Land Use
| Land use |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Main areas | Surface (in %) |
Land use | Surface (in ha) |
| Surfaces of housing and infrastructure |
|
Building areas | 137,564 |
| Industrial areas | 20,233 | ||
| Special infrastructure areas | 16,111 | ||
| Green spaces and recreation areas | 15,860 | ||
| Transportation areas | 89,329 | ||
| Agricultural land |
|
Orchards, vineyards, horticulture | 60,956 |
| Arable land, local pastures | 926,378 | ||
| Alpine pastures | 537,802 | ||
| Forests |
|
Forest | 1,102,160 |
| Scrub forests | 60,514 | ||
| Other woodlands | 108,978 | ||
| Unproductive areas |
|
Lakes | 142,234 |
| Rivers | 31,724 | ||
| Unproductive vegetation | 263,051 | ||
| Unvegetated surfaces | 615,597 | ||
The Swiss territory is divided into four major types of land use. As of 2001, 36.9% of the land in Switzerland was used for farming. 30.8% of the country is covered with forests and woodlands, with an additional 6.8% covered with houses or buildings. About one-fourth (25.5%) of the country is either mountains, lakes or rivers and is categorised as unproductive.
Read more about this topic: Regions Of Switzerland
Famous quotes containing the word land:
“The mode of clearing and planting is to fell the trees, and burn once what will burn, then cut them up into suitable lengths, roll into heaps, and burn again; then, with a hoe, plant potatoes where you can come at the ground between the stumps and charred logs; for a first crop the ashes suffice for manure, and no hoeing being necessary the first year. In the fall, cut, roll, and burn again, and so on, till the land is cleared; and soon it is ready for grain, and to be laid down.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“Ah, love, let us be true
To one another! for the world, which seems
To lie before us like a land of dreams,
So various, so beautiful, so new,
Hath really neither joy, nor love, nor light,
Nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain;”
—Matthew Arnold (1822–1888)