Switzerland, one of Europe's smallest countries, is located in the heart of Europe and is surrounded by France, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein and Italy. Its size is about equal to the combined areas of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. About 70 percent of the country is covered by mountains. Of the country's seven million people, about two thirds of them speak Schwyzerdütsch, a Swiss-German dialect.

In keeping with its tradition of neutrality, Switzerland voted to become a non-member of the European Union (EU). They use their own currency, the Swiss franc (CHF), which is quite beautiful and often has images taken from Swiss culture and the arts. Two main industries are international banking and tourism, but Switzerland also produces small, high-quality products for export, including precision tools and watches.

Yodeling and the alphorn are part of Switzerland's strong folk traditions. The alphorn was used by cattle herdsmen to communicate over long distances in the mountains, and yodeling imitates the rising and falling echoes of voices calling in the mountains. A colorful rural tradition happens every spring when cattle herds are moved from their winter barns to graze on the high mountain pastures. The animals wear flowers and bells around their necks that will help the herdsmen locate them in the meadows. The procession is repeated when the cattle come down from the mountains in the fall.

Switzerland's snow-covered mountains are a winter paradise for both the Swiss and tourists from all over the world. Besides skiing down mountainsides, the Swiss enjoy cross-country skiing, bobsledding, tobogganing, snowboarding, and skijoring. This sport involves riding on skis across a frozen lake or flat meadow, pulled by a galloping horse. In the summer, the Swiss enjoy climbing, hiking, bicycling, swimming, boating, river rafting, horseback riding and sports such as soccer. Another sport, Hornussen, is only played in Switzerland and resembles baseball, but uses a wooden disc instead of a ball. Two teams swing eight-foot wooden clubs and fielders catch the disc with wooden rackets.

The Swiss are polite people and have earned a reputation for being hardworking people. In the mountains, the week between Christmas and New Year's Day is when families often ski to a social gathering at a neighbor's house. City festivals often focus on a historic event or a religious or patriotic holiday. People dance, mingle in the streets and buy food from sidewalk stalls.