Ticino
Encyclopedia
Canton Ticino or Ticino (tiˈtʃiːno; tɛˈsiːn; see also in other languages) is the southernmost canton
of Switzerland
. Named after the Ticino river
, it is the only canton in which Italian
is the sole official language. Ticino borders the Canton of Uri
to the north, Valais
to the west (through the Novena Pass
), Graubünden
to the northeast, Italy's regions of Piedmont
and Lombardy
to the south and it surrounds the small Italian
exclave of Campione d'Italia
. Together with areas of the canton of Graubünden
it makes up the so-called Italian Switzerland.
, a Celt
ic tribe. Later, probably around the rule of Augustus
, it became part of the Roman Empire
. After the fall of the Western Empire, was ruled by the Ostrogoths, the Lombards
and the Franks
. Around 1100 it was the centre of struggle between the free communes of Milan
and Como
: in the 14th century it was acquired by the Visconti
, Dukes of Milan
. In the fifteenth century the Swiss
Confederates conquered the valleys south of the Alps in three separate conquests.
Between 1403 and 1422 some of these lands were already annexed by forces from the Canton of Uri
, but subsequently lost. Uri conquered the Leventina Valley in 1440. In a second conquest Uri, Schwyz
and Nidwalden
gained the town of Bellinzona
and the Riviera in 1500. Some of the land and Bellinzona itself were previously annexed by Uri
in 1419 but lost again in 1422. The third conquest was fought by troops from the entire Confederation (at that time constituted by 12 cantons). In 1512 Locarno
, the Maggia Valley, Lugano
and Mendrisio
were annexed. Subsequently, the upper valley of the Ticino River
, from the St. Gotthard to the town of Biasca (Leventina Valley) was part of Uri. The remaining territory (Baliaggi Ultramontani, Ennetbergische Vogteien, the Bailiwicks Beyond the Mountains) was administered by the Twelve Cantons. These districts were governed by bailiffs holding office for two years and purchasing it from the members of the League.
The lands of the canton of Ticino are the last lands to be conquered by the Swiss Confederation. The Confederation gave up any further conquests after their defeat at the battle of Marignano
in 1515 by Francis I of France
. The Val Leventina revolted unsuccessfully against Uri
in 1755. In February 1798 an attempt of annexation by the Cisalpine Republic
was repelled by a volunteer militia in Lugano. Between 1798 and 1803, during the Helvetic Republic
, the districts of Bellinzona
and Lugano
were separate cantons, but in 1803 the two were unified to form the canton of Ticino that joined the Swiss Confederation as a full member in the same year. During the Napoleonic Wars, many Ticinesi (as was the case for other Swiss) served in Swiss military units allied with the French
.
In the early 19th century, Ticino was the poorest of the cantons of Switzerland. According to the contemporary Franco-Danish scholar Conrad Malte-Brun
, "in no part of Switzerland is there more poverty, bordering on wretchedness, so much idleness, and so little industry". Until 1878 the three largest cities, Bellinzona, Lugano and Locarno, alternated as capital of the canton. In 1878, however, Bellinzona became the only and permanent capital. The current constitution dates from 1997. The previous constitution, heavily modified, dates from 1830, nearly 20 years before the constitution of actual Swiss Confederation.
which lies to its east, west and south. To the north lie the cantons of Valais
and Uri
, to the northeast the canton of Graubünden
.
Its area is 2812 square kilometres (1,085.7 sq mi), of which about three quarters are considered productive. Forests cover about a third of the area, but also the lakes Maggiore
and Lugano
make up a considerable part of the total area. These lakes are known with the above listed names, but are officially named Lake Verbano and Lake Ceresio.
The canton is split geographically in two parts by the Monte Ceneri pass
. The northern, more mountainous part, called Sopraceneri, is formed by the two major Swiss valleys around the lake Maggiore: Ticino valley and Maggia valley. The southern part, called Sottoceneri, is the region around the Lake Lugano.
The River Ticino is the largest river in the canton. It drains most of the canton, flowing from the northwest through the Bedretto valley and the Leventina valley to enter Lake Maggiore near Locarno
. Its main tributaries are the Brenno
in the Blenio valley and the Moesa in the Mesolcina valley in Graubünden
. The lands of the canton are shaped by the river, which in its mid portion forms a wide valley, commonly known as the Riviera.
The western lands of the canton, however, are drained by the Maggia River
. The Verzasca valley is located between the Ticino river and the Maggia river. There is also a smaller area that drains directly into the Lake Lugano
. Most of the land is considered within the Alps
(Lepontine Alps
), but a small area is part of the plain of the River Po which drains the north of Italy
.
As a result of its more southerly position, it is one of the warmest cantons in Switzerland. Additionally, Ticino is prone to fierce storms and has the highest level of lightning discharge in the whole of Europe.
The current Constitution of the Republic and Canton of Ticino, originating from a draft approved on 18 August 1801 during the Helvetic Republic, was approved on 14 December 1997. In its preamble
, it states that it was created by the Ticinese people (popolo) "in order to guaranty peaceful life together with respect for the dignity of man, fundamental liberties and social justice (...) faithful to its historic task to interpret Italian culture within the Helvetic Confederation".
