LUCERNE, one of the cantons of central Switzerland. Its total area is 575 sq.m., of which about 90% is classed as "pro ductive" (forests covering nearly one-fifth of the total). It con tains no glaciers or eternal snows, its highest points being the Brienzer Rothhorn (7,714 ft.) and Pilatus (6,995 ft.), the Roth stock summit (5,453 ft.) and the Kaltbad inn, both on the Rigi.
The northern portion of the Lake of Lucerne, the lakes of Sem pach and Baldegg and small portions of those of Hallwil and of Zug are in the canton. Its chief river is the Reuss, which flows through it for a short distance only, receiving the Kleine Emme that flows down through the Entlebuch. In the northern part the Wigger, the Suhr and the Wynen streams flow through shallow valleys, separated by low hills. The canton is fairly well supplied with railways.
In 1930 the population numbered 189,391 of which the great majority were German-speaking Roman Catholics. Its capital is Luzern (q.v.) ; the other towns are Kriens, Willisau, Ruswil, Littau, Emmen and Escholzmatt. The density of the population is 3o6 per sq.m. The peasants, outside the chief centres for foreign visitors, have retained many local costumes.
The canton ranks officially third in the Swiss confederation, next after Zurich and Berne. It was formerly in the diocese of
Constance, and is now in that of Basle. It contains 5 adminis trative districts and 107 communes. By existing cantonal con stitution, the legislature or Grossrath is elected on a proportional basis by universal suffrage, while the executive is elected by a popular vote. The canton every three years elects nine members to the Conseil National and sends two members to the Conseil des Etats (Federal Council). Citizens have the right of "ini tiative" as to constitutional amendments or legislative projects. The canton is composed of the various districts which the town acquired, the dates being those at which the particular region was finally secured—Weggis (1380), Rothenburg, Kriens, Horw, Sempach and Hochdorf (all in 1394), Wolhusen and the Entlebuch (1405), the so-called "Habsburger region" to the N.E. of the town of Lucerne (1406), Willisau (1407), Sursee and Beromfinster (1415), Malters and Littau (1481), while in 1803, in exchange for Hitzkirch, Merenschwand (held since 1397) was given up.