Switzerland

Professional associations:

Schweizerischer Verband der Bestattungsdienste (SVB)
Geschäftsstelle
CH-3000 Bern   
Phone: + 41 31 333 02 33
Fax:     + 41 31 911 53 88 
E-mail: info@bestatter.ch
Web site: www.bestatter.ch

President:
Rolf Lambrigger
Phone: + 41 27 922 45 45 
Fax:     + 41 27 922 45 41
Email: bestattungen@rhone.ch

Schweizerischer Verband für Feuerbestattung
Stadthaus beim Fraumünster
CH-8022  Zürich 
Phone: + 411 216 31 70 
Fax: + 411 216 37 32

President:
Dr.jur. Peter Saxer

Transport Agreement:
The Berlin Agreement, the Strasbourg Agreement, the Switzerland-Italy Agreement, the Switzerland-Austria-Lichenstein Agreement, and the Paris Agreement are ratified and legislated upon by the Swiss government

General information:
7,58 million inhabitants (July 2008 est.)
††††  64,700 deaths per year (July 2008 est.)

National language:
German, French, Italian, Romansch

First obligatory foreign language in public education:

Religions:
Roman Catholic 41.8%, Protestant 35,3%, Muslim 4,3%, other 7,5%, none 11,1% (2000 census)

National holidays:
1 January, 12 April, 31 May, 1 August, 25 December Additionally there are various public holidays depending on the regions

Special regulations/legislation concerning repatriation of deceased persons or human ashes:
1. To bring a deceased into the country
2. To bring the deceased out of the country.

Basic information about cemeteries or churchyards (administration, ownership):
A. Cremation rate: 80 - 90 %
B.Crematoria throughout the country are private or public owened. Cemeteries are public owened.
Funeral ceremonies usually take place in a church.The coffin is not open during the funeral ceremony or part of it.
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