CHF to HKD Live Rate

Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy

Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

47 00 N, 8 00 E

22 15 N, 114 10 E

Europe

Southeast Asia

total: 41,277 sq km

land: 39,997 sq km

water: 1,280 sq km

country comparison to the world: 136

total: 1,108 sq km

land: 1,073 sq km

water: 35 sq km

country comparison to the world: 184

total: 1,770 km

border countries (5): Austria 158 km, France 525 km, Italy 698 km, Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 348 km

total: 33 km

regional border(s) (1): China 33 km

0 km (landlocked)

733 km

none (landlocked)

territorial sea: 12 nm

temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers

subtropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall

mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes

hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north

mean elevation: 1,350 m

elevation extremes: lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m

highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m

mean elevation: NA

elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m

highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m

hydropower potential, timber, salt

outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar

agricultural land: 38.7%

arable land 10.2%; permanent crops 0.6%; permanent pasture 27.9%

forest: 31.5%

other: 29.8% (2011 est.)

agricultural land: 5%

arable land 3.2%; permanent crops 0.9%; permanent pasture 0.9%

forest: 0%

other: 95% (2011 est.)

630 sq km (2012)

10 sq km (2012)

population distribution corresponds to elevation with the northern and western areas far more heavily populated; the higher Alps of the south limit settlement

population fairly evenly distributed

avalanches, landslides; flash floods

occasional typhoons

air pollution from vehicle emissions and open-air burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use of agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity

air and water pollution from rapid urbanization

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

party to: Marine Dumping (associate member), Ship Pollution (associate member)

landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France, northern Italy, and southwestern Austria, has the highest elevations in the Alps

consists of a mainland area (the New Territories) and more than 200 islands

six times the size of Washington, DC

8,236,303 (July 2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 98

7,191,503 (July 2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 100

noun: Swiss (singular and plural)

adjective: Swiss

noun: Chinese/Hong Konger

adjective: Chinese/Hong Kong

German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6%

Chinese 92%, Filipino 2.5%, Indonesian 2.1%, other 3.4% (2016 est.)

German (or Swiss German) (official) 63%, French (official) 22.7%, Italian (official) 8.1%, English 4.9%, Portuguese 3.7%, Albanian 3%, Serbo-Croatian 2.4%, Spanish 2.2%, Romansch (official) 0.5%, other 7.1%

note: German, French, Italian, and Romansch are all national and official languages; totals more than 100% because some respondents indicated more than one main language (2015 est.)

Cantonese (official) 88.9%, English (official) 4.3%, Mandarin (official) 1.9%, other Chinese dialects 3.1%, other 1.9% (2016 est.)

Roman Catholic 37.3%, Protestant 24.9%, other Christian 5.8%, Muslim 5.1%, other 1.4%, Jewish 0.2%, none 23.9%, unspecified 1.3% (2015 est.)

Buddhist or Taoist 27.9%, Protestant 6.7%, Roman Catholic 5.3%, Muslim 4.2%, Hindu 1.4%, Sikh 0.2%, other or none 54.3%

note: many people practice Confucianism, regardless of their religion or not having a religious affiliation (2016 est.)

total dependency ratio: 48.8

youth dependency ratio: 22

elderly dependency ratio: 26.8

potential support ratio: 3.7 (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio: 35.9

youth dependency ratio: 15.2

elderly dependency ratio: 20.7

potential support ratio: 4.8 (2015 est.)

total: 42.4 years

male: 41.4 years

female: 43.4 years (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 27

total: 44.4 years

male: 43.5 years

female: 45 years (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 8

0.69% (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 144

0.32% (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 166

10.5 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 187

8.9 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 208

8.3 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 83

7.4 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 117

4.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 26

1.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 51

population distribution corresponds to elevation with the northern and western areas far more heavily populated; the higher Alps of the south limit settlement

population fairly evenly distributed

urban population: 74.1% of total population (2017)

rate of urbanization: 1.1% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

urban population: 100% of total population (2017)

rate of urbanization: 0.64% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Zurich 1.246 million; BERN (capital) 358,000 (2015)

Hong Kong 7.26 million (2014)

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.12 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.08 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 0.74 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female

total population: 0.87 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

30.7 years (2014 est.)

29.8 years (2008 est.)

5 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 172

total: 3.6 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 4 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 202

total: 2.7 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 3 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 2.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 216

total population: 82.6 years

male: 80.3 years

female: 85.1 years (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 10

total population: 83 years

male: 80.4 years

female: 85.9 years (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 7

1.56 children born/woman (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 189

1.19 children born/woman (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 221

72.9% (2012)

74.8% (2012)

11.7% of GDP (2014)

country comparison to the world: 7

4.25 physicians/1,000 population (2016)

1.91 physicians/1,000 population (2016)

4.7 beds/1,000 population (2013)

5.33 beds/1,000 population (2016)

improved:

urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

unimproved:

urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2015 est.)

improved:

urban: 99.9% of population

rural: 99.8% of population

total: 99.9% of population

unimproved:

urban: 0.1% of population

rural: 0.2% of population

total: 0.1% of population (2015 est.)

