Talk:Switzerland

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Former good articleSwitzerland was one of the Geography and places good articles, but it has been removed from the list. There are suggestions below for improving the article to meet the good article criteria. Once these issues have been addressed, the article can be renominated. Editors may also seek a reassessment of the decision if they believe there was a mistake.
On this day... Article milestones
DateProcessResult
October 26, 2006Peer reviewReviewed
December 6, 2006Featured article candidateNot promoted
May 6, 2007Peer reviewReviewed
May 23, 2007Good article nomineeNot listed
June 20, 2008Good article nomineeNot listed
June 17, 2009Featured article candidateNot promoted
January 26, 2010Good article nomineeListed
July 21, 2013Good article reassessmentKept
January 9, 2023Good article reassessmentDelisted
On this day... Facts from this article were featured on Wikipedia's Main Page in the "On this day..." column on August 1, 2004, August 1, 2005, August 1, 2006, September 12, 2007, September 12, 2008, September 12, 2009, September 12, 2010, September 12, 2011, September 12, 2013, September 12, 2015, September 12, 2016, September 12, 2017, September 12, 2018, September 12, 2019, and September 12, 2021.
Current status: Delisted good article

Semi-protected edit request on 4 April 2025

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i would like to change or remove the portion in the etymology section saying that the name for the canton: "schwyz" and the country: "schwiz" are pronounced the same "The Swiss German name of the country, Schwiiz, is homophonous to that of the canton and the settlement"

(IF the idea of changing it instead of outright removing it would be better i could write the following into the section, although im by far not an experienced editor or anything and would leave that up to more professional editors)

as to my knowledge people usually pronounce the name of the canton slightly differently as in:

the canton: schwyz, ʃʋiːts

the country: schwiz, ʃʋits


to make it more clear you could say it like this, the y sound from schwyz has a long held out vowel almost as if it being two syllables as in schwy-yz while the i in schwiz is a short and sharp vowel giving the whole word a more short, sharp or direct feeling another way to put it would be:

the y in schwyz is like the ee in see

while on the other hand the i in schwiz is like the ea in seat

i would also like to add that for the canton the z at the end is pronounced ever so slightly more softly due to the longer vowel that may be just up to personal preference tho

i dont have any actual academic sources for this the only source i can give is myself and my experiernce with the swiss german language as a native speaker that grew up in the southeastern canton of graubünden, is currently living in the northern canton of basel, has previously lived in the canton aargau and has alot of family in the canton bern so i'd say my "sample size" is decently large and diverse

i hope my use of the international phonetic alphabet is correct although it may be that i have mistakes in it as for i am new to using it Kunphenix (talk) 23:55, 4 April 2025 (UTC)[reply]

 Not done: please provide reliable sources that support the change you want to be made. I wish to see reliable sources, not just "he said that, she said this" or it makes it unreliable! If you understand.... Valorrr (talk) 03:21, 5 April 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Removal of cannabis consumption and mental health data from 2012

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Have removed this obscure old stat from 2012 and the cannabis consumption that deals with individuals from the ages of 20 to 24. Not only are these obscures stat that we don't usually have in country articles but its either hugely outdated or only discusses a drastically small portion of the population. Clearly not something for this overview article. Moxy🍁 22:01, 23 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you for your response. I agree regarding your comment about cannabis consumption but disagree with the rest in the sense you do not provide ANY reason for the removal of the alarming stats regarding cocaine consumption, which was a record by European and international standards (2018). This has since “DOUBLED”, according to Swiss Federal Police stats (reference given in this article). Regarding mental health stats, please see this 2024-article which gives “one out of four”. Cheers.Swissro (talk) 23:18, 23 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]
If we have an actual good report on mental health this could be cited... as of now it's an article relying on data from Axa. As for cocaine consumption doubling this is the norm for all of European countries. Has cocaine consumption been highlighted as a major health concern or should we be actually getting some stats on obesity, causes of death etc. Because as of now it sounds like it's a tourist attraction.... rather than a health concern.Moxy🍁 23:38, 23 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]
A “tourist attraction”? It is quite the OPPOSITE. A “major health concern”? For sure and it has been reported in mainstream media several times, including on Swiss-TV..
Obesity stats are given in the USA main page for your info, including many other health stats. (I think people should not be so uptight when it comes to somewhat less-shiny stats for CH. It actually helps heal the country over the long run by forcing to address the problem!(Please see also my note on y/talk page earlier in this regard)..
Finally, you’ve got 2 reliable sources given for mental stats already (reported by Swiss mainstream media each time). What else is needed here? Your agreement? Cheers :) Swissro (talk) 00:09, 24 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]
Media is junk for any health stuff especially a report quoting a company trying to make money. We'll look for some real sources shortly. Moxy🍁 00:28, 24 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]
Ok, see here for one more Swiss WP:RS source on this topic for info (I have NO agenda here. I report what I read in mainstream Swiss media). CheersSwissro (talk) 00:32, 24 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]
Applying for a copy of this. Hopefully shouldn't take too long. Moxy🍁 00:42, 24 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]
Ok. Cheers. https://www.letemps.ch/suisse/region-lemanique-affiche-plus-haut-taux-depression This one Swiss (WP:RS) source] (also from 2012) by Swiss health experts says “one out of six” suffers from mental illness. (in French). Swissro (talk) 02:41, 24 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]

