Canton of Uri
Canton of Uri
Kanton Uri (German) | |
---|---|
Joined | 1291 |
Languages | German |
Website | www |
The canton of Uri (
The official language of Uri is (the Swiss variety of Standard) German, but the main spoken dialect is the Alemannic Swiss German called Urner German .
Uri was once the only canton whose children in school had to learn Italian as their first foreign language, but in the school year of 2005/2006, that was changed to English, as in other Central and Northeastern Swiss cantons. The canton's population is about 35,000, of which 3,046 (or 8.7%) are foreigners.[4]
The legendary William Tell is said to have hailed from Uri. The historical landmark Rütli lies within the canton of Uri.
Name
The name of the valley is first mentioned in the 8th or 9th century, in the Latinized form of Uronia.[5] In the medieval period, the name referred not to the entire Reuss valley but just to Altdorf and the surrounding settlements and estates. The extension of the name to a larger territory is the result of the territorial expansion of the canton in the 15th century. However, usage of Uri as referring to Altdorf remained current. From the 13th century onward, the German form of the name is recorded as Ure(n). The modern form Uri dates to the 16th century.
The name has been derived from either Latin ora "brim, edge, margin" (reflected as
There is a long-standing
History
Early history
There are traces of settlement dating to the Bronze and Iron Age, with suggestions of trans-alpine trade with
Alemannic settlement begins in the 7th century. Uri is first mentioned in 732 as the place of banishment of Eto, the abbot of Reichenau, by the duke of Alamannia.[8] In 853, Uri is granted to the Fraumünster abbey in Zürich by Louis the German. Parts of the Urseren were settled by Disentis Abbey and were part of the Diocese of Chur. By the 10th century, there were settlements of Romansh speakers from Disentis in the high valleys.[7] Uri briefly passed under
Since at least the 10th century, the people of Uri signed treaties as a collective, as nos inhabitantes Uroniam (955) or homines universi vallis Uranie (1273). By 1243, they used a seal with a bull's head.
Old Swiss Confederacy
A treaty of mutual recognition and assistance with Schwyz, possibly concluded in 1291 and certainly by 1309, would come to be regarded as the foundational act of the Old Swiss Confederacy or Eidgenossenschaft. The Battle of Morgarten in 1315, while of limited strategic importance, was the first instance of the Confederates defeating the Habsburgs in the field. A few months after the victory at Morgarten, the three Forest Cantons met at
Following the victory at Sempach, Uri began a program of territorial expansion to allow them to control the entire Gotthard route. As a first step, Uri annexed the Urseren valley in 1410, although the community of Urseren was allowed to retain its own assembly and courts. In 1403, Uri began to acquire its
Uri, along with Central Switzerland as a whole, resisted the
Growth of Uri stagnated in the early modern period, due to the limited availability of arable land, as well as disease and crop failures. Plague broke out in the canton in 1348–49, 1517–18, 1574–75 and 1629. In 1742–43 and again 1770–71, crop failures combined with cattle diseases led to starvation and mass emigration. The consequences for the population were severe, in 1743 Uri had 9,828 inhabitants, but by the end of the 18th Century there were only 9,464 people.[7]
Modern history
The government of Uri spoke out against the ideals of the
From June until the end of September 1799, troops of the Second Coalition fought the French in Uri. With the defeat of the Russian general
Uri remained without an official constitution until 1820. The document included only six principles that were based on traditional practice and existing state laws. The government remained deeply conservative during the
After the defeat of the Sonderbund, Uri supported the new Swiss Federal Constitution. They established a cantonal constitution that included some liberal changes including; the abolition of lifetime alderman positions, eliminating the privy council and secret council meetings and the establishment of a provisional executive council. The Landsgemeinde was the supreme sovereign power. The Catholic Church continued to enjoy privileges, but freedom of worship was now available for other faiths. The new Federal Constitution of 1874, which was rejected by the voters of Uri, led to a total revision of the cantonal constitution in 1888. The new constitution streamlined the government and addressed many of the issues of the 1848 cantonal constitution. The Landsgemeinde continued to meet on a local level until the last one was held in Bötzlingen in the municipality of Schattdorf on 6 May 1928.[12] The Christian Democratic Party (CVP) and the Free Democratic Party (FDP) have dominated politics in Uri during the 20th century.[7]
Geography
The canton is located in the centre of the country on the north side of the Swiss Alps. The lands of the canton are that of the Reuss valley and those of the main river's tributaries. Uri has an area, as of 2011[update], of 1,076.4 km2 (415.6 sq mi). Of this area, 24.4% is used for agricultural purposes, while 18.2% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 1.7% is settled (buildings or roads) and 55.6% is unproductive land.[13]
The highest elevation in the canton, and in the
Administrative divisions
Uri today comprises 19 self-administered territories: the cantonal capital is Altdorf.
