# Spatial planning regions

A thematic map of the Atlas of Switzerland, the national atlas published by ETH Zurich. The map is drawn in the browser; this file describes it and lists its variants and links, but not the data values shown on the map.

- Map: https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/theme/spatial-planning-regions/
- Map id: 498
- Categories: Landscape and Space › Spatial development › Territorial typologies
- Keywords: Planning, Settlement
- Published: 2018-02-12
- Last revised: 2019-04-03
- Content language: English
- Other languages: [Deutsch](https://atlasderschweiz.ch/de/thema/raumplanungsregionen.md), [Français](https://atlasderschweiz.ch/fr/theme/regions-damenagement-du-territoire.md), [Italiano](https://atlasderschweiz.ch/it/tema/regioni-della-pianificazione-del-territorio.md)

## Description

The spatial planning regions (RPR) were constructed in the 1960s and 70s by the cantons and municipalities to deal with supra-municipal tasks – the significant settlement growth in these decades and the prospect of huge population growth meant that a tool such as this was needed.

Their task areas relate to the planning coordination of the supra-regional transport networks and the technical infrastructures of supply and waste disposal as well as – at least in the earlier years – determining land use by zone planning. The RPR are generally structured as municipal associations supervised by the cantons. They are mostly orientated towards a centre and functional connections were taken into account when they were defined. Some cultural and historic boundaries were also taken into consideration. The problem with this type of regionalisation is the different sizes of RPR depending on the part of the country, with some of them even crossing cantonal borders. The regions of the cantons of Aargau or Vaud are comparatively small for example, while those of Lucerne, St. Gallen and Valais are rather large.

After 1980, spatial planning regions became less important because the Swiss Federation significantly reduced their task subsidisation. They are also now in competition with a multitude of municipal associations with department-related tasks, such as waste water and transport associations.

## Sources

- Martin Schuler, Pierre Dessemonet, Dominique Joye (2005): [Die Raumgliederungen der Schweiz](https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/de/home/statistiken/querschnittsthemen/raeumliche-analysen/raeumliche-gliederungen/raeumliche-typologien.assetdetail.342284.html). Neuchâtel: Bundesamt für Statistik. Statistik der Schweiz

## Data sources

- Atlas of Switzerland: [Administrative Einheiten 1:500.000 (Gemeinden, Bezirke, Kantone)](http://www.atlasderschweiz.ch/)
- FSO (2017): [Die Raumgliederung der Schweiz 2017](https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/de/home/statistiken/querschnittsthemen/raeumliche-analysen/raeumliche-gliederungen.assetdetail.2546562.html)
- swisstopo [J160089] (2010): [Gemeindegrenzen GG25](https://shop.swisstopo.admin.ch/de/products/landscape/boundaries3D)
- swisstopo [J160089] (2010): [Landeskarte 1:500.000](https://shop.swisstopo.admin.ch/de/products/maps/national/lk500)

## Data owners

- [Atlas of Switzerland (AoS)](http://www.atlasderschweiz.ch/)
- [Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO)](https://www.bfs.admin.ch/)
- [Swiss Federal Office of Topography (swisstopo)](http://www.swisstopo.admin.ch/)

## Citation

The terms of use ask to name the Atlas of Switzerland and the data owners, and to keep the source references in exports, screenshots and embeds. Cite the map as:

> Atlas of Switzerland (2019): Spatial planning regions. ETH Zürich. Map data © AoS, FSO, swisstopo. https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/theme/spatial-planning-regions/

## Variants

The map has 2 variants. Levels: spatial unit → time. The `u` value of a variant selects it in the links below.

- Communes
  - 2017 (2017-01-01): `u=AuIABQAA` (default)
  - 2017 (2017-01-01 – 2017-12-31): `u=AtYABQAA`

## Links

Replace `{u}` with the `u` value of a variant above, or leave out `u={u}` for the default variant. The map opens at its full extent; a link cannot set the map position.

- Map: https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/theme/spatial-planning-regions/?u={u}
- Short link, stays valid when the title changes: https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/t/498/?u={u}
- Side by side with another map: https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/comparison/?lt=498&lu={u}&rt={id of the other map}&ru={u of the other map, or leave out}

Embed in another website (allowed by the terms of use, as long as the source references stay visible):

```html
<iframe src="https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/embed/?id=498&u={u}&dm=e&ig=1" style="border:0;width:100%;height:600px;max-width:100%;" loading="lazy" title="Thematic map 'Spatial planning regions' in the Atlas of Switzerland" allowfullscreen sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups" allow="geolocation" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin"></iframe>
```

In the embed URL, `dm` sets what is shown: `e` the map with its title bar (default), `p` also the values of an object clicked on the map, `m` only the map with a button that opens it in the atlas. `ig=1` (default) lets the map react to scrolling and dragging only after a click into it, `ig=0` right away. The size can be changed in `style`.

For the use and citation of maps and data, see the [terms of use](https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/terms-of-use/).