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA

19.5% (2016)

country comparison to the world: 112

5.1% of GDP (2014)

country comparison to the world: 66

3.3% of GDP (2017)

country comparison to the world: 124

total: 16 years

male: 16 years

female: 16 years (2014)

total: 16 years

male: 16 years

female: 16 years (2014)

total: 8.4%

male: 8.7%

female: 8.1% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 135

total: 9.9%

male: 10.9%

female: 8.5% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 129

conventional long form: Swiss Confederation

conventional short form: Switzerland

local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German); Confederation Suisse (French); Confederazione Svizzera (Italian); Confederaziun Svizra (Romansh)

local short form: Schweiz (German); Suisse (French); Svizzera (Italian); Svizra (Romansh)

abbreviation: CH

etymology: name derives from the canton of Schwyz, one of the founding cantons of the Old Swiss Confederacy that formed in the 14th century

conventional long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

conventional short form: Hong Kong

local long form: Heung Kong Takpit Hangching Ku (Eitel/Dyer-Ball); Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu (Hanyu Pinyin)

local short form: Heung Kong (Eitel/Dyer-Ball); Xianggang (Hanyu Pinyin)

abbreviation: HK

etymology: probably an imprecise phonetic rendering of the Cantonese name meaning "fragrant harbor"

federal republic (formally a confederation)

presidential limited democracy; a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China

name: Bern

geographic coordinates: 46 55 N, 7 28 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

26 cantons (cantons, singular - canton in French; cantoni, singular - cantone in Italian; Kantone, singular - Kanton in German); Aargau, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Berne/Bern, Fribourg/Freiburg, Geneve (Geneva), Glarus, Graubuenden/Grigioni/Grischun, Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais/Wallis, Vaud, Zug, Zuerich

note: 6 of the cantons - Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Nidwalden, Obwalden - are referred to as half cantons because they elect only one member (instead of two) to the Council of States and, in popular referendums where a majority of popular votes and a majority of cantonal votes are required, these 6 cantons only have a half vote

none (special administrative region of the People's Republic of China)

1 August 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation)

none (special administrative region of China)

Founding of the Swiss Confederation in 1291; note - since 1 August 1891 celebrated as Swiss National Day

National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 1 July (1997) is celebrated as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day

history: previous 1848, 1874; latest adopted by referendum 18 April 1999, effective 1 January 2000

amendments: proposed by the two houses of the Federal Assembly or by petition of at least one million voters (called the "federal popular initiative"); passage of proposals requires majority vote in a referendum; following drafting of an amendment by the Assembly, its passage requires approval by majority vote in a referendum and approval by the majority of cantons; amended many times, last in 2016 (2016)

history: several previous (governance documents while under British authority); latest drafted April 1988 to February 1989, approved March 1990, effective 1 July 1997 (Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China serves as the constitution); note - since 1990, China's National People's Congress has interpreted specific articles of the Basic Law

amendments: proposed by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), the People’s Republic of China State Council, and the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong; submittal of proposals to the NPC requires two-thirds majority vote by the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, approval by two-thirds of Hong Kong’s deputies to the NPC, and approval by the Hong Kong chief executive; final passage requires approval by the NPC

civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts, except for federal decrees of a general obligatory character

mixed legal system of common law based on the English model and Chinese customary law (in matters of family and land tenure)

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Switzerland

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 12 years including at least 3 of the last 5 years prior to application

see China

18 years of age; universal

18 years of age in direct elections for half of the Legislative Council seats and all of the seats in 18 district councils; universal for permanent residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past 7 years; note - in indirect elections, suffrage is limited to about 220,000 members of functional constituencies for the other half of the legislature and a 1,200-member election committee for the chief executive drawn from broad sectoral groupings, central government bodies, municipal organizations, and elected Hong Kong officials

chief of state: President of the Swiss Confederation Alain BERSET (since 1 January 2018); Vice President Ueli MAURER (since 1 January 2018); note - the Federal Council, which is comprised of 7 federal councillors, constitutes the federal government of Switzerland; council members rotate in a 1-year term as federal president (chief of state and head of government)

head of government: President of the Swiss Confederation Alain BERSET (since 1 January 2018); Vice President Ueli MAURER (since 1 January 2018)

cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) indirectly elected usually from among its members by the Federal Assembly for a 4-year term

elections/appointments: president and vice president elected by the Federal Assembly from among members of the Federal Council for a 1-year, non-consecutive term; election last held on December 2017 (next to be held in December 2018)

