Valais

Valais
Canton
Canton du Valais  (French) Kanton Wallis  (German)
Flag Coat of arms
Anthem: Notre Valais/Wallis, unser Heimatland ("Our Valais/Valais, our homeland")
Location in Switzerland Map of Valais
Coordinates: 46°4′N 7°36′E / 46.067°N 7.600°E / 46.067; 7.600
Capital	Sion
Subdivisions	143 municipalities, 13 districts
Government
• Executive	Conseil d'État, Staatsrat (5)
• Legislative	Grand Council (130)
Area [1]
• Total	5,224.49 km2 (2,017.19 sq mi)
Population  (December 2020)[2]
• Total	348,503
• Density	67/km2 (170/sq mi)
ISO 3166 code	CH-VS
Highest point	4,634 m (15,203 ft): Monte Rosa
Lowest point	372 m (1,220 ft): Lake Geneva
Joined	1815
Languages	French, German
Website	www.vs.ch

Valais is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland in the south-western part of the country.

It is near the valley of the Rhone River from its springs to Lake Geneva, that separates Pennine Alps from the Bernese Alps. The canton is one of the drier parts of Switzerland in its central Rhone valley. It is also one of most well-watered parts, having large amounts of snow and rain up on the highest peaks in Switzerland. It is perhaps best known worldwide for the Matterhorn.

1. ↑ Arealstatistik Land Cover - Kantone und Grossregionen nach 6 Hauptbereichen accessed 27 October 2017
2. ↑ "Ständige und nichtständige Wohnbevölkerung nach institutionellen Gliederungen, Geburtsort und Staatsangehörigkeit". bfs.admin.ch (in German). Swiss Federal Statistical Office - STAT-TAB. 31 December 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2021.