Differences Between Switzerland and Sweden
No, They're Not the Same Place
First, location, location, location. Sweden is a phallic looking land mass which begins in the arctic circle and terminates in the Baltic Sea. Sweden has 3,218 kilometers of coastline. It is separated from Russia by a thin slip of land called Finland.
Switzerland, by contrast, is a landlocked country in central Europe. It bears no resemblance to any body part. It has no coastline, and is bordered by five countries: Germany, France, Italy, Austria, and Liechtenstein. It is separated from Russia by a large group of countries called Eastern Europe.
Next, language. In Sweden, the Swedish people speak Swedish (or Svenska, which means Swedish in Swedish.) In Switzerland, the Swiss people speak German, French, Italian, and Romansch.
Let's move on to landscape. As we already know, Sweden has a coastline on the Baltic Sea. It also has a lot of lakes. The mountains in Sweden form its border with Norway, their highest point is 2,111 meters. Most of Sweden is not mountainous. The CIA factbook says Sweden's chief natural hazard is ice floes interfering with maritime traffic.
Switzerland's landscape is described as mostly mountainous. Its lowest point is 195 meters above sea level, its highest is 4, 634 meters - more than twice the height of Sweden's highest point. The CIA factbook says Switzerland's biggest natural hazards are avalanches, landslides, and flash floods.
Sweden's population is just over 9 million, Switzerland's is just over 7.5 million. Oddly, the two countries share the same life expectancy at birth - 80.51 years. Apparently Switzerland's avalanches and landslides aren't taking any more lives than Sweden's ice floes.
Switzerland is a direct democracy and has never had a monarch since its inception in 1291. Sweden was founded in 1523 and still has a king; their government is a constitutional monarchy.
Lastly, let's talk about what the Swedes and the Swiss have given us that we'll remember. Sweden has produced: Volvo, Saab, Absolut, IKEA, swedish fish, dynamite, the Nobel awards, the 'sport' of orienteering, and ABBA. Contrary to popular belief, Sweden did not give the world the Swedish Bikini Team, they was just a couple of blonde American girls used to sell beer.
Where Sweden took care of our automotive and beverage needs, the Swiss have produced some wonderful items including: Lindt, Toblerone, and other chocolates, Ricola, Swiss Army knives, fondue, Gruyere and Emmental (which Americans call Swiss cheese,) Mennonites, Absinthe, and a place to hide our ill-gotten financial gains.
I hope this overview of some of the differences between Sweden and Switzerland has helped you whether you're planning a vacation or a purchase. Enjoy!
Published by Sydney Ellis
Sydney is a former training specialist who now spends her time in HR consulting, traveling, and writing more words than are necessary. View profile
- International Neutrality in War and PeaceWhy do some countries choose to engage in wars that have nothing to do with them, while others remain totally neutral? What are the laws governing international neutrality? Why can't the United States remain a neutral...
- Olympic Men's Hockey Coverage: Russia Vs. Latvia, Finland Vs. Belarus and Sweden V...The Olympic tournament continues with Russia vs. Latvia, Finland vs. Belarus and Sweden vs. Germany.
- Stop the Bleeding in Your Retirement Account, Part 3 of 3: Location, Location, Loc...Land Banking has can be lucrative and predictable - if you find out where the 10 Key Indicators discussed in my last installment are all present. Here, location is the focus.
- Why Free Reports? Why Location?How to use free reports for your website.
- Holidaying Along the Baltic CoastBaltic Sea coastline has been a holiday favorite spot for Germans for a century.
- Europe: Location, Climate, Resources, and History
- Location, Location, Location
- Disney's Polynesian Resort - Location, Location, Location
- Location, Location, Relocation
- Buying a House? Remember, Location, Location, Location!
- Russia Threatens with Missile Deployment to Kaliningrad
- Yard Sale Tip: Location, Location, Location
17 Comments
Post a CommentThanks for the helpful article! I'm a little ashamed to admit that I just realized they weren't one and the same when I landed in Zurich on a connecting flight and realized I was not in Sweden but Switzerland. I've added both countries to my "must visit list". Thank you Sydney Ellis!
Actually, what Americans know as Swedish Fish apparently come from Finland. According to the Wiki article, they are actually Swedish now. I quote, "They have been developed with special flavors specifically for the North American market by the Swedish candy producer Malaco (originally Finnish), which exports products to North America."
Sorry to disappoint - now you've called me an idiot and the old adage about keeping your mouth shut and being thought a fool has been proved true.
Idiot, Sweden has not produced "Swedish Fish". It's american.
I guess you too living in a bubble because i was asked where i came from after tired off miss-represent me, but my little country reminds most educated and none educated pples that relegeous fighter and ofcourse poor country even scand countries didn't even know these little countries but they drop theier goodies with thier bible so tell me who is in big bubble? who is ignorant americans or eastern europe thiere dollar or your euro ?
I don't know - I've lived in a few countries and every society has their own blindness and idiosyncrasies. I can't get too bothered about America's ignorance since I've seen firsthand different but still drastic ignorance in other countries. Would it be better if this wasn't the case? Yes, of course. But it doesn't keep me up at night.
continued:
except for one thing: this whole way of thinking makes can only make ppl ignorant and closed minded. it makes them uniform, stereotyped copies. stamped out on the assembly line and then spread into the population. This "mono-thinking" is probably the biggest short-coming of the entire nation. the valley girl accent has spread to every university in the states, no matter how far south, north or in BFE it may be situated. Am I the only one who finds this disturbing??
confusing both countries just because they both start with the same 2 letters is like saying "austria, austrailia, whats the difference". hell, even the example i just used would be more acceptable being as they share many letters in their names, not just 2. I think the point here is that while you can find people who are "unaware" in all countries, americans don't just live a bubble. they live in a "super-mega-bubble". by that i'm not just talking about the size and language differences, i'm also talking about the fact that so many americans are concvinced that america is the be-all end-all best place to live in the world PERIOD. no room for discussion or looking into other ideas about living in or even respecting the ways of, styles and traditions of other countries. its to the point where it goes beyond just confusing country names, many americans think "NOTHINg is better than where I am, so why should I care". and this wouldnt be an issue for me, except for one thing: this whole wa
LOL. I know why Americans don't know the difference, and I don't claim they should care. But...it is sort of basic world geography and politics. It's good to have at least a loose grasp on what parts of the world are where and what that means to us.
The US is a vast place with everyone sharing the same language and cultural background. People aren't that different from each other even if you travel across the whole country. In Europe, most countries aren't larger than the average US state and there are so many different languages, peoples and traditions, it's hard to count them.
If you're American, imagine everyone speaking a different language when you cross over into another state. Imagine having to learn that language along with the cultural dos and don'ts if you wanted to apply for a job.
I don't think Americans are stupid or overly ignorant. They simply don't need to deal with many problems people have elsewhere. Why should they care if it's Switzerland or Sweden? After all, they can move from NY to LA and needn't expect any drastic changes.
"Swedes are Volvo-making, vodka drinking nudists who were well represented on the muppets".
hahahahaa... Im not swedish, but i live in sweden for 19 years and found it funny, couse here in Sweden people have the same myths about other cultures and countries. Once a swede asked me if in Southamerica we have computers. They only show southamerica and some other countries with a very strange point of view. I guess we all live in bubles. And live with tthe information we recieve from newspapers and tvs, I think its better to know things is by traveling and actually spending time there for a few months. :-)
I like your writing style.