The Switzerland physical map shows landform and geography of Switzerland. This geographical map of Switzerland will allow you to discover physical features of Switzerland in Western Europe. The Switzerland physical map is downloadable in PDF, printable and free.

Switzerland extends between the parallels 45°49'05 and 47°48'30 lat. and the meridians 5° 57'23 and 10°29'31 long. It forms an irregular quadrilateral, of which the greatest length from east to west is 350 kilometres (220 mi), and the greatest breadth from north to south is nearly 220 kilometres (140 mi). Switzerland is a landlocked country, the closest coastline being at the Gulf of Genoa, 160 km south of Chiasso as you can see in Switzerland physical map. Its political boundaries often do not coincide with those of nature. The entire canton of Ticino is south of the Alps, as are the valleys of Simplon (Valais), Mesocco, Bregaglia, Poschiavo and Müstair (all in Graubünden); the whole canton of Schaffhausen and part of that of Basel are north of the Rhine, while a large part of Graubünden lies to the east of the Rhine basin, and Porrentruy is far down on the western slope of the Jura.

The physical geography of Switzerland may thus be described: On the south runs the main chain of the Alps which is joined, at Mont Dolent near Martigny, by the lower ranges that rise south of Lake Geneva, and which continues partly Swiss till close to Piz Lad on the east as its shown in Switzerland physical map. To the north of this main chain there is another great range of mountains (wholly Swiss) only slightly inferior in extent and height, which starts from the hills known as the Jorat range above Lausanne, and culminates in the great snowy summits of the Bernese Alps and of the Tödi group, before trending to the north near Chur, and, after rising once more in the Säntis group, dies away on the southern shore of Lake Constance. The Swiss portion of the main chain of the Alps and the great northern outlier run parallel to each other from Martigny to near Chur, while for a short distance they actually unite near Pizzo Rotondo (west of the St Gotthard Pass), parting again near the Oberalp Pass (east of the St Gotthard).

Putting aside the valleys of the Ticino and Inn, Switzerland may thus be described as consisting of three great river valleys (Rhone, Rhine and Aar) with the smaller one of the Thur, which all lie to the north of the main chain of the Alps and include the region between the Alps and the Jura as its mentioned in Switzerland physical map. If matters are examined more carefully, it can be noted that the Rhone and Rhine valleys are shut off from that of the Aar (and of the Thur) by the great northern outlier of the Alps, which consists of the Bernese and Glarus Alps. Two wide and undulating valleys (Aar and Thur) and two deeply cut trenches (Rhone and Rhine) thus lie on the northern slope of the Alps, to the north and south respectively of the great northern outlier of the Alps.

Switzerland topographic map shows the physical features of Switzerland. This topographical map of Switzerland will allow you to discover landforms and geographical of Switzerland in Western Europe. The Switzerland topographic map is downloadable in PDF, printable and free.

Much of Switzerland is mountainous, with the Alps covering about two thirds of the southern part of the country. The highest peak in Switzerland is Dufourspitze on the Italian border at 4,634m or 15,000 ft. Other spectacular mountains include the Eiger, the Jungfrau and the Matterhorn as you can see in Switzerland topographic map. The north west border with France has the Jura Mountains which slope up to the Alps through the Swiss Mittelland plateau. Switzerland is well known for its lakes including Lake Geneva on the western frontier with France, Lake Luzern in central Switzerland, Lake Lugano on the southern frontier with Italy and Lake Constance on the western frontier with Germany and Austria.

The topography of Switzerland is varied but it is mainly mountainous with the Alps in the south and the Jura Mountains in the northwest. The main chain of the Alps rises in Swiss territory to the height of 4,634 metres (15,203 ft) in the loftiest summit or Dufourspitze (wholly Swiss) of Monte Rosa, though the Dom (4,545 metres (14,911 ft)), in the Mischabel range, is the highest mountain mass which is entirely within Switzerland. The great northern outlier attains a height of 4,274 metres (14,022 ft) in the Finsteraarhorn, while the lowest level (193 metres (633 ft)) within the Confederation, is on Lake Maggiore (on the course of the Ticino) as its shown in Switzerland topographic map. The highest permanently inhabited village in Switzerland is Juf (2,126 metres (6,975 ft)) at the head of the Avers valley (a tributary of the Rhine), while the lowest is Ascona (196 metres (643 ft)), on Lake Maggiore.

