Three levels of government and 26 cantons

Switzerland is a federal state. Federalism means: power is distributed across several levels. Switzerland has three levels of government. The highest level is the Confederation, that is the whole of Switzerland. The middle level is the cantons. The lowest level is the municipalities. Each level has its own tasks, its own authorities and levies its own taxes.

The federal state is made up of 26 cantons. In the past people spoke of 20 cantons and 6 half-cantons. Examples of half-cantons are Basel-Stadt and Basel-Landschaft. In popular votes they each have only half a cantonal vote. Other countries have similar units with other names: Germany and Austria have federal states (Länder), Italy and Canada have provinces. In Switzerland they are called cantons.

Each canton is divided into municipalities. In 2021 there were about 2200 political municipalities in Switzerland. Because municipalities keep merging, the number is falling. In some cantons, for example the canton of Zurich, there are also districts between the canton and the municipality. But the districts are not a separate level of government, only administrative areas of the canton.

Memory aid: From top to bottom: Confederation, canton, municipality. 26 cantons = 20 full + 6 half.