Subdivisions of Switzerland in local languages: 26 cantons, districts
Switzerland is divided into 26 cantons, and 17 of them have districts in this list. It names all 26 cantons and 138 districts in German, French, Italian and Romansh as officially used, adds the Swiss German and Franco-Provençal forms, and gives each seat and the ISO 3166-2 code of every canton.
- Cantons
- 26
- Groups
- 1
Updated
Bezirk Zofige
01 · Reading guide
Bezirk, district, distretto: how the list names its units
Switzerland leaves the level below the canton to each canton, and the names show it. German-speaking cantons mostly have a Bezirk, Bern a Verwaltungskreis, Lucerne and St. Gallen a Wahlkreis that now serves only for elections. French cantons say district, Ticino distretto, and the Romansh districts of Graubünden are a district too, as in District da la Surselva with its seat Glion, Ilanz in German.
The two unofficial columns record the spoken languages. Swiss German forms are dialect spellings, so Zofingen becomes Zofige and its district Bezirk Zofige, Biel is Bieu in Bernese, and Lucerne is Lozärn. The Franco-Provençal forms belong to the patois of Fribourg, Vaud, Valais, Neuchâtel and Geneva: Losena for Lausanne, Siérro for Sierre, Sent-Môris for Saint-Maurice in the canton of Valais.
02 · Cantons
The 26 cantons in their official languages, Swiss German and Franco-Provençal
Every canton under its ISO 3166-2:CH code, named in each official language of the canton and, where the list has one, in the local Swiss German or Franco-Provençal form. The second line in each cell is the capital in the same language.
- deu German
- fra French
- ita Italian
- roh Romansh
- gsw Swiss German
- frp Franco-Provençal
Cantons 26
| Official name | Second official language | Third official language | Swiss German | Franco-Provençal | ISO 3166-2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kanton AargaudeuAarau
|
Kanton AargougswAarau
|
CH-AG
|
|||
Kanton Appenzell InnerrhodendeuAppenzell
|
Kantoo Appezöll InneroodegswAppezöll
|
CH-AI
|
|||
Kanton Appenzell AusserrhodendeuHerisau
|
Kantoo Appezäll OsserodegswHerisau
|
CH-AR
|
|||
Kanton BerndeuBern
|
Canton de BernefraBerne
|
Kanton BärngswBärn
|
CH-BE
|
||
Kanton Basel-LandschaftdeuLiestal
|
Kanton BaselbietgswLieschtel
|
CH-BL
|
|||
Kanton Basel-StadtdeuBasel
|
Kanton Basel-StadtgswBasel
|
CH-BS
|
|||
Canton de FribourgfraFribourg
|
Kanton FreiburgdeuFreiburg
|
Kanton FrybùrggswFrybùrg
|
Quenton de FribôrgfrpFribôrg
|
CH-FR
|
|
République et Canton de GenèvefraGenève
|
Rèpublica et Quenton de GenevafrpGeneva
|
CH-GE
|
|||
Kanton GlarusdeuGlarus
|
Kantuu GlarisgswGlaris
|
CH-GL
|
|||
Kanton GraubündendeuChur
|
Canton GrigioniitaCoira
|
Chantun GrischunrohCuira
|
Kanton GraubündagswKhûr
|
CH-GR
|
|
Canton du JurafraDelémont
|
CH-JU
|
||||
Kanton LuzerndeuLuzern
|
Kanton LozärngswLozärn
|
CH-LU
|
|||
République et Canton de NeuchâtelfraNeuchâtel
|
Rèpublica et Quenton de NôchâthélfrpNôchâthél
