30 Fun Facts About Switzerland That Are Totally True
Yellow Productions presents 30 interesting facts about Switzerland.
Topher, my traveling panda and I, were just finishing up a week in Switzerland and we were preparing our video on things to know before you go. We were also collecting some things that were interesting trivia things, like, did you know this about Switzerland? And when you’re done watching this video, you’ll have about 30 of those that you can use next time you’re at a party.
I’m shooting this up on top of the Jungfraujoch, or the Top of Europe. If you’d like to see more about this, I’ve got a travel guide on it. Find a link to that in the description below.
But let’s start with Switzerland fact at number one. Coffee in Switzerland, in Zurich, in particular, is the most expensive in the world. It’s an average of about seven US dollars for a coffee at Starbucks or about five Swiss Francs.
Number two, the Swiss love cheese. Switzerland is home to more than 450 varieties of cheese.
Number three, in Switzerland, there are more banks than dentists. There’s one bank per 1400 residents.
– Because the bank… they pay for us something. And for the dentist, we have to pay for it.
– That’s true, alright, that’s good.
Fact number five, Switzerland has one of the highest gun ownership rates in the world. 45.7 guns per 100 residents, ranking Switzerland only below the United States, Serbia, and Yemen in this measurement.
– And less people shot.
– Absolutely, absolutely.
Number six, it is illegal to own just one social animal in Switzerland. So, if you have one guinea pig, you need to have two guinea pigs.
– Wrong. – Wrong?
– Wrong! – There’s a law on that or not?
Number seven, taxes for owning a dog. If you own a dog, you have to pay annual taxes determined by the dog’s size and weight.
– Correct.
– Correct?
Alright, good.
Number eight, by law, you need to buy liability insurance for riding a bicycle on the road.
– Correct.
– Alright.
Number nine, Albert Einstein invented his formula, E=mc², in Bern, in Switzerland.
– I read about it.
– Okay, alright. There’s the Albert Einstein house there.
Number 10, in Switzerland, there’s a political party known as the “anti-Powerpoint’ party. And they are all about getting rid of Powerpoint presentations.
– Correct.
– Alright.
Number 11, Switzerland does not have a president as a chief of state. Instead, it is governed by a seven-member council and the council members rotate in one-year terms as the formal president.
– Correct.
Number 12, Sundays are still Sundays in Switzerland. In fact, it’s illegal to undertake certain activities, such as mowing, hanging out laundry, and washing your car, or recycling bottles, to ensure Sunday stays quiet.
– Well done.
– Alright.
By law, this is number 13, every citizen must have access to a bomb shelter.
Number 14, the Gotthard Tunnel in Switzerland is the longest tunnel in the world, measuring 57 kilometers in length, located 2.3 kilometers under the Alps, it’s seven kilometres longer than the Channel between England and France. The tunnel took 17 years to build.
Number 15, we’re halfway through. The Swiss eat more chocolate than anyone else. Each person eats around 11 kilograms per year. Chocolate is a major Swiss export, with 18 Swiss chocolate companies. Switzerland exported 115 thousand tons of chocolate in 2015. Thanks for joining. And thanks to my new Swiss friend for the fact check, so you know this is true.
Number 16 thing to know, or fact about Switzerland, Switzerland is only one of two countries to have a square flag. The Vatican has the only other square flag in the world, but interesting, because the Vatican is protected by the Swiss Guard, so that might make sense.
Interesting Swiss fact number 17, Switzerland has more than 1500 lakes, and one is never more than 16 kilometers from a lake within the country’s borders, so you’re always close by to a lake.
Number 18, assisted suicide is legal in Switzerland. One of the few countries in the world where assisted suicide is legal.
Interesting fact number 19 about Switzerland, about 23% of Switzerland’s population is foreigners, and so, Switzerland is actually quite foreigner-friendly.
Interesting fact number 20 about Switzerland, the Swiss live a long time. The Swiss have the second–longest life expectancy in the world, after Japan.
Interesting fact number 21, Switzerland’s railway system extends for 3100 miles. The Swiss rank only second, behind the Japanese, in traveling by train.
We’re on the second page of my notes now, and this is number 22 interesting Switzerland fact. In 1891, Karl Elsener invented the Swiss Army knife, and you know how many models of the Swiss Army knife there are? I bet you didn’t, but now you will. There are over 400 models of the Swiss Army knife, and it’s been nicknamed the world’s smallest toolbox.
Interesting Swiss fact number 23, Switzerland has more high mountain peaks, we’re here in the mountains, than any other country in Europe, with over 48 of their mountains about 4000 meters, and many of them right around here in this video.
Number 24, Switzerland is rigged to blow. Over 3000 strategic points are rigged to explode and blow up in the case of emergency, if they’re being invaded.
Number 25, tobogganing as a sport was invented in Switzerland in 1885.
Number 26, it is legal in Switzerland to grow and use cannabis, marijuana, but it is against the law to sell it. So, Switzerland actually has a very high rate of cannabis use, but you wouldn’t know it walking around because they don’t want Switzerland to look like the next Amsterdam.
Number 27, the Swiss marry late. The average marriage age for men in Switzerland is 31.8 years old and 29.5 for women.
Number 28, this is a very interesting Swiss law, it is illegal to deny the Holocaust. There’s actually a law in Switzerland that prevents the government from denying the Holocaust existed.
Number 29, teaching is one of the highest-paid occupations in Switzerland, and they get 12 weeks of vacation. I could look forward to 12 weeks of vacation.
And number 30, this about fountains, and if you’ve watched my video on Zurich and fountains, you’ll know this. Zurich is the most fountain-friendly city in the world, with over 1200 public drinking fountains, so you’re never far from a drink of water.
Alright, well, that’s 30 interesting facts about Switzerland, and you know they’re true because a Swiss citizen agreed to it. Alright, well, I hope you enjoyed this video. If you did, please give it a thumbs up below, or you can follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Google Plus, links are in the description below, or consider subscribing for new videos every Sunday, or you might enjoy watching some of my other videos from Switzerland. Click any of them watch,or find those in the description below too. Alright, bye bye.
