Culture of Switzerland Culture of Switzerland Switzerland lies at the crossroads of several major European cultures. Three of the continent's major languages, German, French and Italian, are national languages of Switzerland, along with Romansh, spoken by a small minority. Therefore, Swiss culture is characterized by diversity, which is reflected in a wide range of traditional customs. The 26 cantons also account for the large cultural diversity. Not withstanding the regional disparities, the Alps have played an essential role in shaping the history and culture of Switzerland. The region of the Gotthard Pass became the nucleus of the Swiss Confederacy in the early 14th
Taxation in Switzerland contravention") and is punishable by a fine of 33% to 300% of the amount of tax evaded. Tax fraud occurs if a tax evasion is committed by using falsified documents for deceptive purposes, a crime ("Vergehen / crime") punishable by additional imprisonment of up to three years or an additional fine of up to 30,000 CHF. Taxation in Switzerland Taxes in Switzerland are levied by the Swiss Confederation, the cantons and the municipalities. Switzerland is a federal republic in which the sovereignty of the constituent states (the "cantons") is limited by the enumerated powers delegated to the federal state (the