Canton of Zürich
Encyclopedia
The Canton of Zurich has a population (as of ) of . The canton
Cantons of Switzerland
The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848...

 is located in the northeast of Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....

 and the city of Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...

 is its capital. The official language is German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....

, but people speak the local Swiss German
Swiss German
Swiss German is any of the Alemannic dialects spoken in Switzerland and in some Alpine communities in Northern Italy. Occasionally, the Alemannic dialects spoken in other countries are grouped together with Swiss German as well, especially the dialects of Liechtenstein and Austrian Vorarlberg...

 dialect called Züritüütsch. In English the name of the canton is often written without an umlaut
Umlaut (diacritic)
The diaeresis and the umlaut are diacritics that consist of two dots placed over a letter, most commonly a vowel. When that letter is an i or a j, the diacritic replaces the tittle: ï....

.

History

The canton of Zurich consists of lands acquired by the capital Zurich after it became reichsfrei in 1218, especially after the revolution of the guild
Guild
A guild is an association of craftsmen in a particular trade. The earliest types of guild were formed as confraternities of workers. They were organized in a manner something between a trade union, a cartel, and a secret society...

s in 1336. Zurich joined the Swiss Confederacy
Old Swiss Confederacy
The Old Swiss Confederacy was the precursor of modern-day Switzerland....

 in 1351. The lower part of the canton was added to the territories of Zurich in 1362. Zurich claimed and lost the Toggenburg
Toggenburg
Toggenburg is the name given to the upper valley of the Thur River, in the Swiss Canton of St. Gallen. Currently, it is one of the eight constituencies into which the canton is divided....

 in the Old Zurich War
Old Zürich War
The Old Zürich War , 1440–46, was a conflict between the canton of Zürich and the other seven cantons of the Old Swiss Confederacy over the succession to the Count of Toggenburg....

 of the 1440s. The northern parts up to the river Rhine came to the canton after the city of Zurich purchased Winterthur
Winterthur
Winterthur is a city in the canton of Zurich in northern Switzerland. It has the country's sixth largest population with an estimate of more than 100,000 people. In the local dialect and by its inhabitants, it is usually abbreviated to Winti...

 from the Habsburgs in 1468. Possessions to the west gained independence from Zurich as parts of the Canton of Aargau in 1803. The people approved a new constitution for the canton in February 2005, replacing the 1869 constitution. The new constitution took effect in January 2006.

The Antiquarische Gesellschaft in Zürich
Antiquarische Gesellschaft in Zürich
The Antiquarische Gesellschaft in Zürich , often shortened to Antiquarische or AGZ, is an association concerned with the study and preservation of the history of the canton of Zürich...

 is an organization devoted to preserving the canton's history.

Geography

The canton of Zurich is situated north of the Alps
Swiss Alps
The Swiss Alps are the portion of the Alps mountain range that lies within Switzerland. Because of their central position within the entire Alpine range, they are also known as the Central Alps....

. Its neighbouring cantons are Schaffhausen
Canton of Schaffhausen
The Canton of is a canton of Switzerland. The principal city and capital of the canton is Schaffhausen.- History:Schaffhausen was a city-state in the Middle Ages, documented to have struck its own coins starting in 1045. It was then known as Villa Scafhusun. Around 1049 Count Eberhard von...

 to the north, Aargau
Aargau
Aargau is one of the more northerly cantons of Switzerland. It comprises the lower course of the river Aare, which is why the canton is called Aar-gau .-History:...

 to the west, the cantons of Zug
Canton of Zug
The Canton of Zug is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland. It is located in central Switzerland and its capital is Zug. With 239 km² the canton is one of the smallest of the cantons in terms of area. It is not subdivided into districts.- History :The earlier history of the canton is...

 and Schwyz
Canton of Schwyz
Schwyz is a canton in central Switzerland between the Alps in the south, Lake Lucerne in the east and Lake Zurich in the north, centered around and named after the town of Schwyz....

