Rocca Barbena is a 1,142-metre (3,747 ft) high mountain in the Ligurian Prealps (part of the Ligurian Alps ) in Italy .
82-648: The mountain is located on the main chain of the Alps and dominates from North Castelvecchio di Rocca Barbena . Its northern cliffs face on Bardineto and Bormida valley. The summit stands on the water divide between Ligurian Sea and River Po basins . Going NW Colle Scravaion (814 m) divides the Rocca Barbena from the neighbouring Monte Lingo (1103 m) while looking East the water divide goes on with colletto Bianco (935 m), Monte Sebanco (983 m) and Giogo di Toirano . Unlikely other rounded and woody mountains in
164-585: A waymarked footpath. The route does not require alpinistic skills even if there are some very steep stretches and in the Italian scale of hiking difficulty, the route is rated E ( Escursionisti , namely suitable for normal hikers). It is also possible accessing the summit via East ridge from the Colletto Bianco . Colletto Bianco and Colle Scravaion are linked by the Alta Via dei Monti Liguri ,
246-400: A President and two vice-presidents. The five-member Council of State ( Italian : Consiglio di Stato ), not to be confused with the federal Council of States , is the executive authority of the canton, and it directs cantonal affairs according to law and the constitution. It is elected in a single constituency using the proportional representation system. Currently, the five members of
328-805: A change in the main chain: the peaks and passes are lower, but as far as the Splugenpass, all the highest summits rise on the divide. From there to the St. Gotthard pass (2,106 m) the divide runs north-east, crossing Monte Leone (3,533 m), and Pizzo Rotondo (3,192 m). Near the Witenwasserenstock is the point where the basin of the Po, the Rhine and the Rhone meet, and the European Watershed joins
410-573: A headscarf. The Burqa ban was later approved by the Grand Council in November 2015. In September 2016, Ticino voters approved a Swiss People's Party -sponsored referendum that gives precedence to Swiss workers, as opposed to foreign workers, defying freedom of movement agreements between Switzerland and the EU . The canton is divided into eight districts : Leventina was a subject of
492-433: A member canton. The former condominiums and Leventina became the eight districts of the canton of Ticino, which exist to the present day and are provided for by the cantonal constitution. There are 108 municipalities in the canton (as of June 2021 ). These municipalities ( comuni ) are grouped in 38 circoli (circles or sub-districts) which are in turn grouped into the eight districts ( distretti ). The mayor ( sindaco )
574-425: A moderately elevated mountain pass and important north–south axis. The Sopraceneri is constituted by the districts of Bellinzona , Blenio , Leventina , Locarno , Riviera and Vallemaggia , and makes up about 85% of the territory and 43% of the population. The Sottoceneri is constituted by the districts of Lugano and Mendrisio , and makes up about 15% of the territory and 57% of the population. While Lugano ,
656-680: A trekking route which passes at the base of the northern cliffs of the Rocca Barbena. The mountain and its surrounding area are part of an area protetta provinciale ( protected provincial area ) established by the Provincia di Savona mainly in order to preserve environmental produced by karstic erosion as rock pinnacles, ponors and caves. The area also belongs to the SIC ( Site of Community Importance ) called Monte Ravinet-Rocca Barbena - code IT 1324011 . [REDACTED] Media related to Rocca Barbena at Wikimedia Commons Main chain of
738-779: A volunteer militia in Lugano. Between 1798 and 1803, during the Helvetic Republic , two cantons were created ( Bellinzona and Lugano ) but in 1803 the two were unified to form the canton of Ticino that joined the Swiss Confederation as a full member in the same year under the Act of Mediation . During the Napoleonic Wars , many Ticinesi (as was the case for other Swiss ) served in Swiss military units allied with
820-412: Is 114.6 persons per km . As of 2000, 83.1% of the population spoke Italian, 8.3% spoke German and 1.7% spoke Serbo-Croatian . As of 2019, 70.0% of the total population was Catholic . According to a 2012 survey, the population aged 15 years and older was mostly Catholic (70%); further Christian denominations accounted for 10% of the population (including Swiss Reformed 4%), 2% were Muslim and 1% of
