Switzerland has long been one of the world's great tourist destinations. It contins an extraordinary abundance of natural beauties and interesting tourist attractions, and at the same time, in spite of the country's varied geographical pattern and the differences in language, religion and way of life among its inhabitants, offers an admirable
example of unity in diversity. The 4000 m/13,000 ft peaks of the High Alps and the lesser summits of the Pre-Alpine regions began to attract the first modern tourists - mainly British - during the 19th c. Since then Switzerland has developed into a Mecca for tourists of every nationality and every age and condition, who find here accommodation to suit every taste from modest to luxurious, modern tourist facilities and a hospitable welcome.
Situated in the south of Central Europe, Switzerland is mainly a mountainous country. Its landlocked position, with no direct access to the sea and once a commercial disadvantage, is compensated for by its location in the very centre of the Alps and thus in the centre of Europe itself.
Taken as a whole, the populated areas of Switzerland have a cool, temperate and always humid climate; the higher mountainous regions, however, display many variations including icy climates. Broadly there are three climatic zones: in the northern side of the Alps (Jura and Mittelland), the inner Alpine region and the southern foot of the Alps.
Geographically Switzerland is made up of three very dissimilar parts. The south-eastern half of the country consists of the Alps; to the north-west are the Jura mountains, and between these two mountain regions is the lower-lying Mittelland, extending from Lake Geneva in the south-west - where the Jura beyond the rift valley of the Rhine abuts on the Alpine chain - to Lake Constance in the north-east, beyond which lies the German Alpine foreland region.
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