Switzerland vs Austria

Why people mix them up

Switzerland and Austria are both small, landlocked Alpine countries known for mountains, skiing and lakes. Both have red and white flags, both have a large German-speaking population, and both have a tradition of neutrality. They are also neighbours, separated only by the tiny state of Liechtenstein for part of their border, so travellers and quiz players frequently swap them, especially when looking at the Alps on a map.

How to tell them apart

• Switzerland's flag is a square red field with a white cross; Austria's is three horizontal stripes, red-white-red.
• Switzerland is not in the European Union and uses the Swiss franc; Austria is an EU member and uses the euro.
• Switzerland has four national languages, German, French, Italian and Romansh; Austria's official language is German.
• The capitals are Bern (Switzerland) and Vienna (Austria). Bern is a modest city in the west; Vienna is a large capital in Austria's far east.
• Switzerland is the smaller country, about 41,000 km², against Austria's roughly 84,000 km².
• Switzerland borders France; Austria borders Hungary, Slovakia, Czechia and Slovenia, none of which touch Switzerland.

Memory hook

Switzerland's flag is a plus sign, like the "plus" of four languages. Austria's stripes run east like the country itself, all the way to Vienna.

On the map

Look at the Alps north of Italy. Switzerland is the compact, rounded country on the west side, between France, Germany and Italy, with Lake Geneva at its southwest corner. Austria is the long country stretching east from Switzerland, shaped a little like a lopsided bowtie, ending near Hungary and Slovakia. If the country you are tapping touches France, it is Switzerland.