Bernese Jura is the name for the French-speaking area of the Swiss

Switzerland

Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....

 canton of Bern, and from 2010 one of five administrative divisions of the canton.

Comprising the three French-speaking districts in the northern part of the canton

Cantons of Switzerland

The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848...

, it contains 49 municipalities with an area of 541.75 km² (209.2 sq mi) and a population of . More than 90% of the population of the three districts speak French.

The Bernese Jura of today comprises only three out of a total of seven districts which were known as the Bernese Jura during the period of 1815–1979. Of the remaining four, three seceded as the canton of Jura

Canton of Jura

The Republic and Canton of the Jura , also known as the Canton of Jura or Canton Jura, is one of the cantons of Switzerland. It is the newest of the 26 Swiss cantons, located in the northwestern part of Switzerland. The capital is Delémont...

 in 1979, while the fourth, the Laufen district, joined the canton of Basel-Landschaft in 1994.

History

Most of the territory of the Bernese Jura was passed from the County of Burgundy

County of Burgundy

The Free County of Burgundy , was a medieval county , within the traditional province and modern French region Franche-Comté, whose very French name is still reminiscent of the unusual title of its count: Freigraf...

 to the Bishopric of Basel

Bishopric of Basel

The Diocese of Basel is a Roman Catholic diocese in Switzerland .Historically, the bishops of Basel were also secular rulers of the Prince-Bishopric of Basel ....

 in AD 999.
It was annexed by France

French First Republic

The French First Republic was founded on 22 September 1792, by the newly established National Convention. The First Republic lasted until the declaration of the First French Empire in 1804 under Napoleon I...

 during the Napoleonic period, 1798-1814.
In 1814, the Congress of Vienna

Congress of Vienna

The Congress of Vienna was a conference of ambassadors of European states chaired by Klemens Wenzel von Metternich, and held in Vienna from September, 1814 to June, 1815. The objective of the Congress was to settle the many issues arising from the French Revolutionary Wars, the Napoleonic Wars,...

 accorded it to the canton of Bern to compensate for the loss of the new canton of Vaud.

From 1815 to 1979, the term Bernese Jura also included the territory now forming the canton of Jura

Canton of Jura

The Republic and Canton of the Jura , also known as the Canton of Jura or Canton Jura, is one of the cantons of Switzerland. It is the newest of the 26 Swiss cantons, located in the northwestern part of Switzerland. The capital is Delémont...

, which seceded following a national popular vote on 24 September 1978.
Its administrative capital was Biel/Bienne

Biel/Bienne

Biel/Bienne is a city in the district of the Biel/Bienne administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.It is located on the language boundary and is throughout bilingual. Biel is the German name for the town, Bienne its French counterpart. The town is often referred to in both...

 from 1815 to 2009. Since 2010, Biel/Bienne has been made the administrative capital of a separate district

Biel/Bienne (administrative district)

Biel/Bienne District is an administrative district in the Canton of Bern, Switzerland. It is located along both shores of the northeastern half of Lake Biel and is part of the Seeland administrative region, and its capital is Biel/Bienne. It contains 19 municipalities with an area of and a...

, and the administrative capital of the remaining Bernese Jura is now Courtelary

Courtelary

Courtelary is a municipality of the French-speaking Bernese Jura, in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. The town is the capital of the Jura bernois administrative district.-Geography:...

.

Representation

According to the canton's constitution, one of the seven members of the Executive Council of Bern

Executive Council of Bern

The Executive Council is the executive of the Swiss canton of Bern.This seven-member collegial body is elected by the people for a period of four years. The cantonal constitution reserves one seat in the Executive Council for a French-speaking citizen from the Bernese Jura...

 has to be a French-speaking citizen of this area. Of the 160 seats in the Grand Council of Bern

Grand Council of Bern

The Grand Council is the parliament of the Swiss canton of Bern.It consists of 160 members elected by proportional representation for a four-year term of office...

, 12 seats are reserved for the Bernese Jura and an additional three seats are guaranteed for the French-speaking population of the bilingual district of Biel/Bienne

Biel (district)

Biel/Bienne District was a district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland with its seat Biel/Bienne. It was bi-lingual and included two municipalities in an area of 25 km²:...

