Canton of St. Gallen: Difference between revisions
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Industries of the canton include optical goods, pyrotechnics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals. Tourism plays an important role in the many resorts. There is a thermal spa in [[Bad Ragaz]] and an other in [[St. Margrethen]] and a great number of winter sports facilities. |
Industries of the canton include optical goods, pyrotechnics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals. Tourism plays an important role in the many resorts. There is a thermal spa in [[Bad Ragaz]] and an other in [[St. Margrethen]] and a great number of winter sports facilities. |
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==Religion== |
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The majority of the population ({{as of|2000|lc=on}}) is [[Roman Catholic]] (52%) while a large minority is [[Protestantism|Protestant]] (28%)<ref>{{cite web |
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| last = Bundesamt fur Statistik (Federal Department of Statistics) |
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| title = Wohnbevölkerung nach Religion |
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| date = 2004 |
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| url = http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/01/05/blank/key/religionen.html |
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| format = Interactive Map |
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| accessdate = 2009-01-15 }}</ref>. |
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== Constituencies and municipalities== |
== Constituencies and municipalities== |
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[[Image:Abdeckung-Furkels.jpg|thumb |
[[Image:Abdeckung-Furkels.jpg|thumb|right|[[Bad Ragaz]] in [[Sarganserland (Wahlkreis)|Sarganserland]]]] |
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[[Image:Karte Kanton St.Gallen Wahlkreise.png |
[[Image:Karte Kanton St.Gallen Wahlkreise.png|right|thumb|''Wahlkreise'']] |
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The canton is subdivided in following [[constituencies]] (''Wahlkreise''). The structure replaced districts (''Bezirke'') on January 1, 2003: |
The canton is subdivided in following [[constituencies]] (''Wahlkreise''). The structure replaced districts (''Bezirke'') on January 1, 2003: |
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Revision as of 00:10, 16 January 2009
Template:Infobox Canton The Canton of St. Gallen (German: Kanton ) is a canton of Switzerland. St. Gallen is located in the north east of Switzerland. It covers an area of 2,026 km², and has a population of 465,937 (2007) of which 97,461 (or 20.9%) are foreigners[1]. The capital is St. Gallen. There are alternative spellings for the canton: St. Gall, Saint Gall, Saint Gallen.
Cities and towns
Cities (with more than 10,000 inhabitants):
- St. Gallen (70,000 inh.)
- Rapperswil-Jona (24,400)
- Gossau (16,941)
- Wil (16,443)
- Uzwil (11,997)
- Altstätten (10,372)
- Buchs (10,255)
Geography
The canton is located in the north east of Switzerland. It is bounded to the north by Lake Constance (Bodensee). To the east lies the Rhine valley. Over the Rhine are Austria (state of Vorarlberg) and Liechtenstein. To the south, the canton of St. Gallen is bounded by the cantons of Graubünden, Glarus and Schwyz. To the west lie the cantons of Zürich and Thurgau.
The two half cantons Appenzell Innerrhoden and Appenzell Ausserrhoden are completely surrounded by lands of the canton of St. Gallen.
The main rivers of the canton are the Rhine, Thur, Linth and Seez. The topography changes from the plains, near river Rhine and Lake Constance, towards the mountainous areas of the Alps in the south (Appenzell Alps and Glarus Alps). About one quarter of the land is covered in forests and more than half consists of Alpine pastures.
History
The lands of the canton St. Gallen represent acquisitions of the abbey of St. Gallen over centuries. The canton of St. Gallen was part of the canton of Säntis during the Helvetic Republic. This was only possible after secularizing the abbey in 1798. In 1803 as part of the Act of Mediation the area joined the Swiss Confederation as canton St. Gallen. The constitution was established in 1890.
Economy
Agricultural activity consists predominantly of dairy farming and cattle breeding in the mountainous areas. In the plains fruit and wine production are important, but there is also mixed farming.
Industries of the canton include optical goods, pyrotechnics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals. Tourism plays an important role in the many resorts. There is a thermal spa in Bad Ragaz and an other in St. Margrethen and a great number of winter sports facilities.
Religion
The majority of the population (as of 2000[update]) is Roman Catholic (52%) while a large minority is Protestant (28%)[2].
Constituencies and municipalities
The canton is subdivided in following constituencies (Wahlkreise). The structure replaced districts (Bezirke) on January 1, 2003:
- St. Gallen with 113,019 inhabitants
- municipalities St. Gallen, Eggersriet, Wittenbach, Häggenschwil, Muolen, Waldkirch, Andwil, Gossau and Gaiserwald)
- Wil with 67,416 inhabitants
- municipalities Jonschwil, Oberuzwil, Uzwil, Flawil, Degersheim, Wil, Bronschhofen, Zuzwil, Oberbüren, Niederbüren and Niederhelfenschwil
- Rheintal with 62,523 inhabitants
- municipalities Rheineck, St. Margrethen, Au, Berneck, Balgach, Diepoldsau, Widnau, Rebstein, Marbach, Altstätten, Eichberg, Oberriet and Rüthi
- See-Gaster with 58,492 inhabitants
- municipalities Amden, Weesen, Schänis, Benken, Kaltbrunn, Rieden, Gommiswald, Ernetschwil, Uznach, Schmerikon, Rapperswil-Jona (separated until 2007), Eschenbach, Goldingen and St. Gallenkappel
- Toggenburg with 45,381 inhabitants
- municipalities Wildhaus, Alt St. Johann, Stein, Nesslau, Krummenau, Ebnat-Kappel, Wattwil, Lichtensteig, Oberhelfenschwil, Brunnadern, Hemberg, St. Peterzell, Krinau, Bütschwil, Lütisburg, Mosnang, Kirchberg, Mogelsberg and Ganterschwil)
- Rorschach with 39,395 inhabitants
- municipalities Mörschwil, Goldach, Steinach, Berg, Tübach, Untereggen, Rorschacherberg, Rorschach and Thal
- Sarganserland with 35,553 inhabitants
- municipalities Sargans, Vilters-Wangs, Bad Ragaz, Pfäfers, Mels, Flums, Walenstadt and Quarten
See Municipalities of the canton of St. Gallen for an alphabetical list.
External links
References
- ^ Bundesamt fur Statistik (Federal Department of Statistics) (2008). "Ständige Wohnbevölkerung nach Staatsangehörigkeit, Geschlecht und Kantonen" (Microsoft Excel). Retrieved November 5, 2008.
- ^ Bundesamt fur Statistik (Federal Department of Statistics) (2004). "Wohnbevölkerung nach Religion" (Interactive Map). Retrieved 2009-01-15.