Швейцария кантондары және аудандары

Member states of the Swiss Confederation
Districts within each Swiss Canton

The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the Swiss Confederation. The nucleus of the Swiss Confederacy in the form of the first three confederate allies used to be referred to as the Waldstätte. Two important periods in the development of the Old Swiss Confederacy are summarized by the terms [[Eight Cantons ('Eight Cantons'; from 1353–1481) and [[Thirteen Cantons ('Thirteen Cantons', from 1513–1798). Each canton of the Old Swiss Confederacy, formerly also Ort ('lieu/locality', from before 1450), or Stand ('estate', from c. 1550), was a fully sovereign state with its own border controls, army, and currency from at least the Treaty of Westphalia (1648) until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848, with a brief period of centralised government during the Helvetic Republic (1798–1803). The term Kanton has been widely used since the 19th century. The number of cantons was increased to 19 with the Act of Mediation (1803), with the recognition of former subject territories as full cantons. The Federal Treaty of 1815 increased the number to 22 due to the accession of former associates of the Old Swiss Confederacy. The canton of Jura acceded as the 23rd canton with its secession from Bern in 1979. The official number of cantons was increased to 26 in the federal constitution of 1999, which designated former half cantons as cantons. The areas of the cantons vary from 37 km (15 sq. mi.) (Basel Stadt) to 7,105 km (2743 sq. mi.) (Grisons); the populations (as of 2018) range from 16,000 (Appenzell Innerrhoden) to 1.5 million (Zürich).

The term canton, now also used as the English term for administrative subdivisions of other countries, originates in French usage in the late 15th century (recorded in Fribourg in 1467), from a word for "edge, corner", at the time the literal translation of Early Modern High German ort. After 1490, canton was increasingly used in French and Italian documents to refer to the members of the Swiss Confederacy. In the Old Swiss Confederacy, the term Ort (plural: Orte) was in use from the early 15th century as a generic term for the member cantons. Ort was increasingly replaced by Stand (plural: Stände) 'estate' about 1550, a term taken to imply liberty and sovereignty. Abolished in the Helvetic Republic, the term 'Stand' was revived in 1815 and remains in use today. The French term canton adopted into German after 1648, and then only in occasional use until the early 19th century: prominent usage of Ort and Stand gradually disappeared in German speaking Switzerland from the time of the Helvetic Republic. Only with the Act of Mediation of 1803 did German Kanton become an official designation, retained in the Swiss Constitution of 1848. The term Stand (, ) remains in synonymous usage and is reflected in the name of the upper chamber of the Swiss Parliament, the Council of States (Ständerat, , , ). In the modern era, since Neuchâtel ceased to be a principality in 1848, all Swiss cantons can be considered to have a republican form of government. Some cantons formally describe themselves as republics in their constitutions. This applies to the Romance speaking cantons in particular:
Geneva (formally République et canton de Genève, 'Republic and canton of Geneva'), Jura, Neuchâtel, Valais, Vaud and Ticino.

