Cantons of Switzerland

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Cantons of Switzerland

(1513-1798).]] The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state

Federation

A federation is a Political union comprising a number of partially self-governing states or regions united by a central government. In a federation, the self-governing status of the state is typically constitutionally entrenched and may not be altered by a Unilateralism decision of the central government....
of Switzerland

Switzerland

Switzerland is a landlocked Swiss Alps country of roughly 7.7 million people in Western Europe with an area of 41,285 km?. Switzerland is a federal republic consisting of 26 states called Cantons of Switzerland....
. Each canton was a fully sovereign

Sovereignty

File:Leviathan gr.jpgSovereignty is the exclusive right to control a government, a State, a people, or oneself. A sovereign is a supreme lawmaking authority....
state with its own borders, army and currency until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848. The most recently created canton is the Canton of Jura

Canton of Jura

The Republic and Canton of the Jura , also known as the Canton of Jura or Canton Jura, is one of the Cantons of Switzerland. It is the newest of the 26 Swiss cantons, located in the northwestern part of Switzerland....
, which separated from the Canton of Berne

Canton of Berne

The canton of Berne is the second largest of all Switzerland Cantons of Switzerland. It borders the Canton of Jura and the Canton of Solothurn to the north....
in 1979.

In the 16th century, the Old Swiss Confederacy

Old Swiss Confederacy

The Old Swiss Confederacy was the precursor of modern-day Switzerland. The Swiss Eidgenossenschaft, as the Confederacy was called, was a loose federation of largely independent small states called Cantons of Switzerland that existed from the late 13th century until 1798, when it was invaded by the France Republic, who transformed it into...
was composed of thirteen sovereign cantons, and there were two different kinds: six land (or forest) cantons and seven city (or urban) cantons.

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(1513-1798).]] The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state

Federation

Switzerland

Sovereignty

Canton of Jura

Canton of Berne

Old Swiss Confederacy

Holy Roman Empire

The Holy Roman Empire was a union of territories in Central Europe during the Middle Ages and the Early modern Europe under a Holy Roman Emperor....
, they had become de facto independent when the Swiss defeated

Battle of Dornach

At the Battle of Dornach on 22 July 1499, the troops of Emperor Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor were decisively beaten by the Old Swiss Confederacy close to the Swiss village of Dornach ....
Emperor Maximillian

Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor

Maximilian I of Habsburg was Holy Roman Empire from 1508 until his death, but had ruled jointly with his father for the last ten years of his reign, from circa 1483....
in 1499. The six forest cantons were democratic

Democracy

Democracy is a form of government in which power is held directly or indirectly by citizens under a free electoral system. It is derived from the Greek language d?????at?a , "popular government" which was coined from d???? , "people" and ???t?? , "rule, strength" in the middle of the 5th-4th century BC to denote the political syst...
republics

Republic

A republic is a state or country that is not led by a hereditary monarch but in which the people have an impact on its government. The word originates from the Latin term res publica....
, whereas the seven urban cantons were oligarchic

Oligarchy

Oligarchy is a form of government where political power effectively rests with a small Elitism segment of society distinguished by royalty, wealth, family, military influence or occult spiritual hegemony....
republics controlled by noble families.

Each canton has its own constitution

Constitution

A constitution is a system for government — often codified as a written document — that establishes the rules and principles of an autonomous political entity....
, legislature

Legislature

Legislature is a type of representative deliberative assembly with the power to create and change laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law....
, government

Government

Government is the body within any organization that has the authority to make and the power to enforce laws, regulations, or rules. Typically, the government refers to a civil government -- local, provincial, or national -- but commercial, academic, religious, or other formal organizations are also administered by governing bodies....
and court

Court

A court is a body, often a government institution, with the authority to adjudication legal disputes and dispense private law, criminal justice, or administrative law justice in accordance with rules of law....
s. Most of the cantons' legislatures are unicameral

Unicameralism

Unicameralism is the practice of having only one legislative or parliamentary chamber. Many countries with unicameral legislatures are often small and homogeneous unitary states and consider an upper house or second chamber unnecessary....
parliament

Parliament

A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom....
s, their size varying between fifty-eight and two hundred seats. A few legislatures are general assemblies known as Landsgemeinde
Landsgemeinde

The Landsgemeinde or "cantonal assembly" is one of the oldest and purest forms of direct democracy. It is still practised in two cantons of Switzerland....
n. The cantonal governments consist of either five or seven members, depending on the canton. For the names of the institutions, see List of legislative and executive councils of the Cantons of Switzerland

List of legislative and executive councils of the Cantons of Switzerland

This article lists the executive and legislative organs of the Cantons of Switzerland, as well as the current number of members. For purposes of comparison, the federal authorities are also listed....
.

