The Swiss city and canton (state) of Basel sits in the heart of Europe and has long been known as a center of international business and industry.
Most cantons in Switzerland enjoy similar advantages when it comes to enticing inward investment or tourism.
Berne is Switzerland's second most populous canton, the country's political center, and the site of the Federal Government and Parliament.
Editor's note: According to the majority of press articles, the golden age of air travel has long since passed. Most coverage is given to industry-wide cost cutting, no-frills rivals enticing passengers away from the traditional full-service flag carriers and travelers bemoaning the loss of quality and individual service.
China is an important partner of Switzerland's, so it is worth remembering that its first contacts with China go back as far as the mid-17th century, when traders and watchmakers traveled here.
Switzerland, while being a small, fiercely independent, neutral country, is often known for being picturesque, quiet, and unassuming. But it is not all that it seems at first glance - it is, in fact, much more.