 to the south and the cantons of Thurgau
Thurgau
Thurgau is a northeast canton of Switzerland. The population, , is . In 2007, there were a total of 47,390 who were resident foreigners. The capital is Frauenfeld.-History:...

 and St.Gallen
Canton of St. Gallen
The Canton of St. Gallen is a canton of Switzerland. St. Gallen is located in the north east of Switzerland. It covers an area of 2,026 km², and has a population of . , the population included 97,461 foreigners, or about 20.9% of the total population. The capital is St. Gallen. Spelling...

 to the east. Most of the Lake Zurich
Lake Zurich
Lake Zurich is a lake in Switzerland, extending southeast of the city of Zurich. It is also known as Lake Zürich and Lake of Zürich. It lies approximately at co-ordinates ....

 is located within the canton.

The canton can be roughly divided into the city and lake, the Unterland
Zürcher Unterland
The Zürcher Unterland comprises the northwestern part of the canton of Zurich, including the districts of Bülach and Dielsdorf....

 in the northwest, the Oberland
Zürcher Oberland
The Zürcher Oberland in Switzerland, is the hilly south-eastern part of the Canton of Zurich, bordering on the Toggenburg, including the districts of Uster, Hinwil, Pfäffikon as well as the Töss Valley as far as the district of Winterthur. The territory gradually fell under the control of the city...

 in the southeast, the Weinland and Winterthur
Winterthur
Winterthur is a city in the canton of Zurich in northern Switzerland. It has the country's sixth largest population with an estimate of more than 100,000 people. In the local dialect and by its inhabitants, it is usually abbreviated to Winti...

 in the northeast, and the Knonaueramt southwest of the Albis. Greater Zurich Area
Greater Zurich Area
The European Metropolitan Region of Zurich , also Greater Zurich Area , the metropolitan area surrounding Zurich, is one of Europe’s economically strongest areas and Switzerland’s economic centre....

 extends beyond the cantonal borders.

The area of the canton of Zurich is 1,729 km². About 80% of the land is considered productive. Forests make up 505 km², whilst lakes cover 73 km². The main lakes are the Lake Zurich, the Greifensee
Greifensee
Greifensee is a small lake in the canton of Zürich in Switzerland.- Geography :Lake Greifen is located to the northeast of the city of Zurich, separated by the Pfannenstiel from Lake Zürich...

 and the Pfäffikersee
Pfäffikersee
Pfäffikersee is a lake in the canton of Zurich, Switzerland, near the town of Pfäffikon. It is 2.5 km long and 1.3 km wide at the middle. The lake was created in the last ice age when a moraine blocked off the ability for the lake to empty north towards Winterthur...

. Smaller lakes are Türlersee
Türlersee
Türlersee is a lake in the district of Affoltern, Canton of Zurich, Switzerland. It lies on the border of the municipalities of Aeugst and Hausen am Albis at an elevation of 643 m. The lake has an area of 0.49 km² ....

, Katzensee
Katzensee
Katzensee is a lake on the border of the city of Zurich and Regensdorf in the Canton of Zurich, Switzerland. Its surface area is 0.36 km²....

, Hüttnersee
Hüttnersee
Hüttnersee is a small lake at Hütten in the Canton of Zurich, Switzerland. The northern shore is located in Samstagern, a village in the municipality of Richterswil. Its surface area is 0.165 km²....

, Grosser Husemersee, Mettmenhaslisee
Mettmenhaslisee
Mettmenhaslisee is a lake located between Niederhasli und Mettmenhasli in the Canton of Zurich, Switzerland. Its surface area is 2.5 ha....

, Lützelsee
Lützelsee
Lützelsee is a lake north of Hombrechtikon, Canton of Zurich, Switzerland. Its surface area is 0.13 km².-External links:* website about the lake...