The Swiss Federal Constitution

Swiss Federal Constitution

The Federal Constitution of 18 April 1999 is the third and current federal constitution of Switzerland. It establishes the Swiss Confederation as a federal republic of 26 Swiss cantons , contains a catalogue of individual rights and popular rights , delineates the responsibilities of the cantons and the Confederation and establishes the...
declares the cantons to be sovereign to the extent their sovereignty is not limited by federal law. The cantons also retain all powers and competencies not delegated to the Confederation by the Constitution. Most significantly, the cantons are responsible for healthcare

Health care

File:Ear surgery on a patient.jpgFile:Monoclonal antibodies3.jpgHealth care, or healthcare, refers to the treatment and management of illness, and the preservation of health through services offered by the Medicine, pharmaceutical, Dentistry, clinical laboratory sciences , nursing, and allied health professions....
, welfare

Welfare (financial aid)

Welfare is financial assistance paid to people by governments. Some welfare is general, while specific and can only be invoked under certain circumstances, such as a scholarship....
, law enforcement and public education

Public education

Public educatoin is education mandated for or offered to the children of the general public by the government, whether national, regional, or local, provided by an institution of civil government, and paid for, in whole or in part, by taxes....
; they also retain the power of taxation

Tax

To tax is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon an individual or Legal person by a state or the functional equivalent of a state.Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entity....
. The cantonal constitutions determine the degree of autonomy accorded to the municipalities

Municipality

A municipality is an administrative entity composed of a clearly defined territory and its population and commonly denotes a city, town, or village, or a small grouping of them....
, which varies but almost always includes the power to levy taxes and pass municipal laws. The sizes of the cantons vary from 37 km² to 7,105 km²; the populations vary from 14,900 to 1,244,400.

As on the federal level, all cantons provide for direct democracy

Direct democracy

Direct democracy, classically termed pure democracy, comprises a form of democracy and theory of civics wherein sovereignty is lodged in the assembly of all citizenship who choose to participate....
. Citizens may demand a popular vote to amend the cantonal constitution or laws, or to veto laws or spending bills passed by the parliament. General popular assemblies (Landsgemeinde
Landsgemeinde

The Landsgemeinde or "cantonal assembly" is one of the oldest and purest forms of direct democracy. It is still practised in two cantons of Switzerland....
) are now limited to the cantons of Appenzell Innerrhoden

Appenzell Innerrhoden

Appenzell Innerrhoden is the smallest Cantons of Switzerland of Switzerland by population and the second smallest by area, Basel-City having less area....
and Glarus

Canton of Glarus

The Canton of Glarus is a cantons of Switzerland in east central Switzerland. The capital is Glarus. There are 25 municipalities in the canton ....
. In all other cantons democratic rights are exercised by secret ballot.

List

The cantons are listed in the order given in the federal constitution.

