The Canton of Vaud is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland and is located in the southwestern part of the country. The capital is Lausanne.

Geography

The canton stretches from Lake Neuchâtel in the north, where it borders the canton of Neuchâtel to Lake Geneva in the south, bordering the canton of Geneva, Haute-Savoie (lake border with France) and Canton of Valais. On the Jura ranges in the west, the canton borders the French départements of Ain, Jura, and Doubs. In the east, it borders canton of Fribourg and canton of Bern. The total area is 3,212 km².

Culture

Vaud shares a lot with its fellow French-speaking Protestant cantons of Geneva and Neuchâtel. It has still a strong rural component, protected by high subsidies, even if most of the economy and population are now urbanised, around services (finance, telecommunications, tourism) and industry (packaging, tobacco, food-processing, watchmaking, pharmaceuticals &c).

Economy

The canton is the second largest producer of wine in Switzerland. Most of the wine produced in the canton is white wine, and most vineyards are located on the steep shores of Lake Geneva. There is agriculture in the areas away from Lake Geneva. Sugar beet is important around Orbe, tobacco in din far the La Broye Valley and fruit is grown on the foot of the Jura mountains. Cattle breeding and pasture are common in the Alps and the Jura mountains. There is a salt mine at Bex. Tourism is important in many towns along the Lake Geneva. Major lakeside resorts include Lausanne, Montreux, Vevey or Nyon. Major mountain resorts include Leysin and Villars.

Education

The Canton is home to several renowned universities and schools:

• Swiss Federal institute of Technology, Lausanne (EPFL)

• University of Lausanne (UNIL)

• International Institute for Management Development (IMD)

• École Cantonale d'Art de Lausanne, Lausanne Art School (ECAL)

• Institut Le Rosey

• Glion Institute of Higher Education, Glion Institute of higher Education

• The American Graduate School of Business