Editing Swiss Alps (section)

==Geography==
{{See also|Geography of Switzerland}}
[[File:10127 Berner Alpen Prêles.jpg|thumb|Swiss Alps seen from the Swiss Jura in December 2010]]
The Alps cover 60% of Switzerland's total {{convert|41285|km2|sqmi}} surface area, making it one of the most ''[[Alpine states|alpine]]'' countries. Despite the fact that Switzerland covers only 14% of the Alps total {{convert|192753|km2|sqmi}} area,<ref>Werner Bätzing, Henri Rougier, ''Les Alpes: Un foyer de civilisation au coeur de l'Europe'', page 21, {{ISBN|2-606-00294-6}}</ref><ref>Area defined by the ''Alpine Convention'' (website: [http://www.alpconv.org/index_en alpconv.org] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110729001545/http://www.alpconv.org/index_en |date=2011-07-29 }})</ref> 48 out of 82 [[List of Alpine four-thousanders|alpine four-thousanders]] are located in the Swiss Alps and practically all of the remaining 34 are within {{convert|20|km|mi}} of the country's border.<ref>All 4,000ers of [[Mont Blanc massif]] are within 20 km from the Swiss border. [[Barre des Ecrins]] and [[Gran Paradiso]] are the only over 4,000-metre ranges not shared with Switzerland. Distance retrieved from the [[Swisstopo]] map</ref>

The glaciers of the Swiss Alps cover an area of {{convert|1220|km2|sqmi}} — 3% of the Swiss territory, representing 44% of the total glaciated area in the Alps i.e. {{convert|2800|km2|sqmi}}.

The Swiss Alps are situated south of the [[Swiss Plateau]] and north of the national border. The limit between the Alps and the plateau runs from [[Vevey]] on the shores of [[Lake Geneva]] to [[Rorschach, St. Gallen|Rorschach]] on the shores of [[Lake Constance]], passing close to the cities of [[Thun]] and [[Lucerne]].<ref>According to the limit defined by the Alpine Convention</ref> The not well defined regions in Switzerland that lie on the margin of the Alps, especially those on the north side, are called the ''Swiss Prealps''<ref>The Swiss Prealps should not be confused with the homonymous region defined by the [[SOIUSA]] classification of the Alps, with the [[Schilthorn]] as main summit.</ref> (''Préalpes'' in French, ''Voralpen'' in German, ''Prealpi'' in Italian). The Swiss Prealps are mainly made of limestone and they generally do not exceed {{convert|2500|m|ft}}.<ref>{{HDS|8564}}</ref>

The Alpine [[Cantons of Switzerland|cantons]] (from highest to lowest) are [[Canton of Valais|Valais]], [[Canton of Bern|Bern]], [[Canton of Grisons|Graubünden]], [[Canton of Uri|Uri]], [[Canton of Glarus|Glarus]], [[Canton of Ticino|Ticino]], [[Canton of St. Gallen|St. Gallen]], [[Canton of Vaud|Vaud]], [[Canton of Obwalden|Obwalden]], [[Canton of Nidwalden|Nidwalden]], [[Canton of Schwyz|Schwyz]], [[Canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden|Appenzell Innerrhoden]], [[Canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden|Appenzell Ausserrhoden]], [[Canton of Fribourg|Fribourg]], [[Canton of Lucerne|Lucerne]] and [[Canton of Zug|Zug]]. The countries with which Switzerland shares mountain ranges of the Alps are (from west to east): [[France]], [[Italy]], [[Austria]] and [[Liechtenstein]].

===Ranges===
The Alps are usually divided into two main parts, the [[Western Alps]] and [[Eastern Alps]], whose division is along the [[Rhine]] from Lake Constance to the [[Splügen Pass]]. The western ranges occupy the greatest part of Switzerland while the more numerous eastern ranges are much smaller and are all situated in the [[canton of Graubünden]]. The latter is part of the [[Central Eastern Alps]], except the [[Ortler Alps]] which belong to the [[Southern Limestone Alps]]. The [[Pennine Alps|Pennine]], [[Bernese Alps|Bernese]] and [[Bernina Range]] are the highest ranges of the country, they contain respectively 38, 9 and 1 summit over 4000 meters. The lowest range is the [[Appenzell Alps]] culminating at 2,500 meters.

