DOCSLIB.ORG

1. Switzerland – Facts and Figures

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
1. Switzerland – Facts and Figures 1. Switzerland – facts and figures. Nestled between the Alps and the Jura mountains, Swit- the two largest of which are shared with its neighbors: for example zerland is a communications and transport center between Lake Geneva (Lac Leman) in the South-West with France, while northern and southern Europe where European cultures and Lake Constance in the North-East is shared with Germany and languages meet. No other country offers such great variety in Austria. so small an area. The Swiss economy’s high degree of devel- opment exists thanks to its liberal economic system, its po- litical stability and its close integration with the economies of An overview of Switzerland other countries. The state creates the necessary framework and only intervenes when this serves the interests of society www.swissworld.org at large. Its high quality education system and outstanding Languages: German, English, French, Italian, Spanish, Russian, infrastructure form the basis for the competitiveness of the Chinese, Japanese Swiss economy. 1.1 Geography. Fig. 2: Map showing the location of Switzerland The total area of Switzerland is 41,285 km2. Characterized by mountain and hill ranges, rivers and lakes, Switzerland offers a wide variety of landscapes in a small area – 220 km from North to South, and 348 km from West to East. The Swiss Alps, the hilly Mittelland region, which stretches from Lake Constance to Lake Geneva, and the Swiss Jura, a long range of fold mountains, form the three main geographical areas of the country. Due to its central location, Switzerland is a place where different cultures intersect and, at the same time, a communications and transportation hub between northern and southern Europe. Six percent of Europe’s fresh water supply is stored in the Swiss Alps, which is why Switzerland is also known as the «reservoir of Europe». Switzerland has numerous rivers and over 1,500 lakes, Handbook for Investors 2012 9 1.2 Climate. The proximity of politics to the business community and citizens is achieved through the federal structure, in which many public Switzerland’s climate is strongly affected by the nearby Atlantic functions are executed at cantonal or municipal level. These in Ocean. The prevailing winds from the West bring damp, mild sea turn have a certain amount of autonomy and can thus implement air over to Switzerland. Cooling in the summer and warming in solutions which are designed to meet local requirements. the winter, they also bring sufficient precipitation all year round 1.3.2 Separation of powers at federal level in most areas. The Alps act as a clear climatic divider between northern and southern Switzerland; as its weather comes prima- Online information of the federation, cantons and munici- rily from the direction of the Mediterranean, the South enjoys palities much milder winters than the North. Temperatures in Switzer- land depend primarily on height above sea level. In the northern www.ch.ch lowlands, the average temperature in January is around 1 °C, and Languages: German, English, French, Italian in July around 17 °C, whereas on the southern plateau the cor- responding average temperatures are 2 °C – 3 °C higher. In accordance with the federal constitution, the Swiss people are the «sovereigns» of the country – in other words, the highest The weather and climate in Switzerland political body, responsible for electing parliament. Every citizen with voting rights also has the right to participate in the shaping www.meteoschweiz.ch of the constitution and the legal system by means of referendum Languages: German, English, French, Italian or initiative. The Federal Assembly or parliament consists of two chambers: the National Council, representing the people with 200 members, 1.3 Political system. and the Council of States, representing the 26 cantons with a total of 46 members. The National Council is elected directly by 1.3.1 Federal structure the people every four years; each canton forms one constituency. Switzerland is a nation created by its own will and formed from Cantonal representation is based on population, although each several ethnic groups with different languages and religions. canton is entitled to at least one representative. The modern Swiss state was founded in 1848. Before this time, Switzerland consisted of a loose association of independent can- The federal government is known as the Federal Council, and it tons. The abbreviation CH for Switzerland, as