|
CH-NE
|
|||
Kanton NidwaldendeuStans
|
Kanton NidwaudägswStans
|
CH-NW
|
|||
Kanton ObwaldendeuSarnen
|
Kanton ObwaldägswSaarnä
|
CH-OW
|
|||
Kanton Sankt GallendeuSankt Gallen
|
Kantoo SanggalegswSanggale
|
CH-SG
|
|||
Kanton SchaffhausendeuSchaffhausen
|
Kanton SchafuusegswSchafuuse
|
CH-SH
|
|||
Kanton SolothurndeuSolothurn
|
Kanton SoledurngswSoledurn
|
CH-SO
|
|||
Kanton SchwyzdeuSchwyz
|
Kanton SchwyzgswSchwyz
|
CH-SZ
|
|||
Kanton ThurgaudeuFrauenfeld
|
Kanton ThurgaugswFrauefäld
|
CH-TG
|
|||
Repubblica e Canton TicinoitaBellinzona
|
CH-TI
|
||||
Kanton UrideuAltdorf
|
Kanton UrigswAltdorf
|
CH-UR
|
|||
Canton de VaudfraLausanne
|
Quenton de VôdfrpLosena
|
CH-VD
|
|||
Canton du ValaisfraSion
|
Kanton WallisdeuSitten
|
Kanton WallisgswSittu
|
Quenton du ValêsfrpSion
|
CH-VS
|
|
Kanton ZugdeuZug
|
Kanton ZooggswZoog
|
CH-ZG
|
|||
Kanton ZürichdeuZürich
|
Kanton ZürigswZüri
|
CH-ZH
|
Codes: ISO 3166-2:CH on the ISO Online Browsing Platform, checked 28 October 2026 against Wikipedia's table of the entry. All 26 codes are unchanged; since 24 November 2020 ISO lists Graubünden in German, Italian and Romansh only.
03 · Districts
Districts of Switzerland by canton, with their seats
The 138 districts, administrative districts and constituencies of the 17 cantons that have them, each with its seat on the second line. Nine cantons have no level between canton and municipality and appear only in the table above.
- deu German
- fra French
- ita Italian
- roh Romansh
- gsw Swiss German
- frp Franco-Provençal
Aargau 11
| District | Second official language | Swiss German | Franco-Provençal |
|---|---|---|---|
Bezirk AaraudeuAarau
|
Bezirk AaraugswAarau
|
||
Bezirk BadendeuBaden
|
Bezirk BadegswBade
|
||
Bezirk BremgartendeuBremgarten
|
Bezirk BrämgartegswBrämgarte
|
||
Bezirk BruggdeuBrugg
|
Bezirk BrugggswBrugg
|
||
Bezirk KulmdeuUnterkulm
|
Bezirk ChulmgswUnderchulm
|
||
Bezirk LaufenburgdeuLaufenburg
|
Bezirk LaufeburggswLaufeburg
|
||
Bezirk LenzburgdeuLenzburg
|
Bezirk LänzbrggswLänzbrg
|
||
Bezirk MurideuMuri
|
Bezirk MurigswMuri
|
||
Bezirk RheinfeldendeuRheinfelden
|
Bezirk RhyfäldegswRhyfälde
|
||
Bezirk ZofingendeuZofingen
|
Bezirk ZofigegswZofige
|
||
Bezirk ZurzachdeuBad Zurzach
|
Bezirk ZurzibietgswBad Zorzach
|
Appenzell Innerrhoden 6
| District | Second official language | Swiss German | Franco-Provençal |
|---|---|---|---|
Bezirk AppenzelldeuAppenzell
|
Bezirk AppezöllgswAppezöll
|
||
Bezirk GontendeuGonten
|
Bezirk GootegswGoote
|
||
Bezirk ObereggdeuOberegg
|
Bezirk OberegggswOberegg
|
||
Bezirk RütedeuRüte
|
Bezirk RüütigswRüüti
|
||
Bezirk Schlatt-HaslendeuSchlatt-Haslen
|
Bezirk Schlatt-HaslegswSchlatt-Hasle
|
||
Bezirk SchwendedeuSchwende
|
Bezirk SchwendigswSchwendi
|
Bern 10
| District | Second official language | Swiss German | Franco-Provençal |
|---|---|---|---|
Verwaltungskreis Berner JuradeuCourtelary
|
Arrondissement administratif du Jura bernoisfraCourtelary
|
Verwautigskreis Bärner JuragswCourtelary
|
|
Verwaltungskreis Bern-MittellanddeuOstermundigen
|
Arrondissement administratif de Berne-MittellandfraOstermundigen
|
Verwautigskreis Bärner MittulandgswOschtermundige
|
|
Verwaltungskreis BieldeuBiel
|
Arrondissement administratif de BiennefraBienne
|
Verwautigskreis BieugswBieu
|
|
Verwaltungskreis EmmentaldeuLangnau im Emmental
|
Arrondissement administratif de l’EmmentalfraLangnau im Emmental
|
Verwautigskreis ÄmmitaugswLangnou
|
|
Verwaltungskreis Frutigen-NiedersimmentaldeuFrutigen
|
Arrondissement administratif de Frutigen-Bas-SimmentalfraFrutigen
|
Verwautigskreis Frutige-NidersimmetalgswFrutige
|
|
Verwaltungskreis Interlaken-OberhaslideuInterlaken
|
Arrondissement administratif d’Interlaken-OberhaslifraInterlaken
|
Verwautigskreis Inderlache-OberhasligswInderlache
|
|
Verwaltungskreis OberaargaudeuWangen an der Aare
|
Arrondissement administratif de Haute-ArgoviefraWangen an der Aare
|
Verwautigskreis OberaargougswWange
|
|
Verwaltungskreis Obersimmental-SaanendeuSaanen
|
Arrondissement administratif du Haut-Simmental-GessenayfraGessenay
|
Verwautigskreis Obersimmetal-SaanegswSaane
|
|
Verwaltungskreis SeelanddeuAarberg
|
Arrondissement administratif du SeelandfraAarberg
|
Verwautigskreis SeelandgswAarbärg
|
|
Verwaltungskreis ThundeuThun
|
Arrondissement administratif de ThounefraThoune
|
Verwautigskreis ThungswThun
|
Basel-Landschaft 5
| District | Second official language | Swiss German | Franco-Provençal |
|---|---|---|---|
Bezirk ArlesheimdeuArlesheim
|
Bezirk ArlisegswArlise
|
||
Bezirk LaufendeuLaufen
|
Bezirk LaufegswLaufe
|
||
Bezirk LiestaldeuLiestal
|
Bezirk LieschtelgswLieschtel
|
||
Bezirk SissachdeuSissach
|
Bezirk SissechgswSissech
|
||
Bezirk WaldenburgdeuWaldenburg
|
Bezirk WaldeburggswWaldeburg
|
Fribourg 7
| District | Second official language | Swiss German | Franco-Provençal |
|---|---|---|---|
District de la BroyefraEstavayer-le-Lac
|
District de la BrouyefrpEthavalyér-le-Lèc
|
||
District de la GlânefraRomont
|
District de la GllânnafrpRœmont
|
||
District de la GruyèrefraBulle
|
District de la GruviérefrpBulo
|
||
District de la SarinefraFribourg
|
SaanebezirkdeuFreiburg
|
SaanebezirkgswFrybùrg
|
District de la SarenafrpFribôrg
|
District du LacfraMorat
|
SeebezirkdeuMurten
|
SeebezirkgswMurte
|
District du LècfrpMorât
|
District de la SinginefraTavel
|
SensebezirkdeuTafers
|
SeisebezirkgswTaafersch
|
District de la SingenafrpTavél
|
District de la VeveysefraChâtel-Saint-Denis
|
District de la VevêsefrpChâthél
|
Grisons 11
| District | Second official language | Swiss German | Franco-Provençal |
|---|---|---|---|
Bezirk AlbuladeuTiefencastel
|
District AlvrarohCasti
|
Bezirk AlbulagswTüfakaschta
|
|
Distretto di BerninaitaPoschiavo
|
|||
Bezirk HinterrheindeuThusis
|
Bezirk HinderrhiigswThusis
|
||
Bezirk ImbodendeuDomat/Ems
|
Bezirk ImbodagswDomat/Ems
|
||
Bezirk InndeuSchuls
|
District da l’EnrohScuol