The municipalities of the canton of Uri are: Altdorf, Andermatt, Attinghausen, Bürglen, Erstfeld, Flüelen, Göschenen, Gurtnellen, Hospental, Isenthal, Realp, Schattdorf, Seedorf, Seelisberg, Silenen, Sisikon, Spiringen, Unterschächen, Wassen
On 1 January 2021 the former municipality of Bauen merged into the municipality of Seedorf.[14]
Flag and coat of arms
The blazon of the coat of arms is Or, a bull's head caboshed sable, langued and noseringed gules.[16]
The use of the bull's head as heraldic charge may be due to a popular etymology associating the canton's name with the name of the aurochs.[6] It is certain that such an association was made in the early modern period; the introduction of the bull as heraldic animal dates to the 13th century. Uri used a seal with a bull's head, seen from the side, by 1243. By the 14th century, Uri was using a banner showing a black bull's head in a yellow field. In the town-hall of Altfdorf, six cantonal banners dating to the Old Swiss Confederacy are preserved, reportedly dating from the battles of Morgarten (1315) and Sempach (1386), the Old Zürich War (1443), the Burgundian Wars (1476) and the Swabian War (1499), and the Juliusbanner (1512).[15]
Demographics
Uri has a population (as of December 2020[update]) of 36,819.[2] As of 2010[update], 9.4% of the population are resident foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years (2000–2010) the population has changed at a rate of −0.4%. Migration accounted for −1.2%, while births and deaths accounted for 1.3%.[13] Most of the population (as of 2000[update]) speaks German (32,518 or 93.5%) as their first language, Serbo-Croatian is the second most common (677 or 1.9%) and Italian is the third (462 or 1.3%). There are 67 people who speak French and 51 people who speak Romansh.[17]
Of the population in the canton, 16,481 or about 47.4% were born in Uri and lived there in 2000. There were 9,118 or 26.2% who were born in the same canton, while 5,426 or 15.6% were born somewhere else in Switzerland, and 3,019 or 8.7% were born outside of Switzerland.[17] As of 2000[update], children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 25% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 58.6% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 16.4%.[13] As of 2000[update], there were 15,029 people who were single and never married in the canton. There were 16,839 married individuals, 2,040 widows or widowers and 869 individuals who are divorced.[17]
As of 2000[update], there were 13,430 private households in the canton, and an average of 2.5 persons per household.[13] There were 3,871 households that consist of only one person and 1,382 households with five or more people. As of 2009[update], the construction rate of new housing units was 4.7 new units per 1000 residents.[13] The vacancy rate for the canton, in 2010[update], was 0.77%.[13]
The historical population is given in the following chart:[7]
Historic Population Data[7] | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Total Population | German Speaking | Italian Speaking | Catholic | Protestant | Other | Jewish | Christian Catholic | No religion given | Swiss | Non-Swiss |
1850 | 14,505 | 14,493 | 12 | 14 465 | 40 | ||||||
1860 | 14,741 | ||||||||||
1870 | 16,095 | ||||||||||
1880 | 23,744 | 18,024 | 5,313 | 23,149 | 524 | 21 | 7 | 17 376 | 6 368 | ||
1888 | 17,249 | ||||||||||
1900 | 19,700 | 18,685 | 947 | 18,924 | 773 | 3 | 1 | 18 267 | 1 433 | ||
1910 | 22,113 | ||||||||||
1920 | 23,973 | ||||||||||
1930 | 22,968 | ||||||||||
1941 | 27,302 | ||||||||||
1950 | 28,556 | 27,639 | 693 | 26,439 | 2,073 | 24 | 20 | 27 743 | 813 | ||
1960 | 32,021 | ||||||||||
1970 | 34,091 | 31,546 | 1,900 | 31,732 | 2,236 | 113 | 10 | 31 | 31 393 | 2 698 | |
1980 | 33,883 | ||||||||||
1990 | 34,208 | ||||||||||
2000 | 34,777 | 32,518 | 462 | 29,846 | 2,074 | 2,835 | 7 | 22 | 818 | 31 706 | 3 071 |
Religion
From the 2000 census[update], 29,846 or 85.8% were Roman Catholic, while 1,809 or 5.2% belonged to the
Education
In Uri about 11,949 or (34.4%) of the population have completed non-mandatory upper secondary education, and 2,794 or (8.0%) have completed additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule). Of the 2,794 who completed tertiary schooling, 74.2% were Swiss men, 16.9% were Swiss women, 5.7% were non-Swiss men and 3.3% were non-Swiss women.[17]
Economy
The cultivated fields of the canton are located in the valley of the Reuss. There are pastures on the lower mountain slopes. Since most of the terrain is extremely hilly, it is not suitable for cultivation. Hydroelectric power generation is of great importance. Forestry is one of the most important sectors of agriculture. At Altdorf there are cable and rubber factories.
