Sweden or Switzerland: Recent survey found 50% couldn't differentiate between the European countries

By6abc Digital Staff WPVI logo
Tuesday, November 7, 2023
Sweden vs Switzerland: Can you tell the difference between the 2 countries?
Sweden vs Switzerland: Can you tell the difference between the 2 countries?

Sweden wants to set the record straight - it is not Switzerland. This, as people often confuse the two European countries with similar-sounding names.

A recent survey from Visit Sweden found that 50% of respondents couldn't decipher the differences between the two cultures. Even President Joe Biden, and a couple of his predecessors, mixed up the Swiss and the Swedes.

The Swedish tourist board released a video reaching out to its European friend to try and make it easier for people to distinguish between the two countries.

It suggests Switzerland gets to talk about the banks it's known for while Sweden, with its long Scandinavian coastline, will talk about its sandbanks.

Switzerland and its Swiss Alps will focus on mountain tops, while Sweden will focus on its rooftops or rooftop bars.

The Embassy of Switzerland in the U.S. responded, saying while everyone loves Sweden's Ikeas, there are many things to like about Switzerland -- like its cheese, Swiss Army knives and much more.