Switzerland's History 11

Switzerland has over the private sector economy and low tax rates in the western world standards; overall taxation is one of the least developed countries. Switzerland is a friendly place to do business, Switzerland currently ranks 27 178 countries in the Ease of doing Business Index. The slow growth Switzerland experienced in the 1990s and early 2000s resulted in more support for economic reforms and harmonization with the European Union.According to Credit Suisse owns, but about 37% of the residents in their homes, one of the lowest house prices in Europe. Housing and food prices were 171% and 145% of the EU-25 index in 2007, compared to 113% and 104% in Germany. 

 
Agricultural protectionism-which is a rare exception to Switzerland FTA policy has contributed to high food prices. Product market liberalization is lagging behind many EU countries by the OECD.Nevertheless, domestic purchasing power is one of the best in the world.Apart from agriculture, that economic and trade barriers between the European Union and Switzerland are minimal and Switzerland has free trade agreements worldwide. Switzerland is a member of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).

Education and ScienceEducation in Switzerland is very diverse, because of the Constitution of Switzerland delegates the authority to chantún school system.The public and private schools, including many private international schools. A minimum age to under six years of primary school in each chantún, but most chantún available for free "school children" beginning at four or five years old.Primary school continues until grade four, five or six, depending on the school. Traditionally, the first foreign language in school has always been one of the other national language, but recently (2000) introduced English for the first time in several chantún. 

 
At the end of the primary (or early high school), students are separated according to their abilities in (often three) different sections. The fastest learners are taught advanced classes to prepare for further studies and the matura, and students who assimilate a little slower to get more education tailored to their needs.

There are 12 universities in Switzerland, ten of them are maintained at the cantonal level and usually offer a variety of non-technical subjects. The first university was founded in Switzerland in 1460 in Basel (with a medical school) and a tradition of chemical and medical research in Switzerland. It is the largest university in Switzerland University of Zurich with nearly 25,000 students. The two institutes sponsored by the federal government the ETHZ in Zürich (founded 1855) and EPFL in Lausanne (founded 1969, therefore, the former head of the institution with the University of Lausanne) which both have excellent international reputation.

 
In addition, various universities in Applied Sciences. In business and management studies, University of St. Gallen (HSG) and the International Institute for Management Development (IMD), the leader of the country and internationally highly regarded. Switzerland has the second highest rate of foreign students in higher education, after Australia.

 
As may befit a country that is home to many international organizations, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, located in Geneva, not only is continental Europe's oldest graduate school of international and development studies, but also very thought to be one of the most prominent part.

 
Many Nobel prizes were awarded Swiss scientists, for example to the world-famous physicist Albert Einstein in physics to develop a special theory of relativity while working in Bern. Later, got Vladimir Prelog, Heinrich Rohrer, Richard Ernst, Edmond Fischer, Rolf Zinkernagel and Kurt Wüthrich Nobel Prizes in science. In total, 113 Nobel laureates in all areas in relation to Switzerland and the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded 9 times to organizations residing in Switzerland.

Geneva and the French department of Ain close co-hosting the world's largest laboratory, CERN,  dedicated to particle physics research. Is an important research center Paul Scherrer Institute. Among lysergic acid diethylamide significant invention (LSD), scanning tunneling microscope (Nobel prize) and Velcro. Some technologies allow the inspection of new life like a pressurized balloon of Auguste Piccard and Jacques Piccard Bathyscaphe allowed to reach the deepest point in the ocean.

Switzerland Space Agency, the Swiss office premises involved in space technologies and different applications. Moreover, it is one of the 10 founders of the European Space Agency in 1975 and the seventh largest contributor to the ESA budget. In the private sector, some companies involved in the aerospace industry as Oerlikon Space or MAXON MOTORS, which provides aerospace structures.