In the 16th century, the Old Swiss Confederacy was composed of 13 sovereign confederate allies (the Thirteen Cantons; Die Dreizehn Alten Orte), and there were two different kinds: five rural states (Länder) – Uri, Schwyz (which became eponymous of the confederacy), Unterwalden, Glarus, Appenzell – and eight urban states (Städte) – Zürich, Bern, Luzern, Zug, Basel, Fribourg, Solothurn, Schaffhausen. Though they were technically part of the Holy Roman Empire, they had become de facto independent when the Swiss defeated Emperor Maximilian I in 1499 in Dornach. In the early modern period, the individual confederate allies came to be seen as republics; while the six traditional allies had a tradition of direct democracy in the form of the Landsgemeinde, the urban states operated via representation in city councils, de facto oligarchic systems dominated by families of the patriciate. The old system was abandoned with the formation of the Helvetic Republic following the French invasion of Switzerland in 1798. The cantons of the Helvetic Republic had merely the status of an administrative subdivision with no sovereignty. The Helvetic Republic collapsed within five years, and cantonal sovereignty was restored with the Act of Mediation of 1803. The status of Switzerland as a federation of states was restored, at the time including 19 cantons (the six accessions to the early modern Thirteen Cantons being composed of former associates and subject territories: St. Gallen, Grisons, Aargau, Thurgau, Ticino, Vaud). Three additional western cantons, Valais, Neuchâtel and Geneva, acceded in 1815. The process of "Restoration", completed by 1830, returned most of the former feudal rights to the cantonal patriciates, leading to rebellions among the rural population. The Radicals embodied these democratic forces calling for a new federal constitution. This tension, paired with religious issues ("Jesuit question") escalated into armed conflict in the 1840s, with the brief Sonderbund War. The victory of the Liberal Radicals resulted in the formation of Switzerland as a federal state in 1848. The cantons retained far reaching sovereignty but were no longer allowed to maintain individual standing armies or international relations. As the revolutions of 1848 in Western Europe had failed elsewhere, Switzerland during the later 19th century (and with the exception of the French Third Republic, until the end of World War I) found itself as an isolated democratic republic, surrounded by the restored monarchies of France, Italy, Austria Hungary and Germany.

The Swiss Federal Constitution declares the cantons to be sovereign to the extent that their sovereignty is not limited by federal law. Similar to the Confederation, a directorial system of government is followed by the cantons. The cantonal legislatures are unicameral parliaments, with their size varying between 58 and 200 seats. A few legislatures also involve or did involve general popular assemblies known as Landsgemeinden; the use of this form of legislature has declined: at present, it exists only in the cantons of Appenzell Innerrhoden and Glarus. The cantonal executives consist of either five or seven members, depending on the canton. For the names of the institutions, see the list of cantonal executives and list of cantonal legislatures. The cantons retain all powers and competencies not delegated to the Confederation by the federal constitution or law: most significantly the cantons are responsible for healthcare, welfare, law enforcement, public education, and retain the power of taxation. Each canton defines its official language(s). Cantons may conclude treaties not only with other cantons but also with foreign states (respectively Articles 48 and 56 of the Federal Constitution). The cantonal constitutions determine the internal organisation of the canton, including the degree of autonomy accorded to the municipalities, which varies but almost always includes the power to levy taxes and pass municipal laws; some municipalities have their own police forces. As at the federal level, all cantons provide for some form of direct democracy. Citizens may demand a popular vote to amend the cantonal constitution or laws or to veto laws or spending bills passed by the parliament. Other than in the instances of general popular assemblies in Appenzell Innerrhoden and Glarus, democratic rights are exercised by secret ballot. The right of foreigners to vote varies by canton, as does whether Swiss citizens living abroad (and registered to vote in a canton) can take part in cantonal voting. Swiss citizens are citizens of a particular municipality (the place of origin) and the canton in which that municipality is part. Cantons, therefore, have a role in and set requirements for the granting of citizenship (naturalisation), though the process is typically undertaken at a municipal level and is subject to federal law. Switzerland has only one federal public holiday (1 August); public holidays otherwise vary from canton to canton.