election results: Alain BERSET elected president; Federal Assembly vote - 190 of 210; Ueli MAURER elected vice president; Federal Assembly vote - 178 of 192

chief of state: President of China XI Jinping (since 14 March 2013)

head of government: Chief Executive Carrie LAM (since 1 July 2017)

cabinet: Executive Council or ExCo appointed by the chief executive

elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by National People's Congress for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 5-17 March 2013 (next to be held in March 2018); chief executive indirectly elected by the Election Committee and appointed by the PRC Government for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 26 March 2017 (next to be held in 2022)

election results: Carrie LAM elected chief executive; Election Committee vote - Carrie LAM 777, John TSANG 365, WOO Kwok-hing 21, invalid 23

note: the Legislative Council voted in June 2010 to expand the Election Committee to 1,200 members

description: bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German), Assemblee Federale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in Italian) consists of the Council of States or Staenderat (in German), Conseil des Etats (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats; members in multi-seat constituencies representing cantons and single-seat constituencies representing half cantons directly elected by simple majority vote; members serve 4-year terms) and the National Council or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats; 195 members in cantons directly elected by proportional representation vote and 6 in half cantons directly elected by simple majority vote; members serve 4-year terms)

elections: Council of States - last held in most cantons on 18 October 2015 (each canton determines when the next election will be held); National Council - last held on 18 October 2015 (next to be held in October 2019)

election results: Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party as of 18 October 2015 - CVP 13, FDP 13, SDP 12, SVP 5, other 3; National Council - percent of vote by party - SVP 29.4%, SPS 18.8%, FDP 16.4%, CVP 11.6%, Green Party 7.1%, GLP 4.6%, BDP 4.1%, other 8.0%; seats by party - SVP 68, SPS 43, FDP 33, CVP 30, Green Party 12, GLP 7, BDP 7

description: unicameral Legislative Council or LegCo (70 seats; 35 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote; 30 members indirectly elected by the approximately 220,000 members of various functional constituencies based on a variety of methods; five at large “super-seat” members directly elected by all of Hong Kong’s eligible voters who do not participate in a functional constituency; members serve 4-year terms)

elections: last held on 4 September 2016; (next to be held in September 2020); note - by-election to be held on 11 March 2018 to fill 4 seats left vacant after 4 legislators were removed from office

election results: percent of vote by block - pro-democracy 36.0%; pro-Beijing 40.2%, localist 19.0%, other 4.8%; seats by block/party - pro-Beijing 40 (DAB 12, BPA 7, FTU 5, Liberal Party 4, NPP 3, other 9); pro-democracy 23 (Democratic Party 7, Civic Party 6, PP-LSD 2, Professional Commons 2, Labor 1, NWSC 1, PTU 1, other democrats 3), localists 6 (ALLin HK 2, CP-PPI-HKRO 1, Demosisto 1, Democracy Groundwork 1, other localist 1), non-aligned independent 1; note - 2 localists were barred from taking office in November 2016 and 4 pro-democracy legislators were removed in July 2017

highest court(s): Federal Supreme Court (consists of 38 judges and 31 substitutes and organized into 5 sections)

judge selection and term of office: judges elected by the Federal Assembly for 6-year terms; note - judges are affiliated with political parties and are elected according to linguistic and regional criteria in approximate proportion to the level of party representation in the Federal Assembly

subordinate courts: Federal Criminal Court (began in 2004); Federal Administrative Court (began in 2007); note - each of Switzerland's 26 cantons has its own courts

highest court(s): Court of Final Appeal (consists of the chief justice, 3 permanent judges, and 20 non-permanent judges); note - a sitting bench consists of the chief justice and 3 permanent judges and 1 non-permanent judge

judge selection and term of office: all judges appointed by the Hong Kong Chief Executive upon the recommendation of the Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission, an independent body consisting of the Secretary for Justice, other judges, and judicial and legal professionals; permanent judges appointed until normal retirement at age 65, but can be extended; non-permanent judges appointed for renewable 3-year terms without age limit

subordinate courts: High Court (consists of the Court of Appeal and Court of First Instance); District Courts (includes Family and Land Courts); magistrates' courts; specialized tribunals

Christian Democratic People's Party (Christlichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP, Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or PDC, Partito Popolare Democratico Svizzero or PPD, Partida Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Gerhard PFISTER]

Conservative Democratic Party (Buergerlich-Demokratische Partei Schweiz or BDP, Parti Bourgeois Democratique Suisse or PBD, Partito Borghese Democratico Svizzero or PBD, Partido burgais democratica Svizera or PBD) [Martin LANDOLT]

Free Democratic Party or FDP.The Liberals (FDP.Die Liberalen, PLR.Les Liberaux-Radicaux, PLR.I Liberali, Ils Liberals) [Petra GOESSI]