902-486: Is given in the following table: Tertiary sector workers make up 76.5% of the Ticinese workforce, compared to the Swiss average of 67.1%. Commerce (23.1%), tourism (10.1%) and financial activities (3.9%) are all important for the local economy, while the contribution from agriculture and fishing is marginal, employing 6.5% of the workforce on a Swiss average of 15.4%. The median gross private sector monthly salary in 2012
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#1732780523024984-536: Is increasing. Numerous gardens, especially near the lakes, such as the Brissago Islands and the Scherrer Park , are renowned for their exotic plants. The Diocese of Lugano is co-extensive to the canton. Ticino is one of the wine regions for Swiss wine . The defined region encompasses all of the canton plus the neighbouring Italian-speaking district of Moesa ( Misox and Calanca valleys) in
1066-422: Is noticeably warmer and wetter than the rest of Switzerland's . In German-speaking Switzerland, Ticino is nicknamed Sonnenstube (sun porch), owing to the more than 2,300 sunshine hours the canton receives every year, compared to 1,700 for Zurich. The canton can experience particularly heavy storms and rainfalls in summer. It is the region of Switzerland with the highest level of lightning discharge. Conversely,
1148-574: Is one of the three large southern Alpine cantons, along with Valais and the Grisons . However, unlike all other cantons, it lies almost entirely south of the Alps and has no natural access to the Swiss Plateau . Through the main crest of the Gotthard and adjacent mountain ranges, it borders the canton of Valais to the northwest, the canton of Uri to the north and the canton of Grisons to
1230-787: Is the highest peak of the Eastern Alps while the highest peak of the Western Alps is Mont Blanc (4,810.45 metres). From the Maloja Pass (1,815 m) the main watershed dips to the south-east for a short distance, and then runs eastwards and nearly over the highest summit of the Bernina Range , Piz Bernina (4,049 m), to the Bernina Pass . From here the main chain is less well defined, it rises to Piz Paradisin (3,302 m), beyond which it runs slightly north-east, east of
1312-601: Is the meeting place for both the Grand Council and the Council of State. Nearby Piazza Governo is Piazza Indipendenza, which commemorates the independence of the canton. Since a referendum in September 2013, Ticino is the only Swiss canton where wearing full-face veils is illegal. Supporters of the ban cited the case of a 20-year-old Pakistani woman from Bellinzona , who was killed by her husband for refusing to wear
1394-411: Is the president of the municipal government ( municipio ) which comprises at least three members; a council also exists. The members of the council and the municipio are elected every four years by the citizens resident in the comune – the next elections are scheduled for April 2024. Since the late 1990s, there has been an ongoing project to aggregate some municipalities , with the constitution of
1476-584: Is traditionally (but not administratively) split into two regions. The northern region, the Sopraceneri , is formed by the valleys around Lake Maggiore and includes the highest mountains of the canton and the main Alpine watershed . The southern region, the Sottoceneri , is the region around Lake Lugano , and marks the beginning of the southern Alpine foothills. Between the two regions is Monte Ceneri ,
1558-679: The Col de Tenda the direction is first roughly west, then north-west to the Rocca dei Tre Vescovi (2,840 m), just south of the Enciastraia (2,955 m), several peaks of about 3,000 metres rising on the watershed , though the highest of all, the Punta dell'Argentera (3,297 m) stands a little way to its north. From the Rocher des Trois Eveques the drainage divide runs due north for a long distance, though of
1640-797: The Dauphine Alps , the Eastern and Western Graians , the entire Bernese Alps , the Tödi , Albula and Silvretta groups, the Ortler and Adamello ranges, and the Dolomites of Veneto and South Tyrol , as well as the lower Alps of Vorarlberg , Bavaria, and Salzburg . The Alpine Divide is defined for much of its distance by the watershed between the drainage basin of the Po in Italy on one side, with
