Appenzell Innerrhoden (German; French: Appenzell Rhodes-Intérieures; in English sometimes Appenzell Inner Rhodes) is a canton of Switzerland. It is the smallest canton in Switzerland.
Appenzell Innerrhoden is a canton in the north east of Switzerland. Its area is 173 km². The canton was split in 1597 for religious reasons from the former canton Appenzell, with Appenzell Ausserrhoden being the other half.
Appenzell is the capital of this canton. The constitution was established in 1872. Most of the canton is pastoral, this despite being mountainous. Cattle breeding and dairy farming are the main agricultural activities.
Citizens from the canton assemble every last Sunday of April for the Landsgemeinde (general assembly) in a square in Appenzell and vote on laws and elect the Governing Council. Until a 1990 decision by the Federal Tribunal of Switzerland, women did not have the right to vote at the cantonal level in Appenzell Innerrhoden.
Each year on the last Sunday in April, all voters from AppenzellInnerRhodes gather together on the «Landsgemeinde» square in Appenzell to appoint the highest authorities and to pass resolutions concerning important cantonal matters.
InnerRhodes always elects two chairmen of the Governing Council, one governing chairman and one passive chairman who, depending on their personalities, do not always remain passive.
Until 1993, the «Landsgemeinde» conferred the right of citizenship of the canton of AppenzellInnerRhodes and thereby that of the inner part of Appenzell and Oberegg as well as the right of citizenship of the Swiss confederation.
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