How old is switzerland?

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GPapenburg

Eastern Switzerland belonged to the "German Reich" since the year 843. In 1032 the Western Switzerland was assigned to the "German Reich" also. German Emperor "Frederic the Second" (Friedrich II.) declared the peasantry and knighthood free in 1218. Based on that the three districts Schwyz, Uri, and Unterwalden concluded a public peace union in 1258 and a defending union in 1291 against the Habsburg dynastie, being also the German Emporers at that time.
The final split of Switzerland from the German Reich was made as a fact in 1499, and legally in 1648 with the "Peace of Munster and Osnabruck".
1513 the union of swiss consisted of 13 members.
Switzerland was occupied by France in 1798 and the Helvetian Rupublic was founded. Its succeeder was the union of states (mediatization) in 1803 with a total of 19 districts. In 1815 a new union was founded (22 districts) and its nutrality was acknowledged by all big European countries. In 1848 the union of districts was converted to the Swiss Confederation, and the Swiss Constitution was established.
Today Switzerland consists of 26 districts, since 6 districts are so called districs with a half cantonal vote, some publications count for 23 districts.

So you may decided yourself on the age of Switzerland, as long as the earth exists or:
750 years - from the first public peace union (3 districts)
717 years - from the first defending union (3 districs)
495 years - from the first league of 13 districs
360 years - from its legally establsihed independence
205 years - from the union of states with 19 districts
160 years - from the establishment of the Swiss Confederation and the Swiss Constitution

The Swiss National holiday, 1st August, is celebrated in remembrance of the first federal charter (defending union) of 1291, so I would say 717 years is the age of Switzerland.

spanner

Politically, Switzerland began in the year 1291as a definsive alliance between the three cantons of Unterwalden, Uri and Schwyz, from which it derives its name. It would therefore be 717 years old. By 1513 it had acquired 10 more cantons, and between 1803 and 1815, it acquired another 10, bringing the total of cantons to its present total of 23.

Geologically, it would be as old as the earth.

lazydaisey

Try wiki

Mr Who

A (democratic) country's age us usually defined by the age of its constitution. Switzerland's first constitution dates from 1848. So, the answer is: 160 years. Everything else that is said in the history books of this funny country is nothing much but wishful thinking.

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