1722-844: The Eastern Alps the longest glacier was the Pasterze Glacier ( 8.4 km or 5 + 1 ⁄ 4 mi in 1911), which is not near the true main watershed, though it clings to the slope of the Grossglockner (3,798 m) in the Hohe Tauern range east of the Dreiherrenspitze. But two other long glaciers in the Eastern Alps (the Hintereis , and the Gepatsch ) are both in the Ötztal Alps, and so are close to
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#17327805230241804-666: The French . The canton minted its own currency , the Ticinese franco , between 1813 and 1850, when it began the use of the Swiss franc . As a particularly poor region, Ticino was a land of emigration. Notable examples include the chocolatiers ( cioccolatieri ) of the Val Blenio , who migrated throughout Europe (see Swiss chocolate#History ). Until 1878 the three largest cities, Bellinzona, Lugano and Locarno, alternated as capital of
1886-701: The Grossvenediger (3,666 m), passing just north of Austria's highest peak (the Grossglockner ), traversing Ankogel (3,252 m), before curving northern across the Lower Tauern , traversing its highest peak, Hochgolling (2,863 m) in the Schladming Tauern and then continuing on the same eastward path up to the Schober Pass in Styria . The drainage divide further runs eastwards through
1968-696: The Maggia Valley , Lugano and Mendrisio were annexed. Subsequently, the upper valley of the river Ticino , from the St. Gotthard to the town of Biasca ( Leventina Valley ) was part of Uri. The remaining territory ( Baliaggi Ultramontani , Ennetbergische Vogteien , the Bailiwicks Beyond the Mountains) was administered by the Twelve Cantons. These districts were governed by bailiffs holding office for two years and purchasing it from
2050-833: The Moesa in the Mesolcina Valley in the Grisons . The lands of most of the canton are shaped by the river, which in its mid portion forms a wide valley, commonly known as the Riviera . The western lands of the canton, however, are drained by the Maggia . The Verzasca Valley is between the Leventina Valley and the Maggia Valley. There is also a smaller area that drains directly into the Lake Lugano . Most of
2132-704: The Northern Limestone Alps , ending at " Vienna Gate", the steep slopes of the Leopoldsberg (425 m) high above the Danube water gap and the Vienna Basin . Starting from the Bocchetta di Altare or di Colle di Cadibona (west of Savona ), the main chain extends first south-west, then north-west to the Col de Tenda , though nowhere rising much beyond the zone of coniferous trees. Beyond
2214-656: The Novena Pass to Lake Maggiore . Known as Ticinus in Roman times, the river appears on the Tabula Peutingeriana as Ticenum . Johann Kaspar Zeuss attributed Celtic origins to the name, tracing it to the Celtic tek , itself from an Indo-European root tak , meaning "melting, flowing". The official name of the canton is Republic and Canton of Ticino ( Italian : Repubblica e Cantone Ticino ), and
2296-669: The Pointe de Charbonnel (3,760 m), stands a little to the west. Once more the chain bends to the north-west, rising in several lofty peaks (the highest is the Aiguille de la Grande Sassière , 3,751 m), before attaining the considerable depression of the Little St Bernard Pass . The divide then briefly turns north to the Col de la Soigne , and then north-east along the crest of the Mont Blanc chain, which culminates in
2378-612: The Republic and Canton of Ticino or less formally the Canton of Ticino , is one of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confederation . It is composed of eight districts and its capital city is Bellinzona . It is also traditionally divided into the Sopraceneri and the Sottoceneri , respectively north and south of Monte Ceneri . Red and blue are the colours of its flag. Ticino is the southernmost canton of Switzerland. It
2460-791: The Saint-Gotthard Massif and the Lugano Prealps . The longest and deepest valleys are those of the Ticino, Verzasca and Maggia. The two highest mountains are the Rheinwaldhorn and the Basòdino . Other notable mountains are Pizzo Rotondo (highest of the Gotthard Massif), Pizzo Campo Tencia (highest fully within the canton), Monte Generoso (highest south of Lake Lugano) and Monte Tamaro (most prominent of
2542-416: The Timmelsjoch (2,474 m) and rising again in Stubai Alps Both the highest summits of the Ötztal and the Stubai, the Wildspitze (3,774 m) and the Zuckerhütl (3,505 m), stand a little to the north. The Brenner (1,370 m) is the lowest of all the great road passes across the core part of the main chain and has always been the chief means of communication between Germany and Italy. For some way beyond it,
