Karst and Caves of Switzerland

7,900 square kilometres, or 19% of the surface of Switzerland, is karst. Within this area lies the majority of the 7,500 currently known Swiss caves, with an accumulated passage length of more than 1,200 km. This multi-lingual book presents the first overview of this fascinating underground world. An introduction to the karst of Switzerland, in its natural context, is followed by a discussion of the significance of karst, cave exploration and the impact of caves on society. The many diverse aspects and characteristics of Swiss caves are presented and richly illustrated. A glossary and chronological history of Swiss cave exploration completes the work.