Tourism is an important source of income in the canton of Uri. An excellent network of roads facilitates tourism in remote areas in the mountains.
As of 2010[update], Uri had an unemployment rate of 1.4%. As of 2008[update], there were 1,764 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 703 businesses involved in this sector. 5,388 people were employed in the secondary sector and there were 324 businesses in this sector. 9,431 people were employed in the tertiary sector, with 1,113 businesses in this sector.[13]
In 2008[update] the total number of full-time equivalent jobs was 13,383. The number of jobs in the primary sector was 958, of which 891 were in agriculture, 65 were in forestry or lumber production and 1 was in fishing or fisheries. The number of jobs in the secondary sector was 5,078 of which 2,948 or (58.1%) were in manufacturing, 71 or (1.4%) were in mining and 1,696 (33.4%) were in construction. The number of jobs in the tertiary sector was 7,347. In the tertiary sector; 1,384 or 18.8% were in the sale or repair of motor vehicles, 819 or 11.1% were in the movement and storage of goods, 1,126 or 15.3% were in a hotel or restaurant, 103 or 1.4% were in the information industry, 264 or 3.6% were the insurance or financial industry, 445 or 6.1% were technical professionals or scientists, 505 or 6.9% were in education and 1,505 or 20.5% were in health care.[18]
Of the working population, 12.1% used public transportation to get to work, and 48.5% used a private car.[13]
Tourism
There are 39 cable cars in the valley which provide access to numerous peaks, hiking and bike trails as well as ski slopes and cross-country tracks.[19]
Tourism is a major industry in the Canton of Uri. In 2008[update], there were 91 hotels in the canton with a total of 1,368 rooms. During the same year 145,600 guests stayed in those hotels and 67.1% were from outside Switzerland.[20]
The Canton of Uri is named as erstwhile home of "Heinz the Baron Claus Von Espy" in American 2003 movie, "Intolerable Cruelty", produced by the Coen Brothers.
Politics
Federal election
In the 2015 federal election the most popular party was the SVP/UDC which received 44.1% of the vote. The next most popular parties were the CVP/PDC/PPD/PCD with 26.8% and the GPS/PES with 26.3%.[21]
In the
The FDP lost about 13.0% of the vote when compared to the 2007 Federal election (87.3% in 2007 vs 74.3% in 2011). The SP/PS moved from below fourth place in 2007 to second.[23]
Federal election results
Percentage of the total vote per party in the canton in the Federal Elections 1971-2015[21][24][25] | |||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Ideology | 1971 | 1975 | 1979 | 1983 | 1987 | 1991 | 1995 | 1999 | 2003 | 2007 | 2011 | 2015 | 2019 | |
FDP.The Liberalsa
|
Classical liberalism | 95.2 | 76.0 | 39.0 | 84.7 | 85.5 | 93.2 | 86.0 | 81.7 | 36.6 | 87.3 | 74.3 | * | * | |
CVP/PDC/PPD/PCD | Christian democracy | * b | 18.6 | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | 26.8 | 39.2 | |
SP/PS | Social democracy | * | * | 23.0 | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | 21.5 | * | 22.3 | |
SVP/UDC | Swiss nationalism |
* | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | 31.3 | * | * | 44.1 | 36.3 | |
GPS/PES | Green politics | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | 30.6 | * | * | 26.3 | * | |
FPS/PSL | Right-wing populism | * | * | * | * | 1.7 | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | |
Other | 4.8 | 5.4 | 38.0 | 15.3 | 12.8 | 6.8 | 14.0 | 18.3 | 1.5 | 12.7 | 4.3 | 2.8 | 2.2 | ||
Voter participation % | 56.1 | 47.3 | 56.2 | 30.0 | 46.2 | 34.6 | 39.7 | 36.3 | 44.4 | 24.1 | 49.8 | 57.1 | 45.9 |
- ^a FDP before 2009, FDP.The Liberals after 2009
- ^b "*" indicates that the party was not on the ballot in this canton.
