Kantons

Kantons, or cantons, are territorial subdivisions that exercise a degree of political autonomy within a country. The term is most closely associated with Switzerland, where cantons are the constitutive states of the Swiss Confederation.

Switzerland has 26 cantons, including six half-cantons. Each canton has its own constitution, parliament or cantonal council, executive government, and judiciary. Cantons retain sovereignty in areas such as education, policing, healthcare, and taxation, subject to the limits of federal law and the federal constitution. They vary widely in size, population, and language: some are German-speaking, others French-speaking, Italian-speaking, or Romansh-speaking. In the federal system, cantons are represented in the Council of the States, with full cantons sending two delegates and the six half-cantons sending one each.

Outside Switzerland, the term cantons is used in different contexts. In France, cantons are subdivisions of departments used for elections to departmental councils. In other historical or regional contexts, cantons have functioned as administrative or electoral units. The concept generally denotes a subdivision that preserves a measure of self-government while remaining part of a larger sovereign or administrative framework. Etymologically, the term reflects older usage in European languages to designate smaller territorial districts that cluster to form a larger political entity.