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Municipalities of Switzerland

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Municipalities of Switzerland
Map of Switzerland showingcantonal,districtsand municipal boundaries (January 2024)
CategoryMunicipality
LocationSwitzerland
Found inCantonorDistrict
Number2,131 (as of 2024)
Populations32–376 990
Areas0.32–439 km²
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Municipalities(German:Gemeinden,Einwohnergemeindenorpolitische Gemeinden;French:communes;Italian:comuni;Romansh:vischnancas) are the lowest level ofadministrative divisionin Switzerland. Each municipality is part of one of theSwiss cantons,which form theSwiss Confederation.In most cantons, municipalities are also part ofdistrictsor other sub-cantonal administrative divisions.

There are 2,131 municipalities as of January 2024.[1]Their populations range between several hundred thousand (Zürich), and a few dozen people (Kammersrohr,Bister), and their territory between0.32 km²(Rivaz) and439 km²(Scuol).

History

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The beginnings of the modern municipality system date back to theHelvetic Republic.Under theOld Swiss Confederacy,citizenship was granted by each town and village to only residents. These citizens enjoyed access to community property and in some cases additional protection under the law. Additionally, the urban towns and the rural villages had differing rights and laws. The creation of a uniform Swiss citizenship, which applied equally for citizens of the old towns and their tenants and servants, led to conflict. The wealthier villagers and urban citizens held rights to forests, common land and other municipal property which they did not want to share with the "new citizens", who were generally poor. The compromise solution, which was written into the municipal laws of the Helvetic Republic, is still valid today. Two politically separate but often geographically similar organizations were created. The first, the so-called municipality, was a political community formed by election and its voting body consists of all resident citizens. However, the community land and property remained with the former local citizens who were gathered together into theBürgergemeinde/bourgeoisie. During theMediation era(1803–1814), and especially during theRestoration era(1814–1830), many of the gains toward uniform citizenship were lost. Many political municipalities were abolished and limits were placed on the exercise of political rights for everyone except the members of theBürgergemeinde.In theRegeneration era(1830–1848), the liberal revolutions of the common people helped to restore some rights again in a few cantons. In other cantons, theBürgergemeindenwere able to maintain power as political communities. In the city ofZürichit was not until the Municipal Act of 1866 that the political municipality came back into existence.[2]

The relationship between the political municipality and theBürgergemeindewas often dominated by the latter's ownership of community property. Often the administration and profit from the property were totally held by theBürgergemeinden,leaving the political municipality dependent on theBürgergemeindefor money and use of the property. It was not until the political municipality acquired rights over property that served the public (such as schools, fire stations, etc.) and taxes, that they obtained full independence. For example, in the city of Bern, it was not until after the property division of 1852 that the political municipality had the right to levy taxes.[2]

It was not until theFederal Constitution of 1874that all Swiss citizens were granted equal political rights on local and Federal levels. This revised constitution finally removed all the political voting and electoral body rights from theBürgergemeinde.In the cities, the percentage of members in theBürgergemeindein the population was reduced as a result of increasing emigration to the cities. This led to theBürgergemeindelosing its former importance to a large extent. However, theBürgergemeindehas remained, and it includes all individuals who are citizens of theBürgergemeinde,usually by having inherited theBürgerrecht(citizenship), regardless of where they were born or where they may currently live. Instead of theplace of birth,Swiss legal documents, e.g. passports, contain theBürgerort(place of citizenship, orplace of origin). TheBürgergemeindealso often holds and administers thecommon propertyin the village for the members of the community.[2]

Structure and responsibilities

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Each canton determines the powers and responsibilities of its municipalities. These may include providinglocal governmentservices such as education, medical and social services, public transportation, and tax collection. The degree of centralization varies from one canton to another. The federal constitution protects the autonomy of municipalities within the framework set out by cantonal law.

Municipalities are generally governed by anexecutivecouncil headed by a president ormayor.Legislative authority is exercised by atown meetingof all citizens, or by a municipal parliament, depending on the size of the municipality, and on cantonal and municipal law. In some cantons, foreigners who have lived for a certain time in Switzerland are also allowed to participate in municipal politics. As at the cantonal and federal level, citizens enjoy political rights, including direct democratic ones, in their municipality.