.

Administrative divisions

Historically (until 2001), the region was divided into three districts

Districts of Switzerland

In contrast to centrally organised states, in the federally constituted Switzerland each canton iscompletely 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...

 (2004 population estimates):

• District of Courtelary
  Courtelary (district)
  Courtelary District was located in Switzerland and was one of the 3 French-speaking districts of the Bernese Jura. The district was located in the canton of Bern with the seat being Courtelary. It had a population of about 22'224 in 2004....
  
    (22,224)
• District of La Neuveville
  La Neuveville (district)
  La Neuveville District was one of the 3 French-speaking districts of the Bernese Jura in the canton of Bern with the seat being La Neuveville. It had a population of about 6,083 in 2004.-References:...
  
    (6,083)
• District of Moutier
  Moutier (district)
  Moutier District was one of the 3 French-speaking districts of the Bernese Jura in the canton of Bern with the seat being Moutier. It had a population of about 23'098 in 2004.-References:...
  
    (23,098)

!colspan="1" align=center bgcolor="#EFEFEF" width="100" | Area in km²
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| align="center" |
| Belprahon

Belprahon

Belprahon is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura .-Geography:...

 || align="center" |
| align="center" | 3.83
|-
| align="center" |
| Bévilard

Bévilard

Bévilard is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura .-History:...

 || align="center" |
| align="center" | 5.69
|-
| align="center" |
| Champoz

Champoz

Champoz is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura .-Geography:...

 || align="center" |
| align="center" | 7.17
|-
| align="center" |
| Châtelat

Châtelat

Châtelat is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura .-Geography:...

 || align="center" |
| align="center" | 4.15
|-
| align="center" |
| Corcelles || align="center" |
| align="center" | 6.77
|-
| align="center" |
| Corgémont

Corgémont

Corgémont is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura .-History:...

 || align="center" |
| align="center" | 17.61
|-
| align="center" |
| Cormoret

Cormoret

Cormoret is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura .-History:...

 || align="center" |
| align="center" | 13.49
|-
| align="center" |
| Cortébert

Cortébert

Cortébert is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura . It has a population of .-Geography:...

 || align="center" |
| align="center" | 14.78
|-
| align="center" | | Court || align="center" |
| align="center" | 24.61
|-
| align="center" | | Courtelary

Courtelary

Courtelary is a municipality of the French-speaking Bernese Jura, in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. The town is the capital of the Jura bernois administrative district.-Geography:...

|| align="center" |
| align="center" | 22.17
|-
| align="center" |
| Crémines

Crémines

Crémines is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura .-Geography:...

 || align="center" |
| align="center" | 9.48
|-
| align="center" | | Diesse

Diesse

Diesse is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland, located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura .-History:...

 || align="center" |
| align="center" | 9.44
|-
| align="center" |
| Eschert

Eschert

Eschert is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura .-Geography:...

 || align="center" |
| align="center" | 6.58
|-
| align="center" |
| Grandval || align="center" |
| align="center" | 8.23
|-
| align="center" |
| La Ferrière || align="center" |
| align="center" | 14.20
|-
| align="center" |
| La Heutte

La Heutte

La Heutte is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura .-History:La Heutte was first mentioned in 1393 as Hütte...

 || align="center" |
| align="center" | 8.09
|-
| align="center" |
| Lamboing

Lamboing

Lamboing is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland, located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura .-History:...

 || align="center" |
| align="center" | 9.10
|-
| align="center" | | La Neuveville

La Neuveville

La Neuveville is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland, located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura .-Geography:...

 || align="center" |
| align="center" | 6.81
|-
| align="center" |
| Loveresse

Loveresse

Loveresse is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura .-History:...

 || align="center" |
| align="center" | 4.72
|-
| align="center" |
| Malleray

Malleray

Malleray is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura .-Geography:...

 || align="center" |
| align="center" | 10.25
|-
| align="center" |
| Monible

Monible

Monible is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura .-History:...

