TheAlpine region ofSwitzerland, conventionally referred to as theSwiss Alps,[1] represents a major natural feature of the country and is, along with theSwiss Plateau and the Swiss portion of theJura Mountains, one of its three mainphysiographic regions. The Swiss Alps extend over both theWestern Alps and theEastern Alps, encompassing an area sometimes called Central Alps.[2] While the northern ranges from theBernese Alps to theAppenzell Alps are entirely in Switzerland, the southern ranges from theMont Blanc massif to theBernina massif are shared with other countries such asFrance,Italy,Austria andLiechtenstein.
The Swiss Alps comprise almost all the highest mountains of theAlps, such asDufourspitze (4,634 m), theDom (4,545 m), theLiskamm (4,527 m), theWeisshorn (4,506 m) and theMatterhorn (4,478 m). The other following major summits can be found in thislist of mountains of Switzerland.
Since theMiddle Ages, transit across the Alps played an important role in history. The region north ofSt Gotthard Pass became thenucleus of theSwiss Confederacy in the early 14th century.
The Alps cover 60% of Switzerland's total 41,285 square kilometres (15,940 sq mi) surface area, making it one of the mostalpine countries. Despite the fact that Switzerland covers only 14% of the Alps total 192,753 square kilometres (74,422 sq mi) area,[3][4] 48 out of 82alpine four-thousanders are located in the Swiss Alps and practically all of the remaining 34 are within 20 kilometres (12 mi) of the country's border.[5]
The glaciers of the Swiss Alps cover an area of 1,220 square kilometres (470 sq mi) — 3% of the Swiss territory, representing 44% of the total glaciated area in the Alps i.e. 2,800 square kilometres (1,100 sq mi).
The Swiss Alps are situated south of theSwiss Plateau and north of the national border. The limit between the Alps and the plateau runs fromVevey on the shores ofLake Geneva toRorschach on the shores ofLake Constance, passing close to the cities ofThun andLucerne.[6] The not well defined regions in Switzerland that lie on the margin of the Alps, especially those on the north side, are called theSwiss Prealps[7] (Préalpes in French,Voralpen in German,Prealpi in Italian). The Swiss Prealps are mainly made of limestone and they generally do not exceed 2,500 metres (8,200 ft).[8]
The Alpinecantons (from highest to lowest) areValais,Bern,Graubünden,Uri,Glarus,Ticino,St. Gallen,Vaud,Obwalden,Nidwalden,Schwyz,Appenzell Innerrhoden,Appenzell Ausserrhoden,Fribourg,Lucerne andZug. The countries with which Switzerland shares mountain ranges of the Alps are (from west to east):France,Italy,Austria andLiechtenstein.
The Alps are usually divided into two main parts, theWestern Alps andEastern Alps, whose division is along theRhine from Lake Constance to theSplügen Pass. The western ranges occupy the greatest part of Switzerland while the more numerous eastern ranges are much smaller and are all situated in thecanton of Graubünden. The latter is part of theCentral Eastern Alps, except theOrtler Alps which belong to theSouthern Limestone Alps. ThePennine,Bernese andBernina Range are the highest ranges of the country, they contain respectively 38, 9 and 1 summit over 4000 meters. The lowest range is theAppenzell Alps culminating at 2,500 meters.
