The document provides a comprehensive overview of Switzerland's culture, geography, demographics, family life, food, etiquette, and trivia. It covers topics such as the influence of neighboring countries on Swiss cuisine, social and business etiquette, and interesting facts about the Swiss lifestyle. Key information includes Switzerland's population, government structure, language diversity, and cultural values.

1. Switzerland

2. Program Objectives (1 of 2) Build upon your existing knowledge of Switzerland ’s culture Learn the geography and demography of the country Test how much you know about the family life, values, and framework of Swiss culture www.readysetpresent.com Page

3. Program Objectives (2 of 2) Identify the connection between culture and food in Switzerland Consider the guidelines for proper etiquette on a social and business level Learn interesting, fun and little-known facts and trivia www.readysetpresent.com Page

4. General Information (1 of 4) Official name : the Swiss Confederation Population : 7,782,900 people Size : 41,284 square km (15,940 squares miles) Slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey Capital : Bern Largest city : Zurich www.readysetpresent.com Page

5. General Information (2 of 4) Location : Landlocked country situated in Western Europe Bordered by Germany, France, Italy, Austria and Lichtenstein Territory divided into two parts by the Alps: the Central Plateau and the Jura Government : Federal State with a parliamentary system and a direct democracy Currency : Swiss franc Drives : Right www.readysetpresent.com Page

6. General Information (3 of 4) Calling code : 41 Official languages : German, French, Italian, Romansh Religion : 79.2% Christian, 11.1% without any religious affiliation, 4.3% Muslim, 0.2% Jewish Ethnic Groups : German-speaking, French-speaking, Italian-speaking and Romansh www.readysetpresent.com Page

7. General Information (4 of 4) Exports : Machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products Imports : Machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural products, textiles www.readysetpresent.com Page

8. Family Life (1 of 3) The Swiss tend to marry relatively late in life They concentrate on their training and career before starting a family Swiss women are among the oldest in Europe at the birth of their 1 st child www.readysetpresent.com Page

9. Family Life (2 of 3) Most couples typically have 1 to 2 children Financial difficulties are the primary reason for the restriction of family size In Switzerland, large flats are extremely expensive and there is a shortage of affordable child care www.readysetpresent.com Page

10. Family Life (3 of 3) Divorces are very common, with 52.6% of all Swiss marriages end in divorce Couples will not get married until they have been fully educated and until they can financially support the education of their future children www.readysetpresent.com Page

11. Food (1 of 6) Swiss food is greatly influenced by its neighboring countries, namely Italy, Germany and France However, the Swiss also have indigenous dishes www.readysetpresent.com Page

12. Food (2 of 6) The Swiss are historically a nation of farmers Specialties are fresh potatoes and cheeses (rosti, fondue, raclette), and more exquisite ingredients like chocolate www.readysetpresent.com Page

13. Food (3 of 6) The four linguistic regions of Switzerland (German, Italian, French and Romansh) all provide specialty dishes In the French region , fondue is the most popular item Fondue is made of melted cheese in which small pieces of food are dipped and eaten www.readysetpresent.com Page

14. Food (4 of 6) In the Germanic region , rosti is the most famous item Rosti is a simple dish similar to hash browns, often dressed with a parsley garnish www.readysetpresent.com Page

15. Food (5 of 6) In the Italian region of Switzerland, polenta is popular For centuries, polenta was a meal for the poor It is now a staple of this region, made from boiled cornmeal and often supplemented with fresh salami and other meats www.readysetpresent.com Page

16. Food (6 of 6) In the Romansh region of Switzerland, the most famous item is chur meat pie The most popular soup from this region is the Graubunden Barley Soup www.readysetpresent.com Page

17. Food Etiquette (1 of 3) The host proposes the first toast , do not drink until after the toast Keep your hands on the table at all times during a meal and your elbows off of it Cut potatoes, soft foods and salads with a fork, not a knife www.readysetpresent.com Page

