Districts of Switzerland facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

In Switzerland each Canton is free to decide its own internal organisation. Because of this there many types and names for smaller administrative divisions in each canton. The term District is used for these smaller divisions.

Amt, Amtsbezirk, District and Distretto

Most Cantons are divided into Bezirke (German for districts). Some are called Ämter (Lucerne), Amtsbezirke (Bern), district (in French) or distretto (Tessin and part of Graubünden).

The Bezirke generally only deals with administration and court organization. The cantons Graubünden and Schwyz are their own legal entities. They have the power to control taxes as well.

No district level in ten cantons

Ten of the 26 Cantons do not have a district level of government:

Uri, Obwalden, Nidwalden, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Glarus, Zug, Basel-City and Geneva. Schaffhausen stopped using Bezirke in the middle of 1999. Since the start of 2003 Canton of St. Gallen does not use the Bezirk level any more.

List of Swiss districts by canton

Canton			Districts
	AG	Aargau	11	Bezirke
	AR	Appenzell Ausserrhoden
	AI	Appenzell Innerrhoden
	BS	Basel-City
	BL	Basel-Country	5	Bezirke
	BE	Berne	26	Amtsbezirke, Districts
	FR	Fribourg	7	Districts, Bezirke
	GE	Geneva
	GL	Glarus
	GR	Graubünden	11	Bezirke, districts, distretti
	JU	Jura	3	districts
	LU	Lucerne	5	Ämter
	NE	Neuchâtel	6	districts
	NW	Nidwalden
	OW	Obwalden
	SH	Schaffhausen
	SZ	Schwyz	6	Bezirke
	SO	Solothurn	10	Bezirke
	SG	St. Gallen	8	Wahlkreise
	TG	Thurgau	8	Bezirke
	TI	Ticino	8	distretti
	UR	Uri
	VS	Valais	14	districts, Bezirke
	VD	Vaud	19	districts
	ZG	Zug
	ZH	Zürich	12	Bezirke
Total			159

Canton of Zürich

Districts of Zürich

The Canton of Zürich is divided into 12 districts (German: Bezirke). The city of Zürich is its own district.

District	Capital
Affoltern	Affoltern am Albis
Andelfingen	Andelfingen
Bülach	Bülach
Dielsdorf	Dielsdorf
Dietikon	Dietikon
Hinwil	Hinwil
Horgen	Horgen
Meilen	Meilen
Pfäffikon	Pfäffikon
Uster	Uster
Winterthur	Winterthur

Canton of Bern

There are 26 administrative districts in Berne

Districts of Canton Berne

District	Capital
Aarberg	Aarberg
Aarwangen	Aarwangen
Bern	Bern
Biel	Biel
Büren	Büren an der Aare
Burgdorf	Burgdorf
Courtelary	Courtelary
Erlach	Erlach
Fraubrunnen	Fraubrunnen
Frutigen	Frutigen
Interlaken	Interlaken
Konolfingen	Konolfingen
Laupen	Laupen
Moutier	Moutier
La Neuveville	La Neuveville
Nidau	Nidau
Niedersimmental	Wimmis
Oberhasli	Meiringen
Obersimmental	Blankenburg
Saanen	Saanen
Schwarzenburg	Schwarzenburg
Seftigen	Belp
Signau	Langnau im Emmental
Thun	Thun
Trachselwald	Trachselwald
Wangen	Wangen an der Aare

Canton of Lucerne

Districts of Canton Lucerne

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

District	Capital
Amt Lucerne	Lucerne
Amt Hochdorf	Hochdorf
Amt Sursee	Sursee
Amt Willisau	Willisau
Amt Entlebuch	Schüpfheim

Canton of Uri

Canton of Uri is not divided into districts: the municipality is the next lowest unit of government.

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.

Districts of the Cantons of Schwyz

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

Canton of Obwalden

Obwalden is not divided into districts: the municipality is the next lowest unit of government. See: Obwalden.

Canton of Nidwalden

Nidwalden is not divided into districts.

Canton of Glarus

Canton of Glarus is not divided into districts: the municipality is the next lower unit of government.

Canton of Zug

Canton of Zug is not divided into districts.

Canton of Fribourg

Districts of canton Fribourg

The Canton of Fribourg is divided into 7 districts:

District	Capital
Broye	Estavayer-le-Lac
Glâne	Romont
Gruyère	Bulle
Saane	Fribourg
See	Murten
Sense	Tafers
Veveyse	Châtel-Saint-Denis

Canton of Solothurn

Districts of Canton Solothurn

From 2005, Solothurn's ten districts are combined in pairs into five electoral districts, called Amtei. From 2005, districts are only used for statistics.