Switzerland is divided into three natural topographical regions:(1) the Jura Mountains in the northwest, rising between Switzerland and eastern France; (2) the Alps in the south, covering three-fifths of the country total area; and (3) the central Swiss plateau, or Mittelland, consisting of fertile plains and rolling hills that run between the Jura and the Alps. The Mittelland, with a mean altitude of 580 m (1,900 ft), covers about 30% of Switzerland and is the heartland of Swiss farming and industry; Zürich, Bern, Lausanne, and Geneva (Genève) are on the plateau as its mentioned in Switzerland topographic map. The central portion of the Alps, around the St. Gotthard Pass, is a major watershed and the source of the Rhine, which drains into the North Sea; of the Aare, a tributary of the Rhine; of the Rhône, which flows into the Mediterranean; and of the Ticino, a tributary of the Po, and of the Inn, a tributary of the Danube, which flow into the Adriatic and the Black seas, respectively. The highest point in Switzerland is the Dufourspitze of Monte Rosa at 4,634 m (15,203 ft); the lowest is the shore of Lake Maggiore at less than 195 m (640 ft). The second-highest and most celebrated of the Swiss Alps is the Matterhorn (4,478 m/14,692 ft), long a challenge to mountaineers and first scaled in 1865.

The Switzerland elevation map shows the different altitudes of Switzerland. This altitude map of Switzerland will allow you to know where are the highest and lowest regions of Switzerland in Western Europe. The Switzerland elevation map is downloadable in PDF, printable and free.

As you can see in Switzerland Elevation Map, the Alps dominate the south-central region of Switzerland. But the Jura Mountains also occupy the northwest of the country. Its highest point is Dufourspitze, standing 4,634 meters high. Otherwise, Switzerland is a mix of rolling hills, plateau, and plains. It is also known for its alpine valleys like Val d’Anniviers and Reichenbachtal. The Northernmost point is at 47°48'N at Oberbargen, the Southernmost point 45°49'N at Pedrinate, Westernmost point 5°57'E at Chancy, Easternmost point 10°29'E at Piz Chavalatsch.

Monte Rosa is the highest mountain in Switzerland and the second highest in both the Alps and western Europe. The main summit, known as the Dufourspitze (4,634 m (15,203 ft)), is the culminating point of the Pennine Alps. Although its main peak is located within Switzerland in the southeastern part of the canton of Valais, the Monte Rosa Massif is the second highest massif in Italy. The Swiss national map gives an elevation of 4,633.9 m for the summit (2007) or 4,441 metres above Lake Maggiore, Switzerland lowest elevation point. A recent work (2000), involving universities and the offices of cartography of Italy and Switzerland, was made in order to record a more precise elevation for Monte Rosa. The result was 4,635.25 metres (15,208 ft) from the Italian side and 4,634.97 metres (15,207 ft) from the Swiss side, with a margin of error of 0.1 m as its shown in Switzerland elevation map.

Lake Maggiore (Italian: Lago Maggiore, pronounced [ˈlaːɡo madˈdʒoːre] lit. 'Great Lake' or Verbano [verˈbaːno]; Latin: Lacus Verbanus) is a large lake located on the south side of the Alps. It is the second largest lake in Italy and largest lake of the canton of Ticino, Switzerland. Lake Maggiore is the most westerly of the three great prealpine lakes of Italy, it extends for about 70 km between Locarno and Arona as its mentioned in Switzerland elevation map. The lake basin has tectonic-glacial origins and its volume is 37 km³. The lake has a surface area of about 213 km², a maximum length of 54 km and, at its widest, is 12 km. Its main tributaries are the Ticino, the Maggia, the Toce (by which it receives the outflow of Lake Orta) and the Tresa (which is the sole emissary of Lake Lugano). Its mean height above the sea level is 193 metres; but as its depth greatly exceeds that measurement, the bed is almost everywhere considerably below the sea-level, and reaches no less than 179 metres below the sea.