1. I think it is appropriate to add a sentence about smoking:

"Between 2008 and 2018, the percentage of smokers has remained stable at around 27%.[1]"

2. Regarding cocaine consumption, I think it is appropriate to reinstate this long-standing, well-sourced, sentence:

"Five Swiss cities have been listed among the top 10 European cities for cocaine use as measured in wastewater (2018).[2][3]"

As well as its most recent update by Swiss Federal Police (FedPol):

"According to FedPol in 2025, Swiss consumption of cocaine has "doubled over the past 10 years".[4]"

3. For cannabis use in Switzerland, I propose to replace the old disputed sentence with a general stats taken at cannabis in Switzerland:

"The number of cannabis users in Switzerland is estimated to be around 500,000 among a population of 8 million.[5] (about 6.25 % of the population)."

(Awaiting stats regarding mental health in Switzerland by Moxy)..

This is a minimalist approach (by reporting only the most important aspects of health which are described and sourced in main articles.)

Swissro (talk) 00:05, 28 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]

See Canada#Health or Japan#Health or Germany#Health for the type of up to date content for these kinds of sections in an summary article we normally cover. We are looking for major topics...not public awareness advocacy from data over a decade old. We also need context. Health in Switzerland is where the content you're advocating for should be.... What should be up to date as possible.Moxy🍁 02:02, 28 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]
I am not advocating anything. Stating well-sourced FACTS only. For the rest who is “we”? you and possibly ZH8000 so far (who tried to delete health in Switzerland unsuccessfully some years ago!).. I might ask for third party opinion because I (“we”) are not satisfied with your answers above: First you mention a few countries. After reading them, they all DO mention specific issues which stand out in comparison to other countries such as diabetes, dementia, etc. As said before the US has a large obese population and it is reported in the main article as well!… I think alcoholism might be relevant in the context of Switzerland also, to some extend (82% of the population regularly consumed alcoholic beverages per cited source in main health article). Cheers, Swissro (talk) 03:03, 28 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]
Obviously I'm not being clear....

So let's give examples of data that is medically relevant. Random statistics of drug use are not very helpful.... are these numbers large or small compared to other places..... is cocaine use a major medical concern affecting the majority of the population? This isn't the article to cover comparisons or listing how many people do each bad habit. So what we normally cover is outlined in the sources below. .... What we could say is something along the lines of..65 percent of adults self-report having at least one major risk factor for chronic disease: smoking, physical inactivity, unhealthy eating or excessive alcohol use

