Title: Swiss Alps - Wikipedia
Headings: Swiss Alps
Swiss Alps
Contents
Geography
Ranges
Western Alps
Eastern Alps
Hydrography
Rivers
Lakes
Hydroelectricity Impacts due to Glacial Melting
Land elevation
Monitoring Glacial Changes Over Time
Geology
Environment and climate
Climate zones
Negative Impacts to Nearby Populations due to Glacial Melting
Travel and tourism
Summer tourism
Winter tourism
Popular Snow Activities
Tourism Impacts due to Climate Change
Transport
Toponymy
See also
Notes and references
Bibliography
External links
Maps
Other

Content: The Swiss Alps comprise almost all the highest mountains of the Alps, such as Dufourspitze (4,634 m), the Dom (4,545 m), the Liskamm (4,527 m), the Weisshorn (4,506 m) and the Matterhorn (4,478 m). The other following major summits can be found in this list of mountains of Switzerland . Since the Middle Ages, transit across the Alps played an important role in history. The region north of St Gotthard Pass became the nucleus of the Swiss Confederacy in the early 14th century. Contents
1 Geography
1.1 Ranges
1.2 Hydrography
1.2.1 Rivers
1.2.2 Lakes
1.3 Hydroelectricity Impacts due to Glacial Melting
1.4 Land elevation
1.5 Monitoring Glacial Changes Over Time
2 Geology
3 Environment and climate
3.1 Climate zones
3.2 Negative Impacts to Nearby Populations due to Glacial Melting
4 Travel and tourism
4.1 Summer tourism
4.2 Winter tourism
4.3 Popular Snow Activities
4.4 Tourism Impacts due to Climate Change
4.5 Transport
5 Toponymy
6 See also
7 Notes and references
8 Bibliography
9 External links
Geography
See also: Geography of Switzerland
Swiss Alps seen from the Swiss Jura in December 2010
The Alps cover 60% of Switzerland's total 41,285 square kilometres (15,940 sq mi) surface area, making it one of the most alpine countries. Despite the fact that Switzerland covers only 14% of the Alps total 192,753 square kilometres (74,422 sq mi) area, 48 out of 82 alpine four-thousanders are located in the Swiss Alps and practically all {number (s) needed} of the remaining 34 are within 20 kilometres (12 mi) of the country's border. The glaciers of the Swiss Alps cover an area of 1,220 square kilometres (470 sq mi) — 3% of the Swiss territory, representing 44% of the total glaciated area in the Alps i.e. 2,800 square kilometres (1,100 sq mi). The Swiss Alps are situated south of the Swiss Plateau and north of the national border. The limit between the Alps and the plateau runs from Vevey on the shores of Lake Geneva to Rorschach on the shores of Lake Constance, passing close to the cities of Thun and Lucerne.