Most Cantons are divided into Bezirke (German for districts). They are also termed Ämter (Lucerne), Amtsbezirke (Bern), district (in French) or distretto (Tessin and part of Graubünden). The Bezirke generally provide only administration and court organization. However, for historical reasons districts in cantons Graubünden and Schwyz are their own legal entities with jurisdiction over tax and often have their own Landsgemeinde.

Eight of the 26 Cantons – Uri, Obwalden, Nidwalden, Glarus, Zug, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Basel-City and Geneva – have historically done without the district level of government; each with its own reason, be it historical or practical or because the area is small enough already.

A number of further cantons have dispensed with the district level recently, Appenzell Ausserrhoden in 1995, Schaffhausen in 1999, St Gallen in 2003 and Lucerne in 2007.

A number of further cantons are considering (or have already decided) an abolition of the district level in the future: Schwyz in 2006 voted on its abolition, but voted in favour of keeping the division. Bern in 2006 divided a reduction of its 26 districts to five administrative regions. Vaud decided a reduction from 19 to 10 districts. Valais is planning a similar reduction and in Thurgau, a reduction of eight to four districts is under discussion.

Zurich

The Canton of Zürich is divided into 12 districts (German: Bezirke):

• Affoltern with capital Affoltern am Albis
• Andelfingen with capital Andelfingen
• Bülach with capital Bülach
• Dielsdorf with capital Dielsdorf
• Dietikon with capital Dietikon
• Hinwil with capital Hinwil
• Horgen with capital Horgen
• Meilen with capital Meilen
• Pfäffikon with capital Pfäffikon
• Uster with capital Uster
• Winterthur with capital Winterthur
• Zürich comprises the city of Zürich

Bern

The Canton of Bern is divided in five regions: Berner Jura, Seeland (with two subregions, Biel/Bienne and Seeland), Bern-Mittelland, Oberland (with subregions Thun, Obersimmental-Saanen, Frutigen-Niedersimmental, Interlaken-Oberhasli) and Emmental-Oberaargau (with two subregions, Emmental and Oberaargau) The current division has taken effect on 1 January 2010, based on a 2006 decision to abolish the former system of districts.

On 1 January 2010, the 26 administrative districts were combined into 10 new districts:[1]

• Bern-Mittelland with capital Ostermundigen, made up of all or part of the former districts of Bern, Fraubrunnen, Konolfingen, Laupen, Schwarzenburg and Seftigen
• Biel/Bienne with capital Biel/Bienne, made up of all of the former district of Biel and about half of the former district of Nidau
• Emmental with capital Langnau im Emmental, made up of all or part of the former districts of Burgdorf, Signau and Trachselwald
• Frutigen-Niedersimmental with capital Frutigen, made up of all or part of the former districts of Frutigen and Niedersimmental
• Interlaken-Oberhasli with capital Interlaken, made up of all or part of the former districts of Interlaken and Oberhasli
• Jura bernois with capital Courtelary, made up of all or part of the former districts of Courtelary, Moutier and La Neuveville
• Oberaargau with capital Wangen an der Aare, made up of all or part of the former districts of Aarwangen and Wangen
• Obersimmental-Saanen with capital Saanen, made up of all of the former districts of Obersimmental and Saanen
• Seeland with capital Aarberg, made up of all or part of the former districts of Aarberg, Büren, Erlach and Nidau
• Thun with capital Thun, made up of all of the former administrative district of Thun

Former Organization

Until 2009, the canton of Bern was divided into 26 districts (German: Amtsbezirke; French: districts):

• Aarberg with capital Aarberg
• Aarwangen with capital Aarwangen
• Bern with capital Bern
• Biel with capital Biel
• Büren with capital Büren an der Aare
• Burgdorf with capital Burgdorf
• Courtelary with capital Courtelary
• Erlach with capital Erlach
• Fraubrunnen with capital Fraubrunnen
• Frutigen with capital Frutigen
• Interlaken with capital Interlaken
• Konolfingen with capital Konolfingen
• Laupen with capital Laupen
• Moutier with capital Moutier
• La Neuveville with capital La Neuveville
• Nidau with capital Nidau
• Niedersimmental with capital Wimmis
• Oberhasli with capital Meiringen
• Obersimmental with capital Blankenburg
• Saanen with capital Saanen
• Schwarzenburg with capital Schwarzenburg
• Seftigen with capital Belp
• Signau with capital Langnau im Emmental
• Thun with capital Thun
• Trachselwald with capital Trachselwald
• Wangen with capital Wangen an der Aare

Lucerne

The Canton of Lucerne used to be divided into 5 Ämter:

• Entlebuch with capital Schüpfheim
• Hochdorf with capital Hochdorf
• Luzern with capital Luzern
• Sursee with capital Sursee
• Willisau with capital Willisau

These were abolished with the new cantonal constitution of 2007, although they will continue to be used as electoral districts.

Schwyz

The Canton of Schwyz is divided into 6 districts:

• Einsiedeln including only the municipality of the same name
• Gersau including only the municipality of the same name
• Höfe with capital alternating between Wollerau and the village of Pfäffikon
• Küssnacht including only the municipality of the same name
• March with capital Lachen
• Schwyz with capital Schwyz

Fribourg

The Canton of Fribourg is divided into 7 districts:

• Broye with capital Estavayer-le-Lac
• Glâne with capital Romont
• Gruyère with capital Bulle
• Saane with capital Fribourg
• See with capital Murten
• Sense with capital Tafers
• Veveyse with capital Châtel-Saint-Denis

Solothurn

From 2005, Solothurn's ten districts are merged pairwise into five electoral districts, termed Amtei. From 2005, districts only have a statistical meaning.

• Bucheggberg, Amtei Wasseramt-Bucheggberg
• Dorneck, Amtei Dorneck-Thierstein (unofficially Schwarzbubenland)
• Gäu, Amtei Thal-Gäu
• Gösgen, Amtei Olten-Gösgen (unofficially Niederamt)
• Lebern, Amtei Solothurn-Lebern
• Olten, Amtei Olten-Gösgen
• Solothurn, Amtei Solothurn-Lebern
• Thal, Amtei Thal-Gäu
• Thierstein, Amtei Dorneck-Thierstein
• Wasseramt, Amtei Wasseramt-Bucheggberg

Basel-Country