The Gran Consiglio is the legislative authority of the canton, exercising sovereignty over any matter not explicitly delegated by the constitution to another authority. The Gran Consiglio has 90 members called deputati (deputies), elected in a single constituency using the proportional representation
system. Deputies serve four-year terms, and annually nominate a President and two Vice-Presidents. The Gran Consiglio meets in Bellinzona, the cantonal capital.
The five-member Council of State , not to be confused with the federal Council of States
, is the executive authority of the canton, and it directs cantonal affairs according to law and the constitution. It is elected in a single constituency using the proportional representation
system. Each year, the Council of State nominates its president, who is not re-electable. The current president of the Council of State is Gabriele Gendotti.
The Canton of Ticino is divided into 8 districts:
. These municipalities (comuni) are grouped in 38 circoli (circles or sub-districts) which are in turn grouped into districts (distretti). Since late 1990 there is an ongoing project to aggregate some municipalities.
_view_on_lake_lugano_and_monte_san_salvatore.jpg)
The population of the canton (as of ) is . , the population included 82,794 foreigners, or about 25.2% of the total population. The population density (in 2005) is 114.6 persons per km2. As of 2000, 83.1% of the population spoke Italian, 8.3% spoke German and 1.7% spoke Serbo-Croatian
. The population is mostly Roman Catholic (76%) with a Protestant (7%) minority.
The official language, and the one used for most written communication, is Swiss Italian. Despite being very similar to standard Italian, Swiss Italian presents some differences to the Italian spoken in Italy due to the presence of French and German from which it assimilates words. Insubric dialects (Ticinese
) are still spoken, especially in the valleys, but they are not used for official purposes.
Ticino is Switzerland's third largest financial center after Zurich and Geneva. The banking industry alone has 8,400 employees and generates 17% of the gross cantonal product. Because of Ticino's shared language and culture, its financial industry has very close ties to Italy. In 2008, Ticino had an unemployment rate of 5%, higher than in rest of Switzerland, where it was estimated at 3.4%, and particularly high for foreigners (over 8%).
Frontalieri, commuter worker
s living in Italy (mostly in the provinces of Varese
and Como
) but working regularly in Ticino, form a large part (over 20%) of the workforce, far larger than in the rest of Switzerland, where the rate is below 5%. Foreigners in general hold 44.3% of all the jobs, again a much higher rate than elsewhere in the Confederation (27%). Frontalieri are usually paid less than Swiss workers for their jobs, and tend to serve as low-cost labor.
Italy is by far Ticino's most important foreign trading partner, but there's a huge trade deficit between imports (5 billion CHF
) and exports (1.9 billion). Many Italian companies relocate to Ticino, either temporarily or permanently, seeking lower taxes and an efficient bureaucracy
: just as many Ticinese entrepreneurs doing business in Italy complain of red tape
and widespread protectionism
.
There are several tunnels underneath the Gotthard Pass connecting the canton to northern Switzerland: the first to be opened was the 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) long Gotthard Rail Tunnel
in 1882, replacing the pass road, connecting Airolo
with Göschenen
in the Canton of Uri
. A 17 km (10.6 mi) motorway tunnel, the Gotthard Road Tunnel
, opened in 1980. A second rail tunnel through the pass, the Gotthard Base Tunnel
, is currently under construction. When completed, it will be the longest tunnel in the world, reducing travel time between Zürich
and Lugano
to 1 hour 40 minutes.
Treni Regionali Ticino Lombardia
(TiLo), a joint venture
between the Italian Ferrovie dello Stato
and the Swiss Federal Railways
launched in 2004, manages the traffic between the regional railways of Lombardy
and the Ticinese S-Bahn Canton Ticino via a S-Bahn
system.
The Regional Bus and Rail Company of Canton Ticino
provides the urban and suburban bus network of Locarno, operates the cable cars between Verdasio and Rasa, and between Intragna – Pila – Costa on behalf of the owning companies, and, together with an Italian company, the Centovalli and Vigezzina Railway which connects the Gotthard trans-Alpine rail route at Locarno with the Simplon
trans-Alpine route.
Lugano Airport
is the busiest airport in southern Switzerland, serving some 200,000 passengers a year.
(USI, Università della Svizzera Italiana) in Lugano is the only Swiss university teaching in Italian. The University of Applied Sciences of Italian Switzerland (SUPSI, Scuola Universitaria Professionale della Svizzera Italiana), in Manno
on the other hand is a professional training college focused on a practical method of teaching in the areas of applied art, economy, social work, technology and production science.
There is also a small American and Swiss accredited private college, Franklin College Switzerland
, located above Lugano
, as well as The American School in Switzerland
in Collina d'Oro
, a K-13 international school accepting day and boarding students.
, laRegione Ticino
, Giornale del Popolo
and Il Grigione Italiano.
The city of Locarno is host to the Locarno International Film Festival
, Switzerland's most prestigious film festival.
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...
of Switzerland
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....
. Named after the Ticino river
Ticino River
The river Ticino is a left-bank tributary of the Po River. It has given its name to the Swiss canton through which its upper portion flows.-The course:...
, it is the only canton in which Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
is the sole official language. Ticino borders the Canton of Uri
Canton of Uri
Uri is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland and a founding member of the Swiss Confederation. It is located in Central Switzerland. The canton's territory covers the valley of the Reuss River between Lake Lucerne and the St. Gotthard Pass. German is the primary language spoken in Uri...
to the north, Valais
Valais
The Valais is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland in the southwestern part of the country, around the valley of the Rhône from its headwaters to Lake Geneva, separating the Pennine Alps from the Bernese Alps. The canton is one of the drier parts of Switzerland in its central Rhône valley...
to the west (through the Novena Pass
Nufenen Pass
Nufenen Pass is the highest mountain pass in the Swiss Alps. It lies between the summits of Pizzo Gallina and Nufenestock ....
), Graubünden
Graubünden
Graubünden or Grisons is the largest and easternmost canton of Switzerland. The canton shares borders with the cantons of Ticino, Uri, Glarus and St. Gallen and international borders with Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein...
to the northeast, Italy's regions of Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
and Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
to the south and it surrounds the small Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
exclave of Campione d'Italia
Campione d'Italia
Campione d'Italia is an Italian comune of the Province of Como in the Lombardy region, occupying an enclave within the Swiss canton of Ticino, separated from the rest of Italy by Lake Lugano and mountains...
. Together with areas of the canton of Graubünden
Italian Graubünden
The Italian Graubünden or Italian Grigioni is the region of the Canton of Graubünden, Switzerland where Italian and the related Lombard are spoken....
it makes up the so-called Italian Switzerland.
History
In ancient times, the area of what is today Ticino was settled by the LepontiiLepontii
The Lepontii were an ancient people occupying portions of Rhaetia in the Alps during the time of the Roman conquest of that territory. The Lepontii have been variously described as a Celtic, Ligurian, Raetian, and Germanic tribe...
, a Celt
Celt
The Celts were a diverse group of tribal societies in Iron Age and Roman-era Europe who spoke Celtic languages.The earliest archaeological culture commonly accepted as Celtic, or rather Proto-Celtic, was the central European Hallstatt culture , named for the rich grave finds in Hallstatt, Austria....
ic tribe. Later, probably around the rule of Augustus
Augustus
Augustus ;23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14) is considered the first emperor of the Roman Empire, which he ruled alone from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD.The dates of his rule are contemporary dates; Augustus lived under two calendars, the Roman Republican until 45 BC, and the Julian...
, it became part of the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
. After the fall of the Western Empire, was ruled by the Ostrogoths, the Lombards
Lombards
The Lombards , also referred to as Longobards, were a Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin, who from 568 to 774 ruled a Kingdom in Italy...
and the Franks
Franks
The Franks were a confederation of Germanic tribes first attested in the third century AD as living north and east of the Lower Rhine River. From the third to fifth centuries some Franks raided Roman territory while other Franks joined the Roman troops in Gaul. Only the Salian Franks formed a...
. Around 1100 it was the centre of struggle between the free communes of Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
and Como
Como
Como is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy.It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como....
: in the 14th century it was acquired by the Visconti
House of Visconti
Visconti is the family name of two important Italian noble dynasties of the Middle Ages. There are two distinct Visconti families: The first one in the Republic of Pisa in the mid twelfth century who achieved prominence first in Pisa, then in Sardinia where they became rulers of Gallura...
, Dukes of Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
. In the fifteenth century 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....
Confederates conquered the valleys south of the Alps in three separate conquests.
Between 1403 and 1422 some of these lands were already annexed by forces from the Canton of Uri
Canton of Uri
Uri is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland and a founding member of the Swiss Confederation. It is located in Central Switzerland. The canton's territory covers the valley of the Reuss River between Lake Lucerne and the St. Gotthard Pass. German is the primary language spoken in Uri...
, but subsequently lost. Uri conquered the Leventina Valley in 1440. In a second conquest Uri, Schwyz
Canton of Schwyz
Schwyz is a canton in central Switzerland between the Alps in the south, Lake Lucerne in the east and Lake Zurich in the north, centered around and named after the town of Schwyz....
and Nidwalden
Nidwalden
Nidwalden is a canton of Switzerland. It is located in the centre of Switzerland. The population is 40,287 of which 4,046 are foreigners. The capital is Stans.-History:...
gained the town of Bellinzona
Bellinzona
Bellinzona is the administrative capital of the canton Ticino in Switzerland. The city is famous for its three castles that have been UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 2000....
and the Riviera in 1500. Some of the land and Bellinzona itself were previously annexed by Uri
Canton of Uri
Uri is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland and a founding member of the Swiss Confederation. It is located in Central Switzerland. The canton's territory covers the valley of the Reuss River between Lake Lucerne and the St. Gotthard Pass. German is the primary language spoken in Uri...
in 1419 but lost again in 1422. The third conquest was fought by troops from the entire Confederation (at that time constituted by 12 cantons). In 1512 Locarno
Locarno
Locarno is the capital of the Locarno district, located on the northern tip of Lake Maggiore in the Swiss canton of Ticino, close to Ascona at the foot of the Alps. It has a population of about 15,000...