Abbr Data codes for Switzerland These are data codes for Switzerland....	Canton	Since History of Switzerland Since 1848, the Swiss Confederation has been a federal state of relatively autonomous Cantons of Switzerlands, some of which have a history of confederacy that goes back more than 700 years, arguably putting them among the world's oldest surviving republics....	Capital	Population Population File:Population density.pngIn biology, a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular species; in sociology, a collection of human beings....	Area List of Cantons of Switzerland by area This is a lists of Cantons of Switzerland ranked by area. Note that half-cantons are listed separately; counting full cantons, Unterwalden ranks 17th before Glarus, Basel 19th before Appenzell, in turn ranking before Schaffhausen....	Density Population density Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans....	? munic. Municipalities of Switzerland Municipalities are the smallest government division in Switzerland, and are called Gemeinden in German language, communes in French language, comuni in Italian language and vischnancas in Romansh language....	Official language Official language An official language is a language that is given a special legal status in a particular country, state, or other territory. Typically a nation's official language will be the one used in that nation's courts, parliament and administration.... s
ZH	Zurich Canton of Zürich The Canton of Z?rich has a population of about 1.3 million. The Cantons of Switzerland is located in the northeast of Switzerland and the city of Z?rich is its capital....	1351	Zürich Zürich Z?rich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Z?rich. The city is Switzerland's main commercial and cultural centre and sometimes called the Cultural Capital of Switzerland, the political capital of Switzerland being Berne....	1,307,567	1,729	701	171	German German language German is a West Germanic languages, thus related to and classified alongside English language and Dutch language. It is one of the world's world language and the most widely spoken mother tongue in the European Union....
BE	Berne Canton of Berne The canton of Berne is the second largest of all Switzerland Cantons of Switzerland. It borders the Canton of Jura and the Canton of Solothurn to the north....	1353	Berne Berne The city of Berne or Bern is the Bundesstadt of Switzerland and, with 128,041 people , the fifth most populous city in Switzerland ....	962,982	5,959	158	395	German German language German is a West Germanic languages, thus related to and classified alongside English language and Dutch language. It is one of the world's world language and the most widely spoken mother tongue in the European Union.... , French French language French is a Romance language spoken around the world by around 80 million people as first language, by 190 million as second language, and by about another 200 million people as an acquired tongue, with significant speakers in 54 countries....
LU	Lucerne Canton of Lucerne Lucerne is a Cantons of Switzerland of Switzerland. It is located in the centre of Switzerland. The population is 363,475 of which 57,268 are foreigners....	1332	Lucerne Lucerne Lucerne is a city in Switzerland. It is the capital of the Canton of Lucerne and seat of the Lucerne with the same name. With a population of 57,890, Lucerne is the most populous city in Central Switzerland and focal point of the region....	363,475	1,493	233	96	German German language German is a West Germanic languages, thus related to and classified alongside English language and Dutch language. It is one of the world's world language and the most widely spoken mother tongue in the European Union....
UR	Uri Canton of Uri Uri is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland. It is located in Central Switzerland. The canton's territory covers the valley of the Reuss River between Lake Lucerne and the St....	1291	Altdorf Altdorf, Switzerland Altdorf is the Capital of the Swiss canton of Canton of Uri. The Municipalities of Switzerland covers an area of . It is built at a height of above sea-level, a little above the right bank of the Reuss River, not far above the point where this river is joined on the right by the Sch?chen torrent....	34,989	1,077	33	20	German German language German is a West Germanic languages, thus related to and classified alongside English language and Dutch language. It is one of the world's world language and the most widely spoken mother tongue in the European Union....
SZ	Schwyz Canton of Schwyz Schwyz is a canton of Switzerland in central Switzerland between the Swiss Alps in the south, Lake Lucerne in the east and Lake Zurich in the north, centered around and named after the town of Schwyz....	1291	Schwyz Schwyz The town of is the capital of the Cantons of Switzerland of Canton of Schwyz in Switzerland. its population is 14'171. With the territory of 1 E7 m?, the population density is 269/km?....	141,024	908	143	30	German German language German is a West Germanic languages, thus related to and classified alongside English language and Dutch language. It is one of the world's world language and the most widely spoken mother tongue in the European Union....
OW	Obwalden Obwalden Obwalden is a Cantons of Switzerland of Switzerland. It is located in the centre of Switzerland. The population is 33,997 of which 4,043 are foreigners.... (Obwald)	1291	Sarnen Sarnen Sarnen is the capital of the Cantons of Switzerland of Obwalden situated on the shores of Lake Sarnen , Switzerland. It has a population of just under 10,000 and is surrounded by countryside and mountains....	33,997	491	66	7	German German language German is a West Germanic languages, thus related to and classified alongside English language and Dutch language. It is one of the world's world language and the most widely spoken mother tongue in the European Union....
NW	Nidwalden Nidwalden Nidwalden is a Cantons of Switzerland of Switzerland. It is located in the centre of Switzerland. The population is 40,287 of which 4,046 are foreigners.... (Nidwald)	1291	Stans Stans Stans is the capital of the Cantons of Switzerland of Nidwalden in Switzerland. It has a population of 7579 , 12% of which is of foreign nationality ....	40,287	276	138	11	German German language German is a West Germanic languages, thus related to and classified alongside English language and Dutch language. It is one of the world's world language and the most widely spoken mother tongue in the European Union....
GL	Glarus Canton of Glarus The Canton of Glarus is a cantons of Switzerland in east central Switzerland. The capital is Glarus. There are 25 municipalities in the canton ....	1352	Glarus Glarus Glarus is the capital of the Canton of Glarus in Switzerland.Glarus lies on the Linth at the foot of the Gl?rnisch foothills in the Glarus Alps....	38,237	685	51	25	German German language German is a West Germanic languages, thus related to and classified alongside English language and Dutch language. It is one of the world's world language and the most widely spoken mother tongue in the European Union....