found in Internet operates as a collegial body. Each of its seven members, who addresses, for example, dates back to the official Latin name are elected by the Federal Assembly comprising the members of «Confoederatio Helvetica». both chambers, heads one of the seven departments (ministries). The presidency of the government rotates between the Federal The state has a federal structure and is divided into three political Councilors on an annual basis. levels: municipal, cantonal and federal. The federal government is responsible for everything assigned to it under the constitu- The highest jurisdiction in Switzerland is enforced by the Federal tion, such as foreign and security policy, customs and excise, Supreme Court in Lausanne, the Federal Insurance Court in Lu- the monetary system, national legislation and defense. By global cerne, the Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona and the Federal Ad- comparison, the 26 cantons have a high degree of control. ministrative Court in Berne (from the middle of 2012 in St. Gallen). Healthcare, education and culture are among the political areas in which they have a great deal of influence. As small and flexible political entities, the cantons also compete with each other in various areas. 10 Handbook for Investors 2012 Fig. 3: The political system in Switzerland Legend Voters Instruments Swiss citizens from the age of 18 Elections Higher Courts Parliament Federal Council Federal Court, Criminal Court and National Council (200 Members) and (Government) Administration Court Council of States (46 Members) 7 Members Source: Swissworld.org/Präsenz Schweiz 1.3.3 Direct democracy and the concordance system 1.3.4 Political stability and social harmony There is hardly any other country where the electorate has such Studies on personal security and prosperity, social coherence and wide-ranging rights as it does in Switzerland. Citizens can request political stability have shown that Switzerland regularly leads all that a change or addition be made to the constitution by means of international comparisons in this regard. The Swiss attach great an initiative, or they may decide on parliamentary resolutions after importance to their independence. the event by means of a referendum. Switzerland’s long tradition of democracy, its relatively small size and population, high levels Despite the close proximity of different cultures and language of literacy and a wide variety of media are all factors which are key groups, domestic stability is considerable. There is a high degree to the functioning of this special form of government. As a rule, the of tolerance and personal freedom. The relationship between electorate is called upon to vote on federal bills four times a year. employers and employees, or their representatives is generally co- operative. Both sides are committed to resolving issues by means A unique feature of Swiss politics is the concordance system. For of negotiations. Thanks to this social harmony, the general level of decades, the most important political parties have put forward the prosperity in Switzerland has been rising for decades. seven Federal Councillors in a form of coalition. Equally, not only those who win the elections have a seat in parliament; all parties are represented proportionally by number of votes. Resolutions are reached with varying majorities, depending on respective interests. Thus, as many groups as possible have the opportunity to express their opinions on a topic and contribute to achieving a broad- based compromise. This striving for consensus on the basis of the principles of collegiality and concordance contributes significantly to Switzerland’s political stability. Handbook for Investors 2012 11 Fig. 4: Political stability, 2011 1.4 Public finances. Political orientation stable = 10, unstable = 0 1 Norway 9.49 Switzerland lives up to its reputation as a stable country. The 2 Switzerland 9.49 rate of inflation lies well below that in the EU states and the most 3 Chile 9.48 important industrialized nations. This is also true for unemploy- 4 New Zealand 9.41 ment, with the unemployment rate regularly below four percent. 5 Finland 9.18 Interest rates in Switzerland are also traditionally low, while the 6 Germany 9.11 savings rate is high (national saving as a percentage of GDP in 10 Denmark 8.94 2009: 30.8 %). 11 Luxemburg 8.92 14 Singapore 8.50 The public spending ratio measures expenditure by public admin- 15 USA 8.47 istrations as a percentage of the gross domestic product (GDP). It 16 Netherlands 8.33 includes spending by public authorities and the mandatory social 17 Great Britain 8.25 insurances. In Switzerland, this ratio is at 34.6 % (2009). Most 18 Brazil 8.17 European countries have a ratio of well above 50 %. 