Schwyz

Capital of Schwyz canton, Switzerland; population (2000) 13,800. Schwyz was one of the three original cantons of the Swiss Confederation of 1291, which gave its name to the whole country in about 1450.

Schwyz

Canton in central Switzerland; area 908 sq km/351 sq mi; population (1999 est) 126,500. Its capital is the city of Schwyz. It is a hilly region, covered with forests and lakes (Zurich, Lucerne, Zug, Lauerz, and Sihl), and drained by the Muota River. Its rolling valleys make it a pastoral canton, with a healthy agricultural industry, particularly concentrating on cattle raising. Furniture, textiles, and the hydroelectric industry are also profitable. The commune of Einsiedeln has been a site of pilgrimage for centuries.

In 1291, Schwyz joined with Unterwalden and Uri to form the Everlasting League and became a leader in its maintenance of sovereignty. It eventually became part of the Helvetic Republic in 1798 and resumed its independent canton status in 1803. The name Switzerland is taken from the canton's dialect name, Schweiz.