ZG	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 km? the canton is one of the smallest of the cantons in terms of area....	1352	Zug Zug Zug is the capital of the canton of Zug in Switzerland.Zug is a small town at the northeastern corner of the Lake Zug and at the foot of the Zugerberg , which rises gradually, its lower slopes thickly covered with fruit trees....	109,141	239	416	11	German German language German is a West Germanic languages, thus related to and classified alongside English language and Dutch language. It is one of the world's world language and the most widely spoken mother tongue in the European Union....
FR	Fribourg Canton of Fribourg The Canton of Fribourg is a Cantons of Switzerland of Switzerland. It is located in the west of the country. The capital of the canton is Fribourg....	1481	Fribourg Fribourg Fribourg , is the capital of the Switzerland Cantons of Switzerland of Fribourg and the district of Sarine . It is located on both sides of the river Saane/Sarine, on the Swiss plateau, and is an important economic, administrative and educational center on the cultural border between German speaking part of Switzerland and French Switzerla...	263,241	1,671	141	168	French French language French is a Romance language spoken around the world by around 80 million people as first language, by 190 million as second language, and by about another 200 million people as an acquired tongue, with significant speakers in 54 countries.... , German German language German is a West Germanic languages, thus related to and classified alongside English language and Dutch language. It is one of the world's world language and the most widely spoken mother tongue in the European Union....
SO	Solothurn Canton of Solothurn Solothurn is a Cantons of Switzerland of Switzerland. It is located in the northwest of Switzerland. The capital is Solothurn....	1481	Solothurn Solothurn The city of Solothurn is the Capital of the Canton of Solothurn in Switzerland. The city also comprises the only municipalities of Switzerland of the Solothurn of the same name....	250,240	791	308	125	German German language German is a West Germanic languages, thus related to and classified alongside English language and Dutch language. It is one of the world's world language and the most widely spoken mother tongue in the European Union....
BS	Basel-Stadt Basel-City Basel-City is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland. The city of Basel and the municipalities of Bettingen and Riehen form its territory.... (Basel-City)	1501 (part of Basel until 1833)	Basel Basel Basel is Switzerland's third most populous city . With 731,000 inhabitants in the tri-national metropolitan area , Basel is Switzerland's third-largest urban area....	185,227	37	5,072	3	German German language German is a West Germanic languages, thus related to and classified alongside English language and Dutch language. It is one of the world's world language and the most widely spoken mother tongue in the European Union....
BL	Basel-Landschaft Basel-Country Basel-Country is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland. The capital is Liestal. It shares borders with the cantons of Basel-Stadt, Solothurn , Canton of Jura and Aargau, and with the France r?gion of Alsace and the Germany state of Baden-W?rttemberg.... (Basel-Country)	1501 (part of Basel until 1833)	Liestal Liestal Liestal is the capital of the Cantons of Switzerland of Basel-Country in Switzerland, 17 km south of Basel.It is an industrial town with a cobble-street Old Town....	269,145	518	502	86	German German language German is a West Germanic languages, thus related to and classified alongside English language and Dutch language. It is one of the world's world language and the most widely spoken mother tongue in the European Union....
SH	Schaffhausen Canton of Schaffhausen The Canton of is a canton of Switzerland. The principal city and capital of the canton is Schaffhausen....	1501	Schaffhausen Schaffhausen Schaffhausen is a city in northern Switzerland and the capital of the Canton of Schaffhausen; it has an estimated population of 33,527 March 31, 2005....	74,527	298	246	32	German German language German is a West Germanic languages, thus related to and classified alongside English language and Dutch language. It is one of the world's world language and the most widely spoken mother tongue in the European Union....
AR	Appenzell Ausserrhoden Appenzell Ausserrhoden Appenzell Ausserrhoden is a Cantons of Switzerland of Switzerland. The seat of the government and parliament is Herisau, judicial authorities are in Trogen.... (Outer Rhodes)	1513 (part of Appenzell until 1597)	Herisau Herisau Herisau is a municipalities of Switzerland of the Cantons of Switzerland of Appenzell Ausserrhoden in Switzerland. It is the seat of the canton's government and parliament; the judicial authorities are situated in Trogen.... / Trogen Trogen Trogen is a municipalities of Switzerland in the Cantons of Switzerland of Appenzell Ausserrhoden in Switzerland. The town is the seat of the canton's judicial authorities....	52,654	243	220	20	German German language German is a West Germanic languages, thus related to and classified alongside English language and Dutch language. It is one of the world's world language and the most widely spoken mother tongue in the European Union....
AI	Appenzell Innerrhoden Appenzell Innerrhoden Appenzell Innerrhoden is the smallest Cantons of Switzerland of Switzerland by population and the second smallest by area, Basel-City having less area.... (Inner Rhodes)	1513 (part of Appenzell until 1597)	Appenzell Appenzell (town) Appenzell is the Capital of the Cantons of Switzerland of Appenzell Innerrhoden in Switzerland. The buildings in the village core, the parish church, the 1563 town hall, the Salesis house, the ruins of Castle Clanx and the state archives with the administration building are listed as Swiss inventory of cultural property of national and r...	15,471	173	87	6	German German language German is a West Germanic languages, thus related to and classified alongside English language and Dutch language. It is one of the world's world language and the most widely spoken mother tongue in the European Union....
SG	St. Gallen Canton of St. Gallen The Canton of St. Gallen is a Cantons of Switzerland of Switzerland. St. Gallen is located in the north east of Switzerland. It covers an area of 2,026 km?, and has a population of 465,937 of which 97,461 are foreigners.... (St. Gall)	1803	St. Gallen St. Gallen St. Gallen is the capital of the Cantons of Switzerland of St. Gallen in Switzerland. It evolved from the hermitage of Saint Gall, founded in the 7th century....	465,937	2,026	222	88	German German language German is a West Germanic languages, thus related to and classified alongside English language and Dutch language. It is one of the world's world language and the most widely spoken mother tongue in the European Union....
GR	Graubünden Graubünden Graub?nden or Grisons is the largest and easternmost cantons of Switzerland of Switzerland. The name Graub?nden translates as "Grey Leagues," referring to the canton's origin in three local alliances, the League of God's House, the Grey League, and the League of Ten Jurisdictions.... (Grisons)	1803	Chur Chur Chur ; ; Latin: Curia, Curia Rhaetorum and Curia Raetorum) is the capital of the Switzerland Cantons of Switzerland of Graub?nden and lies in the northern part of the canton....	188,762	7,105	26	203	German German language German is a West Germanic languages, thus related to and classified alongside English language and Dutch language. It is one of the world's world language and the most widely spoken mother tongue in the European Union.... , Romansh, Italian Italian language Italian is a Romance languages spoken by about 63 million people as a first language, primarily in Italy. In Switzerland, Italian is one of four Linguistic geography of Switzerlands....
