ST. GALL, a canton in north-east Switzerland, bordered by the principality of Liechtenstein and by Vorarlberg (Austria). It entirely surrounds the canton of Appenzell, which formerly belonged to the abbots of St. Gall. Five other cantons lie along its north, west and south borders.
Its area (1923-24 determinations) is 777.2 sq.m., of which 88.3% are reckoned "productive," forests covering 163.2 sq.m. and vineyards o.8 sq. mile. The altitude above sea-level varies from 1,309 ft. (the Lake of Constance) to 10,667 ft. (the Ringel spitz) in the extreme south. There are nearly 3 sq.m. of glaciers, but slightly over one-quarter .of the unproductive area consists of lakes, including portions of the Lake of Constance, of the Wallensee, and of the Lake of Ulrich, together with several small lakes wholly within its limits. The canton is mountainous in the south near its borders with the Grisons and Glarus, but towards Thurgau the surface is characterized by hummocky hill country. Considerable low-lying alluvial plains occur along the courses of the Linth and Rhine, particularly in those sections of the rivers which form, in part, its frontiers on the east and south-west. Within the canton, the most important streams are the upper River Thur and the lower and middle portions of its principal tributary, the Sitter. It has ports on the Lake of Constance (Rorschach) and of Zurich (Rapperswil), while Weesen is the chief town on the Wallensee. Probably the most fashionable watering-place is Ragatz, receiving the hot mineral waters (95° F) of Pfafers by means of a 3 m. conduit. The main railway lines from ZUrich past Sargans for Coire, and from Sargans past Rorschach for Constance skirt its borders, while the capital is on the direct railway line from Zurich past Wil to Rorschach, and communicates by rail with Appenzell and with towns in the Toggenburg (q.v.). In 1930 the population of the canton was 286,362 of whom 279,230 were German-speaking, 4,989 Italian , speaking and 993 French-speaking, while there were Cath olics, Protestants and 704 Jews (practically all in the town of St. Gall). The capital of the canton is St. Gall, with a pop. of
63,947; the other most populous places are Rorschach (pop. 11, 005 in 1930), Altstatten (pop. 8,929 in 1920), Gossau(8,344 in 1920), and Wattwil (6,096 in 1920). In the southern and more Alpine portion of the canton the inhabitants mainly follow pas toral pursuits, while in the central and northern regions agricul ture is frequently combined with manufactures.
The canton is one of the most industrial in Switzerland. Cotton spinning is widely spread, though the characteristic industry is the manufacture of muslin, embroidery and lace, chiefly at the capital and at Altstatten; the value of the embroidery and lace exported from the canton, though fluctuating, normally amounts to about one-seventh of the total export trade of Switzerland. Ores of iron and of manganese are raised in the Gonzen mine near Sar gans. The canton is divided into 14 administrative districts, which comprise 91 communes.
The existing Constitution dates from 189o. The legislature (Grossrat) of 173 deputies is elected on the principle of propor tional representation. Each commune of 1,500 Swiss inhabitants or less has a right to one member, and as many more as the divisor 1,500 justifies. Members hold office for three years. The seven members of the executive (Regierungsrat) also hold office for three years and are elected by the .combined communes. The two members of the federal Stdnderat are named by the legislature, while the is members of the federal Nationalrat have, since 1911, been elected by a scheme of proportional representation, using the popular vote. The right of "facultative referendum" and of "initiative" as to legislative projects has, since 1875 and 1890 respectively, belonged to any 4,00o electors, but in case of "initiative" in constitutional matters (1861) 10.000 must sign the demand. The canton of St. Gall, a great part of which for merly belonged to the abbots of St. Gall, is one of the later political units, having been formed in 1803, from numerous dis tricts, some of which, e.g., Gaster, Uznach and Gams, had been controlled by the adjacent and older cantons since the 15th century.