District	Electoral district
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

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

districts of Canton Basel-Landschaft

There are 5 Bezirke in Basel-Landschaft:

District	pop	Capital	Pop
Arlesheim	145 039	Arlesheim	8 944
Laufen	17 845	Laufen	5 039
Liestal	55 396	Liestal	12 817
Sissach	31 770	Sissach	5 569
Waldenburg	15 045	Waldenburg	1 280

Canton of Schaffhausen

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

Canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden

Canton Appenzell Ausserrhoden is not divided into districts. The municipality is the next lower unit of government.

Canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden

Districts of Appenzell Innerrhoden

The 6 Bezirke (districts) are the local government level. They are part of the municipalities:

District	pop
Appenzell	5 587
Gonten	1 398
Oberegg	1 831
Rüte	3 036
Schlatt-Haslen	1 160
Schwende	2 094

Feuerschaugemeinde is a special-purpose municipality for firefighting, energy and water for the town Appenzell.

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).

Canton of Graubünden

Districts of Canton Graubünden

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):

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

Canton of Aargau

Districts in Aargau

Aargau is divided into 11 districts.

District	Capital
Aarau	Aarau
Baden	Baden
Bremgarten	Bremgarten
Brugg	Brugg
Kulm	Unterkulm
Laufenburg	Laufenburg
Lenzburg	Lenzburg
Muri	Muri
Rheinfelden	Rheinfelden
Zofingen	Zofingen
Zurzach	Zurzach

Canton of Thurgau

Districts of Canton Thurgau

The Canton of Thurgau is divided into eight districts. Each district is named after its capital.

District	Capital
Steckborn	Steckborn
Frauenfeld	Frauenfeld
Kreuzlingen	Kreuzlingen
Weinfelden	Weinfelden
Bischofszell	Bischofszell
Diessenhofen	Diessenhofen
Münchwilen	Münchwilen
Arbon	Arbon

Canton of Ticino

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

Canton of Vaud

Since 1803 the Canton of Vaud has been divided into 19 districts:

District	Capital
Aigle	Aigle
Aubonne	Aubonne
Avenches	Avenches
Cossonay	Cossonay
Echallens	Echallens
Grandson	Grandson
Lausanne	Lausanne
Lavaux	Cully
Morges	Morges
Moudon	Moudon
Nyon	Nyon
Orbe	Orbe
Oron	Oron
Payerne	Payerne
Pays-d'Enhaut	Château-d'Œx
Rolle	Rolle
La Vallée	Le Sentier (in Le Chenit)
Vevey	Vevey
Yverdon	Yverdon-les-Bains

As of January 1, 2008, Vaud will be reorganized into the following districts:

Aigle
Broye-Vully (which will combine the districts of Avenches and Payerne, and part of the districts of Moudon and Oron)
Gros-de-Vaud (which will combine the district of Echallens, and part of the districts of Cossonay, Moudon, and Oron)
Jura-North Vaudois (which will combine the districts of Grandson, Orbe, and Yverdon)
Lausanne (part of the current district will be merged into West Lausannois)
Lavaux-Oron (which will combine the district of Lavaux and part of the district of Oron)
Morges (which will combine parts of the districts of Aubonne, Cossonay, Morges, and Rolle)
Nyon (part of Rolle district will merge into Nyon)
Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut (which will combine the current districts of Pays-d'Enhaut and Vevey)
West Lausannois (which will be carved out of parts of the districts of Lausanne and Morges)

Canton of Valais

Districts in Valais

The Canton of Valais is divided into 14 districts and half-districts:

See also: Valais Municipalities

Canton of Neuchâtel

Districts of Canton Neuchâtel

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

District	Capital
District of Neuchâtel	Neuchâtel
District of Boudry	Boudry
District of Val-de-Ruz	Cernier
District of Val-de-Travers	Môtiers
District of La Chaux-de-Fonds	La Chaux-de-Fonds
District of Le Locle	Le Locle

Canton of Geneva

The Canton of Geneva is not divided into districts. The municipality is the next level of government.

Canton of Jura

Districts in Canton of Jura

Canton Jura is divided into 3 districts:

District	Capital
Delémont	Delémont
Porrentruy	Porrentruy
Franches-Montagnes	Saignelégier

Images for kids

Map of Switzerland showing cantonal, districts and municipal boundaries (April 2021).
Districts in the Canton of Zürich
Districts of the canton of Bern
Districts of Canton Lucerne
Districts of the Cantons of Schwyz
Districts of canton Fribourg
Districts of Canton Solothurn
districts of Canton Basel-Landschaft
Constituencies of St. Gallen
Regions of Canton Graubünden
Districts in Aargau
Districts of Canton Thurgau
Districts of Canton Ticino
Districts of Canton Vaud
Districts in Valais
Districts of Canton Neuchâtel
Districts in Canton of Jura
Districts in Canton of Schaffhausen
Districts of Appenzell Ausserrhoden
Districts of Appenzell Innerrhoden