Green Liberal Party (Grunliberale or GLP, Parti vert liberale or PVL, Partito Verde-Liberale or PVL, Partida Verde Liberale or PVL) [Jurge GROSSEN]

Green Party (Gruene Partei der Schweiz or Gruene, Parti Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida Ecologica Svizra or La Verda) [Regula RYTZ]

Social Democratic Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SPS, Parti Socialiste Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS, Partida Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS) [Christian LEVRAT]

Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica di Centro or UDC, Uniun Democratica dal Center or UDC) [Albert ROESTI]

other minor parties

parties:

ALLinHK (alliance of 6 localist groups)

Business and Professional Alliance or BPA [LO Wai-kwok]

Civic Party [Alvin YEUNG]

Civic Passion or CP [CHENG Chung-tai] (part of Civic Passion-Proletariat Political Institute-Hong Kong Resurgence Order alliance or CP-PPI-HKRO that dissolved after the 2016 election)

Democracy Groundwork [LAU Siu-lai]

Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong or DAB [Starry LEE Wai-king]

Democratic Party [WU Chi-wai]

Demosisto [Nathan LAW]

Federation of Trade Unions or FTU [Stanley NG Chau-pei]

Labor Party [Steven Kwok Wing-kin]

League of Social Democrats or LSD [Avery NG Man-yuen]

Liberal Party [Felix CHUNG Kwok-pan]

Neighborhood and Workers Service Center or NWSC [LEUNG Yui-chung]

New People's Party or NPP [Regina IP Lau Su-yee]

People Power or PP [Raymond CHAN]

Youngspiration [Sixtus "Baggio" LEUNG Chung-hang]

others:

Professional Commons (think tank) [Charles Peter MOK]

Professional Teachers Union or PTU

note: political blocks include: pro-democracy - Civic Party, Democratic Party, Labor Party, LSD, NWSC, PP, Professional Commons, PTU; pro-Beijing - DAB, FTU, Liberal Party, NPP, BPA; localist - ALLinHK, CP, Democracy Groundwork, Demosisto; there is no political party ordinance, so there are no registered political parties; politically active groups register as societies or companies

NA

Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China)

Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong

Civic Act-up (pro-democracy)

Federation of Hong Kong Industries

Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement in China [Albert HO] (pro-China)

Hong Kong and Kowloon Trade Union Council or HKTUC (pro-democracy)

Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce or HKGCC

Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union or HKPTU [FUNG Wai-wah]

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, EITI (implementing country), ESA, FAO, FATF, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMISS, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

ADB, APEC, BIS, FATF, ICC (national committees), IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITUC (NGOs), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCO, WMO, WTO

chief of mission: Ambassador Martin Werner DAHINDEN (since 18 November 2014)

chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900

FAX: [1] (202) 387-2564

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco

none (Special Administrative Region of China); Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) carries out normal liaison activities and communication with the US Government and other US entities

commissioner: Clement C.M. LEUNG

office: 1520 18th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] 202 331-8947

FAX: [1] 202 331-8958

HKETO offices: New York, San Francisco

chief of mission: Ambassador Edward "Ed" MCMULLEN (since 21 November 2017) note - also accredited to Liechtenstein

embassy: Sulgeneckstrasse 19, CH-3007 Bern

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [41] (031) 357-70-11

FAX: [41] (031) 357-73-20

chief of mission: Consul General Kurt W. TONG (since 27 August 2016); note - also accredited to Macau

consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong

mailing address: Unit 8000, Box 1, DPO AP 96521-0006

telephone: [852] 2523-9011

FAX: [852] 2845-1598

red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that does not extend to the edges of the flag; various medieval legends purport to describe the origin of the flag; a white cross used as identification for troops of the Swiss Confederation is first attested at the Battle of Laupen (1339)

red with a stylized, white, five-petal Bauhinia flower in the center; each petal contains a small, red, five-pointed star in its middle; the red color is the same as that on the Chinese flag and represents the motherland; the fragrant Bauhinia - developed in Hong Kong the late 19th century - has come to symbolize the region; the five stars echo those on the flag of China

Swiss cross (white cross on red field, arms equal length); national colors: red, white

orchid tree flower; national colors: red, white

the Swiss anthem has four names: "Schweizerpsalm" [German] "Cantique Suisse" [French] "Salmo svizzero," [Italian] "Psalm svizzer" [Romansch] (Swiss Psalm)

lyrics/music: Leonhard WIDMER [German], Charles CHATELANAT [French], Camillo VALSANGIACOMO [Italian], and Flurin CAMATHIAS [Romansch]/Alberik ZWYSSIG

note: unofficially adopted 1961, officially 1981; the anthem has been popular in a number of Swiss cantons since its composition (in German) in 1841; translated into the other three official languages of the country (French, Italian, and Romansch), it is official in each of those languages

note: as a Special Administrative Region of China, "Yiyongjun Jinxingqu" is the official anthem (see China)

special administrative region of the People's Republic of China

Switzerland, a country that espouses neutrality, is a prosperous and modern market economy with low unemployment, a highly skilled labor force, and a per capita GDP among the highest in the world. Switzerland's economy benefits from a highly developed service sector, led by financial services, and a manufacturing industry that specializes in high-technology, knowledge-based production. Its economic and political stability, transparent legal system, exceptional infrastructure, efficient capital markets, and low corporate tax rates also make Switzerland one of the world's most competitive economies.

