Districts of Switzerland

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
CantonDistricts10px|AargauAGAargau11Bezirke10px|Appenzell AusserrhodenARAppenzell Ausserrhoden  10px|Appenzell InnerrhodenAIAppenzell Innerrhoden  10px|Basel-CityBSBasel-City  10px|Basel-CountryBLBasel-Country5Bezirke10px|BerneBEBerne26Amtsbezirke, Districts10px|FribourgFRFribourg7Districts, Bezirke10px|Geneva   GE  Geneva  10px|Glarus   GL  Glarus  10px|Grisons   GR  Graubünden   11  Bezirke, districts, distretti  10px|Jura   JU  Jura   4  districts  10px|Lucerne   LU  Lucerne 5  Ämter  10px|Neuchâtel   NE  Neuchâtel   6  districts  10px|Nidwalden   NW  Nidwalden  10px|Obwalden   OW  Obwalden  10px|Schaffhausen   SH  Schaffhausen  10px|Schwyz   SZ  Schwyz   6  Bezirke  10px|Solothurn   SO  Solothurn   10  Bezirke  10px|St. Gallen   SG  St. Gallen  8 Wahlkreise  10px|Thurgau   TG  Thurgau   8  Bezirke  10px|Ticino   TI  Ticino   8  distretti  10px|Uri   UR  Uri  10px|Valais   VS  Valais   14  districts, Bezirke  10px|Vaud   VD  Vaud   19  districts  10px|Zug   ZG  Zug  10px|Zürich   ZH  Zürich   12  Bezirke  Total159

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

DistrictCapitalAffolternAffoltern am AlbisAndelfingenAndelfingenBülachBülachDielsdorfDielsdorfDietikonDietikonHinwilHinwilHorgenHorgenMeilenMeilenPfäffikonPfäffikonUsterUsterWinterthurWinterthur

Canton of Bern
There are  26 administrative districts in Berne

DistrictCapitalAarbergAarbergAarwangenAarwangenBernBernBielBielBürenBüren an der AareBurgdorfBurgdorfCourtelaryCourtelaryErlachErlachFraubrunnenFraubrunnenFrutigenFrutigenInterlakenInterlakenKonolfingenKonolfingenLaupenLaupenMoutierMoutierLa NeuvevilleLa NeuvevilleNidauNidauNiedersimmentalWimmisOberhasliMeiringenObersimmentalBlankenburgSaanenSaanenSchwarzenburgSchwarzenburgSeftigenBelpSignauLangnau im EmmentalThunThunTrachselwaldTrachselwaldWangenWangen an der Aare

Canton of Lucerne
240px|thumb|Districts of Canton Lucerne
The Canton of Lucerne is divided into 5 districts termed Ämter:
DistrictCapitalAmt LucerneLucerneAmt HochdorfHochdorfAmt SurseeSurseeAmt WillisauWillisauAmt EntlebuchSchüpfheim

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.

236px|thumb|right|Districts of the Cantons of Schwyz

DistrictMunicipalitiesSchwyzSchwyz, Arth, Ingenbohl, Muotathal, Steinen, Sattel, Rothenthurm, Oberiberg, Unteriberg, Lauerz, Steinerberg, Morschach, Alpthal, Illgau, RiemenstaldenEinsiedelnEinsiedelnGersauGersauHöfeWollerau, Freienbach, FeusisbergKüssnachtKüssnacht am RigiMarchLachen, 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
The Canton of Fribourg is divided into 7 districts:
DistrictCapitalBroyeEstavayer-le-LacGlâneRomontGruyèreBulleSaaneFribourgSeeMurtenSenseTafersVeveyseChâtel-Saint-Denis

Canton of 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.

DistrictElectoral districtBucheggbergAmtei Wasseramt-BucheggbergDorneckAmtei Dorneck-Thierstein (unofficially Schwarzbubenland) GäuAmtei Thal-Gäu GösgenAmtei Olten-Gösgen (unofficially Niederamt) LebernAmtei Solothurn-Lebern OltenAmtei Olten-Gösgen SolothurnAmtei Solothurn-Lebern ThalAmtei Thal-Gäu ThiersteinAmtei Dorneck-Thierstein WasseramtAmtei 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
250px|thumb|right|districts of Canton Basel-Landschaft
There are 5 Bezirke in Basel-Landschaft:
DistrictpopCapitalPopArlesheim145 039Arlesheim8 944Laufen17 845Laufen5 039Liestal55 396Liestal12 817Sissach31 770Sissach5 569Waldenburg15 045Waldenburg1 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 
The 6 Bezirke (districts) are the local government level. They are part of the municipalities:

DistrictpopAppenzell5 587Gonten1 398Oberegg1 831Rüte3 036Schlatt-Haslen1 160Schwende2 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
240px|thumb|right|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):
DistrictSub-districtsAlbulaAlvaschein, Belfort, Bergün and SursesBerninaBrusio and PoschiavoHinterrheinAvers, Domleschg, Rheinwald, Schams and Thusis ImbodenTrins and RhäzünsInnRamosch, Sur Tasna, Suot Tasna and Val MüstairLandquartMaienfeld and Fünf DörferMalojaBergell and OberengadinMoesaCalanca, Misox and RoveredoPlessurChur, Churwalden and SchanfiggPrättigau/DavosDavos, Jenaz, Klosters, Küblis, Luzein, Schiers and SeewisSurselvaDisentis, Ilanz, Lumnezia/Lugnez, Ruis and Safien

Canton of Aargau
320px|thumb|right|Districts in Aargau
Aargau is divided into 11 districts.
DistrictCapitalAarauAarauBadenBadenBremgartenBremgartenBruggBruggKulmUnterkulmLaufenburgLaufenburgLenzburgLenzburgMuriMuriRheinfeldenRheinfeldenZofingenZofingenZurzachZurzach

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

DistrictCapitalSteckbornSteckbornFrauenfeldFrauenfeldKreuzlingenKreuzlingenWeinfeldenWeinfeldenBischofszellBischofszellDiessenhofenDiessenhofenMünchwilen MünchwilenArbon 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:

DistrictCapital AigleAigle AubonneAubonne AvenchesAvenches CossonayCossonay EchallensEchallens GrandsonGrandson LausanneLausanne LavauxCully MorgesMorges MoudonMoudon NyonNyon OrbeOrbe OronOron PayernePayerne Pays-d'EnhautChâteau-d'Œx RolleRolle La ValléeLe Sentier (in Le Chenit) VeveyVevey YverdonYverdon-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
The Canton of Valais is divided into 14 districts and half-districts:

 Brig
 Conthey
 Entremont
 Goms
 Hérens
 Leuk
 Martigny
 Monthey
 Raron
 Saint-Maurice
 Sierre 
 Sion
 Visp
See also: Valais Municipalities

Canton of Neuchâtel
The Canton of Neuchâtel is divided into 6 districts which belong to 4 geographic regions:
DistrictCapitalDistrict of NeuchâtelNeuchâtelDistrict of BoudryBoudryDistrict of Val-de-RuzCernierDistrict of Val-de-TraversMôtiersDistrict of La Chaux-de-FondsLa Chaux-de-FondsDistrict of Le LocleLe Locle

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

Canton of Jura
Canton Jura is divided into 4 districts:
DistrictCapitalDelémontDelémontPorrentruyPorrentruyFranches-MontagnesSaignelégierMoutierMoutier

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