Why does Switzerland have "CH" as its identifying letters?

Question

You know, the ones you get on stickers on the backs of cars: "E" for Spain (Espana), "GB" for Great Britain, and so on.... Why "CH"...?

Answer 1

Because Sweden already took "S".

"CH" is next after "S" in Schweitz, German for Switzerland.

Answer 2

Its not the "Latin" name though, its in Romanche, which is one of the oficial Swiss languanges, spoken by very few...

Sounds latin mixed with german, its very weird.

Answer 3

Its Confederatio Helvetia.  Its on all their coins and the swiss franc is shown as CHF.

Answer 4

To many S's, so  CH,  but know not why.

Answer 5

Confœderatio Helvetica is the Latin name for Switzerland.  Therefore, CH is used.  You also see it in CHF, the Swiss Franc

See Swissworl.org

http://www.swissworld.org/en/politics/ge...

Answer 6

In Latin it was called the Swiss Confederation, Confœderatio Helvetica.

Answer 7

For historical reasons, Switzerland's official name is still the "Swiss Confederation". In Latin this is Confoederatio Helvetica, from which the country's international abbreviation, CH, is derived. However, this is in fact a misnomer: a confederation is an alliance of autonomous entities. Since 1848 Switzerland has been a federation: a grouping of entities with a central authority.

The word Helvetica refers to the Helvetians, one of the many Celtic tribes living in what is now Switzerland at the time of the Roman conquest.

Answer 8

wow..interesting question and answers for a visitor like me..Thanksss.

Answer 9

"HIBEE"given you the "spot on" answer.

Answer 10

When all the letters for the nations were being given out , the anyone that could have been good for Switzerland, were taken ,so they ended up using  the Ch which is helvation for Switzerland: But after living in Switzerland for 17 years I convinced the Swiss people the Ch derived from CHeese.

Answer 11

CH= "COVENTION HELVETIQUE"

Answer 12

The code allocated to Switzerland originates from the Latin name "Confederatione Helvetica"--Helvetian Confederation.

Answer 13

it means "confederatio helvetica" which means helevtic confederation. we swiss call ourselves helvetics.