AG	Aargau Aargau Aargau is one of the more northerly Cantons of Switzerland of Switzerland. It comprises the lower course of the river Aare, which is why the canton is called Aargau .... (Argovia)	1803	Aarau Aarau Aarau is the capital of the northern Switzerland Cantons of Switzerland of Aargau. The city is also the capital of the district of Aarau . It is German language-speaking and predominantly Protestantism....	581,562	1,404	388	229	German German language German is a West Germanic languages, thus related to and classified alongside English language and Dutch language. It is one of the world's world language and the most widely spoken mother tongue in the European Union....
TG	Thurgau Thurgau Thurgau is a northeast Cantons of Switzerland of Switzerland. The population is 238,316 of which 47,390 are foreigners. The capital is Frauenfeld.... (Thurgovia)	1803	Frauenfeld Frauenfeld Frauenfeld is the capital of the Cantons of Switzerland of Thurgau in Switzerland.... / Weinfelden Weinfelden Weinfelden is a Municipalities of Switzerland in the Cantons of Switzerland of Thurgau in Switzerland. It is the capital of the district of the same name....	238,316	991	229	80	German German language German is a West Germanic languages, thus related to and classified alongside English language and Dutch language. It is one of the world's world language and the most widely spoken mother tongue in the European Union....
TI	Ticino Ticino Canton Ticino or Ticino is the southernmost cantons of Switzerland of Switzerland. The written language is Italian language in almost the entire cantons of Switzerland ....	1803	Bellinzona Bellinzona Bellinzona is the capital city of the Cantons of Switzerland Ticino in Switzerland. The city is famous for its Three Castles of Bellinzona that are UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 2000....	328,580	2,812	110	190	Italian Italian language Italian is a Romance languages spoken by about 63 million people as a first language, primarily in Italy. In Switzerland, Italian is one of four Linguistic geography of Switzerlands....
VD	Vaud Vaud The cantons of Switzerland of Vaud is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland and is located in Romandy, the southwestern part of the country. The capital is Lausanne....	1803	Lausanne Lausanne Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French language-speaking part of Switzerland, situated on the shores of Lake Geneva , and facing ?vian-les-Bains and with the Jura mountains to its north-west....	672,039	3,212	188	376	French French language French is a Romance language spoken around the world by around 80 million people as first language, by 190 million as second language, and by about another 200 million people as an acquired tongue, with significant speakers in 54 countries....
VS	Valais Valais The Valais is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland in the southwestern part of Switzerland, around the valley of the Rh?ne from its headwaters to Lake Geneva, separating the Pennine Alps from the Bernese Alps....	1815	Sion Sion, Switzerland Sion is the capital of the Swiss Cantons of Switzerland of Valais. In 2002, its population was 27,700.Landmarks include the Basilique de Val?re and Ch?teau de Tourbillon....	298,580	5,224	53	153	French French language French is a Romance language spoken around the world by around 80 million people as first language, by 190 million as second language, and by about another 200 million people as an acquired tongue, with significant speakers in 54 countries.... , German German language German is a West Germanic languages, thus related to and classified alongside English language and Dutch language. It is one of the world's world language and the most widely spoken mother tongue in the European Union....
NE	Neuchâtel Canton of Neuchâtel Neuch?tel is a Cantons of Switzerland of western Switzerland. In 2007, its population was 169,782 of which 39,654 are foreigners. The Capital is Neuch?tel....	1815	Neuchâtel Neuchâtel Neuch?tel is the Capital of the Swiss Cantons of Switzerland of Neuch?tel on Lake Neuch?tel.The city has approximately 31,500 inhabitants , by and large French-speaking, although the city is sometimes referred to historically by the German language name , which has the same meaning, since Prussia ruled the area until 1848....	169,782	803	206	62	French French language French is a Romance language spoken around the world by around 80 million people as first language, by 190 million as second language, and by about another 200 million people as an acquired tongue, with significant speakers in 54 countries....
GE	Geneva Canton of Geneva The Canton of Geneva is the westernmost cantons of Switzerland or state of Switzerland, surrounded on almost all sides by France. The official name of this canton in French language is R?publique et Canton de Gen?ve....	1815	Geneva Geneva Geneva is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie . Situated where the Rh?ne River exits Lake Geneva , it is the capital of the Canton of Geneva....	438,177	282	1,442	45	French French language French is a Romance language spoken around the world by around 80 million people as first language, by 190 million as second language, and by about another 200 million people as an acquired tongue, with significant speakers in 54 countries....
JU	Jura Canton of Jura The Republic and Canton of the Jura , also known as the Canton of Jura or Canton Jura, is one of the Cantons of Switzerland. It is the newest of the 26 Swiss cantons, located in the northwestern part of Switzerland....	1979 (previously part of Bern)	Delémont Delémont Del?mont is the Capital of the Swiss Cantons of Switzerland of Canton of Jura. The city has approximately 11,000 inhabitants as of 2007....	69,555	838	82	83	French French language French is a Romance language spoken around the world by around 80 million people as first language, by 190 million as second language, and by about another 200 million people as an acquired tongue, with significant speakers in 54 countries....
CH	Switzerland		Bern Berne The city of Berne or Bern is the Bundesstadt of Switzerland and, with 128,041 people , the fifth most populous city in Switzerland ....	7,593,494	41,285	174	2,715	German German language German is a West Germanic languages, thus related to and classified alongside English language and Dutch language. It is one of the world's world language and the most widely spoken mother tongue in the European Union.... , French French language French is a Romance language spoken around the world by around 80 million people as first language, by 190 million as second language, and by about another 200 million people as an acquired tongue, with significant speakers in 54 countries.... , Italian Italian language Italian is a Romance languages spoken by about 63 million people as a first language, primarily in Italy. In Switzerland, Italian is one of four Linguistic geography of Switzerlands.... , Romansh