The Swiss have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with the EU's to gain access to the Union’s Single Market and enhance the country’s international competitiveness. Some trade protectionism remains, however, particularly for its small agricultural sector. The fate of the Swiss economy is tightly linked to that of its neighbors in the euro zone, which purchases half of Swiss exports. The global financial crisis of 2008 and resulting economic downturn in 2009 stalled demand for Swiss exports and put Switzerland into a recession. During this period, the Swiss National Bank (SNB) implemented a zero-interest rate policy to boost the economy, as well as to prevent appreciation of the franc, and Switzerland's economy began to recover in 2010.

The sovereign debt crises unfolding in neighboring euro-zone countries, however, coupled with economic instability in Russia and other eastern European economies drove up demand for the Swiss franc by investors seeking a safe-haven currency. In January 2015, the SNB abandoned the Swiss franc’s peg to the euro, roiling global currency markets and making active SNB intervention a necessary hallmark of present-day Swiss monetary policy. The independent SNB has upheld its zero interest rate policy and conducted major market interventions to prevent further appreciation of the Swiss franc, but parliamentarians have urged it to do more to weaken the currency. The franc's strength has made Swiss exports less competitive and weakened the country's growth outlook; GDP growth fell below 2% per year from 2011 through 2017.

In recent years, Switzerland has responded to increasing pressure from neighboring countries and trading partners to reform its banking secrecy laws, by agreeing to conform to OECD regulations on administrative assistance in tax matters, including tax evasion. The Swiss government has also renegotiated its double taxation agreements with numerous countries, including the US, to incorporate OECD standards.

Hong Kong has a free market economy, highly dependent on international trade and finance - the value of goods and services trade, including the sizable share of reexports, is about four times GDP. Hong Kong has no tariffs on imported goods, and it levies excise duties on only four commodities, whether imported or produced locally: hard alcohol, tobacco, hydrocarbon oil, and methyl alcohol. There are no quotas or dumping laws. Hong Kong continues to link its currency closely to the US dollar, maintaining an arrangement established in 1983.

Excess liquidity, low interest rates and a tight housing supply have caused Hong Kong property prices to rise rapidly. The lower and middle-income segments of the population increasingly find housing unaffordable.

Hong Kong's open economy has left it exposed to the global economic situation. Its continued reliance on foreign trade and investment makes it vulnerable to renewed global financial market volatility or a slowdown in the global economy.

The mainland has long been Hong Kong's largest trading partner, accounting for about half of Hong Kong's total trade by value. Hong Kong's natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials must be imported. As a result of China's easing of travel restrictions, the number of mainland tourists to the territory surged from 4.5 million in 2001 to 47.3 million in 2014, outnumbering visitors from all other countries combined. After peaking in 2014, overall tourist arrivals dropped 2.5% in 2015 and 4.5% in 2016. The tourism sector rebounded in 2017, with visitor arrivals rising 3.2% to 58.47 million. Travelers from Mainland China totaled 44.45 million, accounting for 76% of the total.

The Hong Kong Government is promoting the Special Administrative Region (SAR) as the preferred business hub for renminbi (RMB) internationalization. Hong Kong residents are allowed to establish RMB-denominated savings accounts, RMB-denominated corporate and Chinese government bonds have been issued in Hong Kong, RMB trade settlement is allowed, and investment schemes such as the Renminbi Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor (RQFII) Program was first launched in Hong Kong. Offshore RMB activities experienced a setback, however, after the People’s Bank of China changed the way it set the central parity rate in August 2015. RMB deposits in Hong Kong fell from 1.0 trillion RMB at the end of 2014 to 559 billion RMB at the end of 2017, while RMB trade settlement handled by banks in Hong Kong also shrank from 6.8 trillion RMB in 2015 to 3.9 trillion RMB in 2017.

Hong Kong has also established itself as the premier stock market for Chinese firms seeking to list abroad. In 2015, mainland Chinese companies constituted about 50% of the firms listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and accounted for about 66% of the exchange's market capitalization.