Western Alps
| Location | Range | Cantons, Country | Notable peaks | East limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| From west to east, north ofRhône andRhine | ||||
| Bernese Alps | Vaud,Fribourg,Bern,Valais | Finsteraarhorn,Aletschhorn,Jungfrau,Mönch,Eiger,Lauteraarhorn | Grimsel Pass | |
| Uri andEmmental Alps | Bern,Lucerne,Obwalden,Nidwalden,Uri (andValais) | Dammastock,Titlis,Brienzer Rothorn,Pilatus,Napf | Reuss | |
| Glarus Alps andSchwyzer Alps | Schwyz,Zug,Uri,Glarus,Graubünden,Lucerne | Tödi,Bächistock,Glärnisch,Rigi,Mythen | Seeztal | |
| Appenzell Alps | Appenzell Innerrhoden,Appenzell Ausserrhoden,St. Gallen (andZurich) | Säntis,Churfirsten | Rhine | |
| From west to east, south ofRhône andRhine | ||||
| Chablais Alps | Valais,France | Dents du Midi | Arve | |
| Mont Blanc massif | Valais,France,Italy | Aiguille d'Argentière | Col Ferret | |
| Pennine Alps | Valais,Italy | Monte Rosa,Weisshorn,Matterhorn | Simplon Pass | |
| Lepontine Alps | Valais,Ticino,Uri,Graubünden | Monte Leone,Rheinwaldhorn | Splügen Pass |
Eastern Alps
| Location | Range | Notable peaks |
|---|---|---|
| From west to east, north ofMera andInn | ||
| Oberhalbstein | Piz Platta | |
| Plessur | Aroser Weisshorn | |
| Albula | Piz Kesch,Piz Lunghin | |
| Rätikon | Schesaplana | |
| Silvretta | Piz Linard,Piz Buin | |
| Samnaun Alps | Muttler | |
| From west to east, south ofMera andInn | ||
| Bregaglia | Cima di Castello,Piz Badile | |
| Bernina | Piz Bernina,Piz Roseg | |
| Livigno | Piz Paradisin | |
| Ortler Alps | Piz Murtaröl | |
| Sesvenna | Piz Sesvenna |
The north side of the Swiss Alps is drained by theRhône,Rhine andInn (which is part of the Danube basin) while the south side is mainly drained by theTicino (Po basin). The rivers on the north empty into theMediterranean,North andBlack Sea, on the south the Po empty in theAdriatic Sea. The major triple watersheds in the Alps are located within the country, they are:Piz Lunghin,Witenwasserenstock andMonte Forcola. Between the Witenwasserenstock and Piz Lunghin runs theEuropean Watershed separating the basin of theAtlantic (the North Sea) and the Mediterranean Sea (Adriatic and the Black Sea). The European watershed lies only partially on themain chain. Switzerland possesses 6% of Europe's freshwater, and is sometimes referred to as the "water tower of Europe".
Since thehighest dams are located in Alpine regions, many large mountain lakes areartificial and are used as hydroelectric reservoirs.[9] Some large artificial lakes can be found above 2,300 m, but natural lakes larger than 1 km2 are generally below 1,000 m (with the exceptions of lakes in theEngadin such asLake Sils, andOeschinen in the Bernese Oberland). The melting of low-altitude glaciers can generate new lakes, such as the 0.25 km2 largeTriftsee which formed between 2002 and 2003.
Switzerland has been using this concerning transition in climate as a positive opportunity to develop new innovations and to change the ways that energy is being produced in the country. Switzerland depends on the use ofhydroelectricity to power nearby communities, but as glaciers melt and stop refreezing, the melting that creates the energy ceases to exist. Researchers have been evaluating how the topography will change as the glaciers begin to decrease and they are looking more deeply into potential construction costs, energy production, and future problems they might encounter with these new developments. Switzerland is one of many countries that need to begin to think about the future of energy production in response to climate change. Switzerland is paving the way for a new wave of innovation and creative problem solving that the rest of the world will eventually need to follow.[10]
The following table[11] gives the surface area above 2000 m and 3000 m and the respective percentage on the total area of each canton whose high point is above 2000 metres.
