Geography

A Pastoral Region

The Appenzell region, characterized by its green rolling hills, is located in northeastern Switzerland at the foot of Säntis Peak (2,503 meters above sea level) and the rest of the Alpstein mountain range. Surrounded by parts of the larger canton of St. Gallen, the roughly 415-km2 region is actually made up of the two semi-cantons of Appenzell Innerrhoden and Appenzell Ausserrhoden. With a combined total of approximately 70,000 inhabitants, the entire Appenzell region has a smaller population that it did one hundred years ago.

Despite the decline in population, Appenzell is an unusually picturesque region noted for its colorfully painted houses and its charming inns and restaurants, many of which are located in the remotest of mountain villages. The capital of the smaller canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden is Appenzell and the capital of Appenzell Ausserrhoden is Herisau.