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 (i.e. Urban Administration Districts).
Most cantons are divided into Bezirke (German for districts, singular Bezirk). They are also termed Ämter (Lucerne, singular Amt), Amtsbezirke (Bern, Amtsbezirk), district (in French) or distretto (Ticino and part of Graubünden). The Bezirke generally provide only administration and court organization. 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.
Seven of the 26 cantons – Uri, Obwalden, Nidwalden, Glarus, Zug, Basel-City and Geneva – have always existed without the district level of government. An eighth one, Appenzell Innerrhoden, uses no intermediate level either, but calls its lowest-level subdivisions Bezirke, although they are functionally equivalent to municipalities elsewhere.
A number of further cantons are considering (or have already decided) an abolition of the district level in the future: Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Schaffhausen, Lucerne, St. Gallen, Schwyz in 2006 voted on its abolition, but voted in favour of keeping the division. Bern in 2006 decided a reduction of its 26 districts to five administrative regions. Vaud decided a reduction from 19 to 10 districts. Valais is planning a similar reduction and in Thurgau, a reduction of eight to four districts is under discussion.
For further updated about this districts, see: Population size and population composition – Data, indicators: Cantons, communes or Permanent resident population by age, canton, district and commune 2010-2013.
The Canton of Zürich is divided into 12 districts (German: Bezirke)containing an estimated 641650 people:
Affoltern with capital Affoltern am AlbisAndelfingen with capital AndelfingenBülach with capital BülachDielsdorf with capital DielsdorfDietikon with capital DietikonHinwil with capital HinwilHorgen with capital HorgenMeilen with capital MeilenPfäffikon with capital PfäffikonUster with capital UsterWinterthur with capital WinterthurZürich comprises the city of ZürichThe Canton of Bern is divided in five regions: Berner Jura, Seeland (with two subregions, Biel/Bienne and Seeland), Bern-Mittelland, Oberland (with subregions Thun, Obersimmental-Saanen, Frutigen-Niedersimmental, Interlaken-Oberhasli) and Emmental-Oberaargau (with two subregions, Emmental and Oberaargau) The current division has taken effect on 1 January 2010, based on a 2006 decision to abolish the former system of districts.
On 1 January 2010, the 26 administrative districts (Amtsbezirke) were combined into 10 new administrative districts (Verwaltungskreise):
Bern-Mittelland with capital Ostermundigen, made up of all or part of the former districts of Bern, Fraubrunnen, Konolfingen, Laupen, Schwarzenburg and SeftigenBiel/Bienne with capital Biel/Bienne, made up of all of the former district of Biel and about half of the former district of NidauEmmental with capital Langnau im Emmental, made up of all or part of the former districts of Burgdorf, Signau and TrachselwaldFrutigen-Niedersimmental with capital Frutigen, made up of all or part of the former districts of Frutigen and NiedersimmentalInterlaken-Oberhasli with capital Interlaken, made up of all or part of the former districts of Interlaken and OberhasliJura bernois with capital Courtelary, made up of all or part of the former districts of Courtelary, Moutier and La NeuvevilleOberaargau with capital Wangen an der Aare, made up of all or part of the former districts of Aarwangen and WangenObersimmental-Saanen with capital Saanen, made up of all of the former districts of Obersimmental and SaanenSeeland with capital Aarberg, made up of all or part of the former districts of Aarberg, Büren, Erlach and NidauThun with capital Thun, made up of all of the former administrative district of ThunThe Canton of Lucerne used to be divided into 5 Ämter:
Entlebuch with capital SchüpfheimHochdorf with capital HochdorfLuzern with capital LuzernSursee with capital SurseeWillisau with capital WillisauThese were abolished with the new cantonal constitution of 2007, although they will continue to be used as electoral districts.