Municipalities are financed through direct taxes (such asincome tax), with rates varying more or less within a framework set by the canton (seeTaxation in Switzerland). As among the cantons, there is a tax transfer among the municipalities to balance various levels of tax income.

Size and designations

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Switzerland has a relatively high number of small municipalities, with a population of 1,000 or less, especially in rural areas. Because of the increasing difficulty in providing professional government services and in finding volunteers for political offices in small municipalities, the cantons tend to encourage voluntary mergers of municipalities. This led to the number of municipalities dropping by 384 between the end of 2010 and the beginning of 2019.[1]

Some municipalities designate themselves as "city" (villeorStadt) or as "village" (Dorf). These designations result from tradition or local preference – for example, several small municipalities designated as cities heldcity rightsin medieval times – and normally do not impact the legal or political rights or obligations of the municipalities under cantonal or federal law.

Municipalities are numbered by the Swiss Federal Office for Statistics (seeCommunity Identification Number#Switzerland). One or morepostal codes (PLZ/NPA)can by assigned to a municipality or shared with other municipalities.

Population No. of municipalities
in 2004 (%)[3]
>20,000 30 (1.1%)
10,000–19,999 89 (3.2%)
5000–9999 180 (6.6%)
1000–4999 1025 (37.4%)
500–999 555 (20.3%)
<500 861 (31.4%)
Total 2740 (100%)

List of municipalities by population (2011–21)

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Between 2011 and 2021 nine of the smallest municipalities merged into others as part of the effort to eliminate the smallest communities. OnlyBisterhas not merged into a new municipality although the smallest municipality is nowKammersrohrwith a population of just 32.

Lists of municipalities by canton

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See also:List of cities in Switzerland

Other local subdivisions and entities

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In addition to the municipalities as basic territorial political subdivisions, a number of other local subdivisions exist in several cantons. These include:

  • Bürgergemeinde(also: Burgergemeinde, Ortsgemeinde, Ortsbürgergemeinde, Tagwen, bourgeoisie, commune bourgeoise, vischnanca burgaisa), astatutory corporationthat includes everyone who is a citizen of a commune and has theHeimatrecht(home right) in that commune regardless of where they may currently live. Until the 19th century thisHeimatrechtincluded rights to usethe commons,which were administered by the Bürgergemeinde. Modernly, some Bürgergemeinden may still control common property, but theHeimatrechtand associatedHeimatortis used just asplace of birthin other countries.
  • Gemischte Gemeinde (mixed communes), found in theCanton of Juraand portions of theCanton of Bern,a combination of a Bürgergemeinde and a political commune.
  • Korporationsgemeinde, a legally recognized cooperative inCentral Switzerlandthat controls some land and is responsible for its members support.
  • Kirchgemeinde, aparishfor members of a large church (generallyRoman CatholicorSwiss Reformed). There may be two or moreKirchgemeindenin a single municipality.
  • Schulgemeinde, similar to aschool district.
  • Bäuert,in theBerner OberlandorGraubünden) a small farming community. It is a type ofagricultural cooperativewith shared equipment and land.[6]
  • Degagna,in theLeventina valleyin theCanton of Ticino.It manages shared pastures, fields and woods as well as maintaining roads that cross the common land.[7]

See also

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Notes and references

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  1. ^ab"Institutionelle Gliederungen".Bundesamt für Statistik.Retrieved12 June2019.
  2. ^abcBürgergemeindeinGerman,FrenchandItalianin the onlineHistorical Dictionary of Switzerland.
  3. ^Official list of Swiss municipalities, p. 17
  4. ^ab"Population résidante permanente selon l'âge, par canton, district et commune".Office fédéral de la statistique.Retrieved13 August2013.
  5. ^abSwiss Federal Statistical Office - Regional portraitsaccessed 12 January 2022
  6. ^BäuertinGerman,FrenchandItalianin the onlineHistorical Dictionary of Switzerland.
  7. ^DegagnainGerman,FrenchandItalianin the onlineHistorical Dictionary of Switzerland.
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