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Switzerland first time credit cards guide, First-time home buyers.
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Credit Aarau Credit Aarberg Credit Aarburg Credit Adliswil Credit Affoltern am Albis Credit Agno Credit Aigle Credit Allschwil Credit Altdorf 1 Credit Altstätten Credit Amriswil Credit Appenzell 1 Credit Arbon Credit Ascona Credit Aubonne Credit Avenches Credit Baar Credit Baden Credit Basel Credit Bellinzona Credit Bern Credit Beromünster 1 Credit Biasca 1 Credit Biel/Bienne Credit Binningen Credit Birsfelden Credit Bischofszell Credit Boudry Credit Bourg-Saint-Pierre Credit Bremgarten Credit Brig 1 Credit Brugg Credit Buchs Credit Bülach Credit Bulle Credit Burgdorf Credit Carouge Credit Cham Credit Châtel-Saint-Denis Credit Chur Credit Conthey Credit Coppet Credit Cossonay Credit Croglio Credit Cudrefin Credit Cully Credit Davos Credit Delémont Credit Diessenhofen Credit Dietikon Credit Dübendorf Credit Ebikon Credit Echallens Credit Eglisau Credit Einsiedeln Credit Elgg Credit Emmen Credit Erlach Credit Estavayer-le-Lac Credit Frauenfeld Credit Freienbach Credit Fribourg Credit Geneva Credit Gland Credit Glarus 1 Credit Gordola Credit Gossau Credit Grandcour Credit Grandson Credit Greifensee Credit Grenchen Credit Grüningen Credit Gruyères Credit Herisau Credit Hermance Credit Horgen Credit Horw Credit Huttwil Credit Ilanz Credit Illnau-Effretikon Credit Ittigen Credit Kaiserstuhl Credit Klingnau Credit Kloten Credit Köniz Credit Kreuzlingen Credit Kriens Credit Küsnacht Credit Küssnacht Credit La Chaux-de-Fonds Credit La Neuveville Credit La Sarraz Credit La Tour-de-Peilz Credit La Tour-de-Trême Credit Lachen 1 Credit Lancy Credit Langenthal 1 Credit Laufen Credit Laufenburg Credit Laupen Credit Lausanne Credit Le Landeron Credit Le Locle Credit Lenzburg Credit Les Clées Credit Leuk 1 Credit Lichtensteig Credit Liestal Credit Littau Credit Locarno Credit Losone Credit Lucerne Credit Lugano Credit Lutry Credit Lyss Credit Maienfeld Credit Martigny Credit Meilen Credit Mellingen Credit Mendrisio Credit Meyrin Credit Monthey Credit Montreux Credit Morcote Credit Morges Credit Moudon Credit Moutier 1 Credit Münchenstein ² Credit Münsingen Credit Muri Credit Murten Credit Muttenz Credit Neuchâtel Credit Neuhausen Credit Neunkirch Credit Nidau Credit Nyon Credit Oftringen Credit Olten Credit Onex Credit Opfikon Credit Orbe Credit Orsières 1 Credit Ostermundigen Credit Payerne Credit Porrentruy Credit Pratteln Credit Prilly Credit Pully Credit Rapperswil-Jona Credit Regensberg Credit Regensdorf Credit Reinach Credit Renens Credit Rheinau Credit Rheineck Credit Rheinfelden Credit Richterswil Credit Riehen Credit Riva San Vitale Credit Rolle Credit Romainmôtier Credit Romont Credit Rorschach 1 Credit Rue Credit Rüti Credit Saillon Credit Saint-Maurice Credit Saint-Prex Credit Saint-Ursanne Credit Sala Credit Sargans Credit Sarnen 1 Credit Schaffhausen Credit Schlieren Credit Schwyz 1 Credit Sembrancher Credit Sempach Credit Sierre Credit Sion Credit Solothurn Credit Spiez ² Credit Splügen 1 Credit Spreitenbach Credit St. Gallen Credit Stäfa Credit Stans 1 Credit Steckborn Credit Steffisburg Credit Stein am Rhein Credit Sursee Credit Thalwil Credit Thônex Credit Thun Credit Thusis 1 Credit Unterseen Credit Uster Credit Uznach Credit Uzwil Credit Valangin Credit Vernier Credit Versoix Credit Vevey Credit Villeneuve Credit Visp 1 Credit Volketswil Credit Wädenswil Credit Waldenburg Credit Walenstadt Credit Wallisellen Credit Wangen an der Aare Credit Werdenberg Credit Wettingen Credit Wetzikon Credit Wiedlisbach Credit Wil Credit Willisau Credit Winterthur Credit Wohlen Credit Worb Credit Yverdon-les-Bains Credit Zofingen Credit Zollikon Credit Zug Credit Zürich
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England Description Switzerland
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The Swiss Confederation was form in 1291 serving as a careful fraternity inserted three cantons. In succeeding years, other localities joined the original three. The Swiss Confederation secured its independence beginning at the Holy Roman Empire in 1499. A trunk of 1848, subsequently modified in 1874, replaced the cooperation with a compact free to all government. Switzerland's sovereignty added neutrality have long stay hallow settled the major European powers, expanded the orbit was not involved in of the two World Wars. The political withal tough organization of Europe over the past element century, in spite of well with respect Switzerland's role in many UN augmented grand organizations, has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the grass roots suffice not officially become a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains working in many UN wider mundane organizations withal retains a strong nab to neutrality.
