Sweden vs Switzerland

Why people mix them up

Both names begin with "Sw", both countries are wealthy, neutral-minded European states with strong reputations for order and quality, and both have a plain flag with a cross on it. The confusion is mostly about names and image rather than geography: Sweden is a long Nordic country on the Baltic Sea, while Switzerland is a small landlocked country in the Alps, well over a thousand kilometres to the south.

How to tell them apart

• Sweden is in Scandinavia, bordering Norway and Finland; Switzerland is in the Alps, bordering Germany, France, Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein.
• Sweden has a long Baltic coastline; Switzerland is landlocked.
• Sweden is about eleven times larger: roughly 450,000 km² against Switzerland's 41,000 km².
• Sweden's flag is blue with a yellow Nordic cross shifted towards the hoist; Switzerland's is a red square with a centred white cross.
• Sweden speaks Swedish and uses the krona; Switzerland has four official languages (German, French, Italian, Romansh) and uses the Swiss franc.
• Sweden is in the EU; Switzerland is not. The capitals are Stockholm and Bern.

Memory hook

Sweden is "Swe-DEN" up in the Nordic den with Norway; Switzerland is "Swiss" like the cheese and the Alps. The square flag belongs to the small country.

On the map

For Sweden, find the Scandinavian peninsula in northern Europe and tap the eastern half of it, the long country between Norway and the Baltic Sea, pointing down towards Denmark. For Switzerland, find Italy's northern border and tap the small country sitting directly above it, between France and Austria, with Germany on top. If the country you are tapping touches the sea, it is not Switzerland.