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2624-424: The Vinschgau of the upper Adige, is one of the most remarkable features in the orography of the Alps. The little Reschen Lake , which forms the chief source of the Adige, is only 4 metres below the Pass, and 8 km from the Inn valley. Eastward of this pass, the main chain runs north-east to the Brenner Pass along the snowy crest of the Ötztal , the highest point being the Weißkugel (3,739 m), then crossing
2706-427: The canton of Uri until 1798, the year the Helvetic Republic was founded, when it became part of the new canton of Bellinzona along with the Swiss condominiums of Bellinzona, Riviera and Blenio. The condominiums of Locarno, Lugano, Mendrisio and Vallemaggia became part of the new canton of Lugano in 1798. These two cantons formed into one canton, Ticino, in 1803 when it joined the (restored) Swiss Confederation as
2788-434: The canton of Uri , but subsequently lost. Uri conquered the Leventina Valley in 1440. In a second conquest Uri, Schwyz and Nidwalden gained the town of Bellinzona and the Riviera in 1500. Some of the land and Bellinzona itself were previously annexed by Uri in 1419 but lost again in 1422. The third conquest was fought by troops from the entire Confederation (at that time constituted by 12 cantons). In 1512 Locarno ,
2870-490: The canton of the Grisons . The current Constitution of the Republic and Canton of Ticino, originating from a draft approved on 18 August 1801 during the Helvetic Republic, was approved on 14 December 1997. In its preamble , it states that it was created by the Ticinese people ( popolo ) "in order to guaranty peaceful life together with respect for the dignity of man, fundamental liberties and social justice (...) faithful to its historic task to interpret Italian culture within
2952-421: The fashion industry due to its closeness to Milan . Hugo Boss , Gucci , VF Corporation and other popular brands are located there. Because the international fashion business has become a significant employer for Swiss and Italians alike, the region has also been termed the "Fashion Valley". Three of the world's largest gold refineries are based in Ticino, including the Pamp refinery in Castel San Pietro ,
3034-456: The southern parts of the Grisons . In 2020, Ticino had a population of 350,986. The largest city is Lugano , and the two other notable centres are Bellinzona and Locarno . While the geography of the Sopraceneri region is marked by the High Alps and Lake Maggiore , that of the Sottoceneri is marked by the Alpine foothills and Lake Lugano . The canton, which has become one of the major tourist destinations of Switzerland, distinguishes itself from
3116-471: The Alpine divide here, heading north, while the divide continues east to the Maloja Pass (1,815 m). The main chain has more glaciers and eternal snow than the independent or external ranges . The longest of these were both 14.9 kilometres ( 9 + 1 ⁄ 4 miles) a century ago, the Mer de Glace at Chamonix (now 7.6 km or 4 + 3 ⁄ 4 mi) and the Gorner Glacier at Zermatt (now 12.5 km or 7 + 3 ⁄ 4 mi). In
3198-412: The Alpine divide. From the St. Gotthard to the Maloja the watershed between the basins of the Rhine and Po runs in a generally easterly direction. It goes over Passo del Lucomagno (1,915 m), across Scopi (3,200 m), Piz Medel (3,210 m) and Piz Terri (3,149 m), where it turns towards the south to the Rheinwaldhorn (3,402 m). Here the divide veers back east over the Vogelberg (3,220 m) to
3280-454: The Alps The main chain of the Alps , also called the Alpine divide is the central line of mountains that forms the drainage divide of the range. Main chains of mountain ranges are traditionally designated in this way, and generally include the highest peaks of a range. The Alps are something of an unusual case in that several significant groups of mountains are separated from the main chain by sizable distances. Among these groups are
3362-408: The Government are Claudio Zali, Raffaele De Rosa, Manuele Bertoli, Norman Gobbi and Christian Vitta. Each year, the Council of State nominates its president. The current president of the Council of State is Norman Gobbi. The most recent elections were held in April 2019; the next elections will be on 2 April 2023. The cantonal capital is Bellinzona . The Palazzo delle Orsoline on Piazza Governo
