Location:
Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland
Geographic coordinates:
47 16 N, 9 32 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 160 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 160 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 0 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data):
219
Area - comparative:
about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
total: 75 km
[see also: Land boundaries - total country ranks ]
border countries (2):
Austria 34 km, Switzerland 41 km
Coastline:
0 km
(doubly landlocked)
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers
Terrain:
mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third
Elevation:
lowest point:
Ruggeller Riet 430 m
highest point:
Vorder-Grauspitz 2,599 m
Natural resources:
hydroelectric potential, arable land
Land use:
agricultural land: 37.6%
(2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
arable land: 18.8%
(2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 0%
(2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
permanent pasture: 18.8%
(2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent pasture country ranks ]
forest: 43.1%
(2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 19.3%
(2011 est.)
[see also: Land use country ranks ]
Irrigated land:
0 sq km
(2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]
Population distribution:
most of the population is found in the western half of the country along the Rhine River
Natural hazards:
avalanches, landslides
Environment - current issues:
some air pollution generated locally, some transfered from surrounding countries
Environment - international agreements:
party to:
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
Law of the Sea
Geography - note:
along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation
