kantoni

Kantoni is the Albanian term for a canton, a type of territorial and administrative unit used in several countries. In modern usage, it is most closely associated with the cantons of Switzerland, where cantons function as semi-sovereign member states within a federal framework.

In Switzerland, there are 26 cantons. Each canton has its own constitution, government (executive), and legislature, and exercises jurisdiction over areas such as education, health, tax collection, policing, and local planning. Cantons retain a high degree of autonomy from the federal government, and their institutions operate alongside national institutions. The cantonal and federal levels cooperate within the Swiss system, including direct democratic instruments at the cantonal level such as referendums and popular initiatives. At the federal level, cantons are represented in the Council of States, with two seats per full canton and one seat for half-cantons, while the National Council represents the population.

Outside Switzerland, the concept of cantons or similar subnational regions appears in various forms in different countries, sometimes under different names. The term kantoni in Albanian-speaking contexts is used to describe these divisions in general, rather than to refer to a specific territorial entity. The exact powers, borders, and institutions of cantonal units can vary significantly from country to country.