Flags and arms of cantons of Switzerland Flags and arms of cantons of Switzerland Each of the 26 modern cantons of Switzerland has an official flag and a coat of arms. The history of development of these designs spans the 13th to the 20th centuries. The cantons are listed in their order of precedence given in the federal constitution. This reflects the historical order of precedence of the Eight Cantons in the 15th century, followed by the remaining cantons in the order of their historical accession to the confederacy. "Standesfarben" were used to identify the (historical) cantons when the full banner was not available for display, although
Cantons of France Republic), although larger communes may comprise several cantons, since the cantons are intended to be roughly equal in population – unlike the communes, which range from more than two million inhabitants (Paris) to just one person (Rochefourchat). The role of the "canton" is, essentially, to provide a framework for departmental elections. Each "canton" elects a person to represent it at the "conseil général du département" – or general council for the "department", which is the principal administrative division of the French Republic. In urban areas, a single "commune" generally includes several "cantons". Conversely, in rural areas, a "canton" may comprise