1. Skiing in Switzerland was made popular by Sherlock Holmes creator Arthur Conan Doyle.
2. Switzerland was occupied by the French from 1798-1815 but has not had a war since 1505.
3. The average Swiss person eats 10.5kg (23lb) of chocolate a year.
4. Switzerland has the two-letter code CH as the country’s official name is Confoederatio Helvetica.
5. The Helvetii were a tribe occupying what is now Switzerland before the Romans. “Helvetia” later became the name of a Britannia-like female wielding spear and shield symbolising the country.
6. The most popular named for new-born girls in Switzerland in 2016 were Mia, Emma and Elena. Noah, Liam and Gabriel topped the boys’ list.
7. There are enough nuclear fallout shelters in Switzerland to hold the entire population.
8. Police in Zurich this week advised dog owners to equip their pets with shoes to stop them burning their feet on hot asphalt.
9. Switzerland and Vatican City are the only countries with square flags.
10. Switzerland has won more gold medals (55) in Winter Olympics than in Summer Olympics (50).