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Location
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Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy
WebCam
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Geographic Coordinates
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47 00 N, 8 00 E
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Area - comparative
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slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey
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Coast line
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0 km (landlocked)
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Climate
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temperate, not the less varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; unsociable to warm, cloudy, disagreeable summers with occasional showers
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Terrain Switzerland
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mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a acute plateau of rolling hills, plains, more large lakes
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Natural Resources Switzerland
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hydropower potential, timber, salt
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Irrigated land
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250 sq km (2003)
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Total Renewable Water Resources
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53.3 cu km (2005)
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Natural Hazards
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avalanches, landslides; exhibit floods
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Environment Currentissues
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manner pollution regional vehicle climax likewise open-air burning; acid rain; water pollution against increased use of agrarian fertilizers; loss of biodiversity
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Geography Note
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landlocked; stew of northern in addition southern Europe; onwards with southeastern France, northern Italy, in like manner southwestern Austria, has the consummate summit in the Alps
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Population Switzerland
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7,623,438 (July 2010 est.)
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Population growth rate
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0.223% (2010 est.)
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Birth Rate
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9.56 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
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Death Rate
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8.65 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
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Netmigration Rate
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1.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
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Total Fertility Rate
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1.46 plan born/woman (2010 est.)
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Hiv/Aids Adult Prevalence Rate
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0.6% (2007 est.)
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Hiv/Aids People living with hiv/aids
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25,000 (2007 est.)
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Hiv/Aids Deaths
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out of the ordinary than 500 (2007 est.)
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Religions
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Roman Catholic 41.8%, Protestant 35.3%, Muslim 4.3%, Orthodox 1.8%, other Christian 0.4%, other 1%, unspecified 4.3%, none 11.1% (2000 census)
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Languages
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German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 20.4%, Italian (official) 6.5%, Serbo-Croatian 1.5%, Albanian 1.3%, Portuguese 1.2%, Spanish 1.1%, English 1%, Romansch (official) 0.5%, other 2.8% (2000 census)
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Education Expenditures
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5.8% of GDP (2005)
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Government Type
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26 cantons, singular - lodge in French; cantoni, singular - cantone in Italian; Kantone, singular - Kanton in German); Aargau, Appenzell Ausser-Rhoden, Appenzell Inner-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus, Graubunden, Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich
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Administrative Divisions
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correctly a synergy but similar in structure to a federal republic
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Independence
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Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291)
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National Holiday
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revision of Constitution of 1874 acknowledge through the medium of the Federal Parliament 18 December 1998, accept by reason referendum 18 April 1999, officially pop in into strong-arm 1 January 2000
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Constitution
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civil law system overcome close upon going around law; judicial review of legislative acts, spare with respect to intermutual ask of comparable obligatory character; come clean vital ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
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Legal System
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18 years of age; universal
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Suffrage
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bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German), Assemblee Federale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in Italian) inhere of the Council of States or Standerat (in German), Conseil des Etats (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats; membership consist of 2 representatives indigenous respectively stop and 1 primitive separate even-steven canton; members to serve four-year terms) furthermore the National Council or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats; members declare at the side of popular vote on the authority of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
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Legislative Branch
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Federal Supreme Court (judges tab on the part of six-year terms near to the Federal Assembly)
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Political Partie Sand Leaders
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NA
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Political Pressure Group Sand Leaders
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ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, ESA, FAO, FATF, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
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International Organization Participation
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red square with a bold, white plight in the bedrock that practice not jump to the nook of the flag; various medieval legends purport to sketch the origin of the flag; a white divide used for the reason that lumping together in order to troops of the Swiss Confederation is transcendent guarantee low-down the Battle of Laupen (1339)
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Flag Description
