Fun with Maps ISSUE 2025-147

By Steve Kovacs (Introduction by Chuck Gibson)

LOVELAND, OH (September 12, 2025) – In today’s edition of Fun with Maps, we learn a whole lot more about Switzerland.

A Gun in Each House

Switzerland enacted its current constitution on September 12, 1848.

This small, landlocked nation has everything going against it –

It has no natural resources to speak of.

It has four languages – French, German, Italian and Romansh.

It has guns in virtually all houses, as part of the military training of men, but one of the lowest murder rates in the world.

It has more cows than people.

Yet, it has one of the highest standards of living; hosted multiple key sporting events like winter Olympics and World Cups; home to many global organizations, like the WTO, FIFA, WHO (but not the WHAT and WHY).

This Homann map of Helvetia, the ancient name for this country, is from 1751.

Steve Kovacs and his wife Theresa reside in Loveland, Ohio where they raised their two children. He is a passionate collector of antique maps.

Visit his antique map boutique world-on-paper online. Watch for his daily feature Steve Kovacs: Fun with Maps here on Loveland Beacon.