The two-letter abbreviations for Swiss cantons are widely used, e.g. on car license plates and in the ISO 3166-2 codes of Switzerland

ISO 3166-2:CH

ISO 3166-2:CH is the subset of codes defined in ISO 3166-2, part of the ISO 3166 standardization published by the International Organization for Standardization , for the names of the principal subdivisions of Switzerland....
(with the prefix "CH-", i.e. CH-SZ for the canton of Schwyz).

The traditional half-cantons

Six cantons – Obwalden

Obwalden

Obwalden is a Cantons of Switzerland of Switzerland. It is located in the centre of Switzerland. The population is 33,997 of which 4,043 are foreigners....
, Nidwalden

Nidwalden

Nidwalden is a Cantons of Switzerland of Switzerland. It is located in the centre of Switzerland. The population is 40,287 of which 4,046 are foreigners....
, Appenzell Innerrhoden

Appenzell Innerrhoden

Appenzell Innerrhoden is the smallest Cantons of Switzerland of Switzerland by population and the second smallest by area, Basel-City having less area....
, Appenzell Ausserrhoden

Appenzell Ausserrhoden

Appenzell Ausserrhoden is a Cantons of Switzerland of Switzerland. The seat of the government and parliament is Herisau, judicial authorities are in Trogen....
, Basel-City

Basel-City

Basel-City is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland. The city of Basel and the municipalities of Bettingen and Riehen form its territory....
and Basel-Country

Basel-Country

Basel-Country is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland. The capital is Liestal. It shares borders with the cantons of Basel-Stadt, Solothurn , Canton of Jura and Aargau, and with the France r?gion of Alsace and the Germany state of Baden-W?rttemberg....
– have traditionally been called "half-cantons" or "demicantons". This term is now deprecated by constitutional scholars, as the 1999 constitution lists 26 equal cantons. The appellation "cantons with half a cantonal vote" has recently come in use in official and legal texts.