, Egelsee
Egelsee (Bubikon)
Egelsee is a lake in the municipality of Bubikon in the Canton of Zurich, Switzerland. Its surface area is 4.3 ha.-External links:*...

 and Seeweidsee
Seeweidsee
Seeweidsee is a lake in the municipality of Hombrechtikon, in the Canton of Zurich, Switzerland. Its surface area is 1.2 ha....

.

Most of the canton consists of shallow river valleys which drain towards the Rhine to the north of the canton. In the northwest and southeast of the canton there are more mountainous areas. The valley of the river Linth
Linth
The Linth is a Swiss river starting above Linthal the mountains of Glarus near the Klausen Pass and flowing from there north through the Glarus valley passing Schwanden, where it is joined by its main tributary Sernft, Ennenda, the town of Glarus, Netstal, and Näfels, from where it is channeled to...

 leads into the Lake Zurich and continues as the Limmat
Limmat
The Limmat is a river in Switzerland. It is the continuation of the Linth river, known as Limmat from the point of effluence from Lake Zurich, in the city of Zurich. From Zurich it flows in a northwesterly direction, after 35 km reaching the river Aare...

 river. This valley is the most significant valley of the canton of Zurich. The valley of the Glatt river originates in the Greifensee and is separated from the Limmat by ridges. The valley of the river Töss is gorge-like. It is located in the east of the canton and is separated from the Toggenburg area in the Canton of St. Gallen
Canton of St. Gallen
The Canton of St. Gallen is a canton of Switzerland. St. Gallen is located in the north east of Switzerland. It covers an area of 2,026 km², and has a population of . , the population included 97,461 foreigners, or about 20.9% of the total population. The capital is St. Gallen. Spelling...

 by a mountainous area. The Hörnli (1133 m) is the highest elevation of this mountain ridge. The valley of the river Sihl
Sihl
The Sihl is a river of Switzerland. It rises at Drusberg in the Canton of Schwyz. It passes through the Sihlsee near Einsiedeln, and then enters the Canton of Zurich, flowing through the Sihl valley at the foot of the Albis, passing the Sihlwald, the largest remaining deciduous forest of the Swiss...

 is located in the west of the canton. In confluences with the river Limmat
Limmat
The Limmat is a river in Switzerland. It is the continuation of the Linth river, known as Limmat from the point of effluence from Lake Zurich, in the city of Zurich. From Zurich it flows in a northwesterly direction, after 35 km reaching the river Aare...

 in the city of Zurich. The river Sihl is separated from the lake of Zurich by the Albis
Albis
The Albis is a chain of hills in the Canton of Zurich, Switzerland, stretching for some 19 km from Sihlbrugg in the south to Waldegg near Zurich in the north. The chain forms, among others, the border between the Affoltern and Horgen districts. The best known point is Uetliberg at 870 m,...

 Range
. The Albishorn (915 m) is the highest elevation of this range. The highest elevation in the canton is at the Höhrohnen in the southeast of the canton.

The Uetliberg
Uetliberg
The Üetliberg is a mountain in the Swiss plateau, part of the Albis chain, rising to 873 m . The Uetliberg offers a panoramic view of the entire city of Zurich and the Lake of Zurich. There is also a hotel in the name of "Uto Kulm" on this small mountain...

is part of the Albis Range. This mountain is popular with the population of the city of Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...

 for recreation. There is a railway
Zürich S-Bahn
The Zurich S-Bahn system is a network of rapid transit rail lines that has been incrementally expanded to cover the ZVV area, which comprises the entire canton of Zurich and portions of neighboring cantons The Zurich S-Bahn system is a network of rapid transit rail lines that has been...

 up to the Uetliberg.

Legislative power

The Cantonal Council
Cantonal Council of Zürich
The Cantonal Council of Zurich is the legislature of the canton of Zurich, in Switzerland. Zurich has a unicameral legislature. The Cantonal Council has 180 seats, with members elected every four years.- 2011 Election :...

 has 180 members elected every four years.