During the past decade, as Hong Kong's manufacturing industry moved to the mainland, its service industry has grown rapidly. In 2014, Hong Kong and China signed a new agreement on achieving basic liberalization of trade in services in Guangdong Province under the Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), adopted in 2003 to forge closer ties between Hong Kong and the mainland. The new measures, which took effect in March 2015, cover a negative list and a most-favored treatment provision. On the basis of the Guangdong Agreement, the Agreement on Trade in Services signed in November 2015 further enhanced liberalization, including extending the implementation of the majority of Guangdong pilot liberalization measures to the whole Mainland, reducing the restrictive measures in the negative list, and adding measures in the positive lists for cross-border services as well as cultural and telecommunications services. In June 2017, the Investment Agreement and the Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation (Ecotech Agreement) were signed under the framework of CEPA.

Hong Kong’s economic integration with the mainland continues to be most evident in the banking and finance sector. Initiatives like the Hong Kong-Shanghai Stock Connect, the Hong Kong- Shenzhen Stock Connect the Mutual Recognition of Funds, and the Bond Connect scheme are all important steps towards opening up the Mainland’s capital markets and have reinforced Hong Kong’s role as China’s leading offshore RMB market. Additional connect schemes such as ETF Connect (for exchange-traded fund products) are also under exploration by Hong Kong authorities. In 2017, Chief Executive Carrie LAM announced plans to increase government spending on research and development, education, and technological innovation with the aim of spurring continued economic growth through greater sector diversification.

$516.7 billion (2017 est.)

$511.5 billion (2016 est.)

$504.5 billion (2015 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars

country comparison to the world: 40

$453 billion (2017 est.)

$437.5 billion (2016 est.)

$428.8 billion (2015 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars

country comparison to the world: 44

$680.6 billion (2017 est.)

$334.1 billion (2017 est.)

1% (2017 est.)

1.4% (2016 est.)

1.2% (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 185

3.5% (2017 est.)

2% (2016 est.)

2.4% (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 89

$61,400 (2017 est.)

$61,400 (2016 est.)

$61,200 (2015 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars

country comparison to the world: 17

$61,000 (2017 est.)

$59,400 (2016 est.)

$58,700 (2015 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars

country comparison to the world: 18

33.5% of GDP (2017 est.)

33.6% of GDP (2016 est.)

34.5% of GDP (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 18

24.9% of GDP (2017 est.)

26.4% of GDP (2016 est.)

24.9% of GDP (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 52

household consumption: 53.7%

government consumption: 11.5%

investment in fixed capital: 24%

investment in inventories: -0.7%

exports of goods and services: 67.5%

imports of goods and services: -56% (2017 est.)

household consumption: 66.6%

government consumption: 10%

investment in fixed capital: 22.3%

investment in inventories: 0.7%

exports of goods and services: 191.9%

imports of goods and services: -191.3% (2017 est.)

agriculture: 0.7%

industry: 25.6%

services: 73.7% (2017 est.)

agriculture: 0.1%

industry: 7.2%

services: 92.7% (2017 est.)

grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs, dairy products

fresh vegetables and fruit; poultry, pork; fish

machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments, tourism, banking, insurance, pharmaceuticals

trading and logistics, financial services, professional services, tourism, cultural and creative, clothing and textiles, shipping, electronics, toys, clocks and watches

2% (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 131

3% (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 103

5.159 million (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 81

3.965 million (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 95

agriculture: 3.3%

industry: 19.8%

services: 76.9% (2015 est.)

manufacturing: 3.8%

construction: 2.8%

wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels: 53.3%

financing, insurance, and real estate: 12.5%

transport and communications: 10.1%

community and social services: 17.1%

note: above data exclude public sector (2013 est.)

3% (2017 est.)

3.3% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 35

2.6% (2017 est.)

2.7% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 24

6.6% (2014 est.)

19.6% (2012 est.)

lowest 10%: 7.5%

highest 10%: 19% (2007 est.)

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

29.5 (2014 est.)

33.1 (1992 est.)

country comparison to the world: 133

53.7 (2011 est.)

53.3 (2007 est.)

country comparison to the world: 9

revenues: $223.5 billion

expenditures: $222.1 billion

note: includes federal, cantonal, and municipal budgets (2017 est.)

revenues: $66.19 billion

expenditures: $62.86 billion (2017 est.)

32.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 70

19.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 155

0.2% of GDP (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 29

1% of GDP (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 15

32.9% of GDP (2017 est.)

32.6% of GDP (2016 est.)

note: general government gross debt; gross debt consists of all liabilities that require payment or payments of interest and/or principal by the debtor to the creditor at a date or dates in the future; includes debt liabilities in the form of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs), currency and deposits, debt securities, loans, insurance, pensions and standardized guarantee schemes, and other accounts payable; all liabilities in the GFSM 2001 system are debt, except for equity and investment fund shares and financial derivatives and employee stock options

country comparison to the world: 154

43.6% of GDP (2017 est.)

