Ticino

Geography

The canton of Ticino is located in the south of Switzerland. It is almost entirely surrounded by Italy which lies to its east, west and south. To the north lie the cantons of Valais and Uri, to the northeast the canton of Graubünden.

Related Topics:
Italy - Valais - Uri - Graubünden

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Its area is 2,812 km², of which about three quarters are considered productive. Forests cover about a third of the area, but also the lakes Maggiore and Lugano make up a considerable part of the total area.

Related Topics:
Maggiore - Lugano

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The River Ticino is the largest river in the canton. It drains most of the canton, flowing from the northwest through the Bedretto Valley and the Leventina valley to enter the lake near Bellinzona. Its main tributaries are the Brenno in the Blenio Valley and the Moesa in the Mesolcina Valley. The lands of the canton are shaped by the river and form a wide valley, commonly known as the Riviera.

Related Topics:
River Ticino - Bedretto Valley - Leventina - Bellinzona - Brenno - Blenio Valley - Moesa - Mesolcina Valley

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The western lands of the canton, however, are drained by the River Maggia. The Verzasca Valley is located between the Ticino river and the Maggia river. There is also a small area that drains directly into the Lake Lugano. Most of the lands is considered as within the Alps, but a small area is part of the plain of the River Po which drains the north of Italy.

Related Topics:
River Maggia - Verzasca Valley - Lake Lugano - Alps - River Po - Italy

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