The cantons are listed in their order of precedence given in the federal constitution. This is the order generally used in Swiss official documents. At the head of the list are the three city cantons that were considered preeminent in the Old Swiss Confederacy; the other cantons are listed in order of accession to the Confederation. This traditional order of precedence among the cantons has no practical relevance in the modern federal state, in which the cantons are equal to one another, although it still determines formal precedence among the cantons' officials (see Swiss order of precedence). This reflects the historical order of precedence of the Eight Cantons in the 15th century, followed by the remaining cantons in the order of their historical accession to the confederacy. Arms Code Name in official language(s) Name in English As a Swiss canton since Capital GDP (2020)in million CHFGDP percapita (2020)in CHF PopulationSee references for dates. Area Density No. munic. (2018) Official languages 1 ZH Zürich Zürich 1351 Zürich 149,004 96,359 style=padding right:1em; 166 German 2 BE Bern; Berne Bern / Berne 1353 Bern 80,209 77,027 style=padding right:1em; 347 German, French 3 LU Luzern Lucerne 1332 Lucerne 28,176 67,936 style=padding right:1em; 83 German 4 UR Uri Uri 1291name=founding|founding forest canton, foundation date traditionally given as either 1307, 1304 or 1291 (see Foundation of the Old Swiss Confederacy). Altdorf 1,985 54,006 style=padding right:1em; 20 German 5 SZ Schwyz Schwyz 1291name=founding Schwyz 9,876 61,223 style=padding right:1em; 30 German 6 OW Obwalden Obwalden / Obwald 1291name=founding or 1315 (as part of Unterwalden) Sarnen 2,564 67,453 style=padding right:1em; 7 German 7 NW Nidwalden Nidwalden / Nidwald 1291name=founding (as Unterwalden) Stans 2,867 66,209 style=padding right:1em; 11 German 8 GL Glarus Glarus 1352 Glarus 2,763 67,849 style=padding right:1em; 3 German 9 ZG Zug Zug / Zoug 1352 Zug 20,029 156,210 style=padding right:1em; 11 German 10 FR Fribourg; Freiburg Fribourg / Freiburg 1481 Fribourg 19,180 59,263 style=padding right:1em; 136 French, German 11 SO Solothurn Solothurn / Soleure 1481 Solothurn 18,029 65,237 style=padding right:1em; 109 German 12 BS Basel Stadt Basel Stadt / Basel City 1501 (as Basel until 1833/1999) Basel 37,168 189,354 style=padding right:1em 3 German 13 BL Basel Landschaft Basel Landschaft / Basel Country 1501 (as Basel until 1833/1999) Liestal 20,567 70,866 style=padding right:1em; 86 German 14 SH Schaffhausen Schaffhausen / Schaffhouse 1501 Schaffhausen 7,244 87,569 style=padding right:1em; 26 German 15 AR Appenzell Ausserrhoden Appenzell Ausserrhoden / Appenzell Outer Rhodes 1513 (as Appenzell until 1597/1999) HerisauSeat of government and parliament is Herisau; the seat of the judicial authorities is Trogen. 3,190 57,601 style=padding right:1em; 20 German 16 AI Appenzell Innerrhoden Appenzell Innerrhoden / Appenzell Inner Rhodes 1513 (as Appenzell until 1597/1999) Appenzell 1,043 64,358 style=padding right:1em; 6 German 17 SG St. Gallen St. Gallen / St. Gall 1803Act of Mediation; formed out of the Canton of Säntis and the northern half of the Canton of Linth. St. Gallen 38,041 74,210 style=padding right:1em; 77 German 18 GR Graubünden; Grischun; Grigioni Grisons / Graubünden 1803Act of Mediation; formerly the Canton of Raetia, comprising the earlier Three Leagues. Chur 14,519 72,754 style=padding right:1em; 108 German, Romansh, Italian 19 AG Aargau Aargau 1803Act of Mediation; created from the cantons of Aargau (canton of the Helvetic Republic, from territory previously controlled by Bern) and Baden (previously a Swiss condominium), together with Fricktal (before 1802 not Swiss territory). Aarau 43,590 63,177 style=padding right:1em 212 German 20 TG Thurgau Thurgau / Thurgovia 1803Act of Mediation; coterminous with the canton of Thurgau of the Helvetic Republic (1798), formed from the county of Thurgau, a Swiss condominium. FrauenfeldSeat of parliament half yearly alternates between Frauenfeld and Weinfelden. 17,208 61,190 style=padding right:1em; 80 German 21 TI Ticino Ticino / Tessin 1803 Bellinzona 29,311 83,450 style=padding right:1em 115 Italian 22 VD Vaud Vaud 1803Act of Mediation, formerly Canton of Léman. Lausanne 56,898 70,250 style=padding right:1em; 309 French 23 VS Valais; Wallis Valais 1815 Sion 19,194 55,313 style=padding right:1em; 126 French, German 24 NE Neuchâtel Neuchâtel 1815/1857claimed by Frederick William III of Prussia until the Neuchâtel Crisis of 1856–1857 Neuchâtel 15,343 87,080 style=padding right:1em; 31 French 25 GE Genève Geneva 1815previously an independent republic, annexed by France during 1798–1813. Geneva 51,976 102,876 style=padding right:1em; 45 French 26 JU Jura Jura 1979seceded from Bern Delémont 4,687 63,643 style=padding right:1em; 55 French CH Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft;Confédération suisse;Confederazione Svizzera;Confederaziun svizra Swiss Confederation 1815/1848The Restored Confederacy of 1815 had the modern borders and introduced the modern Swiss coat of arms, but the cantons remained largely sovereign, without a federal government or parliament. The federal constitution of 1848 introduced the Federal Assembly, Federal Council and the notion of federal citizenship. (Bern) 694,662 80,418 style=padding right:1em; 2,222 German, French, Italian, Romansh