The rivers in Switzerland map shows the principal rivers with their names of Switzerland. The rivers map of Switzerland will allow you to find the main rivers which flow in and through Switzerland in Western Europe. The Switzerland rivers map is downloadable in PDF, printable and free.

Switzerland has 6 % of all freshwater reserves in Europe. The country shares five river basins and some of the largest lakes in western Europe with its neighbours. It is the source of several major European rivers that ultimately flow into the North Sea (Rhine), into the Mediterranean Sea (Rhone), into the Black Sea (Inn, through the Danube) and into the Adriatic Sea (Ticino, through the Po and Rom through the Adige) as you can see in Switzerland rivers map. Most of the great Swiss rivers, being in their origin mere mountain torrents, tend to overflow their banks, and hence much has been done to prevent this by embanking them, and regaining arable land from them. So the Rhine (between Bad Ragaz and Lake Constance), the Rhone, the Aar, the Reuss; and in particular the great work on the Linth (1807-1816) carried out by Hans Conrad Escher, who earned by his success the surname of "Von der Linth", and on the Zihl near the lakes of Neuchâtel and Biel, while the diversion of the Kander from its junction with the Aar to a channel by which it flows into Lake Thun was effected as early as 1714.

At a length of 375 km (233 miles) the Rhine River is the longest river in Switzerland. It begins in the south eastern portion of the Alps in a region known as the Canton of Grisons. From here the mighty European river weaves its way north through the nations of Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, France, and finally ending in the Netherlands where it empties into the North Sea. The Aare (or Aar) River is the second longest river flowing through Switzerland and the longest waterway situated entirely within the country. Estimated to run a length of 295 km or 183 miles, the Aare is a tributary of the Rhine River as its shown in Switzerland rivers map. The Aare River is particularly popular with locals as well as tourists because of the picturesque way in which it surrounds the historic old city of Berne; an area which has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Rhône River runs a distance of 264 km or 164 miles ending south in the Mediterranean Sea. From its origin in the Rhône Glacier of the eastern Alps this river rises before flowing through Lake Geneva and then continuing in a south eastern direction through the country of France.

Switzerland Reuss River is located in the central portion of the European country. At a length of 158 km or 98 miles, this river begins in the nation Gotthard region where it then proceeds through Lake Lucerne, past the town of Bremgarten, and then finally converges with the larger Aare River. As a tributary of the Aare River, the Linth River rises in the mountainous village of Linthal, eventually making its way 50 km or 31 miles into Lake Zurich Obersee section as its mentioned in Switzerland rivers map. This historic river plays an important part in the lives of the people who live in close proximity to it. The Saane/La Sarine River runs a length of 128 km or 79.5 miles. It is another tributary of the Aare River. The course of this Swiss river includes a number of damns as well as reservoirs. These reservoirs are used to store water and often take the form of artificial or natural lakes. Located in the north eastern portion of Switzerland the Thor River flows for a distance of 125 km or 77.7 miles. Originating in the Säntis mountain the Thor travels into the Toggenburg region and through the town of Wil before reaching the city of Frauenfeld in the canton of Thurgau.

The mountains in Switzerland map shows the principal mountains with their names in Switzerland. The mountains map of Switzerland will allow you to find the main mountains ranges and highest mountains of Switzerland in Western Europe. The Switzerland mountains map is downloadable in PDF, printable and free.

The Swiss Plateau extends from Lake Geneva on the French border across central Switzerland to Lake Constance on the German and Austrian borders. In the north and northwest, the Swiss Plateau is sharply delimited geographically and geologically by the Jura Mountains. In the south, there is no clear border with the Alps. Usually, the rising of the terrain to altitudes above 1500 metres, which is very abrupt in certain places, is taken as a criterion for delimination. The plateau has an average altitude of 580 metres (1,900 ft) as you can see in Switzerland mountains map. Even though the Swiss Plateau forms a basin, it is by no means a flat territory and it is covered with rolling hills, lakes and rivers. The plateau occupies about one third of the land area of Switzerland, and about two thirds of the population live in this area.

