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Location: Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy
Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 8 00 E
Area:
total:
41,290 sq km
land:
39,770 sq km
water:
1,520 sq km
Land
boundaries:
total:
1,852 km
border
countries: Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km, Liechtenstein 41
km, Germany 334 km
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:
lowest
point: Lake Maggiore 195 m
highest
point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m
Natural resources: hydropower potential, timber, salt
Land
use:
arable
land: 10%
permanent
crops: 2%
permanent
pastures: 28%
forests
and woodland: 32%
other:
28% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 250 sq km (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,
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: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea
Geography—note: crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France and northern Italy, contains the highest elevations in Europe
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Última actualització: 8 de juny de 2000