Obwalden

Obwalden
Capital	Sarnen
Population (2007)	33,997 (Ranked 25th)
- Density	69 /km²
Area	491 km² (Ranked 19th)
Highest point	3238 m - Titlis
Lowest point	434 m - Lake Lucerne
Joined	1291
Abbreviation	ow
Languages	German
Executive	Regierungsrat (5)
Legislative	Kantonsrat (55)
Municipalities	7 municipalities
Districts	n.a.
Website	www.ow.ch

Obwalden (German: Obwalden) is a canton of Switzerland. It is located in the centre of Switzerland. The population is 33,997 (2007) of which 4,043 (or 11.9%) are foreigners^[1]. Its capital is Sarnen.

Contents 1 Geography 2 History 3 Politics 4 Economy 5 Tourism 6 Culture 7 Municipalities 8 External links 9 References

Geography

Highest elevation: Titlis (Urner Alps), 3238 m

Lakes in the canton include: parts of Lake Lucerne (Vierwaldstättersee), Lake Sarnen (Sarnersee), Lungerersee, Wichelsee, Tannensee and Melchsee.

History

First settlements in Obwalden date back to the Celts and the Romans. After 700 AD the Alemanni moved into the area. In 1291 Obwalden joined Nidwalden to form an alliance with Uri and Schwyz which is the basis of modern day Switzerland. In the 13th and 14th century Obwalden established its own local governance, despite having had a joint assembly with Nidwalden up to around 1330.

In 1403 Obwalden joined Uri to invade the Leventina area (today located in the canton of Ticino) to establish new markets for cheese and cattle. Approximately 1500 people in Obwalden worked as mercenary soldiers. Some of these soldiers accumulated wealth and held many offices. During Napoleon's occupation between 1798 and 1803 Obwalden lost its independence, but, for the first time, ordinary people gained fundamental political rights. In 1815 the monastery of Engelberg and the municipality of the same name joined Obwalden.

Politics

Within the Swiss Confederation Obwalden is a half canton. This gives Obwalden all the rights and duties of full cantons, with the exception that the canton can only send one deputy to the Council of States. The small size of the canton allows a small government with only five members.

Economy

Small and middle-sized businesses dominate the economy of Obwalden. Many of them are specialists in areas such as miniature engines, synthetics, medical equipment or nano technology.

Traditional areas are still of great importance. Particularly forestry and related businesses are significant, as is agriculture. Agriculture in Obwalden is specialized in integrated dairy and meat farming. The farms are still family run.

Tourism is a major sector. Many facilities built for tourism now benefit the local industry and the population. One quarter of the population is directly or indirectly employed in the tourism sector.

In 2007 Obwalden replaced the former degressive income tax (lower tax rates for higher incomes) with a flat 1.8% income tax, which is the lowest in the country^[2]. This cantonal tax is in addition to federal and local taxes.

Tourism

The central location in the Swiss Alps meant that Obwalden was able to establish itself as a significant tourist location in the 19th century. Two of the mountains, namely Pilatus and Titlis, are the main attractions. Winter sports, in particular skiing and snowboarding, attract many tourist. The main resorts are Engelberg, Melchsee-Frutt, Lungern-Schönbüel, Mörlialp and Langis. During the summer, hiking and mountaineering are the main attractions.

Culture

Traditional culture in Obwalden has been kept alive by many local organizations. There is traditional music, carnival, dances, costumes, theatres and festivals. There are also a number of modern artists, including Josef Garovi (composer), Caspar Diethelm (composer), Julian Dillier (poet), Franz Bucher (painter), Kurt Sigrist (sculptor) and Alois Spichtig (sculptor).

Municipalities

There are seven municipalities: Sarnen, Kerns, Sachseln, Alpnach, Giswil, Lungern and Engelberg. The capital Sarnen is subdivided into Sarnen-Dorfschaft, Kägiswil, Schwendi/Wilen and Ramersberg. The autonomy of the municipalities in Obwalden is significant. Two thirds of the tax revenues flow to the municipalities, which for example pay for education without grants from the canton.

External links

• Official site (German)
• Obwalden.net (German)
• Official statistics
• Pilatus
• Titlis

References

Cantons of Switzerland Aargau Appenzell Ausserrhoden Appenzell Innerrhoden Basel-City Basel-Country Berne Fribourg Geneva Glarus Graubünden Jura Lucerne Neuchâtel Nidwalden Obwalden Schaffhausen Schwyz Solothurn St. Gallen Thurgau Ticino Uri Valais Vaud Zug Zürich Italicization shows halfcantons