19 France 8.09 20 Hong Kong SAR 7.57 The country is in a healthy financial situation. This applies to the 22 China 7.15 financial budget of the central state, the federal government as 29 India 6.71 well as the cantons and local authorities. The surplus ratio in 35 Ireland 6.33 2010 was 0.5 % at state level. 48 Russia 4.90 51 Italy 4.58 National debt is also below that of most countries in Europe. Total 54 Belgium 4.03 public sector debt amounts to 39 % of GDP (2010). Compared to 55 Japan 3.89 the average national debt ratio of EU countries (78.9 %), Swit- Source: IMD World Competitiveness Online 2011 zerland’s ratio is relatively low.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Federal Councillor Alain Berset and His Meteoric Rise Traditions
    THE MAGAZINE FOR THE SWISS ABROAD jANuARy 2012 / NO.1 Federal Councillor Alain Berset and his meteoric rise Traditions: the UNESCO list and Switzerland Iouri Podladtchikov: an incredible talent Glacier Express in the Goms Valley, Valais The magic of panoramic Altitude 4000 If you want to admire an Winter views. exceptional view of around Allow yourself to be captivated by the passing 29 mountain tops reaching peaks of over 4000 meters, landscapes on board Switzerland’s most includingSwitzerland’s famous panoramic train. highest mountain, the Pointe Dufour, a trip to the The Glacier Express links the An unforgettable journey Gornergrat is a must. It can Tip 1 two most important regions Since its first journey in easily be reached by cog- in the Swiss Alps, Valais and 1930, the Glacier Express wheel railway from Zermatt. MySwitzerland.com Graubünden. On board, you has lost none of its magic, Webcode: A41609 will travel through 91 tunnels particularly in Winter. It took and cross 291 bridges be- 50 years before trains were Winter sports tween Zermatt, the home able to run on the impass- The Oberalp Pass in of the Matterhorn, and able mountain section of the Graubünden is transformed St.Moritz, the glamorous Furka in Winter! in Winter into a playground station of the Engadin. In for tobogganing enthusi- its panorama cars, a journey NetworkSwitzerland asts,skiers, snowboarders of over seven hours will seem Register at and hikers. The view of the like just a few minutes, as the MySwitzerland.com/asoby Urseren Valley and the views of nature in Winter are 31 March 2012 and win mountains of the Gotthard Tip 2 so magnificent.
    [Show full text]
  • Climate Change and Tourism in Switzerland : a Survey on Impacts, Vulnerability and Possible Adaptation Measures
    Climate Change and Tourism in Switzerland : a Survey on Impacts, Vulnerability and Possible Adaptation Measures Cecilia Matasci, Juan‐Carlos Altamirano‐Cabrera 1 Research group on the Economics and Management of the Environment ­ Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne, CH­1015 Lausanne, Switzerland, [email protected] The tourism industry is particularly affected by climate change, being very climate‐ and weather‐ dependent. Moreover, particularly in the Alpine region, it is specially exposed to natural hazards. Nonetheless, this industry is an important pillar of the Swiss economy, providing employment and generating income. Then, it becomes essential to reduce its vulnerability and starting implementing adaptation measures. In order to do so, it is important to define which areas face which problems and to recognize vulnerability hot spots. This motivation comes from the prospect that the largest environmental, social and economic damages are likely to be concentrated in vulnerable areas. This article presents an overview of the current state of the knowledge on the impacts, the vulnerability and the possible adaptation measures of the tourism industry in relation to climate change. Moreover, it presents different methods that could help assessing this vulnerability, referring in particular to the Swiss situation. This is the first step toward the establishment of the vulnerability analysis and the consequent examination of possible adaptation measures. Keywords: climate change, adaptation, vulnerability, tourism, Switzerland Introduction Climate change is a global phenomenon, but its effects occur on a local scale. Moreover, these effects have a clear impact on economic activities. An example of an activity heavily affected is tourism. Tourism is closely interlinked with climate change both as culprit and as victim.