|
Bezirk InngswSchuls
|
|
Bezirk LandquartdeuIgis
|
Bezirk LandquartgswIgis
|
||
Bezirk MalojadeuSamedan
|
Distretto di MaloggiaitaSamedan
|
Bezirk MalojagswSamedan
|
|
Distretto di MoesaitaRoveredo
|
|||
Bezirk PlessurdeuChur
|
Bezirk PlessurgswKhûr
|
||
Bezirk Prättigau-DavosdeuDavos
|
District dal Partenz-TavaurohTavau
|
Bezirk Prättigau-DavosgswDavos
|
|
Bezirk SurselvadeuIlanz
|
District da la SurselvarohGlion
|
Bezirk SurselvagswIlanz
|
Jura 3
| District | Second official language | Swiss German | Franco-Provençal |
|---|---|---|---|
District de DelémontfraDelémont
|
|||
District des Franches-MontagnesfraSaignelégier
|
|||
District de PorrentruyfraPorrentruy
|
Lucerne 6
| District | Second official language | Swiss German | Franco-Provençal |
|---|---|---|---|
Wahlkreis EntlebuchdeuSchüpfheim
|
Wahlchreis ÄntlibuechgswSchüpfe
|
||
Wahlkreis HochdorfdeuHochdorf
|
Wahlchreis HofderegswHofdere
|
||
Wahlkreis Luzern-LanddeuLuzern
|
Wahlchreis Lozärn-LandgswLozärn
|
||
Wahlkreis Luzern-StadtdeuLuzern
|
Wahlchreis Lozärn-StadtgswLozärn
|
||
Wahlkreis SurseedeuSursee
|
Wahlchreis SorsigswSorsi
|
||
Wahlkreis WillisaudeuWillisau
|
Wahlchreis WillisougswWillisou
|
Neuchâtel 6
| District | Second official language | Swiss German | Franco-Provençal |
|---|---|---|---|
District de BoudryfraBoudry
|
District de BoudrifrpBoudri
|
||
District de La Chaux-de-FondsfraLa Chaux-de-Fonds
|
District de La ChâlxfrpLa Châlx
|
||
District du LoclefraLe Locle
|
District du LôcllofrpLo Lôcllo
|
||
District de NeuchâtelfraNeuchâtel
|
District de NôchâthélfrpNôchâthél
|
||
District du Val-de-RuzfraCernier
|
District du Vâl-de-Ruelyfrp
|
||
District du Val-de-TraversfraMôtiers
|
District du Vâl-Travèrsfrp
|
St. Gallen 8
| District | Second official language | Swiss German | Franco-Provençal |
|---|---|---|---|
Wahlkreis RheintaldeuAltstätten
|
Waalkrais RhintlgswAltstetta
|
||
Wahlkreis RorschachdeuRorschach
|
Waalkrais RooschegswRoosche
|
||
Wahlkreis Sankt GallendeuSankt Gallen
|
Waalchrais SanggalegswSanggale
|
||
Wahlkreis SarganserlanddeuSargans
|
Waalchrais SargaserlandgswSargaas
|
||
Wahlkreis See-GasterdeuUznach
|
Waalchrais See-GaschtergswUzne
|
||
Wahlkreis ToggenburgdeuWattwil
|
Waalchrais ToggeborggswWattwil
|
||
Wahlkreis WerdenbergdeuBuchs
|
Waalkrais WerdeberggswBugs
|
||
Wahlkreis WildeuWil
|
Waalchrais WilgswWil
|
Solothurn 10
| District | Second official language | Swiss German | Franco-Provençal |
|---|---|---|---|
Bezirk BucheggbergdeuBucheggberg
|
Bezirk BuechibärggswBuechibärg
|
||
Bezirk DorneckdeuDorneck
|
Bezirk DorneckgswDorneck
|
||
Bezirk GäudeuGäu
|
Bezirk GäugswGäu
|
||
Bezirk GösgendeuGösgen
|
Bezirk GösgegswGösge
|
||
Bezirk LeberndeuLebern
|
Bezirk LäberegswLäbere
|
||
Bezirk OltendeuOlten
|
Bezirk OutegswOute
|
||
Bezirk SolothurndeuSolothurn
|
Bezirk SoledurngswSoledurn
|
||
Bezirk ThaldeuThal
|
Bezirk ThalgswThal
|
||
Bezirk ThiersteindeuThierstein
|
Bezirk ThiersteigswThierstei
