Geography
(15,940 sq mi), Switzerland is a relatively small country. The population is about 7.4 million, resulting in a population densityof 182 people per square kilometre (472/sq mi). [8]Switzerland comprises three basic topographical areas: the Swiss Alps, the Swiss Plateau, and the Jura Mountains. The Alps are a high mountain range running across the central-south of the country. Among the high peaks of the Swiss Alps, the highest of which is the Dufour Peak at 4,634 metres (15,203 ft), are found countless valleys, some with Glaciers. From these the headwaters of several major European rivers such as the Rhine, the Rhone, the Inn, the Aare, and the Ticino flow down into lakes such as Lake Geneva, Lake Zurich, Lake Neuchatel, and Constance Lake. The northern, more populous part of the country is more open, but can still be mountainous, for example, in the Jura Mountains, a smaller range in the northwest. The Swiss climate is generally temperate, but can vary greatly between the localities, from harsh conditions on the high mountains to the often pleasant Mediterranean Climate at Switzerland's southern tip. Switzerland's eco-systems can be particularly vulnerable due to the many valleys separated by high mountains, often forming unique ecologies, and the mountainous regions themselves, with a rich range of plants not found at other altitudes.