    [Show full text]
  • 2021 Rhine Castles & Swiss Alps
    2021 ­ Rhine Castles & Swiss Alps 7­NIGHT CRUISE Discover fairytale castles and historic vineyards as part of this spectacular Rhine River cruise fantasy. Start by exploring the canal­laden city of Amsterdam, with its neat rows of buildings and rich history. Then it’s off to Germany, where you’ll discover not only the grand city of Cologne but charming villages like the winemaking hamlet of Rudesheim and the university town of Heidelberg. Enjoy cruising through the UNESCO­designated Rhine Gorge, where 40 castles are strung like pearls along the river banks. Cross the border into France’s Alsace region in enchanting Strasbourg and take in spectacular panoramas of the Swiss Alps. Encompassing the Netherlands, Germany, France and Switzerland, as well as iconic landmarks and majestic mountain landscapes, this distinctive itinerary is truly a dream come true. OVERVIEW: DAY DESTINATION ACTIVITIES 1 AMSTERDAM EMBARKATION 2 AMSTERDAM Canal cruise tour Scenic cruising out of Amsterdam 3 COLOGNE “Holy City” walking tour and cathedral visit OR Kölsch beer and local specialties tasting OR Cologne bike tour 4 RHINE GORGE Castles along the Rhine scenic cruising Rüdesheim wine tasting OR Gondola ride OR Vineyard hike OR Guided bike tour of the Rheingau Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum OR Rüdesheimer Coffee 5 LUDWIGSHAFEN “Romantic Heidelberg” excursion OR Heidelberg Philosopher’s hike OR “Secrets of Speyer” tour OR Ladenburg bike tour 6 STRASBOURG “The Gem of Alsace” tour OR Strasbourg bike tour 7 BASEL “City of Art” tour OR Three countries bike tour OR Lucerne Full­Day Tour Lucerne Half­Day Tour 8 BASEL DISEMBARKATION ITINERARY DETAILS: Day 1, AMSTERDAM.
    [Show full text]
  • The Documentation Centre of the Swiss Federal Assembly – Providing Knowledge in a Complex Environment
    1 World Library and Information Congress: 69th IFLA General Conference and Council 1-9 August 2003, Berlin Code Number: 095-E Meeting: 92. Library and Research Services for Parliaments Simultaneous Interpretation: Yes The Documentation Centre of the Swiss Federal Assembly – providing knowledge in a complex environment Dr. Ernst Frischknecht Head of the Documentation Centre of the Swiss Federal Assembly Berne Summary One of parliament's tasks consists in exerting an ordering and regulating influence as part of a complex political system. It must identify emerging problems, and then tackle them and solve them. This requires knowledge: knowledge must be acquired, processed and translated into action. My contribution uses the example of a small service to explain the conditions that have to be satisfied by parliamentary documentation to meet the requirements of a national parliament. What is crucial in this context is a good maintenance and organisation of the provision of knowledge. 1. Notes on Switzerland's political system By way of introduction, I would like to sketch Switzerland and its political system, because this system also provides the framework conditions for the work of a parliamentary documentation service. Switzerland is a country with about 7.3 million inhabitants and a surface of 41,285 km2. 63.9% of the population speak German, 19.5% French, 6.6% Italian and 0.5% Rhaeto- Romanic. Its linguistic diversity is also reflected in parliament, where members represent the national languages in due proportion. Parliamentary debates are conducted in four languages, and most documents are available in three languages. This has consequences for the Parliamentary Services, which basically have to work in three languages.
    [Show full text]
  • SWISS REVIEW the Magazine for the Swiss Abroad February 2016
    SWISS REVIEW The magazine for the Swiss Abroad February 2016 80 years of Dimitri – an interview with the irrepressible clown February referenda – focus on the second Gotthard tunnel Vaping without nicotine – the e-cigarette becomes a political issue In 2016, the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad celebrates 100 years of service to the Fifth Switzerland. E-Voting, bank relations, consular representation; which combat is the most important to you? Join in the discussions on SwissCommunity.org! connects Swiss people across the world > You can also take part in the discussions at SwissCommunity.org > Register now for free and connect with the world SwissCommunity.org is a network set up by the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA) SwissCommunity-Partner: Contents Editorial 3 Dear readers 4 Mailbag I hope you have had a good start to the new year. 2016 is a year of anniversaries for us. We will celebrate 25 5 Books years of the Area for the Swiss Abroad in Brunnen this “Eins im Andern” by Monique Schwitter April, then 100 years of the OSA in the summer. Over the course of those 100 years, hundreds of thousands 6 Images of people have emigrated from Switzerland out of ne- Everyday inventions cessity or curiosity, or for professional, family or other reasons. The OSA is there for them as they live out their 8 Focus life stories. Its mission is to support Swiss people living abroad in a variety of Switzerland and the refugee crisis ways. It too is constantly changing. “Swiss Review” has had a new editor-in-chief since the beginning of No- 12 Politics vember.
