SwitzerlandSwitzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located at the confluence of Western, Central and Southern Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland is geographically divided among the Swiss Plateau, the Alps and the Jura; the Alps occupy the greater part of the territory, whereas most of the country's population of 8.7 million are concentrated on the plateau, which hosts the largest cities and economic centres, including Zürich, Geneva and Basel.
AargauAargau (ˈɑrɡaʊ , ˈaːrɡaʊ), more formally the Canton of Aargau (Kanton Aargau; Chantun Argovia; Canton d'Argovie; Canton Argovia), is one of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confederation. It is composed of eleven districts and its capital is Aarau. Aargau is one of the most northerly cantons of Switzerland. It is situated by the lower course of the Aare River, which is why the canton is called Aar-gau (meaning "Aare province"). It is one of the most densely populated regions of Switzerland.
Jura MountainsThe Jura Mountains (ˈ(d)ʒʊərə , ʒyʁa, ˈjuːʁa, ˈjuːɾa;Arpitan Massif du Jura; Juragebirge; Massiccio del Giura; Montagnas da Jura) are a sub-alpine mountain range a short distance north of the Western Alps and mainly demarcate a long part of the French–Swiss border. While the Jura range proper ("folded Jura", Faltenjura) is located in France and Switzerland, the range continues as the Table Jura ("not folded Jura", Tafeljura) northeastwards through northern Switzerland and Germany.
VindonissaVindonissa (from a Gaulish toponym in *windo- "white") was a Roman legion camp, vicus and later a bishop's seat at modern Windisch, Switzerland. The remains of the camp are listed as a heritage site of national significance. The city of Brugg hosts a small Roman museum, displaying finds from the legion camp. Excavations along the western edge of the Roman camp have discovered a few funeral pyre graves dating to the late Bronze Age ( 1000–800 BC).
Swiss PlateauThe Swiss Plateau or Central Plateau (Schweizer Mittelland; plateau suisse; altopiano svizzero) is one of the three major landscapes in Switzerland, lying between the Jura Mountains and the Swiss Alps. It covers about 30% of the Swiss surface area, and is partly flat but mostly hilly. The average height is between and AMSL. It is by far the most densely populated region of Switzerland, the center of economy and important transportation. In the north and northwest, the Swiss Plateau is sharply delimited geographically and geologically by the Jura Mountains.
BruggBrugg (sometimes written as Brugg AG in order to distinguish it from other Bruggs) is a Swiss municipality and a town in the canton of Aargau and is the seat of the district of the same name. The town is located at the confluence of the Aare, Reuss, and Limmat, with the Aare flowing through its medieval part. It is located approximately from the cantonal capital of Aarau; from Zürich; and about from Basel. Brugg is the Swiss German term for bridge (Brücke).
BernBern (bɛrn) or Berne (bɛʁn) is the de facto capital of Switzerland, referred to as the "federal city". With a population of about 133,000 (), Bern is the fifth-most populous city in Switzerland, behind Zürich, Geneva, Basel and Lausanne. The Bern agglomeration, which includes 36 municipalities, had a population of 406,900 in 2014. The metropolitan area had a population of 660,000 in 2000. Bern is also the capital of the canton of Bern, the second-most populous of Switzerland's cantons.
ZürichZürich (ˈzjʊərᵻk , ˈtsyːrɪç; see below) is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zürich. It is located in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zürich. As of January 2023 the municipality had 443,037 inhabitants, the urban area 1.315 million (2009), and the Zürich metropolitan area 1.83 million (2011). Zürich is a hub for railways, roads, and air traffic. Both Zurich Airport and Zürich's main railway station are the largest and busiest in the country.
BaselBasel (ˈbɑːzəl , ˈbaːzl̩), also known as Basle (bɑːl ), is a city in northwestern Switzerland on the river Rhine. Basel is Switzerland's third-most-populous city (after Zürich and Geneva), with 164,488 inhabitants within the city municipality limits. The official language of Basel is (the Swiss variety of Standard) German, but the main spoken language is the local Basel German dialect.
