In 1930, 16 towns had a population exceeding 15,00o. The pop ulations of the five largest towns, each exceeding 75,000, were as follows, the figures for 1900 being enclosed within brackets: Zurich 249,82o (150,703), Basle 148,063 (109,161), Geneva 124, 121 (104,796), Berne 111,783 (64.227), Lausanne 75,915 (46, 732). These towns occupied the same order in 1900 but in 185o Geneva was the largest town.
The loftiest inhabited village is Juf (c. 6,90o ft.) at the head of the Avers valley, near the Septimer pass into the upper En gadine; the lowest settlement is Ascona (666 ft.) on the delta of Val Maggia (Lago Maggiore).
The burgher communes (communes bourgeoises or biirgerge meinden) are now principally of historical interest, having for the most part been gradually absorbed by the second class of com munes. Initially they were groupings of the people to manage the "lands subject to common user" (mainly summer pastures and forests). Later, by purchase or otherwise, the burghers became possessors of manorial rights. But when the Federal diet imposed the care of the poor on the several communes (1551) these natu rally aided only their own burgher members. Thus, all non burgher "settlers," were excluded from any share in the enjoy ment of the "common lands," or in their management, though they paid local rates. Increased communication facilities, together with a shifting industrial population, made such restrictions invidious and unfair, particularly after the introduction, under the Hel vetic republic (1798-1802) of a Federal citizenship, superior to cantonal citizenship. Later, the increase of communal public duties meant financial obligations exceeding the sums produced by the "common lands." To avoid some of these inconveniences, political communes (municipalites or einwohnergemeinden) were set up. The duties of these communes were largely increased after the liberal movement of 1830 the care of the highways, the police, the schools, the administration of the poor law being successively handed over to them. Swiss citizens belonging to
cantons other than those in which they resided were, by the Fed eral Constitution of 1848, given rights of voting there in cantonal and Federal matters, but not in those relating exclusively to the commune itself, but the Federal Constitution of 1874 gave to permanent Swiss settlers communal voting rights, subject to three months' residence.
In most cantons a number of communes are grouped together to form a district (amtsbezirke) under a prefect who represents the cantonal government. Minor communes are controlled by a small council. In the larger communes an executive council is chosen by a general assembly of all male Swiss citizens over 20 years of age, of good conduct and with three months' communal residence. A maire (gemeindeprasident) is elected by the larger body to preside over the council which has the management of all local affairs, including the carrying out of cantonal and Federal laws or decrees, save and except matters relating to the pastures and forests held in common.
Cantons. (See Population.)—Each of the 22 cantons has its own legislature, executive and judiciary. (See Justice.) The older cantons have in some instances (Unterwalden, Appenzell and Glarus) preserved their ancient democratic assemblies (landesgemeinden), in which all male citizens of full age meet, usually annually during April or May, in the open air for the purpose of legislation and the selection of an annual administra tive council. In the remaining cantons the legislature (grosser Rat or grand conseil) is composed of representatives chosen by universal male suffrage and usually by proportional representation. These councils exercise all the functions of the landesgemeinden. The executive also in most of the newer cantons is elected by a popular vote and not as hitherto by the cantonal legislature. All the cantons have the referendum and the popular initiative, the application of which varies in the different cantons.