 || align="center" |
| align="center" | 3.39
|-
| align="center" |
| Mont-Tramelan

Mont-Tramelan

Mont-Tramelan is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura .-History:...

 || align="center" |
| align="center" | 4.64
|-
| align="center" | | Moutier

Moutier

Moutier is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura .-History:...

 || align="center" |
| align="center" | 19.60
|-
| align="center" | | Nods || align="center" |
| align="center" | 26.66
|-
| align="center" | | Orvin

Orvin

Orvin is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura . Above it, there is a small year round resort, called les "Prés-d'Orvin"....

 || align="center" |
| align="center" | 21.59
|-
| align="center" |
| Perrefitte

Perrefitte

Perrefitte is a municipality in the administrative district of Jura bernois in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura .Its old German names Beffert and Pfeffert are no longer in use today....

 || align="center" |
| align="center" | 8.57
|-
| align="center" |
| Péry

Péry

Péry is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura .-History:...

 || align="center" |
| align="center" | 15.71
|-
| align="center" |
| Plagne || align="center" |
| align="center" | 7.48
|-
| align="center" |
| Pontenet

Pontenet

Pontenet is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura .-Geography:...

 || align="center" |
| align="center" | 2.73
|-
| align="center" |
| Prêles

Prêles

Prêles is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland, located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura .-History:...

 || align="center" |
| align="center" | 6.97
|-
| align="center" |
| Rebévelier

Rebévelier

Rebévilier is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura .-Geography:...

 || align="center" |
| align="center" | 3.54
|-
| align="center" |
| Reconvilier

Reconvilier

Reconvilier is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura .-Geography:...

 || align="center" |
| align="center" | 8.24
|-
| align="center" |
| Renan || align="center" |
| align="center" | 12.63
|-
| align="center" |
| Roches || align="center" |
| align="center" | 9.05
|-
| align="center" |
| Romont || align="center" |
| align="center" | 7.03
|-
| align="center" | | Saicourt

Saicourt

Saicourt is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It comprises the localities of Le Fuet, Bellelay, La Bottiere and Montbautier. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura ....

 || align="center" |
| align="center" | 13.76
|-
| align="center" | | Saint-Imier

Saint-Imier

Saint-Imier is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura .Observatoire Astronomique de Mont-Soleil is located above the village....

 || align="center" |
| align="center" | 20.89
|-
| align="center" |
| Saules || align="center" |
| align="center" | 4.28
|-
| align="center" |
| Schelten

Schelten

Schelten is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking Bernse Jura .-Geography:...

 || align="center" |
| align="center" | 5.57
|-
| align="center" |
| Seehof || align="center" |
| align="center" | 8.41
|-
| align="center" |
| Sonceboz-Sombeval

Sonceboz-Sombeval

Sonceboz-Sombeval is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura .-Geography:...

 || align="center" |
| align="center" | 15.00
|-
| align="center" | | Sonvilier

Sonvilier

Sonvilier is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura .-Geography:...

 || align="center" |
| align="center" | 23.79
|-
| align="center" | | Sornetan

Sornetan

Sornetan is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura .-Geography:...

 || align="center" |
| align="center" | 5.65
|-
| align="center" |
| Sorvilier

Sorvilier

Sorvilier is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura .-Geography:...

 || align="center" |
| align="center" | 6.89
|-
| align="center" |
| Souboz

Souboz

Souboz is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura .-Geography:...

 || align="center" |
| align="center" | 10.71
|-
| align="center" |
| Tavannes

Tavannes

Tavannes is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura .-History:...

 || align="center" |
| align="center" | 14.78
|-
| align="center" |
| Tramelan

Tramelan

Tramelan is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura .-Geography:...

 || align="center" |
| align="center" | 24.83
|-
| align="center" |
| Vauffelin

Vauffelin

Vauffelin is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura .-Geography:...

 || align="center" |
| align="center" | 5.96
|-
| align="center" |
| Villeret || align="center" |
| align="center" | 16.23
|-
| || Total (49) || align="center" |
| align="center" | 541.75
|-
|}