| Kanton Aargau | |||
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| — Canton of Switzerland — | |||
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| Coordinates: | |||
| Capital | Aarau | ||
| Largest City | Wettingen | ||
| Subdivisions | 220 municipalities, 11 districts | ||
| Government | |||
| • Executive | Executive Council (5) | ||
| • Legislative | Grand Council (140) | ||
| Area[1] | |||
| • Total | 1,403.73 km2 (542 sq mi) | ||
| Population (12/2010)[2] | |||
| • Total | 612,611 | ||
| • Density | 436.4/km2 (1,130.3/sq mi) | ||
| Highest point | 908 m (2,979 ft) - Geissfluegrat | ||
| Lowest point | 260 m (853 ft) - Rhine at Kaiseraugst | ||
| Joined | 1803 | ||
| Abbreviation | AG | ||
| Languages | German | ||
| Website | AG.ch | ||
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Map of Aargau
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Aargau (German ; rarely anglicized Argovia) is one of the more northerly cantons of Switzerland. It comprises the lower course of the river Aare, which is why the canton is called Aar-gau (meaning Aare district).
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In early medieval times, Argovia or Argowe was a disputed border region between the duchies of Alamannia and Burgundy. A line of the von Wetterau (Conradines) intermittently held the countship of Aargau from 750 until about 1030, when they lost it (having in the meantime taken the name von Tegerfelden). From the extinction in 1254 of the Hohenstaufen dynasty until 1415, the area was ruled by the Habsburgs, and many castles from that time still stand (examples include Habsburg, Lenzburg, Tegerfelden, Bobikon, Stin and Wildegg). The Habsburgs founded a number of monasteries (with some structures enduring, e.g., in Wettingen and Muri), the closing of which by the government in 1841 was a contributing factor to the outbreak of the Swiss civil war – the "Sonderbund War" – in 1847.
In 1415, the Aargau was taken from the Habsburgs by the Swiss Confederates. Bern kept the southwest portion (Zofingen, Aarburg, Aarau, Lenzburg, and Brugg). Some districts, named the Freie Ämter (free bailiwicks) – Mellingen, Muri, Villmergen, and Bremgarten), with the countship of Baden – were governed as "subject lands" by all or some of the Confederates.
French forces occupied Aargau from 10 March to 18 April 1798; thereafter the Bernese portion became the canton of Aargau in the Helvetic Republic and the remainder formed the Canton of Baden. In 1803, the two halves were united under the name of canton of Aargau,[3] which was then admitted as a full member of the reconstituted Confederation. Fricktal, ceded in 1802 by Austria via Napoleonic France to the Helvetic Republic, was briefly a separate Swiss canton under a Statthalter ('Lieutenant'), but on 9 March 1803 was incorporated in the canton of Aargau.
The chief magistracy of Aargau changed its style repeatedly:
In the year 2003, the canton of Aargau celebrated its 200th anniversary.
In the 17th Century, Jews were banished from Switzerland. However, a few families were permitted to live in two villages, Endingen and Lengnau, in Aargau which became the Jewish ghetto in Switzerland. This remained the case until the 19th Century. In 1799 all special tolls were abolished, and in 1802 the poll tax was removed. On 5 May, 1809, the right of citizenship was granted to Jews, and they were permitted to engage in trade and agriculture. The right of settlement remained restricted to Endingen and Lengnau until 7 May 1846, when they were allowed to settle in any portion of the canton of Aargau. Ten years later (24 September 1856) the Swiss Federal Council voted them equal political rights with other Swiss citizens in that canton, as well as entire freedom of commerce; but the opposition of the Christian population prevented the decision from being generally carried out. The federal authorities in July 1863, granted the Swiss Jews the fullest rights of citizens. However, full civil equality was obtained only when they received the formal rights of citizenship, which had long been withheld from them in their own communities of Endingen and Lengnau. A resolution of the Grand Council, on 15 May 1877, granted citizens' rights to the members of the Jewish communities of those places, giving them charters under the names of New Endingen and New Lengnau.[4]
Its total area is 1,404 square kilometers (542 sq mi). The capital is Aarau. It borders Germany to the north. To the west lie the cantons of Basel-Landschaft, Solothurn and Bern. The canton of Lucerne lies south of the canton of Aargau, Zürich and Zug to the east.
The canton of Aargau is one of the least mountainous Swiss cantons, forming part of a great table-land, to the north of the Alps and the east of the Jura, above which rise low hills. The surface of the country is beautifully diversified, undulating tracts and well-wooded hills[5] alternating with fertile valleys watered mainly by the Aar and its tributaries. The valleys alternate with pleasant hills, most of which are full of woods. Slightly over one-third of the canton is wooded (518 square kilometers (200 sq mi)), while nearly half is used from farming (635.7 square kilometers (245.4 sq mi)). 33.5 square kilometers (12.9 sq mi) or about 2.4% of the canton is considered unproductive, mostly lakes and streams. The canton is heavily developed, with 216.7 square kilometers (83.7 sq mi) or about 15% of the canton developed for housing or transportation.[6]
It contains the famous hot sulphur springs of Baden and Schinznach-Bad, while at Rheinfelden there are very extensive saline springs. Just below Brugg the Reuss and the Limmat join the Aar, while around Brugg are the ruined castle of Habsburg, the old convent of Königsfelden (with fine painted medieval glass) and the remains of the Roman settlement of Vindonissa (Windisch).
Aargau is divided into 11 districts:
There are a total of 231 municipalities in the canton of Aargau.
The population of Aargau is 612611 (31 December 2010).[2] As of 2007[update] the population included 118,407 foreigners, who made up 20.36% of the total population.[7] Religiously, they are (as of 2000[update]) nearly evenly split between Roman Catholics (40%) and Protestants (37%).[8] German is the most common language in the canton, spoken by 87% of the population.[9]
The farmland of the canton of Aargau is some of the most fertile in Switzerland. Dairy farming, cereal and fruit farming are among the canton's main economic activities. The canton is also industrially developed, particularly in the fields of electrical engineering, precision instruments, iron, steel and cement.
Three of Switzerland's five nuclear power plants are in the canton of Aargau (Beznau I + II and Leibstadt). Additionally, the many rivers supply enough water for numerous hydroelectric power plants throughout the canton. The canton of Aargau is often called "the energy canton".
A significant number of people commute into the financial center of the city of Zürich, which is just across the cantonal border. As such the per capita cantonal income is approximately $41,777.[10]
Tourism is significant, particularly for the hot springs at Baden and Schinznach-Bad, the ancient castles, the landscape, and the many old museums in the canton.[5] Hillwalking is another tourist attraction but is of only limited significance.
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