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[[File:Mittelland.JPG|thumb|400px|Satellite image of the Swiss Plateau between the Jura and the Alps]]
The '''Swiss Plateau''' or '''Central Plateau'''<ref>({{
==Geography==
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Within Switzerland, the Swiss Plateau has a length of about {{convert|300|km|mi}}, and its width increases from the west to the east: In the [[Geneva]] region, it is about {{convert|30|km|mi}}, at [[Bern]] about {{convert|50|km|mi}} and in eastern Switzerland about {{convert|70|km|mi}}.
Many [[cantons of Switzerland]] include a part in the Swiss Plateau. Entirely situated within the Swiss Plateau are the cantons of [[canton of
===Geology===
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====Glacial landscapes====
A look at a map still reveals the directions where the ice age glaciers ran. The farthest expansion of the Rhône Glacier to the northeast is indicated by way the western Swiss Plateau valleys trend: The valleys of the [[Broye]] and the [[Glâne District|Glâne]] as well as [[Lake Murten]], [[Lake Neuchâtel]], and [[Lake Biel]] that trend all northeast, parallel to the Jura and to the [[Alps]]. The glaciers of the Reuss and the Limmat have carved the valleys of the central Swiss Plateau that trend northwest (among others including the valleys of the [[Wigger (river)|Wigger]], the [[Suhre]], the [[Seetal]], the [[Reuss (river)|Reuss]] and the [[Limmat]]). The Rhine Glacier has mostly left traces that trend west: The eastern Swiss Plateau of the [[Thur (Switzerland)|Thur]] Valley and Lake Constance. In certain places, there are characteristic [[drumlin]]s of the base moraine, often clustered, especially in the highlands of
Another reminder of the glaciation are [[glacial erratic]]s which are found all over the Swiss Plateau. These rocks, sometimes of enormous size, are of alien stones, mostly [[granite]] and [[gneiss]] from the central crystalline Alps. Taken together, they were one of the clues that led to the substantiation of the glaciation theory in the 19th century since transport by water or by volcanism was physically impossible.
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==Population==
[[
[[File:Zürich - Waidberg-Zürichsee 2.JPG|thumb|The densely populated Swiss Plateau: view of
===History of settlement===
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=== Today ===
Even though the Swiss Plateau takes only about 30% of the surface of Switzerland, 5 million people live there, which constitutes more than two-thirds of the Swiss population. The population density is 380 people per square kilometre. All the Swiss cities with more than 50 000 inhabitants except [[Basel]] and [[Lugano]] are situated in the plateau, especially [[Bern]], [[Geneva]], [[Lausanne]] and [[
A majority is German-speaking, though the west is French-speaking. The [[Röstigraben|language border]] has been stable for many centuries even though it falls neither on a geographical nor on a political delimitation. It passes from [[Biel/Bienne]] over [[Murten
==Economy==
[[File:Lavaux Alpes et Lac léman.jpg|thumb|[[Lavaux]] and [[Lake Geneva]]
Thanks to the favourable climate and fertile grounds, the lower western plateau is the most important [[Agriculture in Switzerland|agricultural region of Switzerland]]. The most important cultures are [[wheat]], [[barley]], [[maize]], [[sugar beet]] and [[potato]]; especially in the ''Seeland'', [[vegetable]]s are very important, too. Along the northern shores of the lakes of [[Lake
The forests in the Swiss Plateau are used in forestry. There are many Norway Spruce forestations, often in monoculture because of their valuable timber.
[[File:AKW Leibstadt.jpg|thumb|left|
With respect to [[Industry (manufacturing)|industry]], the plateau is the most important region of Switzerland. The traditional textile industries are situated especially in the central and eastern regions. During the last decades, however, it lost importance. Today's most important industries are the machine industry, the automotive industry, the electrical industry, the fine & micro mechanical, watch & electronic industries, next to the optical and metal construction. The food industry processes domestic as well as foreign produces. Furthermore, wood processing and paper converting are also important.
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===Transportation===
Because of the comparatively easy topography and the dense population, the transport network is highly developed. The most important transversal, so to speak the backbone of the Swiss Plateau, is the A1 motorway that connects all the big cities going from Geneva over Lausanne, Bern,
The A2, the Swiss north-south axis, crosses the plateau from Olten to Luzern.
The railway network is very dense. All major cities are connected, and between Olten and Lausanne, there are two main lines: One passing over Bern and Fribourg, the other passing over the edge of the Jura with Solothurn, Biel, Neuchâtel and Yverdon-les-Bains. The train ride from
The two most important Swiss airports are situated on the plateau, [[Zurich Airport]] and [[Geneva Cointrin Airport]]. The ''[[de facto]]'' capital of Switzerland, Bern, has only a small airport, [[Bern Airport|Bern Belpmoos Airport]].
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===Tourism===
[[File:Rhine Falls.jpg|thumb|The [[Rhine Falls]] ]]
Compared to the Swiss Alps, the plateau, and especially the rural plateau, is less geared towards tourism. It serves as a transit region. Visitors mainly come to see the major towns and cities with their historical sights and attractions, especially the Old Towns of Bern and Lucerne, but also
[[
==See also==
* [[Brünig-Napf-Reuss line]]
* [[History of Switzerland]]
== Literature ==
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{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Geography of Switzerland]]
[[Category:Regions of Switzerland]]
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