, the Maggia Valley, Lugano
Lugano
Lugano is a city of inhabitants in the city proper and a total of over 145,000 people in the agglomeration/city region, in the south of Switzerland, in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino, which borders Italy...
and Mendrisio
Mendrisio
Mendrisio is a municipality in the district of Mendrisio in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.Mendrisio is the seat of the Accademia di Architettura of the university of Italian speaking Switzerland ....
were annexed. Subsequently, the upper valley of the Ticino River
Ticino River
The river Ticino is a left-bank tributary of the Po River. It has given its name to the Swiss canton through which its upper portion flows.-The course:...
, from the St. Gotthard to the town of Biasca (Leventina Valley) was part of Uri. The remaining territory (Baliaggi Ultramontani, Ennetbergische Vogteien, the Bailiwicks Beyond the Mountains) was administered by the Twelve Cantons. These districts were governed by bailiffs holding office for two years and purchasing it from the members of the League.
The lands of the canton of Ticino are the last lands to be conquered by the Swiss Confederation. The Confederation gave up any further conquests after their defeat at the battle of Marignano
Battle of Marignano
The Battle of Marignano was fought during the phase of the Italian Wars called the War of the League of Cambrai, between France and the Old Swiss Confederacy. It took place on September 13 and 15, 1515, near the town today called Melegnano, 16 km southeast of Milan...
in 1515 by Francis I of France
Francis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
. The Val Leventina revolted unsuccessfully against Uri
Canton of Uri
Uri is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland and a founding member of the Swiss Confederation. It is located in Central Switzerland. The canton's territory covers the valley of the Reuss River between Lake Lucerne and the St. Gotthard Pass. German is the primary language spoken in Uri...
in 1755. In February 1798 an attempt of annexation by the Cisalpine Republic
Cisalpine Republic
The Cisalpine Republic was a French client republic in Northern Italy that lasted from 1797 to 1802.-Birth:After the Battle of Lodi in May 1796, Napoleon Bonaparte proceeded to organize two states: one to the south of the Po River, the Cispadane Republic, and one to the north, the Transpadane...
was repelled by a volunteer militia in Lugano. Between 1798 and 1803, during the Helvetic Republic
Helvetic Republic
In Swiss history, the Helvetic Republic represented an early attempt to impose a central authority over Switzerland, which until then consisted mainly of self-governing cantons united by a loose military alliance, and conquered territories such as Vaud...
, the districts of Bellinzona
Canton of Bellinzona
Bellinzona was the name of a canton of the Helvetic Republic, with its capital in Bellinzona.The canton was founded in 1798 with the slogan Liberi e svizzeri as a means of remaining a part of Switzerland, rather than being annexed to the Cisalpine client republic...
and Lugano
Canton of Lugano
Lugano was the name of a canton of the Helvetic Republic from 1798 to 1803, with its capital at Lugano. The canton unified the former Landvogteien of Lugano, Mendrisio, Locarno and Valmaggia....
were separate cantons, but in 1803 the two were unified to form the canton of Ticino that joined the Swiss Confederation as a full member in the same year. During the Napoleonic Wars, many Ticinesi (as was the case for other Swiss) served in Swiss military units allied with the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
In the early 19th century, Ticino was the poorest of the cantons of Switzerland. According to the contemporary Franco-Danish scholar Conrad Malte-Brun
Conrad Malte-Brun
Conrad Malte-Brun , born Malthe Conrad Bruun, was a Danish-French geographer and journalist. His second son, Victor Adolphe Malte-Brun, was also a geographer.-Biography:...
, "in no part of Switzerland is there more poverty, bordering on wretchedness, so much idleness, and so little industry". Until 1878 the three largest cities, Bellinzona, Lugano and Locarno, alternated as capital of the canton. In 1878, however, Bellinzona became the only and permanent capital. The current constitution dates from 1997. The previous constitution, heavily modified, dates from 1830, nearly 20 years before the constitution of actual Swiss Confederation.
Geography
The canton of Ticino is located in the south of Switzerland. It is almost entirely surrounded by ItalyItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
which lies to its east, west and south. To the north lie the cantons of Valais
Valais
The Valais is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland in the southwestern part of the country, around the valley of the Rhône from its headwaters to Lake Geneva, separating the Pennine Alps from the Bernese Alps. The canton is one of the drier parts of Switzerland in its central Rhône valley...
and Uri
Canton of Uri
Uri is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland and a founding member of the Swiss Confederation. It is located in Central Switzerland. The canton's territory covers the valley of the Reuss River between Lake Lucerne and the St. Gotthard Pass. German is the primary language spoken in Uri...
, to the northeast the canton of Graubünden
Graubünden
Graubünden or Grisons is the largest and easternmost canton of Switzerland. The canton shares borders with the cantons of Ticino, Uri, Glarus and St. Gallen and international borders with Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein...
.
Its area is 2812 square kilometres (1,085.7 sq mi), of which about three quarters are considered productive. Forests cover about a third of the area, but also the lakes Maggiore
Lake Maggiore
Lake Maggiore is a large lake located on the south side of the Alps. It is the second largest of Italy and largest of southern Switzerland. Lake Maggiore is the most westerly of the three great prealpine lakes of Italy, it extends for about 70 km between Locarno and Arona.The climate is mild...
and Lugano
Lake Lugano
Lake Lugano is a glacial lake in the south-east of Switzerland, at the border between Switzerland and Italy. The lake, named after the city of Lugano, is situated between Lake Como and Lago Maggiore...
make up a considerable part of the total area. These lakes are known with the above listed names, but are officially named Lake Verbano and Lake Ceresio.
The canton is split geographically in two parts by the Monte Ceneri pass
Monte Ceneri Pass
Monte Ceneri Pass is a mountain pass in the Alps in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.It connects the Magadino plain and the Vedeggio valley....
. The northern, more mountainous part, called Sopraceneri, is formed by the two major Swiss valleys around the lake Maggiore: Ticino valley and Maggia valley. The southern part, called Sottoceneri, is the region around the Lake Lugano.
The River Ticino is the largest river in the canton. It drains most of the canton, flowing from the northwest through the Bedretto valley and the Leventina valley to enter Lake Maggiore near Locarno
Locarno
Locarno is the capital of the Locarno district, located on the northern tip of Lake Maggiore in the Swiss canton of Ticino, close to Ascona at the foot of the Alps. It has a population of about 15,000...
. Its main tributaries are the Brenno
Brenno
Brenno is a long river in canton Ticino in Switzerland. It drains most of the Blenio Valley and it joins the Ticino River between Pollegio and Biasca....
in the Blenio valley and the Moesa in the Mesolcina valley in Graubünden
Graubünden
Graubünden or Grisons is the largest and easternmost canton of Switzerland. The canton shares borders with the cantons of Ticino, Uri, Glarus and St. Gallen and international borders with Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein...
. The lands of the canton are shaped by the river, which in its mid portion forms a wide valley, commonly known as the Riviera.
The western lands of the canton, however, are drained by the Maggia River
Maggia River
The Maggia is a river in the Swiss canton of Ticino.The springs are near the Cristallina mountain and the river runs through the Val Sambuco, the Val Lavizzara, and the Valle Maggia, and enters Lago Maggiore between Ascona and Locarno. The village Maggia is situated on the river.The river is used...
. The Verzasca valley is located between the Ticino river and the Maggia river. There is also a smaller area that drains directly into the Lake Lugano
Lake Lugano
Lake Lugano is a glacial lake in the south-east of Switzerland, at the border between Switzerland and Italy. The lake, named after the city of Lugano, is situated between Lake Como and Lago Maggiore...
. Most of the land is considered within the Alps
Swiss Alps
The Swiss Alps are the portion of the Alps mountain range that lies within Switzerland. Because of their central position within the entire Alpine range, they are also known as the Central Alps....
(Lepontine Alps
Lepontine Alps
The Lepontine Alps are a mountain range in the central part of the Alps. They are located in Switzerland and Italy .On the north the upper Rhône valley separate them from the Bernese Alps and the Furka Pass and the upper Reuss valley separates them from the Urner Alps; on the west the Simplon Pass...
), but a small area is part of the plain of the River Po which drains the north of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
As a result of its more southerly position, it is one of the warmest cantons in Switzerland. Additionally, Ticino is prone to fierce storms and has the highest level of lightning discharge in the whole of Europe.
Government
Preamble
A preamble is an introductory and expressionary statement in a document that explains the document's purpose and underlying philosophy. When applied to the opening paragraphs of a statute, it may recite historical facts pertinent to the subject of the statute...
, it states that it was created by the Ticinese people (popolo) "in order to guaranty peaceful life together with respect for the dignity of man, fundamental liberties and social justice (...) faithful to its historic task to interpret Italian culture within the Helvetic Confederation".
The Gran Consiglio is the legislative authority of the canton, exercising sovereignty over any matter not explicitly delegated by the constitution to another authority. The Gran Consiglio has 90 members called deputati (deputies), elected in a single constituency using the proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
system. Deputies serve four-year terms, and annually nominate a President and two Vice-Presidents. The Gran Consiglio meets in Bellinzona, the cantonal capital.
The five-member Council of State , not to be confused with the federal Council of States
Swiss Council of States
The Council of States of Switzerland is the smaller chamber of the Federal Assembly of Switzerland, and is considered the Assembly's upper house. There are 46 Councillors....