Executive power

The canton is governed by a seven member council (Regierungsrat). On 03 April 2011, the following were elected for four years :
  • Ursula Gut (FDP
    Free Democratic Party of Switzerland
    The Free Democratic Party was a classical liberal political party in Switzerland. It was one of the major parties in Switzerland until its merger with the smaller classical liberal Liberal Party, to form FDP.The Liberals on 1 January 2009....

    )
  • Martin Graf
    Martin Graf
    Martin Graf is an Austrian politician. He is member of the Freedom Party of Austria and currently third president of the Austrian Parliament.- Biography :...

     (Green Party of Switzerland
    Green Party of Switzerland
    The Green Party of Switzerland is the fifth-largest party in the National Council of Switzerland, and the largest party that is not represented on the Federal Council.-History:...

    )
  • Thomas Heiniger (FDP)
  • Mario Fehr
    Mario Fehr
    Mario Fehr is a member of the Swiss National Council and the "Regierungsrat" from the canton of Zurich.He is a lawyer by profession and has been on the council since 1999.-External links:...

     (SP
    Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
    The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland....

    )
  • Regine Aeppli (SP)
  • Markus Kägi (SVP
    Swiss People's Party
    The Swiss People's Party , also known as the Democratic Union of the Centre , is a conservative political party in Switzerland. Chaired by Toni Brunner, but spearheaded by Christoph Blocher, the party is the largest party in the Federal Assembly, with 58 members of the National Council and 6 of...

    )
  • Ernst Stocker (SVP)

Districts

The Canton is divided into 12 districts (German: Bezirke):
  • Zurich
    Zürich (district)
    Zurich District is a district of the Swiss canton of Zurich in Switzerland.- History :In 1814, the former district of Zurich has been established including the municipalities – «Landgemeinden des Bezirks Zürich» – surrounding the old city of Zurich, the so-called Altstadt...

     comprises the city of Zurich
    Zürich
    Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...

  • Affoltern
    Affoltern (district)
    Affoltern District is one of the twelve districts of the German-speaking canton of Zürich, Switzerland. Its capital is the city of Affoltern am Albis.- Municipalities :...

     with capital Affoltern am Albis
    Affoltern am Albis
    Affoltern am Albis is a municipality in the district of Affoltern in the canton of Zürich in Switzerland.It is the smallest city of Switzerland. In Switzerland a city is defined as having at least 10,000 inhabitants.-Geography:...

  • Andelfingen
    Andelfingen (district)
    Andelfingen District is one of the twelve districts of the German-speaking canton of Zurich, Switzerland.It corresponds to the Zürcher Weinland, bounded by the Rhine to the north and west, by the canton of Thurgau to the east, by Winterthur to the south and by the Irchel to the southwest.-...

     with capital Andelfingen
    Andelfingen, Switzerland
    Andelfingen is a municipality in the district of Andelfingen in the canton of Zürich in Switzerland.-History:Andelfingen is first mentioned in 1248 as Andelfingon. Until 1970, it was known as Grossandelfingen.-Geography:...

  • Bülach
    Bülach (district)
    Bülach District is one of 12 districts of the Canton of Zürich in Switzerland, with some 117,000 inhabitants the third largest in the canton. Its administrative capital is Bülach, the largest municipality is Kloten, the location of Zurich Airport...

     with capital Bülach
    Bülach
    Bülach is a municipality in Switzerland in the canton of Zurich, located in the district of the same name, and belongs to the Glatt Valley .-History:Bülach is first mentioned in 811 as Pulacha...

  • Dielsdorf
    Dielsdorf (district)
    Dielsdorf District is a district in the northwestern part of the Swiss canton of Zürich.Since 1871 the administrative center of the district is located in Dielsdorf. Previously the district was named Bezirk Regensberg, and its capital was Regensdorf, the only city in the district....

     with capital Dielsdorf
    Dielsdorf
    Dielsdorf is a municipality, seat of the district of Dielsdorf in the canton of Zürich in Switzerland.-Geography:Dielsdorf has an area of . Of this area, 37% is used for agricultural purposes, while 30.2% is forested...