'''Western Alps'''
[[Image:Alpes centrales map-fr.svg|thumb|200px|Map of the western Swiss Alps]]
{| class="wikitable" font=90%"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Location
! Range
! Cantons, Country
! Notable peaks
! East limit
|-
| rowspan="5" | From west to east, north of [[Rhône]] and [[Rhine]]
|-
| [[Bernese Alps]]
| [[Vaud]], [[Canton of Fribourg|Fribourg]], [[Canton of Bern|Bern]], [[Canton of Valais|Valais]]
| [[Finsteraarhorn]], [[Aletschhorn]], [[Jungfrau]], [[Mönch]],  [[Eiger]], [[Lauteraarhorn]]
| [[Grimsel Pass]]
|-
| [[Uri Alps|Uri]] and [[Emmental Alps]]
| [[Canton of Bern|Bern]], [[Canton of Lucerne|Lucerne]], [[Canton of Obwalden|Obwalden]], [[Canton of Nidwalden|Nidwalden]], [[Canton of Uri|Uri]] (and [[Canton of Valais|Valais]])
| [[Dammastock]], [[Titlis]], [[Brienzer Rothorn]], [[Pilatus (mountain)|Pilatus]], [[Napf]]
| [[Reuss (river)|Reuss]]
|-
| [[Glarus Alps]] and [[Schwyzer Alps]]
| [[Canton of Schwyz|Schwyz]], [[Canton of Zug|Zug]], [[Canton of Uri|Uri]], [[Canton of Glarus|Glarus]], [[Canton of Grisons|Graubünden]], [[Canton of Lucerne|Lucerne]]
| [[Tödi]], [[Bächistock]], [[Glärnisch]], [[Rigi]], [[Mythen]]
| [[Seeztal]]
|-
| [[Appenzell Alps]]
| [[Canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden|Appenzell Innerrhoden]], [[Canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden|Appenzell Ausserrhoden]], [[Canton of St. Gallen|St. Gallen]] (and [[Canton of Zurich|Zurich]])
| [[Säntis]], [[Churfirsten]]
| [[Rhine]]
|-
| rowspan="5" | From west to east, south of [[Rhône]] and [[Rhine]]
|-
| [[Chablais Alps]]
| [[Canton of Valais|Valais]], [[France]]
| [[Dents du Midi]]
| [[Arve]]
|-
| [[Mont Blanc massif]]
| [[Canton of Valais|Valais]], [[France]], [[Italy]]
| [[Aiguille d'Argentière]]
| [[Col Ferret]]
|-
| [[Pennine Alps]]
| [[Canton of Valais|Valais]], [[Italy]]
| [[Monte Rosa]], [[Weisshorn]], [[Matterhorn]]
| [[Simplon Pass]]
|-
| [[Lepontine Alps]]
| [[Canton of Valais|Valais]], [[Canton of Ticino|Ticino]], [[Canton of Uri|Uri]], [[Canton of Graubünden|Graubünden]]
| [[Monte Leone]], [[Rheinwaldhorn]]
| [[Splügen Pass]]
|}

'''Eastern Alps'''
[[Image:EasternSwissAlps.jpg|thumb|200px|Map of the eastern Swiss Alps]]
{| class="wikitable" font=90%"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Location
! Range
! Notable peaks
|-
| rowspan="7" | From west to east, north of [[Mera (river, Switzerland)|Mera]] and [[Inn (river)|Inn]]
|-
| [[Oberhalbstein Range|Oberhalbstein]]
| [[Piz Platta]]
|-
| [[Plessur Range|Plessur]]
| [[Aroser Weisshorn]]
|-
| [[Albula Range|Albula]]
| [[Piz Kesch]], [[Piz Lunghin]]
|-
| [[Rätikon]]
| [[Schesaplana]]
|-
| [[Silvretta Range|Silvretta]]
| [[Piz Linard]], [[Piz Buin]]
|-
| [[Samnaun Alps]]
| [[Muttler]]
|-
| rowspan="7" | From west to east, south of [[Mera (river, Switzerland)|Mera]] and [[Inn (river)|Inn]]
|-
| [[Bregaglia Range|Bregaglia]]
| [[Cima di Castello]], [[Piz Badile]]
|-
| [[Bernina Range|Bernina]]
| [[Piz Bernina]], [[Piz Roseg]]
|-
| [[Livigno Range|Livigno]]
| [[Piz Paradisin]]
|-
| [[Ortler Alps]]
| [[Piz Murtaröl]]
|-
| [[Sesvenna Range|Sesvenna]]
| [[Piz Sesvenna]]
|}

===Hydrography===
{{See also|Valleys of the Alps}}

====Rivers====
{{See also|List of rivers in Switzerland}}
[[File:Rhine.jpg|thumb|right|[[Ruinaulta|Rhine Gorge]] in Graubünden]]
The north side of the Swiss Alps is drained by the [[Rhône]], [[Rhine]] and [[Inn (river)|Inn]] (which is part of the Danube basin) while the south side is mainly drained by the [[Ticino (river)|Ticino]] (Po basin). The rivers on the north empty into the [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]], [[North Sea|North]] and [[Black Sea]], on the south the Po empty in the [[Adriatic Sea]]. The major triple watersheds in the Alps are located within the country, they are: [[Piz Lunghin]], [[Witenwasserenstock]] and [[Monte Forcola]]. Between the Witenwasserenstock and Piz Lunghin runs the [[European Watershed]] separating the basin of the [[Atlantic]] (the North Sea) and the Mediterranean Sea (Adriatic and the Black Sea). The European watershed lies only partially on the [[Main chain of the Alps|main chain]]. Switzerland possesses 6% of Europe's freshwater, and is sometimes referred to as the "water tower of Europe".