44.8% of GDP (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 122

calendar year

1 April - 31 March

0.5% (2017 est.)

-0.4% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 20

2% (2017 est.)

2.6% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 93

0.5% (31 December 2016 est.)

0.75% (31 December 2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 132

0.5% (31 December 2013 est.)

0.5% (31 December 2012 est.)

country comparison to the world: 133

2.6% (31 December 2017 est.)

2.65% (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 175

5.1% (31 December 2017 est.)

5% (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 144

$619.4 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$555.7 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 11

$310.3 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$285.5 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 17

$1.335 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.232 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 16

$1.736 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.613 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 10

$1.267 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.166 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 16

$719.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$676.5 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 22

$1.519 trillion (31 December 2015 est.)

$1.495 trillion (31 December 2014 est.)

$1.541 trillion (31 December 2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 10

$3.185 trillion (31 December 2015 est.)

$3.233 trillion (31 December 2014 est.)

$3.101 trillion (31 December 2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 5

$67.33 billion (2017 est.)

$70.54 billion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 8

$10.06 billion (2017 est.)

$14.88 billion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 21

$336.8 billion (2017 est.)

$318.1 billion (2016 est.)

note: trade data exclude trade with Switzerland

country comparison to the world: 16

$540 billion (2017 est.)

$502.5 billion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 8

machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products

electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, apparel, watches and clocks, toys, "jewelry, goldsmiths' and silversmiths' wares, and other articles of precious or semi-precious materials"; Hong Kong plays an important role as entrep?t to the Chinese mainland; in 2017, 58% of Hong Kong’s re-exports originated in mainland China, and 54% were destined for the Chinese mainland

Germany 14.4%, US 12.1%, UK 10.7%, China 9%, Hong Kong 6.1%, France 5.8%, Italy 4.9%, India 4.8% (2016)

China 54.3%, US 8.5%, India 4.1% (2016)

$286.7 billion (2017 est.)

$264.9 billion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 18

$561.4 billion (2017 est.)

$520.1 billion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 8

machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural products, textiles

raw materials and semi-manufactures, consumer goods, capital goods, foodstuffs, fuel (most is reexported)

Germany 19.4%, US 9%, Italy 7.4%, UK 7.1%, UAE 6.2%, France 6.1%, China 4.7% (2016)

China 45.5%, Taiwan 9.8%, South Korea 6.7%, Japan 6.3%, US 4.4% (2016)

$679.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$679.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 4

$398.3 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$386.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 9

$1.664 trillion (31 March 2016 est.)

$1.663 trillion (31 March 2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 13

$494.5 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$505.9 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 23

$1.23 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.217 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 9

$1.901 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.786 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 5

$1.556 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.528 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 7

$1.806 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.723 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 5

Swiss francs (CHF) per US dollar -

0.99 (2017 est.)

0.99 (2016 est.)

0.99 (2015 est.)

0.96 (2014 est.)

0.92 (2013 est.)

Hong Kong dollars (HKD) per US dollar -

7.8 (2017 est.)

7.76 (2016 est.)

7.76 (2015 est.)

7.75 (2014 est.)

7.75 (2013 est.)

electrification - total population: 100% (2016)

electrification - total population: 100% (2016)

64.06 billion kWh (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 45

35.75 billion kWh (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 61

58.45 billion kWh (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 44

41.74 billion kWh (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 55

30.17 billion kWh (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 6

1.205 billion kWh (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 55

34.1 billion kWh (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 5

11.62 billion kWh (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 23

19.62 million kW (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 45

12.63 million kW (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 55

2.9% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 208

100% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 9

17% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 12

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 107

61% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 26

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 180

11.1% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 67

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 187

0 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 198

0 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 148

319.1 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 77

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 136

58,400 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 53

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 139

0 bbl (1 January 2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 197

0 bbl (1 January 2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 147

63,400 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 79

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 156

217,400 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 54

388,500 bbl/day (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 39

8,894 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 85

9,625 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 84

166,300 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 39

332,000 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 25

25 million cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 91

0 cu m (2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 148

4.639 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 67

4.49 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 69

0 cu m (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 189

0 cu m (2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 120

3.484 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 40

3.243 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 42

NA cu m (1 January 2011 est.)