The Jura is a limestone range running from Lake Geneva to the Rhine river. This area makes up about 12% of Switzerland land area. Located about 700 metres (2,300 ft) above sea level, this region is characterized by a limestone highland with deep river valleys. The limestone rock in the Jura is a Jurassic period rock with numerous fossils and dinosaur tracks. The name Jurassic actually refers to the Jura region where these fossils were studied at the end of the 18th century. The Jura is considered one of the most important sites for dinosaur footprints in the world. In one area near the village of Courtedoux, over 1,500 footprints were discovered in between 2002 and 2004 with an estimated 4,000-5,000 footprints still undiscovered. The Jura Mountains rise in Swiss territory to a height of 1,679 metres (5,509 ft) at Mont Tendre as its shown in Switzerland mountains map. Other high summits are La Dôle (1,677 metres (5,502 ft)), the Chasseron (1,607 metres (5,272 ft)) and the Chasseral (1,607 metres (5,272 ft)), all located in the western part of the range, in the cantons of Vaud, Neuchâtel and Bern.

The Swiss Alps form part of a chain of mountains that stretch across southern Europe and isolate Northern Europe from the Mediterranean Sea. Several important passes through the Alps are located in Switzerland, and control of the passes has been important throughout Switzerland history. The Alps have an average altitude of 1,700 metres (5,600 ft) and cover nearly two thirds of the total surface area as its mentioned in Switzerland mountains map. Within the Alps there are 48 mountains that are 4,000 metres (13,000 ft) or higher. The Alps are the watershed of Western Europe. The Rhine River, together with its tributaries the Aare River and the Thur River drain about two thirds of the water into the North Sea. The Rhone and the Ticino drain about 18% of the water into the Mediterranean Sea. The Inn which becomes the Danube outside of Switzerland drains about 4.4% of the water into the Black Sea.

The Switzerland climate map shows average temperature and climate zones of Switzerland. This climate map of Switzerland will allow you to know weather, average precipitation, average sunshine and different climates of Switzerland in Western Europe. The Switzerland climate map is downloadable in PDF, printable and free.

Switzerland climate is moderately continental in the plateau, Alpine in the mountains, and more temperate in the Canton of Ticino. The main Swiss cities are located on a plateau called Mittelland ("Central Plateau"), which lies at an altitude of about 400/600 meters (1,300/2,000 feet). Here, there is a moderately continental climate, with cold and dull winters, with an average temperature in January around freezing, and warm summers, with average highs around 23/25 °C (73/77 °F) and cool nights as you can see in Switzerland climate map. In the mountains, the climate becomes colder with increasing altitude, but in winter, they are located above the blanket of fog and low clouds that often covers the plateau, so they are also sunnier in this season.

In the south of Switzerland, the Canton of Ticino has a milder climate, though very rainy, with afternoon thunderstorms in summer and heavy rains in autumn. Late snowfalls and frosts are typical of the northern side of the Alps, which is exposed to cold currents from northern Europe. The cold wind, which in Switzerland and in central France is called Bise, blows from the north-east and is more frequent in winter and spring. Cold spells can bring late snowfalls in spring, in March on the Central Plateau, and progressively later, even close to summer, in the mountains. By the second half of April, when the first warm days occur, thunderstorms begin to erupt in the afternoon. Atlantic weather fronts can bring cool and rainy days even in summer. Hot periods, with highs above 30 °C (86 °F) are possible as well, but usually, they only last a few days as its shown in Switzerland climate map.

Many parts of Switzerland are subject to a warm and dry wind coming down from the mountains as its mentioned in Switzerland climate map: the Föhn. It blows from the south over a large part of Switzerland, leading to sudden increases in temperature, and it is more frequent in spring and autumn. On the contrary, in the Canton of Ticino, which is on the southern side, the Föhn effect is caused by the north wind, so this area is often relatively warm and dry when the rest of the country is under the grip of cold waves. Switzerland can also be affected by windstorms coming from the Atlantic. During the most intense storms, gusts of wind can exceed 100 km/h (62 mph) in the cities of the highlands, and even more so on the mountain ridges. For example, important storms were Vivian, which occurred on February 27, 1990, Lothar, which occurred on December 26, 1999, and Burglind, which occurred in early January 2018.