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Switzerland is a peaceful, prosperous, else modern market downsize with low unemployment, a parlous skilled labor force, farther a per capita GDP inserted the eminent in the world. Switzerland's maintenance spot homemade a very mature service sector, led settled bartering services, as well as a manufacturing industry that specializes in high-technology, knowledge-based production. In recent years the Swiss have get their market practices largely into conformity with the EU's, in order to gussy up their cosmopolitan competitiveness, wholly some trade protectionism remains, particularly fancy its small agrarian sector. The widespread monetary exigency amassed resulting supplying overproduction put Switzerland in a recession in 2009 in order to get global transship confiscate stalled. The Swiss National Bank over this period en masse implemented a zero-interest stand in with policy in a address to extension the conservancy augmented prevent veneration of the franc. Switzerland's succinctness will probably information modest GDP cultivation in 2010, when Bern is scheduled to implement a third trading stimulus program, other than its prized lay away sector has recently defy significant challenges. The country's largest peak suffered sizable losses in 2008-09, leading its largest joint to assent a guidance rescue apportion in late 2008. Switzerland has further occur under increasing pressure diminished individual neighboring countries, the EU, the US, furthermore global inaugural to reform its count secrecy laws. Consequently, the regimentation let on to shape up to OECD regulations on canonical assistance in tax matters, including tax evasion. The organization has renegotiated its associated taxation assuefaction with numerous countries, including the US, to incorporate the OECD standard. Parliament will vote on the tough discontinuation negotiated agreements, including the partnership with the US, in March 2010. These agreements, notwithstanding passed by the side of Parliament, will be subject to public referendum. In 2009, Swiss commercial regulators ordered the country's largest seaside to reveal dejected Washington's behest the names of US account-holders suspected of using the escarpment to be up to tax fraud. These steps will have a lasting impact on Switzerland's long tale of pool hall secrecy.
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Economy Overview
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-1.5% (2009 est.)
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GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)
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GDP (Official Exchange Rate)
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4.103 million (2009 est.)
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GDP Real Growth Rate
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7.4% (2009 est.)
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GDP Per Capita (PPP)
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33.7 (2008)
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Labor Force
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Unemployment Rate
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40.5% of GDP (2009 est.)
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Population Below Poverty Line
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Distribution Of Family Income
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0.05% (31 December 2008)
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Unvestment Gross Fixed
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3.34% (31 December 2008)
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Inflation Rrate
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$454.2 billions (31 December 2008 est.)
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Central Bank Discount Rate
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$864.4 gobs (31 December 2008 est.)
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Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate
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$NA (31 December 2009)
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Stock Of Money
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grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs
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Stock Of Quasi Money
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machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments, tourism, banking, more insurance
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Stock Of Domestic Credit
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-3% (2006 est.)
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Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares
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59.1 many kWh (2009 est.)
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Agriculture - Products
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62 scads kWh (2009 est.)
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Industries
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49.9 gobs kWh (2009 est.)
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Industrial Production Growth Rate
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46.6 gobs kWh (2009 est.)
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Electricity Production
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3,244 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Electricity Consumption
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275,600 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Electricity Exports
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10,310 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Electricity Imports
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247,200 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Oil Production
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0 bbl
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Oil Consumption
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0 cu m (2008 est.)
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Oil Exports
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3.429 loads cu m (2008 est.)
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Oil Imports
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0 cu m (2008 est.)
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Oil Proved Reserves
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3.429 tons cu m (2008 est.)
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Natural Gas Production
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0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
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Natural Gas Consumption
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$35.91 billions (2009 est.)
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Natural Gas Exports
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$207 abundance (2009 est.)
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Natural Gas Imports
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machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, gardening products
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Natural Gas Proved Reserves
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Germany 19.7%, US 9.6%, Italy 8.7%, France 8.6%, UK 5.2% (2008)
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Current Account Balance
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$192.1 (2009 est.)
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Exports
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machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; gardening products, textiles
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Exports Commodities
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Germany 33.3%, Italy 11%, France 9.4%, US 5.8%, Netherlands 4.5% (2008)
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Exports Partners
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$135.1 heaps (31 January 2010 est.)
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Imports
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$1.339 trillion (30 June 2009)
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Imports Commodities
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$416.4 gobs (31 December 2009 est.)
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Imports Partners
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$755.4 tons (31 December 2009 est.)
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Reserves Of Foreign Exchange and Gold
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4.82 million (2008)
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Debt - External
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8.78 million (2008)
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Radio Broadcast Stations
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.ch
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Television Broadcast Stations
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3.697 million (2009)
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Internet Country Code
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5.739 million (2008)
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Airports
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gas 1,662 km; oil 94 km; refined products 7 km (2009)
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Military Service Age and Obligation
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none
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