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3444-424: The Helvetic Confederation" . The Grand Council ( Gran Consiglio ) is the legislative authority of the canton, exercising sovereignty over any matter not explicitly delegated by the constitution to another authority. The Gran Consiglio has 90 members called deputati (deputies), elected in a single constituency using the proportional representation system. Deputies serve four-year terms, and annually nominate
3526-421: The Italian resort of Livigno , past Fraele Pass (1,952 m) and the source of the Adda , traverses Piz Murtarol (3,180 m) and Monte Forcola , where is the tripoint between the Danube, Po and Adige basins, then falls to the Ofen Pass (2,149 m), soon heads north and rises once more in Piz Sesvenna (3,204 m). The Reschen Pass (1,504 m) marks a break in the continuity of the Alpine chain. The deep valley,
3608-435: The San Bernardino Pass (2,067 m), then over the Pizzo Tambo (3,279 m), the Splugenpass (2,114 m) and Piz Timun (3,209 m). From here the divide heads south again to Pizzo Stella (3,163 m) and then east over Pizz Gallagiun (3,107 m), to where, near the Lunghin pass , it reaches the main triple divide of the Alps: where water can flow to the Atlantic, the Mediterranean or the Black Sea. The main European watershed leaves
3690-406: The Swiss average of 86,135 Swiss francs, it was still one of the wealthiest areas in Europe. Ticino also had the second highest life expectancy (85.2 years) in Europe in 2018. The Human Development Index of 0.961 in 2021 was one of the highest found anywhere in the world . The name Ticino was chosen for the newly established canton in 1803, after the river Ticino which flows through it from
3772-418: The area Rocca Barbena is rocky and locally precipitous, above all on its North face. Administratively the Rocca Barbena belongs to the municipality of Castelvecchio di Rocca Barbena . On its summit, which offers a very good point of view on Ligurian Alps and Italian Riviera , stands a cross with a metallic box sheltering a summit register . Rocca Barbena can be reached from Colle Scravaion following
3854-408: The canton . In winter, skiing is popular in the highest locations, notably in Airolo and Bosco/Gurin . In the lower regions, especially around Lake Maggiore and Lake Lugano, vineyards, olive trees and other fruits common to southern Europe are grown. Several types of cold hardy palm trees and other subtropical species may be grown here, and although none are native, their presence in the ecosystem
3936-407: The canton allowing for the Grand Council of Ticino to promote and lead in deciding on mergers. This has resulted in changes to some of the circles, with many circles now consisting of just one or two municipalities. The most populous municipality – Lugano (having merged with numerous other municipalities) – is subdivided into quartieri (quarters) which are grouped into three (cantonal) circles. In
4018-414: The canton can experience severe droughts in both summer and winter, making it the region most affected by forest fires in the country. The climate of Ticino is highly diverse as elevations range from Lake Maggiore, affected by subtropical climate , to the high Alps, affected by subarctic and tundra climate . Therefore, similarly to the rest of Switzerland, many different types of ecosystems are found in
4100-443: The canton's main export market, receiving 23.1% of the total, compared to 15.8% for Italy and 9.9% for the United States. Many Italian companies relocate to Ticino, either temporarily or permanently, seeking lower taxes and an efficient bureaucracy : just as many Ticinese entrepreneurs doing business in Italy complain of red tape and widespread protectionism . The region has been attracting multinational companies particularly from
4182-429: The canton). For an exhaustive list, see list of mountains of Ticino . The area of the canton is 2,812 square kilometres (1,086 sq mi), of which about three-quarters are considered productive to trees or crops. Forests cover about a third of the area, but also the lakes Maggiore (or Verbano ) and Lugano (or Ceresio ) make up a considerable minority. The canton shares borders with three other cantons across
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#17327805230244264-433: The canton. In 1878, however, Bellinzona became the only and permanent capital. The 1870–1891 period saw a surge of political turbulence in Ticino, and the authorities needed the assistance of the federal government to restore order in several instances, in 1870, 1876, 1889 and 1890–1891. The current cantonal constitution dates from 1997. The previous constitution, heavily modified, was codified in 1830, nearly 20 years before