, is the executive authority of the canton, and it directs cantonal affairs according to law and the constitution. It is elected in a single constituency using the proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
system. Each year, the Council of State nominates its president, who is not re-electable. The current president of the Council of State is Gabriele Gendotti.
Districts
- BellinzonaBellinzona (district)The district of Bellinzona is a district of Canton Ticino, Switzerland. It has a population of .-Geography:The district has an area, , of . Of this area, or 13.2% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 68.7% is forested...
with capital BellinzonaBellinzonaBellinzona is the administrative capital of the canton Ticino in Switzerland. The city is famous for its three castles that have been UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 2000.... - BlenioBlenio (district)The district of Blenio is a district of the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. It has a population of . The capital of the district is Acquarossa.-Geography:...
with capital Acquarossa - LeventinaLeventina (district)The district of Leventina is one of the eight districts of the largely Italian-speaking canton of Ticino in Switzerland. The capital of the district is Faido but the largest town is Airolo at the beginning or at the end of the valley....
with capital FaidoFaidoFaido is the capital of the district of Leventina in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino in southern Switzerland.On 29 January 2006, Faido grew by incorporating the villages of Chiggiogna, Rossura, and Calonico.-History:... - LocarnoLocarno (district)The district of Locarno is a district of Canton Ticino, Switzerland. It has a population of .-Geography:...
with capital LocarnoLocarnoLocarno is the capital of the Locarno district, located on the northern tip of Lake Maggiore in the Swiss canton of Ticino, close to Ascona at the foot of the Alps. It has a population of about 15,000... - LuganoLugano (district)The district of Lugano is a district of Canton Ticino, Switzerland. It has a population of .-Geography:The Lugano District has an area, , of . Of this area, or 15.7% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 66.5% is forested...
with capital LuganoLuganoLugano is a city of inhabitants in the city proper and a total of over 145,000 people in the agglomeration/city region, in the south of Switzerland, in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino, which borders Italy... - MendrisioMendrisio (district)The district of Mendrisio is the southernmost district of canton of Ticino and of Switzerland. To its north lies the district of Lugano. It is surrounded on the other three sides by Italy: to the east and south by the province of Como, and to the west by the province of Varese...
with capital MendrisioMendrisioMendrisio is a municipality in the district of Mendrisio in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.Mendrisio is the seat of the Accademia di Architettura of the university of Italian speaking Switzerland .... - RivieraRiviera (district)The district of Riviera is a district of the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. It has a population of . The capital of the district is Biasca.-Geography:...
with capital BiascaBiascaBiasca is a town of the district of Riviera in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.-History:Biasca is first mentioned in 830 as Aviasca in the Liber viventium of Pfäfers Abbey. In 1119 it was mentioned as Abiasca.-Early history:... - VallemaggiaVallemaggia (district)The district of Vallemaggia is a district of the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. It has a population of . The capital of the district is Cevio.-Geography:...
with capital CevioCevioCevio is the capital of the district of Vallemaggia in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. On 22 October 2006 Cevio grew by incorporating the villages of Bignasco and Cavergno, previously municipalities in their own right.-History:...
Municipalities
There are 157 municipalities in the cantonMunicipalities of the canton of Ticino
There are 157 municipalities in the canton of Ticino, Switzerland, . Municipalities are grouped in circles which are part of districts .- Changes :...
. These municipalities (comuni) are grouped in 38 circoli (circles or sub-districts) which are in turn grouped into districts (distretti). Since late 1990 there is an ongoing project to aggregate some municipalities.
Demographics
Serbo-Croatian language
Serbo-Croatian or Serbo-Croat, less commonly Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian , is a South Slavic language with multiple standards and the primary language of Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro...
. The population is mostly Roman Catholic (76%) with a Protestant (7%) minority.
The official language, and the one used for most written communication, is Swiss Italian. Despite being very similar to standard Italian, Swiss Italian presents some differences to the Italian spoken in Italy due to the presence of French and German from which it assimilates words. Insubric dialects (Ticinese
Ticinese
Ticinese is a comprehensive denomination for the varieties of Lombard language spoken in Canton Ticino and in the north of the Province of Varese....
) are still spoken, especially in the valleys, but they are not used for official purposes.
Economy
Tertiary sector workers make up 76.5% of the Ticinese workforce, compared to the Swiss average of 67.1%. Commerce (23.1%), tourism (10.1%) and financial activities (3.9) are all important for the local economy, while the contribution from agriculture and fishing is marginal, employing 6.5% of the workforce on a Swiss average of 15.4%.Ticino is Switzerland's third largest financial center after Zurich and Geneva. The banking industry alone has 8,400 employees and generates 17% of the gross cantonal product. Because of Ticino's shared language and culture, its financial industry has very close ties to Italy. In 2008, Ticino had an unemployment rate of 5%, higher than in rest of Switzerland, where it was estimated at 3.4%, and particularly high for foreigners (over 8%).