| Canton | Land above 2000m in km2 | Land above 2000m in % | Land above 3000m in km2 | Land above 3000m in % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appenzell Ausserrhoden | 1 | 0.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Appenzell Innerrhoden | 4 | 2.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Bern | 887 | 15 | 100 | 1.7 |
| Fribourg | 14 | 0.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Glarus | 213 | 31 | 4 | 0.6 |
| Graubünden | 4296 | 60 | 111 | 1.6 |
| Lucerne | 4 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Nidwalden | 20 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Obwalden | 66 | 13 | 1 | 0.2 |
| Schwyz | 69 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| St. Gallen | 184 | 9 | 1 | 0.05 |
| Ticino | 781 | 28 | 2 | 0.07 |
| Uri | 562 | 52 | 19 | 1.8 |
| Valais | 2595 | 50 | 697 | 13 |
| Vaud | 92 | 3 | 1 | 0.03 |
| Switzerland | 9788 | 24 | 936 | 2.3 |
PERMOS (The Swiss Permafrost Monitoring Network) is an operational monitoring service, and its main goal is to create long-term scientific documentation of the permafrost changes in the Swiss Alps. To accurately represent the current conditions of the Alps, the network records permafrost temperatures and thermal changes in boreholes, the bottom temperature of the snow cover, ground surface temperature, and the development of snow cover. The network additionally takes air photos periodically from selected areas. These monitoring strategies continue to develop as new research and data are recorded over time.[12] The glaciers in the Swiss Alps have lost around half their volume during the last 90–120 years.[13][14]
The composition of the great tectonic units reflects the history of the formation of the Alps. The rocks from theHelvetic zone on the north and theAustroalpine nappes –Southern Alps on the south come originally from the European and African continent respectively. The rocks of thePenninic nappes belong to the former area of theBriançonnais microcontinent and theTethys Ocean. The closure of the latter by subduction under the African plate (Piemont Ocean first andValais Ocean later) preceded the collision between the two plates and the so-called alpine orogeny. The major thrust fault of theTectonic Arena Sardona in the eastern Glarus Alps gives a visible illustration of mountain-building processes and was therefore declared a UNESCO World Heritage. Another fine example gives theAlpstein area with several visible upfolds of Helvetic zone material.
With some exceptions, the Alps north ofRhône andRhine are part of the Helvetic Zone and those on the south side are part of the Penninic nappes. The Austroalpine zone concerns almost only the Eastern Alps, with the notable exception of theMatterhorn.
The lastglaciations greatly transformed Switzerland's landscape. Many valleys of the Swiss Alps are U-shaped due to glacial erosion. During the maximum extension of theWürm glaciation (18,000 years ago) the glaciers completely covered theSwiss Plateau, before retreating and leaving remnants only in high mountain areas. In modern times theAletsch Glacier in the western Bernese Alps is the largest and longest in the Alps, reaching a maximum depth of 900 meters atKonkordiaplatz. Along with theFiescher andAar Glaciers, the region became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001. An effect of the retreat of the Rhine Glacier some 10,000 years ago was theFlims Rockslide, the biggest still visiblelandslide worldwide.
To protect endangered species some sites have been brought under protection. TheSwiss National Park in Graubünden was established in 1914 as the first alpine national park. TheEntlebuch area was designated a biosphere reserve in 2001. The largest protected area in the country is theParc Ela, opened in 2006, which covers an area of 600 square kilometres.[15] TheJungfrau-Aletsch Protected Area is the first World Heritage Site in the Alps.
As thetemperature decreases with altitude (0.56 °C per 100 meters on yearly average), three different altitudinal zones, each having distinct climate, are found in the Swiss Alps:
TheSubalpine zone is the region that lies below thetree line. It is the most important region as it is the largest of the three and contains almost all human settlements as well as the productive areas. The forests are mainly composed ofconifers above 1,200–1,400 meters, thedeciduous tree forest is confined to lower elevations. The upper limit of the Subalpine zone is located at about 1,800 meters on the north side of the Alps and about 2,000 meters on the south side. It can, however, differ in some regions such as the Appenzell Alps (1,600 meters) or the Engadin valley (2,300 meters).
TheAlpine zone is situated above the tree line and is clear of trees due to low average temperatures. It contains mostly grass and small plants along with mountain flowers. Below thepermafrost limit (at about 2,600 meters), thealpine meadows are often used as pastures. Some villages can still be found on the lowest altitudes such asRiederalp (1,940 m) orJuf (2,130 m). The extent of the Alpine zone is limited by the first permanent snow, its altitude greatly varies depending on the location (and orientation), it comprises between 2,800 and 3,200 meters.