4346-481: The constitution of the Swiss Confederation . Ticino is the southernmost canton of Switzerland. With a few exceptions in the extreme north and south of the canton, it lies entirely in the Ticino basin, a tributary of the Po . Along with Valais and the Grisons , it is one of the three cantons whose territory extends into the Po basin (lands to the south of the Alps ). However, unlike the other Po basin cantons (and all other cantons), all settlements of Ticino are on
4428-416: The east to the Simplon Pass . It is in the portion of the watershed between the Grande St Bernard Pass and the Simplon that the main chain maintains a greater average height than in any other part. But, though it rises in a number of lofty peaks, such as the Mont Vélan (3,727 m), the Matterhorn (4,478 m), the Lyskamm (4,533 m), the Nord End of Monte Rosa (4,575 m), and the Weissmies (4,023 m), many of
4510-411: The gross cantonal product. Because of Ticino's shared language and culture, its financial industry has very close ties to Italy. In 2017, Ticino had an unemployment rate of 4%, higher than the Switzerland average which was estimated at 3.7%. Frontalieri , commuter workers living in Italy (mostly in the provinces of Varese and Como ) but working regularly in Ticino, form a large part (over 20%) of
4592-465: The highest points of the region, such as the Grand Combin (4,314 m), the Dent Blanche (4,357 m), the Weisshorn (4,505 m), the true summit or Dufourspitze (4,634 m) of Monte Rosa itself, and the Dom (4,545 m), all rise on its northern slope and not on the main chain. On the other hand, the chain between the Grande St Bernard and the Simplon sinks at barely half a dozen points below a level of 3,000 metres. The Simplon Pass (1.994 m) corresponds to
4674-419: The land is considered within the Alps, but a small area is part of the plain of the Po which drains the north of Italy . Although it includes the lowest point of Switzerland (Lake Maggiore) as well as its lowest town ( Ascona ), the topography of Ticino is extremely rugged, as it is the canton with the fourth largest elevation difference . It lies essentially within the Alps, in particular the Lepontine Alps ,
4756-408: The largest city, is in the densely populated Sottoceneri, the two other main cities, Bellinzona and Locarno , are in the Sopraceneri. The Ticino, which gives its name to the canton, is the largest river of Ticino. It flows from the northwest through the Bedretto Valley and the Leventina Valley to enter Lake Maggiore near Locarno . Its main tributaries are the Brenno in the Blenio Valley and
4838-437: The leading manufacturer of minted gold bars. Large companies based in the canton include: Bally , Hupac . The opening of the Gotthard Railway in 1882 led to the establishment of a sizeable tourist industry mostly catering to German speakers, although since the early 2000s the industry has suffered from the competition of more distant destinations. In 2011, 1,728,888 overnight stays were recorded. The mild climate throughout
4920-466: The main ridge of the Alps: Valais to the northwest, to which it is connected by the Nufenen Pass , Uri to the north, to which it is connected by the Gotthard Pass and the Grisons to the northeast, to which it is connected by the Lukmanier Pass and the Mesolcina Valley; the latter valley, a few kilometres north of Bellinzona, being the only (natural) low elevation access to another canton. Ticino shares international borders with Italy as well. To
5002-412: The members of the League. The lands of the canton of Ticino are the last lands to be conquered by the Swiss Confederation . The Confederation gave up any further conquests after their defeat at the battle of Marignano in 1515 by Francis I of France . The Valle Leventina revolted unsuccessfully against Uri in 1755. In February 1798 an attempt of annexation by the Cisalpine Republic was repelled by
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#17327805230245084-447: The modern canton of Ticino. Because of its unusual position, the canton relies on important infrastructure for connection with the rest of the country. The first major north–south railway link across the Alps, the Gotthard Railway , opened in 1882. In 2016, the Gotthard Base Tunnel was inaugurated, which finally provided a fully flat route through the Alps. The GDP per capita of Ticino was 83,450 Swiss francs in 2020. Despite being below
