Template:Infobox Canton

The Swiss canton of Zürich (German: Kanton Zürich) has a population of about 1.2 million. It is located in the northeast of Switzerland and the city of Zürich is its capital. The official language is German, but people speak the local Swiss German dialect called Züritüütsch. In English the name of the canton is often written without umlauts: Zurich.

Contents

1 Geography 2 History 3 Political substructures 3.1 Districts 3.2 Municipalities 4 Government 4.1 Legislative power 4.2 Executive power 5 Economy 6 Transport 7 External links

Geography

The canton of Zürich is situated north of the Alps. Its neighbouring cantons are Schaffhausen to the north, Aargau to the west, the cantons of Zug and Schwyz to the south and the cantons of Thurgau and St.Gallen to the east. Most of the Lake Zürich is located within the canton.

The area of the canton of Zürich is 1,729 km². About 80% of the land is considered productive. Forests make up 505 km², whilst lakes cover 73 km². The main lakes are the Lake Zürich, the Greifensee and the Pfäffikersee.

Most of the canton consists of shallow river valleys which drain towards the Rhine to the north of the canton. In the northwest and southeast of the canton there are more mountainous areas. The valley of the river Linth leads into the Lake Zürich and continues as the Limmat river. This valley is the most significant valley of the canton of Zürich. The valley of the Glatt river originates in the Greifensee and is separated from the Limmat by ridges. The valley of the river Töss is gorge- like. It is located in the east of the canton and is separated from the Toggenburg area in the Canton of St. Gallen by a mountainous area. The Hörnli (1133 m) is the highest elevation of this mountain ridge. The valley of the river Sihl is located in the west of the canton. In confluences with the river Limmat in the city of Zürich. The river Sihl is separated from the lake of Zürich by the Albis Range. The Albishorn (915 m) is the highest elevation of this range. The highest elevation in the canton is at the Höhrohnen in the southeast of the canton.

The Üetliberg is part of the Albis Range. This mountain is popular with the population of the city of Zürich for recreation. There is a railway up to the Üetliberg.

History

The canton of Zürich consists of lands acquired by the capital Zürich up to the year 1803. The canton of Zürich joined the Swiss confederation in 1351. The lower part of the canton was added to the territories of Zürich in 1362. The northern parts up to the river Rhine came to the canton after the city of Zürich purchased Winterthur from the Habsburgs in 1467. The constitution of the canton was established in 1869.

Political substructures

Districts

Template:Canton Zurich districts

Municipalities

These districts are further subdivided into these 171 municipalities (Politische Gemeinden).

Adlikon Adliswil Aesch Aeugst_am_Albis Affoltern_am_Albis Altikon Andelfingen Bachenbülach Bachs Bäretswil Bassersdorf Bauma Benken Berg_am_Irchel Bertschikon Birmensdorf Bonstetten Boppelsen Brütten Bubikon Buch_am_Irchel Buchs Bülach Dachsen Dägerlen Dällikon Dänikon Dättlikon Dielsdorf Dietikon Dietlikon Dinhard Dorf Dübendorf Dürnten Egg Eglisau Elgg Ellikon_an_der_Thur Elsau Embrach Erlenbach Fällanden

Fehraltorf Feuerthalen Fischenthal Flaach Flurlingen Freienstein-Teufen Geroldswil Glattfelden Gossau Greifensee Grüningen Hagenbuch Hausen_am_Albis Hedingen Henggart Herrliberg Hettlingen Hinwil Hirzel Hittnau Hochfelden Hofstetten Hombrechtikon Horgen Höri Humlikon Hüntwangen Hütten Hüttikon Illnau-Effretikon Kappel_am_Albis Kilchberg Kleinandelfingen Kloten Knonau Küsnacht Kyburg Langnau_am_Albis Laufen-Uhwiesen Lindau (Zurich) Lufingen Männedorf Marthalen

Maschwanden Maur Meilen Mettmenstetten Mönchaltorf Neerach Neftenbach Niederglatt Niederhasli Niederweningen Nürensdorf Oberembrach Oberengstringen Oberglatt Oberrieden Oberstammheim Oberweningen Obfelden Oetwil_a.d.L. Oetwil_am_See Opfikon Ossingen Otelfingen Ottenbach Pfäffikon Pfungen Rafz Regensberg Regensdorf Rheinau Richterswil Rickenbach Rifferswil Rorbas Rümlang Rüschlikon Russikon Rüti Schlatt Schleinikon Schlieren Schöfflisdorf Schönenberg

Schwerzenbach Seegräben Seuzach Stadel Stäfa Stallikon Steinmaur Sternenberg Thalheim_an_der_Thur Thalwil Trüllikon Truttikon Turbenthal Uetikon_am_See Uitikon Unterengstringen Unterstammheim Urdorf Uster Volken Volketswil Wädenswil Wald Wallisellen Waltalingen Wangen-Brüttisellen Wasterkingen Weiach Weiningen Weisslingen Wettswil_am_Albis Wetzikon Wiesendangen Wila Wildberg Wil Winkel Winterthur Zell Zollikon Zumikon Zürich

See also: Municipalities of Switzerland

Government

Legislative power

The parliament has 180 members elected every four years.

Executive power

The canton is government by a seven member council (Regierungsrat). On 6 April 2003, the following were elected for four years:

• Markus Notter (SP)
• Christian Huber (SVP) - resigned, replaced by Hans Hollenstein (CVP) in April 2005
• Rita Fuhrer (SVP)
• Verena Diener (Greens)
• Regine Aeppli (SP)
• Dorothée Fierz (FDP)
• Ruedi Jeker (FDP)

Christian Huber announced his resignation in September 2004 because of quarrels with his party. This required a new vote for his replacement which led to Hans Hollenstein being elected as his successor in April 2005.

Economy

Most of the land is cultivated, but the canton of Zürich is not considered as an agricultural area. The lands to the north and east are more agricultural, but in every part of the canton manufacturing predominates. The canton of Zürich is noted for machinery. Silk and cotton weaving were important in the past, but have not ceased to be of importance. There is a paper industry. Small and middle sized companies are important contributors to the economy of the canton of Zürich. The city of Zürich is a major banking centre, but insurance is also of importance.

Transport

Railways in standard gauge run through all major valleys in the canton. The centre for transport is Zürich, where a great number of local railways connect to national and international rail links. The railway station of the city of Zürich, Zürich Main Station, is one of the busiest in the world, counting the number of arriving and departing trains. Zürich is well connected to other European cities using rail links. The major trains ICE, TGV and Cisalpino connect to Zürich.

The first Swiss railway ran in the Limmat valley in 1847, connecting Zürich to Baden.

The major airport of Switzerland is located in Zürich-Kloten, a mere 12 kilometres from the city centre of Zürich. It is home to the Swiss airlines.

The A1, A3 and A4 motorways run through the canton. Other motorways and motorroads which also run through the canton include the A7, the A51, the A52 and the A53. Major hubs are Zürich and Winterthur.

External links

• Official Site (http://www.zh.ch) (in German)
• Official Statistics (http://www.statistik.admin.ch/stat_ch/ber00/ekan_zh.htm)
• Zürich Tourism (http://www.zurichtourism.ch)

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