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 151

45 million Mt (2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 63

90 million Mt (2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 43

total subscriptions: 3,968,500

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 49 (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 38

total subscriptions: 4,318,346

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 60 (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 36

total: 11,242,100

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 136 (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 81

total: 17,584,969

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 245 (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 62

general assessment: highly developed telecommunications infrastructure with excellent domestic and international services

domestic: ranked among leading countries for fixed-line teledensity and infrastructure; mobile-cellular subscribership roughly 140 per 100 persons; extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks

international: country code - 41; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean) (2016)

general assessment: modern facilities provide excellent domestic and international services

domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic network

international: country code - 852; multiple international submarine cables provide connections to Asia, US, Australia, the Middle East, and Western Europe; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to Guangzhou, China (2015)

the publicly owned radio and TV broadcaster, Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG/SSR), operates 7 national TV networks, 3 broadcasting in German, 2 in Italian, and 2 in French; private commercial TV stations broadcast regionally and locally; TV broadcasts from stations in Germany, Italy, and France are widely available via multi-channel cable and satellite TV services; SRG/SSR operates 17 radio stations that, along with private broadcasters, provide national to local coverage (2015)

4 commercial terrestrial TV networks each with multiple stations; multi-channel satellite and cable TV systems available; 3 licensed broadcasters of terrestrial radio, one of which is government funded, operate about 12 radio stations; note - 4 digital radio broadcasters operated in Hong Kong from 2010 to 2017, but all digital radio services were terminated in September 2017 due to weak market demand (2018)

.ch

.hk

total: 7,312,744

percent of population: 89.4% (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 60

total: 6.066 million

percent of population: 85% (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 69

number of registered air carriers: 12

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 163

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 26,843,991

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 1,322,379,468 mt-km (2015)

number of registered air carriers: 7 (registered in China)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 253 (registered in China)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 41,867,157

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 11.294 billion mt-km (2015)

HB (2016)

B-H (2016)

63 (2013)

country comparison to the world: 78

2 (2013)

country comparison to the world: 201

total: 40

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 12

914 to 1,523 m: 6

under 914 m: 17 (2013)

total: 2

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2017)

total: 23

under 914 m: 23 (2013)

2 (2013)

9 (2013)

gas 1,800 km; oil 94 km; refined products 7 km (2013)

total: 5,651.5 km

standard gauge: 4,424.8 km 1.435-m gauge (3,634.1 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 2 km 1.200-m gauge (2 km electrified); 1,188.3 km 1.000-m gauge (1,167.3 km electrified); 36.4 km 0.800-m gauge (36.4 km electrified) (2014)

country comparison to the world: 34

total: 71,464 km

paved: 71,464 km (includes 1,415 of expressways) (2011)

country comparison to the world: 66

total: 2,100 km

paved: 2,100 km (2015)

country comparison to the world: 174

1,292 km (there are 1,227 km of waterways on lakes and rivers for public transport and 65 km on the Rhine River between Basel-Rheinfelden and Schaffhausen-Bodensee for commercial goods transport) (2010)

country comparison to the world: 57

total: 51

by type: bulk carrier 30, general cargo 12, oil tanker 1, other 8 (2017)

country comparison to the world: 115

total: 2,576

by type: bulk carrier 1,142, container ship 471, general cargo 226, oil tanker 346, other 391 (2017)

country comparison to the world: 9

river port(s): Basel (Rhine)

major seaport(s): Hong Kong

0.71% of GDP (2016)

0.67% of GDP (2015)

0.66% of GDP (2014)

0.73% of GDP (2013)

0.69% of GDP (2012)

country comparison to the world: 132

Swiss Armed Forces: Land Forces, Swiss Air Force (Schweizer Luftwaffe) (2013)

no regular indigenous military forces; Hong Kong garrison of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) includes elements of the PLA Army, PLA Navy, and PLA Air Force; these forces are under the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in Beijing and under administrative control of the adjacent Southern Command (2016)

19-26 years of age for male compulsory military service; 18 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; every Swiss male has to serve at least 260 days in the armed forces; conscripts receive 18 weeks of mandatory training, followed by seven 3-week intermittent recalls for training during the next 10 years (2012)

defense is the responsibility of China

none

Hong Kong plans to reduce its 2,800-hectare Frontier Closed Area (FCA) to 400 hectares by 2015; the FCA was established in 1951 as a buffer zone between Hong Kong and mainland China to prevent illegal migration from and the smuggling of goods

refugees (country of origin): 26,264 (Eritrea); 11,159 (Syria); 5,675 (Afghanistan); 5,458 (Sri Lanka) (2016)

stateless persons: 66 (2016)

a major international financial center vulnerable to the layering and integration stages of money laundering; despite significant legislation and reporting requirements, secrecy rules persist and nonresidents are permitted to conduct business through offshore entities and various intermediaries; transit country for and consumer of South American cocaine, Southwest Asian heroin, and Western European synthetics; domestic cannabis cultivation and limited ecstasy production

despite strenuous law enforcement efforts, faces difficult challenges in controlling transit of heroin and methamphetamine to regional and world markets; modern banking system provides conduit for money laundering; rising indigenous use of synthetic drugs, especially among young people