5166-480: The modern day, the circle serves only as a territorial unit with limited public functions, most notably the local judiciary. Religion in canton of Ticino (age 15+, 2012) Ticino has a population (as of 31 December 2020) of 350,986. As of 2013 , the population included 94,366 foreigners, or about 27.2% of the total population. The largest groups of foreign population were Italians (46.2%), followed by Croats (6.5%) and Portuguese (5.9%). The population density (in 2005)
5248-411: The northeast; the latter canton being also the only one to share some borders with Ticino at the level of the plains. The canton shares international borders with Italy as well, including a small Italian enclave . Named after the Ticino , its longest river, it is the only canton where Italian is the sole official language and represents the bulk of the Italian-speaking area of Switzerland along with
5330-405: The other side of the divide being formed by the Rhone , the Rhine and the Danube . Further east, the watershed is between the Adige and the Danube , before heading into Austria and draining on both sides into the Danube. For much of its distance the watershed lies on or close to the Italian border, although there are numerous deviations, notably, the Swiss canton of Ticino which lies south of
5412-458: The peak of Mont Blanc (4,810 m), the highest in the Alps. A number of high peaks line the divide, notably the Grandes Jorasses (4,208 m) before it reaches Mont Dolent (3,823 m), where France, Italy and Switzerland meet. From there, after a short dip to the south-east, the chain takes, near the Great St. Bernard Pass , a generally eastern direction that it maintains until it reaches Monte Rosa , where it bends northwards, making one small dip to
5494-448: The population adhered to another religion (including Jews 0.1%). The official language, and the one used for most written communication, is Swiss Italian . Despite being very similar to standard Italian , Swiss Italian presents some differences to the Italian spoken in Italy due to the influence of French and German from which it assimilates words. Dialects of the Lombard language such as Ticinese are still spoken, especially in
5576-420: The range in the Po river basin. For only a small portion of its total distance does the Alpine divide form a part of the main European watershed , in the central section where the watershed is between the Po and the Rhine. The Alps are generally divided into Eastern Alps and Western Alps , cut along a line between Lake Como and Lake Constance , following the Rhine valley. Piz Bernina (4,049 metres)
5658-407: The region. In the lower areas, deciduous forests are omnipresent, while at high elevations they tend to be replaced by coniferous forests, except in the Sottoceneri ( Lugano Prealps ), where they are almost absent. The treeline is located at around 2,000 metres in the Sopraceneri and 1,600 metres in the Sottoceneri. The Basòdino , Ticino's second-highest mountain, is covered by the largest glacier of
5740-449: The rest of the country by its warm climate, and its culture and gastronomy. The land now occupied by the canton was annexed from Italian cities in the 15th century by various Swiss forces in the last transalpine campaigns of the Old Swiss Confederacy . In the Helvetic Republic , established in 1798, it was divided between the two new cantons of Bellinzona and Lugano . The Act of Mediation in 1803 saw these two cantons combine to form
5822-411: The south side of the Alps, therefore separated from the Swiss Plateau (and most of the country) by the great Alpine barrier. The canton also comprehends some small areas in the Rhine basin in the north, at the Gotthard Pass and around lake of Santa Maria . The extreme south of the canton is drained by the Po as well, but through the Breggia and Adda , and Gaggiolo, Olona , Lambro . The canton
5904-493: The southwest is the region of Piedmont and to the southeast is the region of Lombardy . The main border crossing between Italy and Switzerland is that of Chiasso , in the extreme south of the canton. The climate of Ticino is mostly influenced by the Mediterranean Sea, the Alps protecting it from north European weather. As a consequence, the plains experience warm and moist summers, and mild winters. This climate
