In contrast to centrally organised states, in the federally constituted Switzerland each Canton is completely free to decide its own internal organisation. Therefore there exists a variety of structures and terminology for the subnational entities between Canton and Municipality, loosely termed districts (i.e. Urban Administration Districts).
Most Cantons are divided into Bezirke (German for districts). They are also termed Ämter (Lucerne), Amtsbezirke (Bern), district (in French) or distretto (Tessin and part of Graubünden). The Bezirke generally provide only administration and court organization. However, for historical reasons districts in cantons Graubünden and Schwyz are their own legal entities with jurisdiction over tax and often have their own Landsgemeinde.
Eight of the 26 Cantons – Uri, Obwalden, Nidwalden, Glarus, Zug, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Basel-City and Geneva – have historically done without the district level of government; each with its own reason, be it historical or practical or because the area is small enough already.
A number of further cantons have dispensed with the district level recently, Appenzell Ausserrhoden in 1995, Schaffhausen in 1999, St Gallen in 2003 and Lucerne in 2007.
A number of further cantons are considering (or have already decided) an abolition of the district level in the future: Schwyz in 2006 voted on its abolition, but voted in favour of keeping the division. Berne in 2006 divided a reduction of its 26 districts to five administrative regions. Vaud decided a reduction from 19 to 10 districts. Valais is planning a similar reduction and in Thurgau, a reduction of eight to four districts is under discussion.
Contents |
Zurich
The Canton of Zürich is divided into 12 districts (German: Bezirke):
- Affoltern with capital Affoltern am Albis
- Andelfingen with capital Andelfingen
- Bülach with capital Bülach
- Dielsdorf with capital Dielsdorf
- Dietikon with capital Dietikon
- Hinwil with capital Hinwil
- Horgen with capital Horgen
- Meilen with capital Meilen
- Pfäffikon with capital Pfäffikon
- Uster with capital Uster
- Winterthur with capital Winterthur
- Zürich comprises the city of Zürich
Bern
The Canton of Bern is divided into 26 districts (German: Amtsbezirke; French: districts):
- Aarberg with capital Aarberg
- Aarwangen with capital Aarwangen
- Bern with capital Bern
- Biel with capital Biel
- Büren with capital Büren an der Aare
- Burgdorf with capital Burgdorf
- Courtelary with capital Courtelary
- Erlach with capital Erlach
- Fraubrunnen with capital Fraubrunnen
- Frutigen with capital Frutigen
- Interlaken with capital Interlaken
- Konolfingen with capital Konolfingen
- Laupen with capital Laupen
- Moutier with capital Moutier
- La Neuveville with capital La Neuveville
- Nidau with capital Nidau
- Niedersimmental with capital Wimmis
- Oberhasli with capital Meiringen
- Obersimmental with capital Blankenburg
- Saanen with capital Saanen
- Schwarzenburg with capital Schwarzenburg
- Seftigen with capital Belp
- Signau with capital Langnau im Emmental
- Thun with capital Thun
- Trachselwald with capital Trachselwald
- Wangen with capital Wangen an der Aare
In 2006, the voting population of Berne decided to abolish the above system in favour of a division in five regions, active from 1 January 2010: Berner Jura, Seeland (with two subregions, Biel/Bienne and Seeland), Bern-Mittelland, Oberland (with subregions Thun, Obersimmental-Saanen, Frutigen-Niedersimmental, Interlaken-Oberhasli) and Emmental-Oberaargau (with two subregions, Emmental and Oberaargau)
Lucerne
The Canton of Lucerne used to be divided into 5 Ämter:
- Entlebuch with capital Schüpfheim
- Hochdorf with capital Hochdorf
- Luzern with capital Luzern
- Sursee with capital Sursee
- Willisau with capital Willisau
These were abolished with the new cantonal constitution of 2007, although they will continue to be used as electoral districts.
Schwyz
The Canton of Schwyz is divided into 6 districts:
- Einsiedeln including only the municipality of the same name
- Gersau including only the municipality of the same name
- Höfe with capital alternating between Wollerau and the village of Pfäffikon
- Küssnacht including only the municipality of the same name
- March with capital Lachen
- Schwyz with capital Schwyz
Fribourg
The Canton of Fribourg is divided into 7 districts:
- Broye with capital Estavayer-le-Lac
- Glâne with capital Romont
- Gruyère with capital Bulle
- Saane with capital Fribourg
- See with capital Murten
- Sense with capital Tafers
- Veveyse with capital Châtel-Saint-Denis
Solothurn
From 2005, Solothurn's ten districts are merged pairwise into five electoral districts, termed Amtei. From 2005, districts only have a statistical meaning.
