Available resources

Federal Statistics provide statistical information for the permanent observation of key areas of life. In particular, and to an increasing extent, this also covers customized information processing and advice on information use. This information work is largely based on a government mandate: the Federal Statistical Act prescribes that statistical findings must be easily accessible to the general public, for instance in the mass media, via the Internet or in the FSO library. Consequently, many services are provided free or for a small charge. In contrast, market rates are charged for customized analyses prepared for individual clients, making the FSO part of the fast-developing information market.

Federal statistics are subdivided into the following 22 topics:

00 Statistical bases and overviews  01 Population  02 Territory and Environment  03 Employment and Income  04 National economy  05 Prices  06 Industry and Services  07 Agriculture and Forestry  08 Energy  09 Construction and Housing  10 Tourism  11 Transport and Mobility  12 Banks and Insurance  13 Social security  14 Health  15 Education and Science  16 Culture and Communication  17 Politics  18 Public finances  19 Crime and criminal Law  20 Economic and social situation of the population  21 Sustainable development, regional and international disparities

The Federal Statistical Office (FSO) offers the following products (all information available in German and French and to a somewhat more limited extent in English and Italian):

• 2-3 press releases a week with the latest findings
• around 100 scientific publications with texts, tables, graphs and maps a year
• comprehensive electronic data available on CD-ROM
• continually updated and expanded information on the internet, including NewsMail, which offers email subscriptions with notices and information on the latest findings and activities
• online access via the internet to the Swiss Statistical Encyclopedia (a comprehensive collection of tables, texts and graphs), as well as various statistical databases which make it possible to draw up individual tables (online data search)
• annually updated overviews in the Statistical Yearbook of Switzerland (with CD-ROM) and in the popular Statistical Data on Switzerland brochure – with commentaries, numerous graphs and maps
• various geodata
• superior quality thematic cartography (online atlases of Switzerland and Europe and Structural Atlas of Switzerland)
• information services with a wide range of specialised staff
• a 24/7 automated telephone information service on the Swiss Consumer Price Index
• a library in Neuchâtel which is open to the general public