  • Dietikon
    Dietikon (district)
    Dietikon District is a district of the Swiss canton of Zürich. The capital of the district of Dietikon is the city of Dietikon, located in the Limmat Valley ....

     with capital Dietikon
    Dietikon
    Dietikon is the fifth biggest city of the canton of Zürich in Switzerland, after Zürich, Winterthur, Uster and Dübendorf. It is the capital of the same-named district of Dietikon and part of the Zürich metropolitan area.- Geography :...

  • Hinwil
    Hinwil (district)
    Hinwil District is one of the twelve districts of the German-speaking canton of Zurich, Switzerland. It lies to the southeast of the canton, bordering the adjacent St. Gallen. Hinwil has a population of ; its capital is the town of Hinwil, located at the centre of the district.- Municipalities...

     with capital Hinwil
    Hinwil
    Hinwil is a municipality in the district of Hinwil in the canton of Zürich in Switzerland.- History :The village Hinwil from which the later municipality took its name is first mentioned in 745 as Hunichinwilari, in a donation made by Beata and Landolt to the Abbey of Saint Gall...

  • Horgen
    Horgen (district)
    Horgen District is a district of Canton of Zürich in Switzerland. The district is located in the Zimmerberg and Sihl Valley region; its capital is the town of Horgen. The district consists of 12 municipalities and has a population of and an area of ....

     with capital Horgen
    Horgen
    Horgen is a village in the district of Horgen in the canton of Zürich in Switzerland.It is one of the larger towns along the south bank of the Lake of Zurich.- History :Horgen is also the type-site of Switzerland's middle Neolithic archaeological culture...

  • Meilen
    Meilen (district)
    Meilen District is one of the twelve districts of the German-speaking canton of Zurich, Switzerland. It lies to the south of the canton in the Pfannenstiel region, forming much of the northern shore of Lake Zurich. The district capital is the town of Meilen....

     with capital Meilen
    Meilen
    Meilen is a municipality in the district of Meilen in the canton of Zürich in Switzerland.- History :Archaeological findings in Meilen date back more than 4,000 years. In January 1854 the level of lake Zürich was particularly low and the locals took the chance to gain some land...

  • Pfäffikon
    Pfäffikon (district)
    Pfäffikon District is one of the twelve districts of the German-speaking canton of Zürich, Switzerland. Its capital is the town of Pfäffikon.- Municipalities :Pfäffikon contains a total of twelve municipalities:...

     with capital Pfäffikon
    Pfäffikon, Zurich
    Pfäffikon is a municipality in the canton of Zurich in Switzerland. It is the seat of the district of the same name. It is not to be confused with Pfäffikon SZ on Lake Zurich but in the canton of Schwyz.-History:...

  • Uster
    Uster (district)
    Uster District is one of the twelve districts of the canton of Zürich, Switzerland. Its capital is the city of Uster. The German-speaking district has a population of .- Municipalities :Uster contains a total of ten municipalities:...

     with capital Uster
    Uster
    Uster is a city and capital of the district Uster in the Swiss Canton of Zürich.It is the third largest city in the Canton of Zürich, with over 30,000 inhabitants, and is one of the twenty largest cities in Switzerland...

  • Winterthur
    Winterthur (district)
    Winterthur District is one of the twelve districts of the German-speaking canton of Zürich, Switzerland. It has a population of . Its capital is the city of Winterthur.- Municipalities :Winterthur District contains a total of 21 municipalities:...

     with capital Winterthur
    Winterthur
    Winterthur is a city in the canton of Zurich in northern Switzerland. It has the country's sixth largest population with an estimate of more than 100,000 people. In the local dialect and by its inhabitants, it is usually abbreviated to Winti...


