Basel-Landschaft or Basel-Country informally known as Baselland or Baselbiet (; german: Kanton Basel-Landschaft ; rm, Chantun Basilea-Champagna; french: Canton de Bâle-Campagne; it, Canton Basilea Campagna), is one of the
26 cantons forming the
Swiss Confederation
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
. It is composed of five districts and its capital city is
Liestal. It is traditionally considered a "
half-canton", the other half being
Basel-Stadt
Basel-Stadt or Basel-City (german: Kanton ; rm, Chantun Basilea-Citad; french: Canton de Bâle-Ville; it, Canton Basilea Città) is one of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confederation. It is composed of three municipalities with Basel as t ...
, its urban counterpart.
Basel-Landschaft is one of the northernmost cantons of Switzerland. It lies essentially south of the
Rhine
), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source1_coordinates=
, source1_elevation =
, source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein
, source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source2_coordinates=
, so ...
and north of the
Jura Mountains
The Jura Mountains ( , , , ; french: Massif du Jura; german: Juragebirge; it, Massiccio del Giura, rm, 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 Frenc ...
. The canton shares borders with the canton of Basel-Stadt to the north, the canton of
Aargau
Aargau, more formally the Canton of Aargau (german: Kanton Aargau; rm, Chantun Argovia; french: Canton d'Argovie; it, Canton Argovia), is one of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confederation. It is composed of eleven districts and its capita ...
to the east, the canton of
Solothurn
Solothurn ( , ; french: Soleure ; it, Soletta ; rm, ) is a List of towns in Switzerland, town, a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality, and the Capital (political), capital of the canton of Solothurn in Switzerland. It is located in the n ...
to the south and the canton of
Jura to the west. It shares international borders as well with
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
and
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
to the north.
Together with Basel-Stadt, Basel-Landschaft was part of the canton of
Basel
, french: link=no, Bâlois(e), it, Basilese
, neighboring_municipalities= Allschwil (BL), Hégenheim (FR-68), Binningen (BL), Birsfelden (BL), Bottmingen (BL), Huningue (FR-68), Münchenstein (BL), Muttenz (BL), Reinach (BL), Riehen (BS ...
, who joined the
Old Swiss Confederacy
The Old Swiss Confederacy or Swiss Confederacy (German language, Modern German: ; historically , after the Swiss Reformation, Reformation also , "Confederation of the Swiss") was a loose confederation of independent small states (, German or ...
in 1501. Political quarrels and armed conflict led to the partition of the canton in 1833.
History
Basel-Landschaft, together with Basel-Stadt, formed the historic
Canton of Basel
Basel was a canton of Switzerland that was in existence between 1501 and 1833, when it was split into the two half-cantons of Basel-City and Basel-Country.
Background
Before the Protestant Reformation, Basel was ruled by prince-bishops (see ...
until they separated following the uprising of 1833 (
Battle of the Hülftenschanz near
Frenkendorf
Frenkendorf is a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the district of Liestal (district), Liestal in the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland.
History
Frenkendorf is first mentioned in 1249 as ''Frenchendorf'' ...
).
In Roman times, the area of Basel was a centre of Roman activity. There are well-preserved remains at the site of ''Augusta Raurica'' in the canton of Basel-Landschaft. Around 200 AD there were about 20,000 people living in this city, now part of the much smaller
Augst
Augst ( Swiss German: ''Augscht'') is a municipality in the district of Liestal in the canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland. It was known as Augusta Raurica in Roman times.
History
Augst is first mentioned in 615 as ''Augustodunensem prae ...
. The remains are on display in an open-air museum. The museum attracts over 140,000 visitors per year. Many of these visitors are schoolchildren from other parts of Switzerland. The site of Augusta Raurica includes the best-preserved amphitheatre north of the Alps, and a reconstructed Roman villa.
The lands of the canton Basel-Landschaft are part of the lands acquired by the city of
Basel
, french: link=no, Bâlois(e), it, Basilese
, neighboring_municipalities= Allschwil (BL), Hégenheim (FR-68), Binningen (BL), Birsfelden (BL), Bottmingen (BL), Huningue (FR-68), Münchenstein (BL), Muttenz (BL), Reinach (BL), Riehen (BS ...
. Until the end of the 16th century, most of the canton's land belonged to the city of Basel. After Napoleon's visit in 1798, the country achieved equality with the city. The country was economically dependent on the city, most probably because of the cost and difficulty in transporting agricultural goods to further markets, the financing of land transactions and crop production by city-based merchants. Low levels of education and literacy in the agricultural areas of Europe was typical in that era. The best students would be sponsored and sent away for higher learning. The city of Basel remained the cultural and economic centre of both Basel half cantons until then. Castles and residences of Basel merchants dominated much of the landscape in Basel-Landschaft.
After 1830 there were political quarrels and armed conflict in the canton of Basel. Some of these were concerned with the rights of the population in the agricultural areas. They ultimately led to the separation of the canton Basel-Landschaft from the city of Basel on 26 August 1833. Since then, there has been a movement for reunification. This movement gained momentum after 1900 when many parts of Basel-Landschaft became industrialized. The two half cantons agreed in principle to merge, but in 1969 the people of Basel-Landschaft voted down a referendum on this proposal in favour of retaining their independence. It is thought that the closing economic gap between the two cantons was the main reason why the population changed their attitude.
That vote was not the end of a close relationship between the two Basels. The two half cantons have since signed a number of agreements to co-operate. The contribution of Basel-Landschaft to the
University of Basel
The University of Basel (Latin: ''Universitas Basiliensis'', German: ''Universität Basel'') is a university in Basel, Switzerland. Founded on 4 April 1460, it is Switzerland's oldest university and among the world's oldest surviving universit ...
since 1976 is just one example.
in the early 1834 the two were separated
Geography
The canton of Basel-Landschaft lies in the northwestern corner of Switzerland just south of the
canton of Basel-Stadt
Basel-Stadt or Basel-City (german: Kanton ; rm, Chantun Basilea-Citad; french: Canton de Bâle-Ville; it, Canton Basilea Città) is one of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confederation. It is composed of three municipalities with Basel as t ...
.
With a few exceptions, it includes the towns of the
Laufental
Laufen District or Laufental District (french: District de Laufon) is one of the five districts of the largely German-speaking canton of Basel-Country, Switzerland. Its capital is the town of Laufen.
Prior to 1994, it was a district of the ...
along the river
Birs
The Birs (French: ''Birse'') is a long river in Switzerland that flows through the Jura region and ends as a tributary to the Rhine between Basel and Birsfelden. It is the most important river of the Swiss Jura.
Course
The Birs has its source i ...
, the
Birseck and the
Leimental, as well as the towns along the
Ergolz
The Ergolz is the main river in the canton of Basel-Landschaft, Switzerland. It rises on Mount Geisflue in the Faltenjura mountains in the upper region of Basel-Landschaft, on the border with Aargau and Solothurn, and joins the Rhine at Augst. ...
and its tributaries. The shape of the canton is very irregular, and its borders cut across several towns.
In terms of size, it is one of the smaller cantons of Switzerland (18th of 26). However, it is number 10 in terms of population.
Basel-Landschaft borders on the east and north with the
canton of Aargau
Aargau, more formally the Canton of Aargau (german: Kanton Aargau; rm, Chantun Argovia; french: Canton d'Argovie; it, Canton Argovia), is one of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confederation. It is composed of eleven districts and its capita ...
and the Rhine, which forms the border with Germany (state of
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg (; ), commonly shortened to BW or BaWü, is a German state () in Southwest Germany, east of the Rhine, which forms the southern part of Germany's western border with France. With more than 11.07 million inhabitants across a ...
). On the northwest, it borders with France (department of
Haut-Rhin
Haut-Rhin (, ; Alsatian: ''Owerelsàss'' or '; german: Oberelsass, ) is a department in the Grand Est region of France, bordering both Germany and Switzerland. It is named after the river Rhine. Its name means ''Upper Rhine''. Haut-Rhin is the ...
).
On the south, it borders on the
canton of Solothurn
The canton of Solothurn or canton of Soleure (german: Kanton Solothurn rm, Chantun Soloturn french: Canton de Soleure; it, Canton Soletta) is a canton of Switzerland. It is located in the northwest of Switzerland. The capital is Solothurn.
Hi ...
, with a few exclaves of that canton within its western area. In the extreme southwest, it borders on the
canton of Jura
The Republic and Canton of Jura (french: République et canton du Jura), less formally the Canton of Jura or Canton Jura ( , ), is the newest (founded in 1979) of the 26 Swiss cantons, located in the northwestern part of Switzerland. The capita ...
.
The
Jura mountain chain traverses the canton. The rivers
Ergolz
The Ergolz is the main river in the canton of Basel-Landschaft, Switzerland. It rises on Mount Geisflue in the Faltenjura mountains in the upper region of Basel-Landschaft, on the border with Aargau and Solothurn, and joins the Rhine at Augst. ...
and
Birs
The Birs (French: ''Birse'') is a long river in Switzerland that flows through the Jura region and ends as a tributary to the Rhine between Basel and Birsfelden. It is the most important river of the Swiss Jura.
Course
The Birs has its source i ...
drain the lands of the canton.
The thirty rivers of Baselland are:
*
Ergolz
The Ergolz is the main river in the canton of Basel-Landschaft, Switzerland. It rises on Mount Geisflue in the Faltenjura mountains in the upper region of Basel-Landschaft, on the border with Aargau and Solothurn, and joins the Rhine at Augst. ...
* Eibach
*
Homburger Bach
*
Diegter Bach
*
Walibach
*
Vordere Frenke
*
Fluebach
*
Hintere Frenke
*
Frenke
Emmerthal is a municipality in the Hameln-Pyrmont district, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the river Weser, approximatively 6 km south of Hameln. Its seat is in the village Kirchohsen.
In 1973, the Emmerthal was formed by mer ...
*
Orisbach
*
Röserenbach
*
Arisdorfer Bach
*
Violenbach
*
Wintersinger Bach
*
Buuser Bach
*
Magdener Bach
*
Hemmiker Bach
*
Rickenbächlein
*
Rhein
Rhein may refer to:
Places
* Rhine, a major river in Europe (german: Rhein, link=no)
* Rhein, a village in the municipality of Morsbach in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
* Rhein (Ostpreussen), a former name of the town Ryn in Poland
Ships
* ...
*
Birsig
The Birsig is a rather small river in eastern France and northern Switzerland. Its source is in the village Biederthal, in the French Haut-Rhin department, near the Swiss border. The Birsig is about long, and its watershed area is about . It fl ...
*
Binnbach
*
Marchbach
*
Birs
The Birs (French: ''Birse'') is a long river in Switzerland that flows through the Jura region and ends as a tributary to the Rhine between Basel and Birsfelden. It is the most important river of the Swiss Jura.
Course
The Birs has its source i ...
*
Seebach
*
Chastelbach
*
Ibach
*
Dürrbach
*
Lüssel
*
Wahlenbach
*
Lützel
Politics
Since the decision to remain independent from Basel-Stadt in 1969 there have been a number of requests in the parliament for Basel-Landschaft to become a ''full'' canton. In 1988 the canton of Basel-Landschaft had this aim written into its constitution. The aim remains to change the Swiss constitution to recognize the two cantons of Basel as full members.
Federal election results
: FDP before 2009, FDP.The Liberals after 2009
: "*" indicates that the party was not on the ballot in this canton.
: Part of the GPS
Political subdivisions
The nine municipalities of the ''Arlesheim'' district used to belong to the
diocese of Basel. In 1792 French troops occupied the district and in 1793 the lands were annexed by France, which explains the linguistic switch of the Family of the House of Basel's name from "von Basel" to "de Bâle", since Arlesheim holds their manor. In 1815 at the
Congress of Vienna
The Congress of Vienna (, ) of 1814–1815 was a series of international diplomatic meetings to discuss and agree upon a possible new layout of the European political and constitutional order after the downfall of the French Emperor Napoleon B ...
the district joined Basel.