5986-510: The true main watershed . [REDACTED] This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain : Lake, Philip ; Knox, Howard; Coolidge, W. A. B. (1911). " Alps ". In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica . Vol. 1 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 737–754. Ticino Ticino ( / t ɪ ˈ tʃ iː n oʊ / tih- CHEE -noh ), sometimes Tessin ( / t ɛ ˈ s iː n , t ɛ ˈ s æ̃ / ), officially
6068-588: The two loftiest peaks of this region one, the Aiguille de Chambeyron (3,412 m), is just to the west, and the other, the Monviso (3,841 m), is just to the east of the divide. From the head of the Val Pellice the main chain runs north-west and diminishes much in average height until it reaches the Mont Thabor (3,178 m), which forms the apex of a salient angle which the main chain here presents towards
6150-633: The two-letter code is TI. It is one of the four cantons of Switzerland officially referred to as "republics", along with Geneva , Neuchâtel and Jura . During the Bronze and Iron Ages , the area of what is today Ticino was settled by the Lepontii , a Celtic tribe. Later, probably around the rule of Augustus , it became part of the Roman Empire . After the fall of the Western Empire, it
6232-540: The valleys, but they are not used for official purposes. Despite the dominance of Italian speakers, fluency in Standard or Swiss German is sometimes taken to be an important prerequisite for employment, regardless of sector or sphere of work. In 2016, Ticino was the European region with the second highest life expectancy at 85.0 years, and the highest male life expectancy at 82.7 years. The historical population
6314-860: The watershed runs eastwards over the highest crest of the Zillertal Alps , which attains 3,510 metres in the Hochfeiler . But, a little farther, at the Dreiherrnspitze (3,499 m), the chain splits: the main watershed between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean heads south, along the Rieserferner Group to the Dolomites , and Julian Alps . The main alpine divide head east, traversing the High Tauern range, crossing
6396-516: The west. From here the divide extends eastwards, culminating in the Aiguille de Scolette (3,505 m), but makes a great curve to the north-west and back to the south-east before rising in the Rocciamelone (3,509 m). From there the direction taken is north as far as the eastern summit (3,619 m) of the Levanna , the divide rising in a series of snowy peaks, though the loftiest point of the region,
6478-568: The workforce, far larger than in the rest of Switzerland, where the rate is below 5%. Foreigners in general hold 44.3% of all the jobs, again a much higher rate than elsewhere in the Confederation (27%). Frontalieri are usually paid less than Swiss workers for their jobs, and tend to serve as low-cost labour. Italy is by far Ticino's most important foreign trading partner, but there's a huge trade deficit between imports (5 billion CHF ) and exports (1.9 billion). By 2013, Germany had become
6560-759: The year makes the canton a popular destination for hikers. The high Alps of Ticino include numerous tourist facilities such as the Monte Generoso Railway , the Ritom Funicular and the Cardada Cableway. Among other tourist attractions are the Verzasca Dam , popular with bungee jumpers, and Swissminiatur in Melide , a miniature park featuring scale models of over 120 Swiss monuments. The Brissago Islands on Lake Maggiore are
6642-593: Was 5,091 francs (US$ 5,580), below the national average of 6,118 francs (US$ 6,703). However, due to lesser cost of living and lower taxation compared to most other cantons, the overall disposable mean income is high. The GDP per capita at 82,438 francs in 2014, was seventh highest in Switzerland. Ticino is counted among the most prosperous regions of Switzerland and of Europe. Lugano is Switzerland's third largest financial centre after Zurich and Geneva. The banking industry alone has 8,400 employees and generates 17% of
6724-718: Was ruled by the Ostrogoths , the Lombards and the Franks . Around 1100 it was the centre of a struggle between the free communes of Milan and Como : in the 14th century, it was acquired by the Visconti , Dukes of Milan . In the fifteenth century, the Swiss Confederates conquered the valleys south of the Alps in three separate conquests. Between 1403 and 1422 some of these lands were already annexed by forces from
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