The glacial zone is the area of permanent snow and ice. When the steepness of the slope is not too high it results in an accumulation and compaction of snow, which transforms into ice. The glacier-formed then flows down the valley and can reach as far down as 1,500 meters (theUpper Grindelwald Glacier). Where the slopes are too steep, the snow accumulates to form overhangingseracs, which periodically fall off due to the downward movement of the glacier and cause ice avalanches. The Bernese Alps, Pennine Alps, and Mont Blanc Massif contain most of the glaciated areas in the Alps. Except for research stations such as theSphinx Observatory, no settlements are to be found in those regions.
Due to the change in weather patterns, the summers are expected to continue getting warmer and drier, while the winters are expected to become moister. This change in the weather increases the chances of flooding with heavier rainfall, the melting ofpermafrost zones, a change in the geography and wildlife, and the occurrence of more deadly rock slides. Furthermore, natural hazards are occurring more frequently, such as floods, avalanches, and landslides. Additionally, the water supply that the glaciers originally provided is on the decline, which is problematic for producing energy, agricultural practices, and other human use. Finally, the glacial melting puts the economy at risk because there will be less incoming financial revenue from the tourism and recreation services that these glaciers and ecosystems typically provide. All of these impacts will disrupt the nearby communities and require that updated infrastructure and safety measures be put into place to prevent mass destruction.[16][17]
Tourism in the Swiss Alps began with the first ascents of the main peaks of the Alps (Jungfrau in 1811,Piz Bernina in 1850,Monte Rosa in 1855,Matterhorn in 1856,Dom in 1858,Weisshorn in 1861) mostly by British mountain climbers accompanied by the local guides. The construction of facilities for tourists started in the mid-nineteenth century with the building of hotels andmountain huts (creation of theSwiss Alpine Club in 1863) and the opening of mountain train lines (Rigi in 1873,Pilatus in 1889,Gornergrat in 1898). The Jungfraubahn opened in 1912; it leads to the highest railway station in Europe, theJungfraujoch.
Switzerland enjoys a 62,000-km network of well-maintained trails, of which 23,000 are located in mountainous areas. Many mountains attract a large number ofalpinists from around the world, especially the 4000-meter summits and thegreat north faces (Eiger,Matterhorn andPiz Badile). The large winter resorts are also popular destinations in summer, as most ofaerial tramways operate through the year, enabling hikers and mountaineers to reach high altitudes without much effort. TheKlein Matterhorn is the highest summit of the European continent to be served by cable car.
The major destinations forskiing and otherwinter sports are located inValais,Bernese Oberland andGraubünden. Some villages are car-free and can be accessed only with public transports such asRiederalp andBettmeralp.[18]Zermatt andSaas-Fee have both summer ski areas. The ski season starts from as early as November and runs to as late as May; however, the majority of ski resorts in Switzerland tend to open in December and run through to April. The most visited places are:[19]
Other important destinations on the regional level areEngelberg-Titlis (Central Switzerland /OW) andGotthard Oberalp Arena withAndermatt (Central Switzerland /UR) andSedrun (GR),Leysin-Les Mosses,Villars-sur-Ollon,Les Diablerets-Glacier 3000 (all VD),Leukerbad (VS),Savognin,Scuol,Obersaxen,Breil/Brigels (all GR),Meiringen –Hasliberg (BE),Sörenberg (LU),Klewenalp withBeckenried andEmmetten (bothNW),Melchsee-Frutt (OW),Flumserberg andPizol (bothSarganserland inSG),Toggenburg withWildhaus –Unterwasser –Alt St. Johann (SG),Hoch-Ybrig andStoos (allSZ),Braunwald andElm (GL),Airolo andBosco/Gurin (TI) and many more.[20]
The first person to ski inGrindelwald, Switzerland was Englishmen Gerald Fox (a resident ofTone Dale House in England) who put his skis on in his hotel bedroom in 1881 and walked out through the hotel Bar to the slopes wearing them.[21]
Some major sporting activities include:
Climate change is impacting European Alpine tourism due to the increasing number and intensity of natural hazards, and it is endangering the accessibility and infrastructure of tourism destinations. Melting glaciers are affecting the attractiveness of the Alpine landscape, increasing winter temperatures will result in a shorter skiing season, and these climate changes are limiting the amount of snow coverage produced. All of these climate and geographical factors are leading to a smaller number of visitors and reduced revenues which can have an intense economic impact on winter tourism. In response to these changes, Switzerland has turned to the production ofartificial snow to match the demand for these tourist destinations and to uphold the structure and well-being of the economy.[22]
The Swiss Alps and Switzerland enjoy an extensivetransport network. Virtually every mountain village can be reached by public transport, either byrail, bus, funicular, cable car, or usually a combination of them. The main companies of the coherently integrated public transport system are:
Most of the mountain regions are within 1 to 3 hours travel ofSwitzerland's main cities and their respectiveairport. TheEngadine inGraubünden is between 3 and 6 hours away from the large cities; the train journey itself, with the panoramicGlacier Express orBernina Express, is popular with tourists.
