NEUCHATEL (Ger. Neuenburg), one of the cantons of west ern Switzerland, on the frontier towards France. It is the only Swiss canton that is situated entirely in the Jura, of which it occupies the central portion (its loftiest summit is the Mont Racine, 4,731 ft. in the Tete de Rang range). The canton has a total area of 305 sq.m., of which more than three quarters are reckoned "productive." It consists, for the most part, of the longitudinal ridges and valleys characteristic of the Jura, while its drainage is very unequally divided between the Thiele or Zihl, and the Doubs, which forms part of the north-west boundary of the canton, and receives only the streams flowing from the Le Locle and La Chaux de Fonds valley. Three regions make up the territory. That stretching along the shore of the lake is called Le Vignoble (from its vineyards) and extends from about 1,500 ft. to 2,300 ft. above the sea-level. An intermediate region is named Les Vallees, for it consists of the two principal valleys of the canton (the Val de Ruz, watered by the Seyon, and the Val de Travers, watered by the Areuse) which lie to a height of about 2,300 ft. to 3,00o ft. above the sea-level. The highest region is known as Les Montagnes, and is mainly composed of the long valley in which stand the industrial centres of La Chaux de Fonds (q.v.), and Le Locle (q.v.) to which must be added those of La Sagne, Les Ponts and Les Verrieres, the elevation of these upland valleys varying from 3,000 ft. to 3,445 ft. The canton is well sup plied with railways, the direct line from Berne past Kerzers (Chietres), Neuchatel, the Val de Travers and Les Verrieres to Pontarlier for Paris passing through it, while La Chaux de Fonds is connected by a line past Le Locle with Morteau in France. Other lines join the capital, Neuchatel, to La Chaux de Fonds, as well as to Yverdon at the south-west extremity of the lake, and to St. Blaise at its north-east end.
In 1920 the population was 131,431; by the 1930 census 124, 324, of whom 101,098 were French-speaking, 13,825 German speaking and 1,044 Italian-speaking, while 103,751 were Protes tants, 18,201 Roman Catholics and 694 Jews. There are three "established and state-endowed" churches, the National Evangel ical, the Roman Catholic and the Old Catholic (this sect in La Chaux de Fonds only), while the pastors of the Free Evangelical church and of the Jews (mostly in La Chaux de Fonds) receive special privileges.
Besides the capital, Neuchatel (q.v.), the chief towns are La Chaux de Fonds, Le Locle and Fleurier, the principal village in the Val de Travers.
The most valuable mineral product is asphalt, of which there is a large and rich deposit in the Val de Travers. The wine of the Vignoble region is plentiful. Absinthe is manufactured in the Val de Travers. The most characteristic industry is that of watch making, which is chiefly carried on (since the early 18th century) in the highland valleys of La Chaux de Fonds and of Le Locle, as well as at Fleurier in the Val de Travers.
The canton is divided into 6 administrative districts, which comprise 63 communes. In 1927 the legislature or Grand Conseil consisted of members elected in the proportion of one to every 1,200 of the population and holds office for three years, while since 1906 the principles of proportional representation obtain in these elections. The executive or Conseil d'Etat is elected by the people by secret ballot to hold office for three years. Since 1882 there have been 5 members. The members of the federal Conseil des Etats are named by the Grand Conseil and hold office for one year.
History.—We first hear of the novum castellum (Neuchatel) in the will ( io 1 1) of Rudolf III., the last king of Burgundy, on whose death (1032) that kingdom reverted to the empire. About 1034 the emperor Conrad II. gave this castle to the lord of several neighbouring fiefs, his successors establishing themselves permanently there in the 12th century and taking the title of "count." In 1288 the reigning count resigned his domains to the emperor Rudolf, who gave them to the lord of Chalon-sur Saone, by whom they were restored to the count of Neuchatel on his doing homage for them. This act decided the future his tory of Neuchatel, for in 1393 the house of Chalon succeeded to the principality of Orange by virtue of a marriage contracted in 1388. The counts gradually increased their dominions, so that by 1373 they held practically all of the present canton, with the exception of the lordship of Valangin which was held by a cadet line of the house till bought in 1592. In 1532 the title of "prince" was taken by the reigning count, while by the treaty of Westphalia (1648) the principality became sovereign and in dependent of the empire. In 1707 the Longueville house of Neuchatel also became extinct, and a great struggle arose as to the succession. Finally the parliament (states) of Neuchatel decided in favour of Frederic I., the first king of Prussia. The nominal rule of the Prussian king (for the country enjoyed practical independence) lasted till 1857, with a brief interval from 1806 to 1814, when the principality was held by Marshal Berthier, by virtue of a grant from Napoleon. In 1814 its admis sion into the Swiss confederation was proposed and was effected in 1815, the new canton being the only non-republican member, just as the hereditary rulers of Neuchatel were the last to main tain their position in Switzerland. This anomaly led in 1848 to the establishment (attempted in 1831) of a republican form of government, brought about by a peaceful revolution led by A. M. Piaget. A royalist attempt to regain power in 1856 was defeated, and finally, after long negotiations, the king of Prussia renounced his claims to sovereignty, though retaining the right to bear the title of "prince of Neuchatel." Thus in 1857 Neuchatel became a full republican member of the Swiss confederation.