|
||
Bezirk WasseramtdeuWasseramt
|
Bezirk WasseramtgswWasseramt
|
Schwyz 6
| District | Second official language | Swiss German | Franco-Provençal |
|---|---|---|---|
Bezirk EinsiedelndeuEinsiedeln
|
Bezirk EinsidlägswEinsidlä
|
||
Bezirk GersaudeuGersau
|
Bezirk GersaugswGersau
|
||
Bezirk HöfedeuWollerau
|
Bezirk HöfegswWollerau
|
||
Bezirk KüssnachtdeuKüssnacht
|
Bezirk ChüsnachtgswChüsnacht
|
||
Bezirk MarchdeuLachen
|
Bezirk MarchgswLache
|
||
Bezirk SchwyzdeuSchwyz
|
Bezirk SchwyzgswSchwyz
|
Thurgau 5
| District | Second official language | Swiss German | Franco-Provençal |
|---|---|---|---|
Bezirk ArbondeuArbon
|
Bezirk AarbegswAarbe
|
||
Bezirk FrauenfelddeuFrauenfeld
|
Bezirk FrauefäldgswFrauefäld
|
||
Bezirk KreuzlingendeuKreuzlingen
|
Bezirk ChrüzlingegswChrüzlinge
|
||
Bezirk MünchwilendeuMünchwilen
|
Bezirk MünchwilegswMünchwile
|
||
Bezirk WeinfeldendeuWeinfelden
|
Bezirk WiifäldegswWiifälde
|
Ticino 8
| District | Second official language | Swiss German | Franco-Provençal |
|---|---|---|---|
Distretto di BellinzonaitaBellinzona
|
|||
Distretto di BlenioitaBlenio
|
|||
Distretto di LeventinaitaLeventina
|
|||
Distretto di LocarnoitaLocarno
|
|||
Distretto di LuganoitaLugano
|
|||
Distretto di MendrisioitaMendrisio
|
|||
Distretto di RivieraitaRiviera
|
|||
Distretto di VallemaggiaitaVallemaggia
|
Vaud 10
| District | Second official language | Swiss German | Franco-Provençal |
|---|---|---|---|
District d’AiglefraAigle
|
District d’ÂgllofrpÂgllo
|
||
District de la Broye-VullyfraPayerne
|
|||
District du Gros-de-VaudfraEchallens
|
|||
District du Jura-Nord vaudoisfraYverdon-les-Bains
|
|||
District de LausannefraLausanne
|
District de LosenafrpLosena
|
||
District de Lavaux-OronfraCully
|
District de Lavâls-Ôronfrp
|
||
District de MorgesfraMorges
|
District de MôrgesfrpMôrges
|
||
District de NyonfraNyon
|
District de NionfrpNion
|
||
District de l’Ouest lausannoisfraRenens
|
|||
District de la Riviera-Pays-d’EnhautfraVevey
|
Valais 14
| District | Second official language | Swiss German | Franco-Provençal |
|---|---|---|---|
District de BriguefraBrigue-Glis
|
Bezirk BrigdeuBrig-Glis
|
Bizirk BriggswBrig-Glis
|
District de Bregafrp
|
District de ContheyfraConthey
|
District de ContêfrpContê
|
||
District d’EntremontfraSembrancher
|
District d’Entremontfrp
|
||
District de ConchesfraMünster-Geschinen
|
Bezirk GomsdeuMünster-Geschinen
|
Bizirk GomsgswMinschter
|
District de Conchesfrp
|
District d’HérensfraEvolène
|
District d’HèrensfrpEvolêna
|
||
District de LouèchefraLouèche
|
Bezirk LeukdeuLeuk
|
Bizirk LejgggswLejgg
|
District de LouèchefrpLouèche
|
District de MartignyfraMartigny
|
District de MartegnéfrpMartegné
|
||
District de MontheyfraMonthey
|
District de MontêfrpMontê
|
||
District de Rarogne orientalfraMörel-Filet
|
Bezirk Östlich RarondeuMörel-Filet
|
Bizirk Öschtlich RarogswMeril-Filet
|
District de Rarogne du Levantfrp
|
District de Saint-MauricefraSaint-Maurice