    [Show full text]
  • Switzerland - a Hiking Paradise
    Official Publication of the NORTH AMERICAN SWISS ALLIANCE Volume 139 June, 2019 Switzerland - a Hiking Paradise For many good reasons!!! How many facts regarding hiking in Switzerland are you familiar with? Walking along all of Switzerland’s hiking trails Switzerland’s well-signposted and maintained would be the equivalent of going one-and-a- hiking trails are particularly appreciated by both half times around the world! foreign and local hikers. Signposts at approximately 50,000 spots along the way Switzerland’s hiking trail network covers inform hikers of the type of trail, its final around 65,000 km. For comparison, the whole destination and sometimes its estimated of Switzerland has “only” 71,400 km of roads duration. All hiking trails are checked on foot and 5,100 km of railway tracks. each year by more than 1,500 hiking-trail staff, many of whom are volunteers. All signposts The Swiss population spends 162 million hours were taken down during the Second World War on hiking trails each year, while 59% of all - The Swiss used to be afraid of revealing overnight visitors in summer go hiking at least valuable route information to invading once during their stay. enemies. Switzerland’s obstacle-free hiking trail network The longest hiking trails in Switzerland can be is unparalleled in the world. Switzerland boasts found in the cantons of Graubünden (11,141 69 obstacle-free hiking routes signposted with km), Bern (9,930 km) and Valais (8,766 a white information panel. These can be km). 10% of all hiking trails are by the accessed by people in wheelchairs or families waterside, 9% along a river or stream and with buggies – the sheer size of this network roughly 1% along a lake.
    [Show full text]
  • Biodiversity in Switzerland : Status and Trends
    2017 > State of the environment > Biodiversity Biodiversity in Switzerland : Status and Trends Results of the biodiversity monitoring system in 2016 > Biodiversity in Switzerland: Status and Trends FOEN 2017 2 Publishing information Publisher Cover photo Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) Bryum versicolor; Heike Hofmann The FOEN is an office of the Swiss Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communication (DETEC). Photo credits Markus Thommen: 3 Authors Andreas Meyer (KARCH): 5, 72 Nicolas Gattlen, Kaisten Markus Bolliger: 6, 33, 34 Gregor Klaus, Rothenfluh Emanuel Ammon: 8 Glenn Litsios, FOEN, Species, Ecosystems, Landscape Division Yannick Chittaro (Info fauna – CSCF): 10 Anne Litsios-Dubuis: 12, 13, 44 FOEN advisors Kurt Bart: 28 Sarah Pearson and Gian-Reto Walther Adrian Möhl: 29 Marcel Burkhart, ornifoto.ch: 30 Contribution: Swisstopo: 38 Federal Office for the Environment Jérôme Pellet: 39 Francis Cordillot, Daniel Hefti, Gilles Rudaz, Gabriella Silvestri, Bruno Stadler, Michel Roggo, roggo.ch: 42 Béatrice Werffeli, Species, Ecosystems, Landscape Division Meike Hanne Seele/Ex-Press: 43 Reto Meier, Christoph Moor, Gaston Theis, Air Pollution Control and Christoph Scheidegger: 48 Chemicals Division Christian Koch, Julius Heinemann: 49 Andreas Hauser, Economics and Innovation Division Benoît Renevey, Ville de Lausanne: 50 Olivier Schneider, Forest Division Audrey Megali (CCO-Vaud): 52 Andreas Bachmann, Elena Havlicek, Bettina Hitzfeld, Jérémie Millot, Lotte Wegmann: 61 Roland Von Arx, Soil and Biotechnology Division
    [Show full text]
  • Climate Change As a Threat to Tourism in the Alps
    CLIMATE RESEARCH Vol. 20: 253–257, 2002 Published April 26 Clim Res Climate change as a threat to tourism in the Alps Hans Elsasser*, Rolf Bürki Economic Geography Division, Department of Geography, University of Zurich-Irchel, Winterthurerstr. 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland ABSTRACT: Switzerland’s economy depends heavily on tourism. For many alpine areas in the coun- try, winter tourism is the most important source of income, and snow-reliability is one of the key ele- ments of the offers made by tourism in the Alps. The financial viability of winter tourism, however, depends on sufficient snow conditions. The lack of snow at the end of the 1980s left a lasting imprint on the tourism industry. If the assumptions of the impacts of climate change hold true, snow cover in the Swiss Alps will diminish, and this will, in turn, jeopardise the tourism industry. 