personal vehicle.

2010: Swiss Federal Budget

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

2011: Government announced plans to end the use of nuclear energy

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

2012: Religious Affiliation in Switzerland

In 2012, 21.4% of Switzerland's population was not affiliated with any religious body, especially in traditionally Protestant regions.

2012: Immigrant background

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

2012: Federal Institutions attributed to St. Gallen

In 2012, Federal Institutions were attributed to St. Gallen (Federal Administrative Court and Federal Patent Court).

2012: Geneva Airport passengers

In 2012, Geneva Airport handled 13.9 million passengers.

2013: Switzerland Became World Vice-Champion in Ice Hockey

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

February 2014: Vote to restrict immigration

On 9 February 2014, 50.3% of Swiss voters approved a ballot initiative launched by the Swiss People's Party (SVP/UDC) to restrict immigration.

2014: Ranked first in safeguarding the environment

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 the 24 Hours of Le Mans

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

2014: Switzerland Won the Davis Cup Title

In 2014, Switzerland won the Davis Cup title.

2014: Unemployment Rate

In 2014, the unemployment rate decreased to 3.2%.

2014: Global Green Economy Index

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

2015: Expenditure Reduction in Agriculture and National Defence

By 2015, a significant reduction of expenditures had occurred in agriculture and national defence, from 26.5% to 12.4%.

2015: Nico Müller Won the 24 Hours Nürburgring

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

2015: Academic 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 in Switzerland was 28.9%.

2015: Wealth Ownership

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

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

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

December 2016: Political 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: National languages

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

2016: EU Membership Application Withdrawal

In 2016, Switzerland formally withdrew its application for membership in the European Union.

2016: Biocapacity Statistics

In 2016, Switzerland had 1.0 hectares of biocapacity per person within its territory. Also in 2016, 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%).

2017: GDP Ranking

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

2017: Population Growth

In 2017, population growth (from net immigration) fell to 0.54% of population.

2018: Cantons comprised municipalities

As of 2018 the cantons comprised 2,222 municipalities.

2018: Switzerland Became World Vice-Champion in Ice Hockey

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

2018: GDP Ranking

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

2018: WEA Military Reform Started

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

2018: 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: Cooperative Companies

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

2018: Unemployment Rate

In 2018, the unemployment rate decreased to 2.5%.

2018: Religion statistics

National surveys of Swiss Federal Statistical Office between 2016 and 2018 indicated that around 67% of the resident population were Christian.

2019: Academic Ranking

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

2019: Global Innovation Index Ranking

In 2019, Switzerland was ranked the most innovative country in the Global Innovation Index.

2019: Multilingual residents

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

2019: Average population density

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

2019: Unemployment Rate

In 2019, the unemployment rate decreased to 2.3%.

2019: Forest Landscape Integrity Index score

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 Increased

Wealth inequality increased through 2019 in Switzerland.

September 2020: Referendum on free movement of people from the EU

In September 2020, voters rejected the attempt to retake control of immigration, defeating the motion by a roughly 63%–37% margin in a referendum calling for a vote to end the pact that allowed a free movement of people from the European Union.

September 2020: Rejection of anti-free movement referendum

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

2020: Ethnic groups

According to the World Factbook, as of 2020, the largest ethnic group in the country is Swiss (69.2%).

2020: Ranked third out of 180 countries

In 2020 it was ranked third out of 180 countries in safeguarding the environment.

2020: GDP Ranking

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

2020: Global Innovation Index Ranking

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

2020: National Survey Conducted by the Swiss Federal Statistical Office

In 2020, a national survey by the Swiss Federal Statistical Office revealed the presence 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%), other Christian denominations (0.3%). Non-Christian religions included Islam (5.3%), Hinduism (0.6%), Buddhism (0.5%), and Judaism (0.25%).

2020: Church membership

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

2021: Exporter Ranking

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

2021: Immigrant background

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

2021: Global Innovation Index Ranking

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

May 2022: Ban on Motorsport Lifted

In May 2022, the ban on motorsport racecourses and events in Switzerland was lifted, citing improvements in motorsport safety.

2022: Expected Reduction of Army Personnel

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

2022: Global Innovation Index Ranking

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

2022: Life expectancy

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

2022: Healthcare spending

In 2022, spending on health was at 11.7% of GDP.

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: Global Innovation Index Ranking

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

2023: Foreign population

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

2023: Rail network

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

2023: Unemployment Rate

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

2023: Index of Economic Freedom

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

June 2024: Swiss population

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

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: Religious Event Attendance

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

2024: Nemo wins Eurovision Song Contest

In 2024, Nemo won the Eurovision Song Contest for Switzerland.

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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

In 2024, Switzerland ranked 9th in the Environmental Performance Index. It scored well in parameters including air pollution, sanitation and drinking water, waste management, and climate change mitigation.