TheEngadin Airport nearSt. Moritz at an altitude of 1,704 meters is the highest in Europe.
The crossing of the Alps is a key issue at national and international levels, as the European continent is at places divided by the range. Since the beginning of industrialisation Switzerland has improved its transalpine network; it began in 1882, by building theGotthard Rail Tunnel, followed in 1906 by theSimplon Tunnel and 1913 by theLötschberg Tunnel, and more recently, in 2007, by theLötschberg Base Tunnel. The 57.1-km longGotthard Base Tunnel, the longest railway tunnel of the world, opened in 2016 and provides a direct flat rail link through the Alps.
The different names of the mountains and other landforms are named in thefour national languages. The table below gives the most recurrent names.
| English | German | French | Italian | Romansh | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount | Berg,Stock | Mont | Monte | Munt,Cuolm | Gamsberg,Dammastock,Mont Vélan,Monte Generoso,Munt Pers |
| Summit | Gipfel | Cime | Cima | Tschima | Grenzgipfel,Cima di Gana Bianca,Tschima da Flix |
| Peak | Spitze | Pointe,Pic | Pizzo | Piz,Péz | Lenzspitze,Pointe de Zinal,Pizzo Campo Tencia,Piz Roseg |
| Needle | Nadel | Aiguille | Ago | Ago,Guila | Nadelhorn,Aiguille d'Argentière,Ago di Sciora |
| Horn | Horn | Corne | Corno | Corn | Wetterhorn,Corne de Sorebois,Corn da Tinizong |
| Tower | Turm | Tour | Torre | Tuor | Tour Sallière,Torrone Alto |
| Head | Kopf | Tête | Testa | Tgau | Bürkelkopf,Tête Blanche |
| Ridge | Grat | Crêt | Cresta | Fil,Cresta | Gornergrat,Crêt du Midi,Fil de Cassons |
| Glacier | Gletscher,Firn | Glacier | Ghiacciaio | Glatscher,Vadret | Unteraargletscher,Hüfifirn,Glacier de Corbassière,Ghiacciaio del Basodino,Vadret da Morteratsch,Glatscher dil Vorab |
| Valley | Tal | Val | Valle,Val | Val | Mattertal,Val d'Hérens,Valle Maggia |
| Pass | Pass,Joch | Col,Pas | Passo | Pass | Jungfraujoch,Panixerpass,Pas de Cheville,Passo del San Gottardo |
Also, a large number of peaks outside the Alps were named or nicknamed after Swiss mountains, such as theWetterhorn Peak inColorado or theMatterhorn Peak inCalifornia (see theMatterhorn article for a list ofMatterhorns in the world).
The confluence of theBaltoro Glacier and theGodwin-Austen Glacier south ofK2 in theKarakoram range was named after theKonkordiaplatz by European explorers.
Total ice volume change since 1900 is −96 ± 13 km3
This translates to a halving of glacier volume
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