The region of Unterwalden

Unterwalden

Unterwalden is the old name for what is now two cantons in central Switzerland, south of Lake Lucerne. It consists of two half-cantons, an upper part, Obwalden, and a lower part, Nidwalden....
has, in the historical record, always been divided into the half-cantons of Obwalden and Nidwalden. The other four half-cantons have resulted from the division of a preexisting canton: The canton of Appenzell

Appenzell

Appenzell is a region in the northeast of Switzerland, entirely surrounded by the Canton of St. Gallen. A former canton of the Old Swiss Confederacy, Appenzell has been divided since 1597 into Appenzell Innerrhoden and Appenzell Ausserrhoden....
split into the half-cantons of Innerrhoden and Ausserrhoden in 1597 as a result of the Reformation

Protestant Reformation

The Protestant Reformation was a Christian reform movement in Europe. It is thought to have begun in 1517 with Martin Luther's Ninety-Five Theses and may be considered to have ended with the Peace of Westphalia in 1648....
. The canton of Basel was divided into the half-cantons of Basel-City and Basel-Country after a revolt of the Basel countryside in 1833.

The six half-cantons have the same institutional structure as well as the same rights and obligations as all the other cantons, with two exceptions. For one thing, they elect only one member of the Council of States

Swiss Council of States

The Council of States of Switzerland is the smaller chamber of the Federal Assembly of Switzerland, and is considered the Assembly's upper house....
instead of two. Also, in popular referendums

Referendum

A referendum , ballot question, or plebiscite is a direct vote in which an entire Constituency is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal....
that require not only a national popular majority but also the assent of a majority of the cantons (Ständemehr / majorité des cantons), such as constitutional amendments, the result of their cantonal vote counts half as much as that of other cantons. This means that a majority of the cantons is actually the majority of twenty-three cantonal votes.