18. Food Etiquette (2 of 3) Break bread with your hands, not with a knife Sample everything offered to you and try to eat everything on your plate Leave a party no later than midnight www.readysetpresent.com Page

19. Food Etiquette (3 of 3) When invited to someone ’s home, always bring a small gift for the hostess and a small gift for the children Never give red roses or carnations (these indicate love) or white chrysanthemums or white asters (these are brought to funerals only) www.readysetpresent.com Page

20. Social Etiquette (1 of 7) The Swiss value cleanliness, honesty, hard work and material possessions They are very proud of their environment and have a long tradition of freedom They are proud of their neutrality and promotion of worldwide peace www.readysetpresent.com Page

21. Social Etiquette (2 of 7) The Swiss have a deep-rooted respect for saving and the material wealth it brings They value sobriety, thrift, tolerance, punctuality and a sense of responsibility www.readysetpresent.com Page

22. Social Etiquette (3 of 7) Shake hands with everyone present (men, women and children) at business or social meetings Shake hands again while leaving Handshakes are firm and with direct eye contact www.readysetpresent.com Page

23. Social Etiquette (4 of 7) First names are reserved for close friends and families Poor posture is frowned upon Do not point your index finger to your head, this is an insult www.readysetpresent.com Page

24. Social Etiquette (5 of 7) The Swiss take punctuality with social and business meeting very seriously Generally, English is spoken in business with foreigners www.readysetpresent.com Page

25. Social Etiquette (6 of 7) Be punctual Show great respect for elderly Do not litter, chew gum or clean your fingernails in public Keep your hands out of your pockets when talking with others www.readysetpresent.com Page

26. Social Etiquette (7 of 7) Swiss people are relatively private Avoid asking personal questions Their communication style can be sober and dry Avoid jokes and banter www.readysetpresent.com Page

27. Business Etiquette (1 of 6) The Swiss tend to get right down to business after a few minutes of small talk It is not acceptable to call a Swiss businessperson at home At business meeting, men must wear suit and ties, while women wear suits or dresses www.readysetpresent.com Page

28. Business Etiquette (2 of 6) Business luncheons are more common than business breakfasts Business entertainment is almost always done at a restaurant Spouses are almost always included at business dinners www.readysetpresent.com Page

29. Business Etiquette (3 of 6) The Swiss will get the best deal possible in their negotiations Swiss are never aggressive or demanding They display a quiet self-confidence and a no-nonsense approach and refuse to rush a decision www.readysetpresent.com Page

30. Business Etiquette (4 of 6) The Swiss take punctuality for business and social meetings very seriously and expect that you will do likewise Call if you will be delayed Business cards in English are acceptable Give a card to each person you meet (from the secretary on up) www.readysetpresent.com Page

31. Business Etiquette (5 of 6) Business climate is conservative Presentations and written materials must be organized, thorough and detailed Meetings are generally impersonal, orderly, efficient and task-oriented www.readysetpresent.com Page

32. Business Etiquette (6 of 6) The Swiss are fair bargainers , although they are not hagglers Discussions are in-depth, detailed, cautious, and often a bit pessimistic Decisions are made methodically www.readysetpresent.com Page

33. Trivia (1 of 3) The average Swiss eats 23 lbs of chocolate a year compared to the 11.7 lbs consumed by each American James Bond ’s mother is Swiss The Swiss flag is the only square flag amongst the United Nations www.readysetpresent.com Page

34. Trivia (2 of 3) Roughly 60% of Switzerland ’s electricity is hydroelectric power Switzerland has over 1,500 lakes! The CHF 1,000 bill is the highest denomination note in the world Swiss army knives are red so they can be seen easily in the snow www.readysetpresent.com Page

35. Trivia (3 of 3) Swiss women are expected to live six years longer than men 70% of Switzerland is covered in mountains Most homes have bunkers , a result of Cold War concerns about nuclear war www.readysetpresent.com Page