|
District de Sent-MôrisfrpSent-Môris
|
||
District de SierrefraSierre
|
District de SiérrofrpSiérro
|
||
District de SionfraSion
|
District de SionfrpSion
|
||
District de ViègefraViège
|
Bezirk VispdeuVisp
|
Bizirk VischpgswVischp
|
District de ViégefrpViége
|
District de Rarogne occidentalfraRarogne
|
Bezirk Westlich RarondeuRaron
|
Bizirk Weschtlich RarogswRaro
|
District de Rarogne du PonantfrpRarogne
|
Zurich 12
| District | Second official language | Swiss German | Franco-Provençal |
|---|---|---|---|
Bezirk AffolterndeuAffoltern am Albis
|
Bezirk AffolteregswAffoltere am Albis
|
||
Bezirk AndelfingendeuAndelfingen
|
Bezirk AndelfingegswAndelfinge
|
||
Bezirk BülachdeuBülach
|
Bezirk BüüligswBüüli
|
||
Bezirk DielsdorfdeuDielsdorf
|
Bezirk DielsdorfgswDielsdorf
|
||
Bezirk DietikondeuDietikon
|
Bezirk DietikegswDietike
|
||
Bezirk HinwildeuHinwil
|
Bezirk HinwilgswHinwil
|
||
Bezirk HorgendeuHorgen
|
Bezirk HorgegswHorge
|
||
Bezirk MeilendeuMeilen
|
Bezirk MäilegswMäile
|
||
Bezirk PfäffikondeuPfäffikon
|
Bezirk PfäffikegswPfäffike
|
||
Bezirk UsterdeuUster
|
Bezirk UschtergswUschter
|
||
Bezirk WinterthurdeuWinterthur
|
Bezirk WinterthurgswWinterthur
|
||
Bezirk ZürichdeuZürich
|
Bezirk ZürigswZüri
|
Where the Franco-Provençal form of a district or seat is not recorded, the cell shows only what is known. Graubünden and Neuchâtel are given as they stood before their reforms; see the notes below.
04 · Since 2016
Regions in Graubünden, no districts in Neuchâtel
Three changes since 2016 concern the districts. Graubünden replaced its 11 districts with 11 regions; the Federal Statistical Office's register of municipalities shows the districts until 31 December 2016 and the regions from 1 January 2017, with names such as Region Albula and Region Engiadina Bassa/Val Müstair. Neuchâtel abolished its six districts on 1 January 2018, and in Aargau the district seat Bad Zurzach became part of the merged municipality of Zurzach on 1 January 2022.
The cantons themselves have not changed. ISO 3166-2 still lists 26 codes made of CH and the letters of the cantonal number plates, CH-AG to CH-ZH. Its one edit in recent years, on 24 November 2020, removed the French name Grisons from the entry for Graubünden.
05 · Questions
Questions about the cantons and districts of Switzerland
What is Zofige?
Zofige is the Swiss German name of Zofingen, a town in the canton of Aargau and the seat of the Bezirk Zofingen, Bezirk Zofige in dialect.
How many districts does the canton of Valais have?
13 districts. Raron is split into an eastern and a western half, Östlich Raron and Westlich Raron, so the table has 14 rows, each in French and German with the Franco-Provençal form where it is recorded.
Which cantons have no districts?
Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Basel-Stadt, Geneva, Glarus, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Schaffhausen, Uri and Zug, and since 2018 also Neuchâtel.