The district of ''Laufental'' has the same history as that of ''Arlesheim''. The important difference is that in 1815 Laufental joined
Bern
german: Berner(in)french: Bernois(e) it, bernese
, neighboring_municipalities = Bremgarten bei Bern, Frauenkappelen, Ittigen, Kirchlindach, Köniz, Mühleberg, Muri bei Bern, Neuenegg, Ostermundigen, Wohlen bei Bern, Zollikofen
, website ...
rather than Basel. When the canton of Jura was created in 1979, the district of Laufental became an enclave of the canton of Bern. It was allowed self- determination and in 1980 the people decided to join the canton of Basel-Landschaft. This led to ''Laufental'' joining the canton of Basel-Landschaft on 1 January 1994 after a lengthy administrative process.
Districts
There are 5 areas (Bezirke) in Basel-Landschaft ():
*
Arlesheim (''Pop:'' ) capital:
Arlesheim (''Pop:'' )
*
Laufen (''Pop:'' ) capital:
Laufen (''Pop:'' )
*
Liestal (''Pop:'' ) capital:
Liestal (''Pop:'' )
*
Sissach (''Pop:'' ) capital:
Sissach (''Pop:'' )
*
Waldenburg (''Pop:'' ) capital:
Waldenburg (''Pop:'' )
Municipalities
There are 86
municipalities in the canton ().
Demographics
The population is predominantly German-speaking.
Protestantism
Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...
is the main religion in the canton (43% ), while about one-third of the population (32%) is
Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
. The
Swiss Reformed Church
The Protestant Church in Switzerland (PCS), (EKS); french: Église évangélique réformée de Suisse (EERS); it, Chiesa evangelica riformata in Svizzera (CERiS); rm, Baselgia evangelica refurmada da la Svizra (BRRS) formerly named Federation o ...
and
Christian Catholic Church of Switzerland
The Christian Catholic Church of Switzerland is an Old Catholic denomination in Switzerland. This denomination is part of the Union of Utrecht (Old Catholic).
Recent developments
In 1871 the Zürich Catholic community planned to build a chu ...
are recognized as state churches. Between 1959 and 1970 the canton was Switzerland's fastest-growing, as the population almost doubled from 108,000 to 205,000. Today, the canton has a population (as of ) of . , the population included 48,719 foreigners who made up 18.1% of the population.
Historical population
The historical population is given in the following table:
Economy
Agriculture in the canton includes fruit growing,
dairy farming
Dairy farming is a class of agriculture for long-term production of milk, which is processed (either on the farm or at a dairy plant, either of which may be called a dairy
A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting or ...
and cattle breeding. Important industries include textiles, metals and chemicals.
The canton of Basel-Landschaft is part of the economic region around Basel that includes parts of France and Germany as well as both half cantons of Basel. Since the 1960s there are agreements in force to strengthen contacts within the so-called ''Regio Basiliensis''. This economic co-operation is often considered as the most intensive in
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
.
From the 17th century until the beginning of the 20th century silk weaving was important in Basel-Landschaft. Factories were established as early as 1850, following the finding of
salt
Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quantitie ...
in underground deposits, founding industries such as the chemical industry in ''Schweizerhalle''. The chemical industry means that Basel is one of the richer parts of Switzerland.
The chemical industry is not the sole employer in the canton. Small and middle-sized businesses make up about a quarter of the cantonal economy. Many of these, however, are connected to the larger employers.
See also
*
Augusta Raurica
Augusta Raurica is a Roman archaeological site and an open-air museum in Switzerland located on the south bank of the Rhine river about 20 km east of Basel near the villages of Augst and Kaiseraugst. It is the site of the oldest known ...
*
List of castles and fortresses in Switzerland
This list includes castles and fortresses in Switzerland.
Entries list the name and location of the castle, fortress or ruins in each Canton in Switzerland.
Aargau
Appenzell Ausserrhoden
Appenzell Innerrhoden
Basel-Landschaft, Bas ...
*
Basellandschaftliche Zeitung
''Basellandschaftliche Zeitung'' (English: ''Basellandschaftliche Newspaper''), or bz, is a Swiss Standard German language daily newspaper, published by Luedin in Liestal, Basel-Landschaft
Basel-Landschaft or Basel-Country informally know ...
, daily newspaper published in Liestal.
Notes
References
External links
*
Official statistics*
{{Authority control
Cantons of Switzerland