Cantonal election
In
The evolving party membership in the Landrat is shown in the following chart (for selected dates):[7][26]
See also
References
- ^ Arealstatistik Land Cover - Kantone und Grossregionen nach 6 Hauptbereichen accessed 27 October 2017
- ^ a b "Ständige und nichtständige Wohnbevölkerung nach institutionellen Gliederungen, Geburtsort und Staatsangehörigkeit". bfs.admin.ch (in German). Swiss Federal Statistical Office - STAT-TAB. 31 December 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
- ^ Statistik, Bundesamt für (21 January 2021). "Bruttoinlandsprodukt (BIP) nach Grossregion und Kanton - 2008-2018 | Tabelle". Bundesamt für Statistik (in German). Retrieved 1 July 2023.
- ^ Federal Department of Statistics (2008). "Ständige Wohnbevölkerung nach Staatsangehörigkeit, Geschlecht und Kantonen". Archived from the original (Microsoft Excel) on 15 December 2008. Retrieved 5 November 2008.
- ^ The oldest mention of the name is in a document dated 853, as pagus uroniae. Some Middle Latin sources also spell Urania.
There is a possible mention dating to the 8th century, in the context of the banishment of abbot Eto to Uri in 732, but this is extant only in an 11th-century chronicle ( Eto, Augiae abbas, a Theodebaldo ob odium Karoli in Uraniam relegatus Hermannus Contractus, Chronicum, c. 1040).
- ^ a b c Albert Hug, Viktor Weibel: Urner Namenbuch. Die Orts- und Flurnamen des Kantons Uri, Altdorf 1990, Band 3, Seite 768 ff. bzw. Uri unter ortsnamen.ch
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Uri in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.
- ^ Coolidge, William Augustus Brevoort (1911). . In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 27 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 795–796.
- ^ Battle of Morgarten in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.
- ISBN 0-8006-0761-9
- ISBN 0-521-20939-0
- ^ History of Schattdorf Archived 20 April 2006 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Key Data, Uri". Federal Statistical Office (Switzerland). Archived from the original on 26 January 2012. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
- ^ "Applikation der Schweizer Gemeinden". bfs.admin.ch. Swiss Federal Statistical Office. 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
- ^ a b Muheim Hans, Das Rathaus von Uri in Altdorf (Kunstführer, Gesellschaft für Schweizerische Kunstgeschichte), Bern, 1989 (urikon.ch Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine).
- ^ Flags of the World.com. Retrieved 5 January 2012
- ^ a b c d e STAT-TAB Datenwürfel für Thema 40.3 – 2000 Archived 9 April 2014 at the Wayback Machine (in German). Retrieved 2 February 2011
- ^ Swiss Federal Statistical Office STAT-TAB Betriebszählung: Arbeitsstätten nach Gemeinde und NOGA 2008 (Abschnitte), Sektoren 1–3 Archived 25 December 2014 at the Wayback Machine (in German). Retrieved 28 January 2011
- ^ List of cable cars in Uri Archived 18 June 2013 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Canton of Uri Statistics-Angebot, Ankünfte und Logiernächte in Hotelbetrieben Uri (2005 bis 2008) Archived 13 November 2011 at the Wayback Machine (in German). Retrieved 15 January 2012
- ^ a b Nationalratswahlen: Stärke der Parteien nach Kantonen (Schweiz = 100%) (Report). Swiss Federal Statistical Office. 2015. Archived from the original on 2 August 2016. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
- ^ Swiss Federal Statistical Office, Elections in Switzerland Archived 11 January 2012 at the Wayback Machine (in German). Retrieved 5 January 2012
- ^ Swiss Federal Statistical Office, Nationalratswahlen 2007: Stärke der Parteien und Wahlbeteiligung, nach Gemeinden/Bezirk/Canton Archived 14 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine (in German). Retrieved 28 May 2010
- ^ "Nationalratswahlen (Parteistimmen, fiktive Wählende und Parteistärke seit 1971: Schweiz und Kantone)". bfs.admin.ch (in German). Federal Statistical Office. 13 May 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
- ^ "Eidgenössische und kantonale Wahlen und kantonale Abstimmung". ur.ch (in German). Canton of Uri. 20 October 2019. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
- ^ a b "Ladratswahlen 2020 Statistische Auswertung" (PDF). ur.ch (in German). Canton of Uri. 19 May 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
External links
- Official site (in German)
- Official statistics