Rivers- Rivers provide Switzerland with it’s magnificent nature.
- Switzerland has 36 different rivers, each of them being more than 7 km long. - Most of these rivers are valleys which lie between the magnificent Alp peaks. - The country is also the origin of the 4 major rivers that flow throughout Europe – Rhine, Rhône, Adige and Danube. Also interesting about these rivers are that they flow in cardinal directions – north, west, east and south respectively. - For people looking for attractions, Switzerland offers cruises through the major rivers. One of the famous cruise is The Rhine Discovery. |
Lakes- Switzerland is also known as the land of water.
- Switzerland has over 7000 lakes, the largest one being Lake Geneva on the western border with France. - Other than that, lakes such as Lake Lucerne, Lake Uri and Lake Constance give Switzerland its’s own beauty. - The fresh water lakes in Switzerland provide 6% of Europe’s fresh water. - The reflection of the mountains on the lakes filled with crystal clear water, gives it the name – ‘God’s own Paradise’. |
Waterfalls - Switzerland has over 200 waterfalls which will give you the most astonishing view on the Earth.
- The waterfalls are usually located in the Alps, making the water extremely cold. Apart from that, the falls are known to have high pressure of water flowing down, that is why Switzerland is highly dependent on its energy from water. - After seeing ‘The Swiss Valley of the 72 water’, you will see the magnificent beauty of the country. - Some of the waterfalls are at extreme heights in the Alps. - Switzerland is also home to Europe’s largest waterfall – The Rhine Falls. |
The Alps- Alps make up 60% of Switzerland’s land. The Alps cover the lower half area of Switzerland, reaching the western boundary of France and eastern border of Austria and Italy.
- The height of the Alps is similar to the height of the Innuitian mountains in Canada. - To make administration easier, the Swiss government has divided the Alps into 4 mountain ranges - Bernese, Pennine, Lepontine, and Rhaetian. - The Alps also consist of Mount Blanc, the highest peak in Switzerland, rising 4810m above sea level. The mountains here are relatively young and appear to be jagged. |
Jura Mountains- This is the region which has low elevation relatively to the Swiss Alps.
- The altitude ranges from 900m – 1700m. - These are located near the west side of Switzerland and to the north of the Alps. - This landform covers 10% of Switzerland. - These mountains were once tall, but after hundreds of years these started to shrink. |
Mitteland- This is the region which covers the central and north-eastern part of Switzerland.
- This landform covers 30% of the area in Switzerland. - This is a flat area at high elevation, thus called a plateau. - The are located in the country with an average height of 460m. This is the most populated area of Switzerland. |