Municipalities

There are 171 municipalities in the canton
Municipalities of the canton of Zürich
There are 171 municipalities in the Canton of Zürich, Switzerland, .Municipalities are grouped in districts , their capital municipalities are written in bold letters.See also: Municipalities of Switzerland....

 (Politische Gemeinden).

Demographics

In 1519, Huldrych Zwingli
Huldrych Zwingli
Ulrich Zwingli was a leader of the Reformation in Switzerland. Born during a time of emerging Swiss patriotism and increasing criticism of the Swiss mercenary system, he attended the University of Vienna and the University of Basel, a scholarly centre of humanism...

 became the pastor of the Grossmünster
Grossmünster
The Grossmünster is a Romanesque-style church in Zurich, Switzerland. It is one of the three major churches in the city . The core of the present building near the banks of the Limmat River was constructed on the site of a Carolingian church, which was, according to legend, originally commissioned...

 in Zurich, and soon thereafter Zurich became a reformed
Reformation in Switzerland
The Protestant Reformation in Switzerland was promoted initially by Huldrych Zwingli, who gained the support of the magistrate and population of Zürich in the 1520s. It led to significant changes in civil life and state matters in Zürich and spread to several other cantons of the Old Swiss...

 or Protestant canton. Even though Zwingli died in battle in 1531, the canton remained a stronghold of the Swiss Reformed Church
Swiss Reformed Church
The Reformed branch of Protestantism in Switzerland was started in Zürich by Huldrych Zwingli and spread within a few years to Basel , Bern , St...

 over the following centuries. While a plurality of the population is Protestant (43%), 31% of the population was Roman Catholic in 2004, a legacy of considerable immigration from Southern Europe.

Economy


Most of the land is cultivated, but the canton of Zurich is not considered as an agricultural area. The lands to the north and east are more agricultural, but in every part of the canton manufacturing predominates. The canton of Zurich is noted for machinery. Silk and cotton weaving were important in the past, but have now ceased to be of importance. There is a large paper industry. Small and middle sized companies are important contributors to the economy of the canton of Zurich. The city of Zurich is a major banking centre, and insurance is also of importance.

Transport

Railways in standard gauge run through all major valleys in the canton. The centre for transport is Zurich, where a great number of local railways connect to national and international rail links. The railway station of the city of Zurich, Zürich Hauptbahnhof, is one of the busiest in Europe, counting the number of arriving and departing trains. Zurich is well connected to other European cities using rail links. The major trains ICE, TGV
TGV
The TGV is France's high-speed rail service, currently operated by SNCF Voyages, the long-distance rail branch of SNCF, the French national rail operator....

 and Cisalpino
Cisalpino
Cisalpino AG was a railway company operating international trains between Switzerland and Italy connecting Basel, Schaffhausen, Zürich, Geneva, Milan, Venice, Trieste, Livorno, and Florence...

 connect to Zurich.

The first Swiss railway ran in the Limmat valley
Limmat Valley
The Limmat Valley is a river valley and a region in the cantons of Zürich and Aargau in Switzerland.- Geography :Limmat is the name of a long river located in the cantons of Zürich and Aargau...

 in 1847, connecting Zurich to Baden
Baden, Switzerland
Baden is a municipality in the Swiss canton of Aargau, on the west bank of the river Limmat, located in the Limmat Valley , northwest of Zürich. It is the seat of the district of Baden...

.

The major airport of Switzerland is located in Zurich-Kloten, a mere 12 kilometres from the city centre of Zurich. It is home to Swiss International Air Lines
Swiss International Air Lines
Swiss International Air Lines AG is the principal airline of Switzerland operating scheduled services in Europe and to North America, South America, Africa and Asia. Its main hub is Zurich Airport...



The A1, A3 and A4 motorways run through the canton. Other motorways and expressways which also run through the canton include the A7, the A51, the A52 and the A53. Major hubs are Zurich and Winterthur.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK