You could begin this chapter by listing the 26 states. Switzerland has that many cantons and half cantons. In principle they are states. Some of them still call themselves republics. CH, the car country code for Switzerland, is “Confoederatio Helvetica” in Latin. It stands for what the Swiss call the “Eidgenossenschaft”, the federation of these states. Each canton in this federation of states has its own government, its own legal jurisdiction and police force, its own official language(s) and its own school system.
For you as a guest in Switzerland, this is not too important. The currency, the Swiss franc, is the same all over the country. In bigger businesses, hotels and restaurants you can also pay in Euros. And many Swiss people are used to speaking another national language (German, French, Italian) alongside their own and often also speak English.
Do you want to know more about the scenic, cultural and economic diversity of Switzerland and your region? Click here >