Frontalieri, commuter worker
Commuter worker
Commuter worker is a term used in the United States for residents of Mexico who commute across the Mexico – United States border to work in the United States...
s living in Italy (mostly in the provinces of Varese
Varese
Varese is a town and comune in north-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 55 km north of Milan.It is the capital of the Province of Varese. The hinterland or urban part of the city is called Varesotto.- Geography :...
and Como
Como
Como is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy.It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como....
) but working regularly in Ticino, form a large part (over 20%) of the workforce, far larger than in the rest of Switzerland, where the rate is below 5%. Foreigners in general hold 44.3% of all the jobs, again a much higher rate than elsewhere in the Confederation (27%). Frontalieri are usually paid less than Swiss workers for their jobs, and tend to serve as low-cost labor.
Italy is by far Ticino's most important foreign trading partner, but there's a huge trade deficit between imports (5 billion CHF
Swiss franc
The franc is the currency and legal tender of Switzerland and Liechtenstein; it is also legal tender in the Italian exclave Campione d'Italia. Although not formally legal tender in the German exclave Büsingen , it is in wide daily use there...
) and exports (1.9 billion). Many Italian companies relocate to Ticino, either temporarily or permanently, seeking lower taxes and an efficient bureaucracy
Bureaucracy
A bureaucracy is an organization of non-elected officials of a governmental or organization who implement the rules, laws, and functions of their institution, and are occasionally characterized by officialism and red tape.-Weberian bureaucracy:...
: just as many Ticinese entrepreneurs doing business in Italy complain of red tape
Red tape
Red tape is excessive regulation or rigid conformity to formal rules that is considered redundant or bureaucratic and hinders or prevents action or decision-making...
and widespread protectionism
Protectionism
Protectionism is the economic policy of restraining trade between states through methods such as tariffs on imported goods, restrictive quotas, and a variety of other government regulations designed to allow "fair competition" between imports and goods and services produced domestically.This...
.
Transport
Gotthard Rail Tunnel
The Gotthard Rail Tunnel, is a 15-kilometre long railway tunnel and forms the summit of the Gotthard Railway in Switzerland. It connects Göschenen with Airolo and was the first tunnel through the Gotthard massif...
in 1882, replacing the pass road, connecting Airolo
Airolo
Airolo is a municipality in the district of Leventina in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.-History:In the settlement of Madrano, Roman tombs from the 2nd and 3rd Centuries AD were found. They belonged to a Vicus, whose inhabitants probably collected crystal, which was processed in Locarno into...
with Göschenen
Göschenen
Göschenen a village in the canton of Uri in Switzerland.-History:Göschenen is first mentioned in 1280 as Geschenden. In 1290 it was mentioned as Gescheldun, then in 1294 as Geschenen and in 1429 as ze Gestinen.-Geography:...
in the Canton of Uri
Canton of Uri
Uri is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland and a founding member of the Swiss Confederation. It is located in Central Switzerland. The canton's territory covers the valley of the Reuss River between Lake Lucerne and the St. Gotthard Pass. German is the primary language spoken in Uri...
. A 17 km (10.6 mi) motorway tunnel, the Gotthard Road Tunnel
Gotthard Road Tunnel
The St. Gotthard Tunnel in Switzerland runs from Göschenen in the Canton of Uri at its northern portal, to Airolo in Ticino to the south, and is just under in length below the St. Gotthard Pass...
, opened in 1980. A second rail tunnel through the pass, the Gotthard Base Tunnel
Gotthard Base Tunnel
The Gotthard Base Tunnel is a new railway tunnel beneath the Swiss Alps, expected to open in 2016. With a route length of and a total of of tunnels, shafts and passages, it is the world's longest rail tunnel, surpassing the Japanese Seikan Tunnel....
, is currently under construction. When completed, it will be the longest tunnel in the world, reducing travel time between Zürich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
and Lugano
Lugano
Lugano is a city of inhabitants in the city proper and a total of over 145,000 people in the agglomeration/city region, in the south of Switzerland, in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino, which borders Italy...
to 1 hour 40 minutes.
Treni Regionali Ticino Lombardia
Treni Regionali Ticino Lombardia
TiLo is a limited company established in 2004 as a joint venture between the Italian State Railways and the Swiss Federal Railways , both companies participate in the equity of TILO SA with participation of 50%.The company's goal is to develop the regional cross-border traffic between the Canton...
(TiLo), a joint venture
Joint venture
A joint venture is a business agreement in which parties agree to develop, for a finite time, a new entity and new assets by contributing equity. They exercise control over the enterprise and consequently share revenues, expenses and assets...
between the Italian Ferrovie dello Stato
Ferrovie dello Stato
Ferrovie dello Stato is a government-owned holding which manage infrastructure and service on the Italian rail network. The subsidiary Trenitalia is the main rail operator in Italy.-Organization:Ferrovie dello Stato subsidiaries are:...
and the Swiss Federal Railways
SBB-CFF-FFS
Swiss Federal Railways and SFR are not in official use) is the national railway company of Switzerland headquartered in Bern. Formerly a government institution, it is since 1999 a special stock corporation with all shares held by the Swiss Confederation or the Swiss cantons...
launched in 2004, manages the traffic between the regional railways of Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
and the Ticinese S-Bahn Canton Ticino via a S-Bahn
S-Bahn
S-Bahn refers to an often combined city center and suburban railway system metro in Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Denmark...
system.
