What is an important natural resource of Switzerland?

Switzerland has many mountains, lakes and rivers. With this water, hydroelectric power stations produce about 60 percent of the electricity.

Common mistakes

A: large gold deposits in Central Switzerland

There are only very small amounts of gold in Switzerland, for example in the Napf area. It is not an important resource.

C: valuable mineral resources (oil, coal)

Switzerland has practically no oil and no coal. It has to import these materials.

D: large fish stocks

There are fish in the lakes, but they are not important for the economy.

Pioneers, hydropower, pharmaceuticals

In the 19th century Switzerland became a modern industrial country. An important person in this was the Zurich politician and entrepreneur Alfred Escher (1819-1882). He campaigned for building railways, for example the Gotthard railway. He helped found the ETH in Zurich in 1854/55. In 1856 he founded the Schweizerische Kreditanstalt, which later became Credit Suisse.

Culture, economy and Switzerland in the world · Economy and transport

Sources

• zh.ch
• hls-dhs-dss.ch
• aboutswitzerland.eda.admin.ch

Official question of the Canton of Zurich (Gemeindeamt, May 2025). Translation and explanation: Swiss Passport.