Names in other languages

Abbr Abbreviation An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase. Usually, but not always, it consists of a letter or group of letters taken from the word or phrase....	English English language English is a West Germanic language that originated in Anglo-Saxon England and has lingua franca status in many parts of the world as a result of the military, economic, scientific, political and cultural influence of the British Empire in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries and that of the United States from the mid 20th century onwa...	French French language French is a Romance language spoken around the world by around 80 million people as first language, by 190 million as second language, and by about another 200 million people as an acquired tongue, with significant speakers in 54 countries....	Italian Italian language Italian is a Romance languages spoken by about 63 million people as a first language, primarily in Italy. In Switzerland, Italian is one of four Linguistic geography of Switzerlands....	Romansh
AG	Aargau Aargau Aargau is one of the more northerly Cantons of Switzerland of Switzerland. It comprises the lower course of the river Aare, which is why the canton is called Aargau .... (rare: Argovia)	Argovie	Argovia	Argovia
AI	Appenzell Innerrhoden Appenzell Innerrhoden Appenzell Innerrhoden is the smallest Cantons of Switzerland of Switzerland by population and the second smallest by area, Basel-City having less area.... (Appenzell Inner-Rhodes)	Appenzell Rhodes-Intérieures	Appenzello Interno	Appenzell dadens
AR	Appenzell Ausserrhoden Appenzell Ausserrhoden Appenzell Ausserrhoden is a Cantons of Switzerland of Switzerland. The seat of the government and parliament is Herisau, judicial authorities are in Trogen.... (Appenzell Outer-Rhodes)	Appenzell Rhodes-Extérieures	Appenzello Esterno	Appenzell dador
BS	Basel-City Basel-City Basel-City is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland. The city of Basel and the municipalities of Bettingen and Riehen form its territory.... or Basle-City	Bâle-Ville	Basilea-Città	Basilea-Citad
BL	Basel-Country Basel-Country Basel-Country is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland. The capital is Liestal. It shares borders with the cantons of Basel-Stadt, Solothurn , Canton of Jura and Aargau, and with the France r?gion of Alsace and the Germany state of Baden-W?rttemberg.... , Basle-Country, or Basel-Land	Bâle-Campagne	Basilea-Campagna	Basilea-Champagna
BE	Berne Canton of Berne The canton of Berne is the second largest of all Switzerland Cantons of Switzerland. It borders the Canton of Jura and the Canton of Solothurn to the north.... (Bern)	Berne	Berna	Berna
FR	Fribourg Canton of Fribourg The Canton of Fribourg is a Cantons of Switzerland of Switzerland. It is located in the west of the country. The capital of the canton is Fribourg....	Fribourg	Friburgo	Friburg
GE	Geneva Canton of Geneva The Canton of Geneva is the westernmost cantons of Switzerland or state of Switzerland, surrounded on almost all sides by France. The official name of this canton in French language is R?publique et Canton de Gen?ve....	Genève	Ginevra	Genevra
GL	Glarus Canton of Glarus The Canton of Glarus is a cantons of Switzerland in east central Switzerland. The capital is Glarus. There are 25 municipalities in the canton ....	Glaris	Glarona	Glaruna
GR	Graubünden Graubünden Graub?nden or Grisons is the largest and easternmost cantons of Switzerland of Switzerland. The name Graub?nden translates as "Grey Leagues," referring to the canton's origin in three local alliances, the League of God's House, the Grey League, and the League of Ten Jurisdictions.... (Grisons)	Grisons	Grigioni	Grischun
JU	Jura Canton of Jura The Republic and Canton of the Jura , also known as the Canton of Jura or Canton Jura, is one of the Cantons of Switzerland. It is the newest of the 26 Swiss cantons, located in the northwestern part of Switzerland....	Jura	Giura	Giura
LU	Lucerne Canton of Lucerne Lucerne is a Cantons of Switzerland of Switzerland. It is located in the centre of Switzerland. The population is 363,475 of which 57,268 are foreigners....	Lucerne	Lucerna	Lucerna
NE	Neuchâtel Canton of Neuchâtel Neuch?tel is a Cantons of Switzerland of western Switzerland. In 2007, its population was 169,782 of which 39,654 are foreigners. The Capital is Neuch?tel....	Neuchâtel	Neuchâtel	Neuchâtel
NW	Nidwalden Nidwalden Nidwalden is a Cantons of Switzerland of Switzerland. It is located in the centre of Switzerland. The population is 40,287 of which 4,046 are foreigners....	Nidwald	Nidvaldo	Sutsilvania
OW	Obwalden Obwalden Obwalden is a Cantons of Switzerland of Switzerland. It is located in the centre of Switzerland. The population is 33,997 of which 4,043 are foreigners....	Obwald	Obvaldo	Sursilvania
SH	Schaffhausen Canton of Schaffhausen The Canton of is a canton of Switzerland. The principal city and capital of the canton is Schaffhausen.... (Schaffhouse)	Schaffhouse	Sciaffusa	Schaffusa
SZ	Schwyz Canton of Schwyz Schwyz is a canton of Switzerland in central Switzerland between the Swiss Alps in the south, Lake Lucerne in the east and Lake Zurich in the north, centered around and named after the town of Schwyz....	Schwyz (or Schwytz)	Svitto	Sviz
SO	Solothurn Canton of Solothurn Solothurn is a Cantons of Switzerland of Switzerland. It is located in the northwest of Switzerland. The capital is Solothurn....	Soleure	Soletta	Soloturn
SG	St. Gallen Canton of St. Gallen The Canton of St. Gallen is a Cantons of Switzerland of Switzerland. St. Gallen is located in the north east of Switzerland. It covers an area of 2,026 km?, and has a population of 465,937 of which 97,461 are foreigners.... (St. Gall)	Saint-Gall	San Gallo	Son Gagl
TG	Thurgau Thurgau Thurgau is a northeast Cantons of Switzerland of Switzerland. The population is 238,316 of which 47,390 are foreigners. The capital is Frauenfeld.... (Thurgovia)	Thurgovie	Turgovia	Turgovia
TI	Ticino Ticino Canton Ticino or Ticino is the southernmost cantons of Switzerland of Switzerland. The written language is Italian language in almost the entire cantons of Switzerland ....	Tessin	Ticino	Tessin
UR	Uri Canton of Uri Uri is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland. It is located in Central Switzerland. The canton's territory covers the valley of the Reuss River between Lake Lucerne and the St....	Uri	Uri	Uri
VS	Valais Valais The Valais is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland in the southwestern part of Switzerland, around the valley of the Rh?ne from its headwaters to Lake Geneva, separating the Pennine Alps from the Bernese Alps....	Valais	Vallese	Vallais
VD	Vaud Vaud The cantons of Switzerland of Vaud is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland and is located in Romandy, the southwestern part of the country. The capital is Lausanne....	Vaud	Vaud	Vad
ZG	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 km? the canton is one of the smallest of the cantons in terms of area....	Zoug	Zugo	Zug
ZH	Zurich Canton of Zürich The Canton of Z?rich has a population of about 1.3 million. The Cantons of Switzerland is located in the northeast of Switzerland and the city of Z?rich is its capital....	Zurich	Zurigo	Turitg

External links

Assemble cantons on a Swiss map
Database on Swiss cantons and cities (French/German)

Cantons of Switzerland

List

The traditional half-cantons

Names in other languages

See also

External links