85% of Switzer- land’s current ski resorts can be designated as snow-reliable. If climate change occurs, the level of snow-reliability will rise from 1200 m up to 1800 m over the next few decades. Only 44% of the ski resorts would then still be snow-reliable. While some regions may be able to maintain their winter tourism with suitable adaptation strategies, others would lose all winter tourism due to a diminishing snow pack. Despite global warming, it is impossible to exclude the possibility of winters with heavy snowfall in the future (e.g. the winter of 1998/99, particularly February 1999). Climate change must be viewed as a catalyst that is reinforcing and accelerating the pace of structural changes in tourism.
    [Show full text]
  • WELCOME to the SWISS ALPS
    ENGLISH בס"ד SWISSָ ALPS ===ש ֹׁום ֲ the ֵע ליכֶ to ם===WELCOME Insights into Swiss Customs 2 Welcometo to Switzerland Welcome Switzerland Switzerland is home to some most beautiful places, and especially the Swiss Alps are a popular destination for numerous Jewish travelers – you can discover many touristic attractions. There is a Jewish headcount of around 18,000 (around 0.2% of the total population) with a thriving Jewish religious life at different synagogues in several cities. This guide is intended to provide you with an overview not only on kosher food and synagogues, but also other important things which can be helpful during your visit. This guide is not a halachic guidebook. It may also be helpful to prevent frictions between Jewish tourists and the locals. Such frictions unfortunately have led to some very unpleasant reports about Jewish tourists in Switzerland. This is why we want to emphasize how essential it is to become familiar with Swiss culture and local codes of behavior when you prepare visiting Switzerland. We all represent the Jewish people, and this is a responsibility which we must take seriously. Thus we hope that this guide will help to clarify some of this kind of issues, and help everyone to have an even better vacation experience in Switzerland. We wish you a very pleasant stay! 3 As products sold in regularKosher supermarkets do Food not have hechsherim, please refer to the kosher list which specifies all available kosher products in Switzerland. There are two main supermarket chains – Migros and Coop –, and at least one of them is present in almost every village.
    [Show full text]
  • Andermatt Swiss Alps
    ANDERMATT SWISS ALPS editorial The first time I visited Andermatt, I encountered something special: the unadulterated natural beauty of a Swiss moun- tain village in the heart of the Alps. And I was inspired – not only by the village of Andermatt, but by the whole valley. This expansive high-mountain valley, the Ursern Valley, with its wild and romantic natural landscape, inspired my vision of Andermatt Swiss Alps. Even then, it was clear to me that the soul of this region is the untouched nature. And I intend to preserve this. I see sustainability as a cornerstone upon which the develop- ment of Andermatt is based. I warmly invite you to discover the charm of the Swiss Alps. Step into a world that is closer than you think. Welcome to Andermatt Swiss Alps! Samih Sawiris Sawiris’ vision has since become reality, in the form of the new hotels, apartment buildings and chalets of Ander matt Swiss Alps, the unique golf course and the multifaceted SkiArena. The properties next to the Reuss offer guests a range of modern residential options and are sought-after investment assets as well. The portfolio rang- es from practical studios to spacious apartments and penthouses. Streets and walks in Andermatt are short – and it should stay that way: The village area next to the Reuss is car- free; an underground garage provides ample parking space. The mountain cableway terminals, shops, restau- rants and public facilities are easily accessible by foot in every season and are integrated into the village life of Andermatt. The central Piazza Gottardo also contributes to this.
