Surselva Region has an area of 1,373.56 square kilometers (530.33sqmi), with a population of 21,318 as of 31 December 2020.[2].
Its area corresponds exactly to that of its predecessor, Surselva District, but all of its former subdistricts (Kreise) – Disentis, Ilanz, Lumnezia/Lugnez, Ruis and Safien – have politically ceased to exist.
Surselva (literally, 'above the forest') is the name of the valley of the Anterior Rhine in the local (Sursilvan) dialect of Romansh. The eponymous forest is that of the Flims rockslide; the region "below the forest" is Sutselva, where the Sutsilvan dialect used to be spoken.
Geography
The Surselva encompasses the valley of the Vorderrhein/Rein Anteriur (the Surselva) and all its side valleys, from the source near the Oberalp Pass all the way down towards Reichenau (where the Vorderrhein joins the Hinterrhein/Rein Posteriur to form the Alpine Rhine). The region ends before that confluence at the huge forest on the giant debris of Flims Rockslide that is responsible for the name of the region: The debris area lack of water and soil and were ever left as a big forest as it was useless for farming. This forest (Romansh: silva) is the border for Sur-silva (meaning 'above the forest').
The Surselva is one of the few areas in Switzerland that is mainly Romansh-speaking (another notable valley being the Engadine, the valley of the Inn). The most important community in the Surselva is Disentis/Mustér, with its Benedictine monastery, which dates back to 720. There are a few German-speaking communities in the Surselva, e.g. Obersaxen and Vals, which were founded in the thirteenth century by the Walser.
A long-distance hike is signposted to follow the full length of the main valley of the Anterior Rhine.[3]
Municipalities
Surselva Region had 17 municipalities at the time of its formation. On 1 January 2018 the former municipalities of Andiast and Waltensburg/Vuorz merged into the municipality of Breil/Brigels, for a total of 15 municipalities.
More information Municipality, Population (31 December 2020) ...
Romansh is the predominant language in the region, mostly the Sursilvan dialect. There is a large German-speaking minority in Surselva, notably the Walser settlements of Obersaxen and Vals. However, the percentage of Romansh-speakers is in decline. Traditional Romansh-speaking cities such as Ilanz are losing ground to German.[citation needed]
On 1 January 2015 the former municipality of St. Martin merged into the municipality of Vals.[6]
It consisted of five Kreise (sub-districts) and forty-three municipalities. It was replaced with the Surselva Region (the same area but with a simpler political structure) on 1 January 2017 as part of a reorganization of the canton.[1]
This article uses material from the Wikipedia article Surselva_(district), and is written by contributors.
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