Switzerland is a small, mountenous and land-locked country surronded by large neigbors (France, Germany, and Italy). Despite the country's small size, there are substantial regional differences. This is in large measure due to the country's dramatic mountenous geography. The mountains impeded transportation. And until after World War II mountasin villages throughout the country lived very isolated lives. This of course is the environ,rnt in which regional differences debelop. Thus you have in Switzerland some very sophisticated, cosmppolitan cities as well as isolated mountain villages with destinctive customs and costumes. The country's diversity is an important part of Switzerland's uniue national identity. The country might be divided into four geographic regions, roughly corresponding to the four linguistic-cultural groups. Western Switzerland is Francophone. This region includes Geneva and Lausanne on Lake Geneva. The popular resort towns of Montreaux and Neuchâtel are located in the western region. Southern Switzerland is Italian and often referred to as the Ticino region. This is much smaller than the French and German speaking regions. The culture of this region is very similar to Italy. The northern and central areas of Germany are largely Germnic. This region includes Bern, Lucerne, and Zurich. The majority of the Swiss population is located in this region. The fourth region is located in far eastern Switzerland near Austria and Liechtenstein. It is the province of Graubünden. Inhabitants here speak Romantsch, a basically Germanic language with a lot of Italian and Latin words.
Switzerland is a small, mountenous and land-locked country surronded by large neigbors (France, Germany, and Italy). The Alps are actually Europe's central watershed. The great rivers such ss the Rhine, Ticino-Po, Inn, Danube, and the Rhone rise in the SWiss Alps. Despite the country's small size, there are substantial regional differences. This is in large measure due to the country's dramatic mountenous geography. The mountains impeded transportation. And until after World War II mountasin villages throughout the country lived very isolated lives. This of course is the environ,rnt in which regional differences debelop. Thus you have in Switzerland some very sophisticated, cosmppolitan cities as well as isolated mountain villages with destinctive customs and costumes. The country's diversity is an important part of Switzerland's uniue national identity.
Western Switzerland is Francophone. This region includes Geneva and Lausanne on Lake Geneva. The popular resort towns of Montreaux and Neuchâtel are located in the western region. The West is dominated by the Rhone Rover which flows into the Mediterranean. A Swiss reader tells us about the village of Montana where he grew up.
The northern and central areas of Germany are largely Germnic. This region includes Bern, Lucerne, and Zurich. The majority of the Swiss population or about 70 percent is located in this region. Between the Alps and the Jura Mountains in the west there is an agricultural plain drained by the Aar River. Lake Zurich is in this area. The agricultural plain strateles the western and north-central zones, but is largely located in the north-central zone. The Canton Appenzell is located in the eastern area of this region.
Southern Switzerland is Italian and often referred to as the Ticino region. This is much smaller than the French and German speaking regions. The culture of this region is very similar to Italy.
The fourth region is located in far eastern Switzerland near Austria and Liechtenstein. It is the province of Graubünden. Inhabitants here speak Romantsch, a basically Germanic language with a lot of Italian and Latin words. The origins of the language here is said to be the nterasction among locals and Roman legionaries.
The government of Switzerland is a federal state with the capital in Berne.
There are 26 "Kantone". English speakers may translate "canton" as "county", although they are not absolutely identical, either in the American or British usage.
The Kanton Geneva is only the city of Geneva. There are (e.g.) two "Halbkantone" for Basel, "Basel-Stadt" (Basel city), and "Basel-Landschaft" (Basel country side). The Kanton "Zürich" (more than 1 Million population) is one of the larger ones. There are big cities like the city of Zürich (the biggest city of Switzerland), the city of Winterthur. Note that there is also a "Kanton Schwyz" (one of the founding cantons in the Alps, giving the name to "Schweiz", the German name for Switzerland).
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