Switzerland is located in west central Europe. Its borders are the French and Italian coasts in the north, and the Austrian and Germanic countries in the south. The country's land area is about four thousand nine hundred square kilometers, more than twice the size of New Jersey. The capital city of Bern lies on the Aare River in the northwestern part of the country. It is also home to other large cities including Geneva and Lausanne in the south-west and Basel on the Lugano River in the north.
The Swiss road system stretches 71.212 km, including 1,706 km of expressways. The St. Gotthard tunnel, at 17 km long, connects Ticino with Germany and Austria. A number of other cities in the region also boast extensive rail networks. Visiting Switzerland is definitely a unique experience, and the population of this country is constantly growing. There are plenty of things to see and do in the city.
The country gained independence in 1032 and was put under the control of the House of Habsburg in the thirteenth century. The harsh domination caused several cities to revolt, and on 1 August 1291, a "eternal alliance" was formed among the cantons of Schwyz, Uri, and Unterwalden, the first step in the formation of the Swiss Confederation. In 1315, the Habsburgs invaded Switzerland's three forest cantons, and the Swiss defeated them at the Morgarten Pass. In 1353, five other cantons joined the confederation, giving Bern its current name.