    [Show full text]
  • Facies and Environments
    The Geological Society of America Digital Map and Chart Series 17 2014 Notes on Maps of the Callovian and Tithonian Paleogeography of the Caribbean, Atlantic, and Tethyan Realms: Facies and Environments Caroline Wilhem* Institute of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Geosciences and Environments, University of Lausanne, Geopolis, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland A. NOTE detailed in Hochard (2008). The Mesozoic reconstructions were partly presented and discussed in Flores (2009) for the Pacifi c The Callovian-Tithonian period of the Atlantic and its and Caribbean realms; in Stampfl i and Borel (2002, 2004) for connected oceans was tectonically intense. It was mainly the Atlantic realm; and in Stampfl i (2000, 2001), Stampfl i et al. marked by the opening of the Caribbean Seaway, the pursu- (2001a, 2001b, 2002, 2003), Stampfl i and Borel (2004), Stamp- ance of the Atlantic and Tethyan spreading, as well as the fl i and Kozur (2006), Bagheri and Stampfl i (2008), Bonev and North Atlantic rifting. This period is characterized by a gen- Stampfl i (2008, 2011), Moix et al. (2008), and Stampfl i and eral deepening of the oceans. At the same time, the sedimen- Hochard (2009) for the Tethyan realm. tation passed from largely siliceous to carbonaceous deposits Key localities and linked references used for the elabora- within the Tethyan realm. tion of the Callovian and Tithonian maps are geographically Callovian and Tithonian facies and environments were com- presented in section B. The Dercourt et al. (1993, 2000) atlases piled and added to a plate tectonics model that constrains their were used as general references. The characteristics and devel- arrangements.
    [Show full text]
  • Quaternary Glaciation History of Northern Switzerland
    Quaternary Science Journal GEOzOn SCiEnCE MEDiA Volume 60 / number 2–3 / 2011 / 282–305 / DOi 10.3285/eg.60.2-3.06 iSSn 0424-7116 E&G www.quaternary-science.net Quaternary glaciation history of northern switzerland Frank Preusser, Hans Rudolf Graf, Oskar keller, Edgar krayss, Christian Schlüchter Abstract: A revised glaciation history of the northern foreland of the Swiss Alps is presented by summarising field evidence and chronologi- cal data for different key sites and regions. The oldest Quaternary sediments of Switzerland are multiphase gravels intercalated by till and overbank deposits (‘Deckenschotter’). Important differences in the base level within the gravel deposits allows the distin- guishing of two complex units (‘Höhere Deckenschotter’, ‘Tiefere Deckenschotter’), separated by a period of substantial incision. Mammal remains place the older unit (‘Höhere Deckenschotter’) into zone MN 17 (2.6–1.8 Ma). Each of the complexes contains evidence for at least two, but probably up-to four, individual glaciations. In summary, up-to eight Early Pleistocene glaciations of the Swiss alpine foreland are proposed. The Early Pleistocene ‘Deckenschotter’ are separated from Middle Pleistocene deposition by a time of important erosion, likely related to tectonic movements and/or re-direction of the Alpine Rhine (Middle Pleistocene Reorganisation – MPR). The Middle-Late Pleistocene comprises four or five glaciations, named Möhlin, Habsburg, Hagenholz (uncertain, inadequately documented), Beringen, and Birrfeld after their key regions. The Möhlin Glaciation represents the most extensive glaciation of the Swiss alpine foreland while the Beringen Glaciation had a slightly lesser extent. The last glacial cycle (Birrfeld Glaciation) probably comprises three independent glacial advances dated to ca.
    [Show full text]