Switzerland, formally the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked nation at the confluence of Western, Central and Southern Europe. It is a government republic made up of 26 cantons, with government authorities based in Bern. Switzerland is surrounded by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north as well as Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. It is geographically separated amongst the Swiss Plateau, the Alps and the Jury, covering an overall area of 41,285 km2 (15,940 sq mi) as well as acreage of 39,997 km2 (15,443 sq mi). Although the Alps inhabit the better component of the area, the Swiss populace of approximately 8.5 million is focused mainly on the plateau, where the biggest cities and financial centers are, amongst them Zürich, Geneva, Basel as well as Lausanne. These cities are home to a number of workplaces of international organizations such as the WTO, the WHO, the ILL, the seat of the International Olympic Board, the headquarters of FIFA, the UN's secon...