Demographics
The following images above are three population pyramids. By looking at these pyramids you can see that the population has grown tremendously over the 100 year age difference. As projected by 2020 the population will be almost doubled compared to 1950. The most logical explanation for this would be increased health care and immigration. Besides population there are also some other recognizable features such as increased life expectancy and distribution of males and females. When you look at the population pyramid of 1950 most people did not live past the age of 70 but in 1995 this increased to the age of 80 and in the projected years to come it will be the age of 90. Again this is because of better medicine and technology. Switzerland today has one of the best health care systems in the world and this is reflected with there above average life expectancy. Switzerland's distribution of males and females is almost 50/50 in all three pyramids (Healthcare in Switzerland. (n.d.)).
Switzerland’s earliest history, according to archaeology,
dates back to around 350’000 B.C. At this time Stone Age hunters used weapons
and tools from stone splinters, bones of prey animals and human skeletons. Traces
of human life were found in many natural caves in the eastern and western parts
of Switzerland. They were found at altitudes of about 3,000- 4,500 ft. above
sea level(Refer to Images 3 and 4 to see altitudes). Although most of central Europe was covered by glaciers at this time
there were still relatively warmer areas. It can be concurred that those parts
of Switzerland must have been in the warmer areas; which is why they must have
settled there. These type of people known as the species homo neanderthalensis
mainly hunted large game but disappeared later in history (Jud, M. (n.d.)).
Then around 40,000 B.C. homo sapiens, also known as modern man; began to use more sophisticated tools which were made from flint-stone, wood, animal bones and leather. Several paintings of reindeer antlers and engraved pictures of animals were found within caves of Switzerland from this time period. These paintings were less impressing compared to the surrounding countries during his period of time (Jud, M. (n.d.)). Image 5
|
Image 2Image 3Image 4 |
From about 500 B.C. to 400 A.D., several Celtic tribes settled in Switzerland. Of them the most important one was named the Helvetians. They belonged to a family of nations that has been designated as Indo-Europeans because of their common roots in their languages. Among the Indo-Europeans there are the Greeks, the Romans, Germanic and Slawonian tribes and parts of the Persian and Indian population. It has been assumed that the Indo-European tribes came from the prairies of Southern Russia. The Helvetians were creative and skilled craftsmen. They also had highly developed technology in metal working and sense of style. They also knew how to organize work in pre-industrial manufactories. Celtic carts and wagons were actually superior to the Greek and Roman ones. In 58 B.C. the Helvetians attempted to leave Switzerland and move to
Southern France. But they were stopped by the Roman commander and subsequent
emperor C. Julius Caesar. Julius Cesar
forced the Helvetians to return to Switzerland. Then Roman military camps were created at the northern part of Switzerland to deter Germanic
tribes from entering Germany.
The Romans controlled Switzerland's territory until about A.D. 400 (Jud, M. (n.d.)).
The Romans controlled Switzerland's territory until about A.D. 400 (Jud, M. (n.d.)).
Natural Resources
Water power is the number one natural resource of Switzerland. The main water source is from the runoff of the annual precipitation that falls on the Swiss Alps. An important counterpart is melting water from the country’s many glaciers. The Swiss have harnessed the energy of falling water for productive uses for a centuries. Long ago, torrents turned waterwheels that powered pre-industrial mills and machinery. But today, the flow is captured by hundreds of hydroelectric power facilities. They provide about 59 percent of the country’s domestic electricity. There are not many plentiful mineral sources in Switzerland. Granite, limestone, other building stones, as well as salt are the only abundant mineral resources with commercial value. There are however small deposits of iron and manganese ores. Approximately 11 percent of Switzerland’s land is used for agriculture, while another 30 percent is covered by forests. Steep terrain is the main obstacle to agricultural expansion. The mountainous landscape is, however, the main part of the country’s tourism industry (Land and Resources, Natural Resources. (n.d.)).
For More Information: |
Sources: |
Switzerland's history is so rich. For additional information about Switzerland's population and settlement I recommend the following websites; http://history-switzerland.geschichte-schweiz.ch/ and http://www.swissworld.org/. Click on these links or the buttons below. These websites go more into depth and have even more information that I did not provide. You can find pictures and timelines in chronological order for Switzerland's settlement.
|
For Sources -Click on Sources Tab or click on the link below to redirect you to the sources page
|