Districts of Switzerland

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.

Amt, Amtsbezirk, District and Distretto

Most Cantons are divided into Bezirke (German for districts). They are also termed Ämter (Lucerne), Amtsbezirke (Bern), district (in French) or distretto (Tessin and Graubünden).

The Bezirk generally provides only administration and court organisation. 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.

Absence of a district level in ten cantons

Ten of the 26 Cantons entirely dispense with the district level of government:

Uri, Obwalden, Nidwalden, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Glarus, Zug, Basel-City and Geneva (each with its own reason, be it historical or practical or because the area is small enough already). Schaffhausen renounced Bezirke since the middle of 1999. Since the start of 2003 Canton of St. Gallen does not recognise the Bezirk level any more; their functions are now undertaken by the electoral constituency.

List of Swiss districts by canton

The cantons are here ordered according to Article 1 (in German) of the Swiss constitution, to see the same cantons in dictionary order see Districts of Switzerland (alphabetical order).

Canton of Zurich

The Canton of Zürich is divided into 12 districts (German: Bezirke):

• Zürich comprises the city of Zürich
• 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

Canton of Berne

As of April 2004, there are 398 municipalities of the canton of Berne within the following 26 administrative 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

Canton of Lucerne

The Canton of Lucerne is divided into 5 districts termed Ämter:

• Amt Luzern with capital Luzern
• Amt Hochdorf with capital Hochdorf
• Amt Sursee with capital Sursee
• Amt Willisau with capital Willisau
• Amt Entlebuch with capital Schüpfheim

Canton of Uri

Canton of Uri is not divided into districts: the muncipility is the next lowest unit of government. See: Municipalities of the canton of Uri.

Canton of Schwyz

The Canton of Schwyz is divided into six districts and 30 municipalities, although the districts Einsiedeln, Küssnacht and Gersau simply comprise the municipality of the same name.

• District Schwyz
  • with municipalities Schwyz, Arth, Ingenbohl, Muotathal, Steinen, Sattel, Rothenthurm, Oberiberg, Unteriberg, Lauerz, Steinerberg, Morschach, Alpthal, Illgau, Riemenstalden
• District Einsiedeln with municipality Einsiedeln
• District Gersau with municipality Gersau
• District Höfe
  • with municipalities Wollerau, Freienbach, Feusisberg
• District Küssnacht with municipality Küssnacht am Rigi
• District March
  • with municipalities Lachen, Altendorf, Galgenen, Vorderthal, Innerthal, Schübelbach, Tuggen, Wangen, Reichenburg

Canton of Obwalden

Obwalden is not divided into districts: the muncipility is the next lowest unit of government. See: Obwalden#MunicipalitiesObwalden.

Canton of Nidwalden

Nidwalden is not divided into districts.

See: Nidwalden#Municipalities

Canton of Glarus

Canton of Glarus is not divided into districts: the muncipility is the next lower unit of government. See: Municipalities of canton of Glarus.

Canton of Zug

Canton of Zug is not divided into districts.

See: Municipalities of the canton of Zug

Canton of Fribourg

Canton of Fribourg is divided into 7 Bezirke:

• Broye capital Estavayer-le-Lac
• Glâne capital Romont
• Gruyère (german Greyerz) capital Bulle
• Saane (french Sarine) capital Fribourg
• See (french District du Lac) capital Murten
• Sense (french Singine) capital Tafers
• Veveyse (german Vivisbach) capital Châtel-Saint-Denis

See also: Municipalities of the canton of Fribourg

Canton of 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

See: Municipalities of the canton of Solothurn

Canton of Basel-City

Basel-City is not divided into districts. It is formed only of the city of Basel and two municipalities.

Canton of Basel-Country

There are 5 Bezirke in Basel-Landschaft:

• Arlesheim (Pop: 145 039) capital: Arlesheim (Pop: 8 944)
• Laufen (Pop: 17 845) capital: Laufen (Pop: 5 039)
• Liestal (Pop: 55 396) capital: Liestal (Pop: 12 817)
• Sissach (Pop: 31 770) capital: Sissach (Pop: 5 569)
• Waldenburg (Pop: 15 045) capital: Waldenburg (Pop: 1 280)

Canton of Schaffhausen

The Canton of Schaffhausen used to be divided into 6 districts (Bezirke) until July 1999, but the municipality is now the next lower unit of government.

Canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden

Canton Appenzell Ausserrhoden is not divided into districts any longer, and so the municipality is the next lower unit of government. Former districts were: Hinterland with capital Herisau, Mittelland with capital Teufen, Vorderland with capital Heiden.