====Lakes====
{{See also|List of lakes of Switzerland|List of mountain lakes of Switzerland}}
[[File:Dix.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Lac des Dix]] in Valais]]
Since the [[List of tallest dams in Switzerland|highest dams]] are located in Alpine regions, many large mountain lakes are [[List of lakes with a dam in Switzerland|artificial]] and are used as hydroelectric reservoirs.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=FSgDAAAAMBAJ&dq=popular+science+1930&pg=PA61 "Dam Begun in Swiss Alps to be Europe's Highest."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230727123730/https://books.google.com/books?id=FSgDAAAAMBAJ&dq=popular+science+1930&pg=PA61 |date=2023-07-27 }} ''Popular Science'', November 1929, p. 61</ref> Some large artificial lakes can be found above 2,300 m, but natural lakes larger than 1&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> are generally below 1,000 m (with the exceptions of lakes in the [[Engadin]] such as [[Lake Sils]], and [[Oeschinen Lake|Oeschinen]] in the Bernese Oberland). The melting of low-altitude glaciers can generate new lakes, such as the 0.25&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> large [[Triftsee]] which formed between 2002 and 2003.

===Hydroelectricity Impacts due to Glacial Melting===
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 of [[hydroelectricity]] 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.<ref>Hydroelectricity((www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/04/17/climate/switzerland-glaciers-climate-change.html))</ref>
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===Land elevation===
{{See also|Swiss cantons by elevation}}
The following table<ref>[http://www.reliefs.ch/IRInhalt.html#Kantone Die Kantone nach ihren höchsten Punkten] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060908025044/http://www.reliefs.ch/IRInhalt.html#Kantone |date=2006-09-08 }} {{in lang|de}} Various highest and lowest elevation values by canton (village center, road or rail network, etc.)</ref> 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.

{| class="wikitable sortable" font=90%"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! [[Cantons of Switzerland|Canton]]
! Land above 2000m in km<sup>2</sup>
! Land above 2000m in %
! Land above 3000m in km<sup>2</sup>
! Land above 3000m in %
|-
| [[Canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden|Appenzell Ausserrhoden]]
| 1
| 0.4
| 0
| 0
|-
| [[Canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden|Appenzell Innerrhoden]]
| 4
| 2.3
| 0
| 0
|-
| [[Canton of Bern|Bern]]
| 887
| 15
| 100
| 1.7
|-
| [[Canton of Fribourg|Fribourg]]
| 14
| 0.8
| 0
| 0
|-
| [[Canton of Glarus|Glarus]]
| 213
| 31
| 4
| 0.6
|-
| [[Canton of Grisons|Graubünden]]
| 4296
| 60
| 111
| 1.6
|-
| [[Canton of Lucerne|Lucerne]]
| 4
| 0.3
| 0
| 0
|-
| [[Canton of Nidwalden|Nidwalden]]
| 20
| 7
| 0
| 0
|-
| [[Canton of Obwalden|Obwalden]]
| 66
| 13
| 1
| 0.2
|-
| [[Canton of Schwyz|Schwyz]]
| 69
| 8
| 0
| 0
|-
| [[Canton St. Gallen|St. Gallen]]
| 184
| 9
| 1
| 0.05
|-
| [[Canton of Ticino|Ticino]]
| 781
| 28
| 2
| 0.07
|-
| [[Canton of Uri|Uri]]
| 562
| 52
| 19
| 1.8
|-
| [[Canton of Valais|Valais]]
| 2595
| 50
| 697
| 13
|-
| [[Canton of Vaud|Vaud]]
| 92
| 3
| 1
| 0.03
|- class="sortbottom"
| '''[[Switzerland]]'''
| '''9788'''
| '''24'''
| '''936'''
| '''2.3'''
|}

===Monitoring glacial changes over time===
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.<ref>PERMOS monitoring((www.permos.ch/downloads/permos00-02.pdf.))</ref> The glaciers in the Swiss Alps have lost around half their volume during the last 90–120 years.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Huss |first1=M. |title=Extrapolating glacier mass balance to the mountain-range scale: the European Alps 1900–2100 |journal=[[The Cryosphere]] |date=6 July 2012 |volume=6 |issue=4 |pages=713–727 |doi=10.5194/tc-6-713-2012 |bibcode=2012TCry....6..713H |quote=Total ice volume change since 1900 is −96 ± 13 km3|doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Mannerfelt |first1=Erik Schytt |last2=Dehecq |first2=Amaury |last3=Hugonnet |first3=Romain |last4=Hodel |first4=Elias |last5=Huss |first5=Matthias |last6=Bauder |first6=Andreas |last7=Farinotti |first7=Daniel |title=Halving of Swiss glacier volume since 1931 observed from terrestrial image photogrammetry |journal=[[The Cryosphere]] |date=22 August 2022 |volume=16 |issue=8 |pages=3249–3268 |doi=10.5194/tc-16-3249-2022 |bibcode=2022TCry...16.3249S |quote=This translates to a halving of glacier volume|doi-access=free }}</ref>