- Bucheggberg, Amtei Wasseramt-Bucheggberg
Dorneck , Amtei Dorneck-Thierstein (unofficially Schwarzbubenland)- Gäu, Amtei Thal-Gäu
- Gösgen, Amtei Olten-Gösgen (unofficially Niederamt)
- Lebern, Amtei Solothurn-Lebern
- Olten, Amtei Olten-Gösgen
- Solothurn, Amtei Solothurn-Lebern
- Thal, Amtei Thal-Gäu
- Thierstein, Amtei Dorneck-Thierstein
- Wasseramt, Amtei Wasseramt-Bucheggberg
Basel-Country
Basel-Country is divided into 5 districts:
- Arlesheim with capital Arlesheim
- Laufen with capital Laufen
- Liestal with capital Liestal
- Sissach with capital Sissach
- Waldenburg with capital Waldenburg
Appenzell Innerrhoden
In Appenzell Innerrhoden districts are the lowest administrative division: the canton is not subdivided in municipalities. Because of that, for firefighting, energy and water, the town Appenzell has a special-purpose municipality, the Feuerschaugemeinde.
The Canton is divided into 6 districts:
St. Gallen
The canton abolished the district level in 2003, but it remains divided into eight constituencies (Wahlkreise) without administrative significance:
- Rheintal with capital Altstätten
- Rorschach with capital Rorschach
- Sarganserland with capital Sargans
- See-Gaster with capital Rapperswil-Jona
- St. Gallen with capital St. Gallen
- Toggenburg with capital Lichtensteig
- Werdenberg with capital Buchs
- Wil with capital Wil
Graubünden
Graubünden is divided into 11 districts:
- Albula with capital Tiefencastel
- Bernina with capital Poschiavo
- Hinterrhein with capital Thusis
- Imboden with capital Domat/Ems
- Inn with capital Scuol
- Landquart with capital Igis
- Maloja with capital Samedan
- Moesa with capital Roveredo
- Plessur with capital Chur
- Prättigau/Davos with capital Davos
- Surselva with capital Ilanz
Aargau
Aargau is divided into 11 districts:
- Aarau with capital Aarau
- Baden with capital Baden
- Bremgarten with capital Bremgarten
- Brugg with capital Brugg
- Kulm with capital Unterkulm
- Laufenburg with capital Laufenburg
- Lenzburg with capital Lenzburg
- Muri with capital Muri
- Rheinfelden with capital Rheinfelden
- Zofingen with capital Zofingen
- Zurzach with capital Zurzach
Thurgau
Thurgau is divided into eight districts, and each is named after its capital:
- Arbon with capital Arbon
- Bischofszell with capital Bischofszell
- Diessenhofen with capital Diessenhofen
- Frauenfeld with capital Frauenfeld
- Kreuzlingen with capital Kreuzlingen
- Münchwilen with capital Münchwilen
- Steckborn with capital Steckborn
- Weinfelden with capital Weinfelden
Ticino
Ticino is divided into 8 districts:
- Bellinzona with capital Bellinzona
- Blenio with capital Acquarossa
- Leventina with capital Faido
- Locarno with capital Locarno
- Lugano with capital Lugano
- Mendrisio with capital Mendrisio
- Riviera with capital Biasca
- Vallemaggia with capital Cevio
Vaud
Vaud is divided into 10 districts:
- Aigle with capital Aigle
- Broye-Vully with capital Payerne
- Gros-de-Vaud with capital Echallens
- Jura-North Vaudois with capital Yverdon-les-Bains
- Lausanne with capital Lausanne
- Lavaux-Oron with capital Cully
- Morges with capital Morges
- Nyon with capital Nyon
- Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut with capital Vevey
- Ouest lausannois with capital Renens
Valais
Valais is divided into 13 districts, representing the 13 stars on the flag of Valais:
- Brig with capital Brig-Glis
- Conthey with capital Conthey
- Entremont with capital Sembrancher
- Goms with capital Münster-Geschinen
- Hérens with capital Evolène
- Leuk with capital Leuk
- Martigny with capital Martigny
- Monthey with capital Monthey
- Saint-Maurice with capital Saint-Maurice
- Sierre with capital Sierre
- Sion with capital Sion
- Visp with capital Visp
District Raron is divided into:
- Östlich Raron with capital Mörel-Filet
- Westlich Raron with capital Raron
Neuchâtel
The Canton of Neuchâtel is divided into 6 districts:
- Boudry with capital Boudry
- La Chaux-de-Fonds with capital La Chaux-de-Fonds
- Le Locle with capital Le Locle
- Neuchâtel with capital Neuchâtel
- Val-de-Ruz with capital Cernier
- Val-de-Travers with capital Val-de-Travers
Jura
The Canton of Jura is divided into 3 districts:
- Delémont with capital Delémont
- Porrentruy with capital Porrentruy
- Franches-Montagnes with capital Saignelégier
|
||||||||
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
