Location: Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy, south of Germany
Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 8 00 E
Area:
Land boundaries:
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers
Terrain: mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes
Elevation extremes:
Natural resources: hydropower potential, timber, salt
Land use:
Irrigated land: 250 kmē (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: avalanches, landslides, flash floods
Environment - current issues: air pollution from vehicle emissions and open-air burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use of agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity
Environment - international agreements:
party to:
Air Pollution,
Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides,
Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94,
Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants,
Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity,
Climate Change,
Desertification,
Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes,
Marine Dumping,
Marine Life Conservation,
Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands,
Whaling
signed, but not ratified:
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Law of the Sea
Geography - note: landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France and northern Italy, contains the highest elevations in Europe