The two letter abbreviations for Swiss cantons are widely used, e. g. on car license plates. They are also used in the ISO 3166 2 codes of Switzerland with the prefix "CH " (Confœderatio Helvetica — Helvetian Confederation — [[Helvetia#Name of Switzerland having been the ancient Roman name of the region). CH SZ, for example, is used for the canton of Schwyz.

The name of each canton in its own official language is shown in bold. Abbr EnglishThe most commonly used forms in English are mostly adopted from either French or German; in some cases, there may have been a historical shift in preference, e. g. from the French form Berne to the German form Bern; in individual cases, the Latin form may be current, certainly in the case of Geneva and arguably for Argovia, Thurgovia. Actual anglicized forms have been used, for example Basle. German French Italian Romansh AG Aargau; Argovia Argovie Argovia AI Appenzell Innerrhoden; Appenzell Inner Rhodes Appenzell Rhodes Intérieures Appenzello Interno AR Appenzell Ausserrhoden; Appenzell Outer Rhodes Appenzell Rhodes Extérieures Appenzello Esterno BS Basel Stadt; Basel City Bâle Ville Basilea Città BL Basel Landschaft; Basel Country Bâle Campagne Basilea Campagna BE Bern; Berne Berne Berna FR Fribourg; Friburg Fribourg Friburgo GE Genève; Geneva Genève Ginevra GL Glarus; Glaris Glaris Glarona GR Grisons; Graubünden Grisons Grigioni JU Jura Jura Giura LU Lucerne Lucerne Lucerna NE Neuchâtel Neuchâtel Neuchâtel Neuchâtel NW Nidwalden; Nidwald Nidwald Nidvaldo OW Obwalden; Obwald Obwald Obvaldo SH Schaffhausen; Schaffhouse Schaffhouse Sciaffusa SZ Schwyz Schwyz (or Schwytz) Svitto SO Solothurn; Soleure Soleure Soletta SG St. Gallen; St Gall Saint Gall San Gallo TG Thurgau; Thurgovia Thurgovie Turgovia TI Ticino; Tessin Tessin Ticino UR Uri Uri Uri VS Valais; Wallis Valais Vallese VD Vaud Vaud Vaud ZG Zug; Zoug Zoug Zugo ZH Zürich; Zurich Zurich Zurigo

The enlargement of Switzerland by way of the admission of new cantons ended in 1815. The latest formal attempt considered by Switzerland was in 1919 from Vorarlberg but subsequently rejected. A few representatives submitted in 2010 a parliamentary motion to consider enlargement although it was widely seen as anti EU rhetoric rather than a serious proposal. The motion was eventually dropped and not even examined by the parliament.