Top causes of deaths per 100 000 population. Switzerland, 2021[1]
Ischaemic heart disease 110.5
Alzheimer disease and other dementias 73.9
COVID-19 73.5
Stroke 44.5
Trachea, bronchus, lung cancers 40
Hypertensive heart disease 30.1
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 27
Falls 21.3
Colon and rectum cancers 20.8
Pancreas cancer 19.4
Moxy🍁 03:41, 28 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]
It’s you who doesn’t understand me correctly, respectfully. I think I have responded to all your concerns above. Swissro (talk) 03:52, 28 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]
Random statistics with no context is not the place for a summary article on a country with a section of only a few paragraphs Wikipedia:Main article fixation. Risk factors to be summarized as done above in green.... not by bullet points. Moxy🍁 04:22, 28 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]
Bullet points were for the talk page only. Why not also add that “most happy retires live in Switzerland”? (Probably because they drink or smoke weed!… (humor only). Cheers Swissro (talk) 04:47, 28 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]
I think it's undue to add all this to the article, when there is clearly a better suited one. Nobody (talk) 06:58, 28 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]
@Moxy: I know you think I did not understand you fully. So, let me explain again. When you read a reliable source daily (like me), over time (several years) you get a pretty good idea of the problem areas and health PROFILE of the country (same with other major topics). WHY? simply because the Swiss mainstream media (such as Swissinfo for example) does a pretty good job to review and analyze the good sources you just listed above, such as WHO, the Swiss Federal Health dept., etc. Your approach is better suited for main Health in Switzerland IMO.
Again having 5 cities among top 10 in Europe for cocaine use should be mentioned in the main Switzerland article. On top of that Swiss cocaine consumption has since “doubled” according to FedPol. Having 27% smokers (way above European average) should be mentioned. 82% consuming alcohol “regularly” should be mentioned here as well (simply because it is INFORMATIVE and useful for the readers). Cannabis consumption is 7% or so of the total population which is high and should be reported in this article also IMO. It does’t help the Swiss people to try to hide all this, quite the contrary. It requires accomplices to drug dealers high up in Swiss government to reach statistics like this (e.g. cocaine consumption). I think it is a “hidden hand” pushing all this over Switzerland (& other countries as you mentioned; not to make the Swiss feel “irresponsible” about their own situation either). That is part of my motivation to edit like this (i.e. expose the problem). But if, like me, this does not interfere with your ability to edit Wikipedia and follow all its rules such as impartiality, neutrality or universality, then that is FINE IMHO. On a personal note, these people have a personal beef with me, because I try to improve the people’s condition and they try to do just the opposite, all the time. We can talk about who “they” are in more detail and what their end goal is, but “Wikipedia is NOT a forum” :-) Cheers, Swissro (talk) 12:42, 28 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]
Cocaine in European cities and in Canadian cities 2022
Simply undue here -...as its not covered in other country articles in this manner- even for countries with much higher consumption rates. Also undue because your selective list does not mention the main drugs used in the country [2]. Your reply above makes me want to point you to Wikipedia:Advocacy. not sure even city articles cover this type of data.
Moxy🍁 14:05, 28 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]
@Nobody: your argument is flawed because how can you explain otherwise that you have any content for the Foreign policy or the military sections to name a few? As said earlier, my approach here is “minimalist” (i.e. extracting the main point from main sub-articles dedicated to the topic). Feel free also to complement with other infos and perspectives such as with the “happiness index” which seems good and pretty contradictory. (One clever way to control people is to ask them to say they feel happy publicly (so that the “alarm” doesn’t go off) so as to undermine and progressively gain control of them behind the scene (mostly unconsciously), over time, thru “high finance”, media control/infiltration and social engineering)…but I digress with my personal opinion for this latter part :-) The Swiss are smart and they will understand (eg by researching my edit history). Cheers, Swissro (talk) 13:11, 28 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]
To summarize: For both of you, to say (as was written before its removal only recently) that “five out the top 10 European cities for cocaine consumption are located in Switzerland” (from multiple reliable Swiss sources) is ADVOCACY or Undue weight? (LoL). Cheers, Swissro (talk) 14:43, 28 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]
I asked for a third (uninvolved opinion) today. Let’s see what he or she has to say. I rest my case but might take it to arbitration if not satisfied with their answers. Swissro (talk) 14:49, 28 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]
"if not satisfied with their answers" = WP:FORUMSHOP (policy) Moxy🍁 16:13, 28 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]
I am trying hard not to be the "useful idiot" mentionned in this "forgery".
Unfortunatelly for me (& luckily for you) any appeal might end up in a court like this one since "they" probably control a big chunck of Wikipedia already! Cheers! --- Swissro (talk) 17:46, 28 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]

As a compromise solution, I propose the following to summarize all of the above in one sentence: "Issues relating to health include high drugs consumption, smoking and mental issues".[5][6][7]Swissro (talk) 17:11, 6 July 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Name in other languages

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On many articles about places that speak another language, it lists what the place is called in its native languages. While that is somewhat included in the infobox, it only lists the translations of "Swiss Confederation", not the translations of "Switzerland". I think that would be a worthwhile addition but I am not sure how to go about that myself. LaCienegaBlvd (talk) 16:20, 26 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Semi-protected edit request on 19 July 2025

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Change the eighth-highest gross domestic product (GDP) per capita.[22][23] to the sixst-highest gross domestic product (GDP) per capita.

Change 9,060,598[9] (99th) to 9,067,144[9] (100th)

Change • Per capita Increase $104,896[11] (5th) to 104,896[11] (3th)

Change GDP (nominal) 2025 estimate • Total Increase $947.125 billion[11] (20th) to $947.125 billion[11] (21th)

thanks Elias Hunziker (talk) 21:28, 19 July 2025 (UTC)[reply]

 Not done: please provide reliable sources that support the change you want to be made. Day Creature (talk) 22:24, 19 July 2025 (UTC)[reply]

"SwissEnergy" listed at Redirects for discussion

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The redirect SwissEnergy has been listed at redirects for discussion to determine whether its use and function meets the redirect guidelines. Readers of this page are welcome to comment on this redirect at Wikipedia:Redirects for discussion/Log/2025 August 25 § SwissEnergy until a consensus is reached. ArthananWarcraft (talk) 16:27, 25 August 2025 (UTC)[reply]

  1. ^ "How healthy are the Swiss?". 30 October 2018.
  2. ^ sm (10 March 2018). "Zurich is Europe's weekend cocaine capital". SWI swissinfo.ch.
  3. ^ ilj (6 July 2018). "Youth crime: more drug use, less dealing". SWI swissinfo.ch.
  4. ^ Mathey, Dimitri (2025-04-19). "Trafic de drogue et d'influence: le crime organisé a-t-il infiltré la politique suisse?". Tribune de Genève (in French). Retrieved 2025-06-15.
  5. ^ a b "'Cannabis clubs' set for four Swiss cities - The Local". Thelocal.ch. 2016-11-18. Retrieved 2016-11-23.
  6. ^ "How healthy are the Swiss?". 30 October 2018.
  7. ^ https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/workplace-switzerland/one-in-four-in-switzerland-report-mental-health-issues/73410946 this 2024-article]