See: Municipalities of the canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden

Canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden

The 6 Bezirke (districts) are the local government level, generally assimilated to municipalities:

• Appenzell, population 5587 (2002)
• Gonten, population 1398 (2002)
• Oberegg, population 1831 (2002)
• Rüte, population 3036 (2002)
• Schlatt-Haslen, population 1160 (2002)
• Schwende, population 2094 (2002)

Feuerschaugemeinden are special-purpose municipalities for firefighting, energy and water.

Canton of St. Gallen

The canton used to be subdivided into 14 districts (Bezirke) until 2003 January 1, when it was reorganised into 8 constituencies (Wahlkreise). See Canton of St. Gallen#Constituencies and municipalities.

Canton of Grisons

Canton Graubünden is divided into 11 Districts. They tend to follow the natural boundaries of the landscape. The districts are further subdivided into 39 sub-districts (German: Kreise):

• Albula with the sub-districts Alvaschein, Belfort, Bergün and Surses
• Bernina with the sub-districts Brusio and Poschiavo
• Hinterrhein with the sub-districts Avers, Domleschg, Rheinwald, Schams and Thusis
• Imboden with the sub-districts Trins and Rhäzüns
• Inn with the sub-districts Ramosch, Sur Tasna, Suot Tasna and Val Müstair
• Landquart with the sub-districts Maienfeld, Fläsch and Fünf Dörfer
• Maloja with the sub-districts Bergell and Oberengadin
• Moesa with the sub-districts Calanca, Misox and Roveredo
• Plessur with the sub-districts Chur, Churwalden and Schanfigg
• Prättigau/Davos with the sub-districts Davos, Jenaz, Klosters, Küblis, Luzein, Schiers and Seewis
• Surselva with the sub-districts Disentis, Ilanz, Lumnezia/Lugnez, Ruis and Safien

Canton of 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

Canton of Thurgau

The Canton of Thurgau is divided into eight districts, and each is named after its capital:

• Steckborn with capital Steckborn
• Frauenfeld with capital Frauenfeld
• Kreuzlingen with capital Kreuzlingen
• Weinfelden with capital Weinfelden
• Bischofszell with capital Bischofszell
• Diessenhofen with capital Diessenhofen
• Münchwilen with capital Münchwilen
• Arbon with capital Arbon

Canton of Ticino

The Canton of Ticino is divided into 8 districts (called distretti):

• Distretto di Mendrisio
• Distretto di Lugano
• Distretto di Locarno
• Distretto di Vallemaggia
• Distretto di Bellinzona
• Distretto di Riviera
• Distretto di Blenio
• Distretto di Leventina

Canton of Vaud

Since 1803 the Canton of Vaud has been divided into 19 districts (Vaud plans a reorganisation in 2007):

• District d'Aigle, capital Aigle
• District d'Aubonne, capital Aubonne
• District d'Avenches, capital Avenches
• District de Cossonay, capital Cossonay
• District d'Echallens, capital Echallens
• District de Grandson, capital Grandson, Vaud
• District de Lausanne, capital Lausanne
• District de La Vallée, capital Le Sentier (in Le Chenit)
• District de Lavaux, capital Cully
• District de Morges, capital Morges
• District de Moudon, capital Moudon
• District de Nyon, capital Nyon
• District d'Orbe, capital Orbe
• District d'Oron, capital Oron
• District de Payerne, capital Payerne
• District du Pays-d'Enhaut, capital Château-d'Oex
• District de Rolle, capital Rolle
• District de Vevey, capital Vevey
• District d'Yverdon, capital Yverdon-les-Bains

See also: Municipalities of the canton of Vaud

Canton of Valais

Template:Canton Valais districts

Canton of Neuchâtel

The Canton of Neuchâtel is divided into 6 districts which belong to 4 geographic regions:

• District of Neuchâtel, Le Littoral region, capital Neuchâtel
• District of Boudry, Le Littoral region, capital Boudry
• District of Val-de-Ruz, Val-de-Ruz region, capital Cernier
• District of Val-de-Travers, Val-de-Travers region, capital Fleurier
• District of La Chaux-de-Fonds, Montagnes Neuchâteloises region, capital La Chaux-de-Fonds
• District of Locle, Montagnes Neuchâteloises region, capital Le Locle

Canton of Geneva

The Canton of Geneva is not divided into districts, and so the muncipility is the next level of government. See: Municipalities of the canton of Geneva.

Canton of Jura

Canton of Jura is divided into 3 districts:

• Delémont (district) (German: Delsberg) – capital: Delémont
• Porrentruy (district) (German: Pruntrut) – capital: Porrentruy
• Franches-Montagnes (district) (German: Freiberge) – capital: Saignelégier