The Regional Bus and Rail Company of Canton Ticino
Regional Bus and Rail Company of Canton Ticino
The FART provides the urban and suburban bus network of Locarno, Switzerland, operates the cable cars between Verdasio and Rasa, and between Intragna – Pila – Costa on behalf of the owning companies, and, together with the Italian company Società Subalpina di Imprese Ferroviarie...
provides the urban and suburban bus network of Locarno, operates the cable cars between Verdasio and Rasa, and between Intragna – Pila – Costa on behalf of the owning companies, and, together with an Italian company, the Centovalli and Vigezzina Railway which connects the Gotthard trans-Alpine rail route at Locarno with the Simplon
Simplon
Simplon is the name of a region in the Alps. It can refer specifically to:* Simplon Pass and Tunnel* Simplon , a former French département corresponding with modern Valais, Switzerland* Simplon, Valais, a Swiss municipality...
trans-Alpine route.
Lugano Airport
Lugano Airport
Lugano Airport is a regional airport located west of Lugano, Switzerland. It lies closer to the nearby village of Agno than to Lugano itself, and so is usually known as Lugano-Agno....
is the busiest airport in southern Switzerland, serving some 200,000 passengers a year.
Education
There are two major centres of education and research located in the canton of Ticino. University of the Italian SwitzerlandUniversità della Svizzera italiana
Università della Svizzera italiana is a public university located in Lugano, Switzerland, founded in 1996...
(USI, Università della Svizzera Italiana) in Lugano is the only Swiss university teaching in Italian. The University of Applied Sciences of Italian Switzerland (SUPSI, Scuola Universitaria Professionale della Svizzera Italiana), in Manno
Manno
Manno is a municipality in the district of Lugano in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.-History:Manno is first mentioned in 1184.In 1298, the Bishop of Como owned estates in the village. In 1335, the village divided into two sections, Manno superiore and Manno inferiore, both of which belonged...
on the other hand is a professional training college focused on a practical method of teaching in the areas of applied art, economy, social work, technology and production science.
There is also a small American and Swiss accredited private college, Franklin College Switzerland
Franklin College Switzerland
Franklin College Switzerland is a private, independent, liberal arts college in Switzerland with an enrollment of approximately 450 students. Located in the Italian speaking city of Lugano, Franklin offers Bachelor of Arts degrees that are accredited by both the Commission on Higher Education of...
, located above Lugano
Lugano
Lugano is a city of inhabitants in the city proper and a total of over 145,000 people in the agglomeration/city region, in the south of Switzerland, in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino, which borders Italy...
, as well as The American School in Switzerland
The American School In Switzerland
The American School In Switzerland is a private school that receives elementary, middle, and high school students from many different nations and provides them with a Western-based education. Located in Montagnola, a small town above Lugano, Ticino, Switzerland, it has a current student body of...
in Collina d'Oro
Collina d'Oro
Collina d'Oro is a municipality in the district of Lugano in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. It was formed from the 2004 union of the villages of Agra, Gentilino, and Montagnola.-History:Gentilino is first mentioned in 1210 as Gentarino...
, a K-13 international school accepting day and boarding students.
Culture
There are four daily Italian-language newspapers published in Ticino: Corriere del TicinoCorriere del Ticino
Corriere del Ticino is the leading regional newspaper in the Canton of Ticino, Switzerland. The Italian language daily has a distribution of 40,000. It is published in Muzzano....
, laRegione Ticino
LaRegione Ticino
laRegione Ticino is a regional newspaper based in Bellinzona, Switzerland. The Italian-language daily has a distribution of 33,000 . Editor-in-chief is Giacomo Salvioni....
, Giornale del Popolo
Giornale del Popolo
Giornale del Popolo is a regional newspaper based in Lugano, Switzerland. The Italian-language daily has a distribution of 17,000 . Editor-in-chief is Claudio Mésoniat....
and Il Grigione Italiano.
The city of Locarno is host to the Locarno International Film Festival
Locarno International Film Festival
The Film Festival Locarno is an international film festival held annually in the city of Locarno, Switzerland since 1946. After Cannes and Venice and together with Karlovy Vary, Locarno is the Film Festival with the longest history...
, Switzerland's most prestigious film festival.
See also
- Azienda Elettrica TicineseAzienda Elettrica TicineseAzienda Elettrica Ticinese is a small electricity wholesaler based in Bellinzona . It's a commercial independent public body owned by the canton Ticino....
- List of newspapers in Switzerland#Italian language
External links
- Cantone Ticino official site
- Ticino Tourism, official website of tourism office
- Ticino 360° Fullscreen panoramic images
- Photos of San Francisco photographer JB Monaco's 1908 pilgrimage to Ticino