The Canton of Schwyz is divided into 6 districts:
Einsiedeln including only the municipality of the same nameGersau including only the municipality of the same nameHöfe with capital alternating between Wollerau and the village of PfäffikonKüssnacht including only the municipality of the same nameMarch with capital LachenSchwyz with capital SchwyzThe Canton of Fribourg is divided into 7 districts:
Broye with capital Estavayer-le-LacGlâne with capital RomontGruyère with capital BulleSarine with capital FribourgSee/Lac with capital Murten/MoratSense with capital TafersVeveyse with capital Châtel-Saint-DenisFrom 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-BucheggbergDorneck, Amtei Dorneck-Thierstein (unofficially Schwarzbubenland)Gäu, Amtei Thal-GäuGösgen, Amtei Olten-Gösgen (unofficially Niederamt)Lebern, Amtei Solothurn-LebernOlten, Amtei Olten-GösgenSolothurn, Amtei Solothurn-LebernThal, Amtei Thal-GäuThierstein, Amtei Dorneck-ThiersteinWasseramt, Amtei Wasseramt-BucheggbergBasel-Landschaft
Basel-Landschaft is divided into 5 districts:
Arlesheim with capital ArlesheimLaufen with capital LaufenLiestal with capital LiestalSissach with capital SissachWaldenburg with capital WaldenburgThe canton abolished the district level in 2003, but it remains divided into eight constituencies (Wahlkreise) without administrative significance:
Rheintal with capital AltstättenRorschach with capital RorschachSarganserland with capital SargansSee-Gaster with capital Rapperswil-JonaSt. Gallen with capital St. GallenToggenburg with capital LichtensteigWerdenberg with capital BuchsWil with capital WilBeginning in 2017 Graubünden is divided into 11 regions:
AlbulaBerninaEngiadina Bassa/Val MüstairImbodenLandquartMalojaMoesaPlessurPrättigau/DavosSurselvaViamalaAargau is divided into 11 districts:
Aarau with capital AarauBaden with capital BadenBremgarten with capital BremgartenBrugg with capital BruggKulm with capital UnterkulmLaufenburg with capital LaufenburgLenzburg with capital LenzburgMuri with capital MuriRheinfelden with capital RheinfeldenZofingen with capital ZofingenZurzach with capital ZurzachThurgau is divided into five districts (eight prior to 2011) and each is named after its capital:
Arbon with capital ArbonFrauenfeld with capital FrauenfeldKreuzlingen with capital KreuzlingenMünchwilen with capital MünchwilenWeinfelden with capital WeinfeldenTicino is divided into 8 districts:
Bellinzona with capital BellinzonaBlenio with capital AcquarossaLeventina with capital FaidoLocarno with capital LocarnoLugano with capital LuganoMendrisio with capital MendrisioRiviera with capital BiascaVallemaggia with capital CevioVaud is divided into 10 districts:
Aigle with capital AigleBroye-Vully with capital PayerneGros-de-Vaud with capital EchallensJura-North Vaudois with capital Yverdon-les-BainsLausanne with capital LausanneLavaux-Oron with capital CullyMorges with capital MorgesNyon with capital NyonRiviera-Pays-d'Enhaut with capital VeveyOuest Lausannois with capital RenensValais is divided into 13 districts:
Brig with capital Brig-GlisConthey with capital ContheyEntremont with capital SembrancherGoms with capital Münster-GeschinenHérens with capital EvolèneLeuk with capital LeukMartigny with capital MartignyMonthey with capital MontheySaint-Maurice with capital Saint-MauriceSierre with capital SierreSion with capital SionVisp with capital VispThe district of Raron is divided into:
Östlich Raron with capital Mörel-FiletWestlich Raron with capital RaronThe Canton of Neuchâtel is divided into 6 districts:
Boudry with capital BoudryLa Chaux-de-Fonds with capital La Chaux-de-FondsLe Locle with capital Le LocleNeuchâtel with capital NeuchâtelVal-de-Ruz with capital CernierVal-de-Travers with capital Val-de-TraversThe Canton of Jura is divided into 3 districts:
Delémont with capital DelémontPorrentruy with capital PorrentruyFranches-Montagnes with capital SaignelégierThe Canton of Schaffhausen is divided into 6 districts:
Stein with capital Stein am RheinSchaffhausen with capital SchaffhausenSchleitheim with capital SchleitheimOberklettgau with capital NeunkirchUnterklettgau with capital HallauReiat with capital ThayngenThe Canton of Lucerne is divided into 5 districts:
Lucerne with capital LuzernHochdorf with capital HochdorfSursee with capital SurseeWillisau with capital WillisauEntlebuch with capital SchüpfheimThe Canton of St. Gallen is divided into 8 districts (wahlkreis):
Rheintal with capital AltstättenRorschach with capital RorschachSarganserland with capital SargansSee-Gaster with capital Rapperswil-JonaSt. Gallen with capital St. GallenToggenburg with capital LichtensteigWerdenberg with capital BuchsWil with capital WilThe Canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden is divided into 3 districts:
Hinterland with capital HerisauMitteland with capital TrogenVorderland with capital HeidenIn Appenzell Innerrhoden districts are the lowest administrative division as the canton has no municipalities (except for the Feuerschaugemeinde, a special-purpose municipality for the town of Appenzell). The districts are functionally equivalent to municipalities elsewhere in Switzerland, and are generally shown as municipalities on maps etc.
The Canton is divided into 6 districts:
AppenzellGontenObereggRüteSchlatt-HaslenSchwende
