25 surprising facts about Switzerland you probably didn't know (26 photos)
Yes, you probably know that Switzerland has the Alps, reliable banks, and lots of chocolate. But you probably didn't know other—sometimes weird and crazy—facts about this country. For example, it's the only direct democracy in the world, it has the most liberal gun laws, and yes, it even has palm trees! So, let's get down to business and check out the most incredible and surprising facts about one of the richest countries in the world. 
1. You probably wouldn't think that Switzerland has some of the most liberal gun laws (for a population of 8 million, there are 2.3-4.5 million guns). 
2. This country also has one of the lowest crime rates in the world. 
3. Foreigners make up 23% of Switzerland's 8 million population. 
4. Switzerland has more than just mountains! Palm trees grow in the south of the country, for example—you'll find them around Lake Lugano. 
5. Switzerland has four national languages: German, French, Italian, and Romansh. 
6. According to the Economist Intelligence Unit's Quality of Life Index, Switzerland is the best place to be born. This index includes indicators of employment, crime rate, quality of life, healthcare system, life satisfaction, etc. 
7. The country has 208 mountains over 3,000 meters and 24 over 4,000 meters. 
8. Stereotypes are true – chocolate is indeed the largest export commodity. 
9. In the event of a nuclear war, the Swiss have built bunkers capable of housing the country's entire population. 
10. Also, in the event of war, they can easily turn their roads into runways by removing interchanges and intersections. 
11. Back to chocolate... The Swiss have invented edible chocolate gold. 
12. Swiss speeding fines depend on a citizen's income. Recently, a Swiss man who speeded in a Ferrari was fined almost a quarter of a million dollars, because he earned about a million dollars a year. 
13. The Swiss live in the only country in the world with a direct democracy. This means that any citizen can question any law and propose changes to the constitution. 
14. Have you ever wondered why the Swiss domain is represented by the letters CH? Well, we'll let you in on a secret: because the country's name in Latin (which, by the way, is often used in other fields) is Confoederatio Helvetica. 
15. And back to chocolate... 7 million Toblerone bars are produced in Berne every year. 
16. In 2010, the average annual salary of a Swiss teacher was $120,000, while teachers in the US earn an average of $35,000 per year. 
17. Military service is mandatory for men starting at age 18. Because the majority of the adult male population is in the army reserves, all men are required to have a weapon and the necessary ammunition at home to be ready for action at a moment's notice. And you thought the Swiss were a bunch of pacifists? 
18. In Bern, there's a 500-year-old statue of a man devouring babies from a pouch. No one knows why this eerie monument was erected. 
19. The Swiss army has prepared every potential mountain pass and tunnel for possible bombing. Why? In the event of war, Switzerland will close all avenues of attack to the enemy. 
20. Switzerland has no head of state. Instead, there is a seven-member council that does all the work. 
21. The country also has no capital because the constitution doesn't specify one (Bern is the de facto capital). 
22. In Geneva, there is a statue in the form of a giant three-legged stool that symbolizes condemnation of the use of anti-personnel mines. 
23. In 1802, the Swiss started a war called the Stecklikrieg. You know what's craziest? They were armed only with sticks because Napoleon had taken their guns. 
24. The only part of a Swiss Army knife that isn't made in Switzerland is the corkscrew. It's made in Japan. 
25. Again, we're here to dispel your notion of Switzerland as a pacifist country... The army has fully equipped bunkers, disguised as country houses, located in the most populated villages. It's best not to quarrel with Switzerland...
