Switzerland is an internationally recognized financial center. The World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report recently ranked the Swiss economy first in the world. Despite its relatively small size, Switzerland has only 8.1 million residents, 16% of whom are foreign citizens. Switzerland's four national languages are German, French, Italian, and Romansh, but most professionals speak professional English. Furthermore, Switzerland is one of the world's oldest democracies, founded in 1848. For the past three decades, the federal executive has been a coalition of the country's major political parties, ensuring a balance between neutrality and free enterprise. Consequently, several general factors contribute to this relatively small country's ability to compete globally, thereby enhancing its reputation:
Social peace and political stability.
Leading economies with stable currencies and prices.
A very professional international bank with a focus on privacy.
First-class infrastructure.
High productivity combined with exceptional product and service quality.
Top-ranking and world-renowned universities and technical colleges.