languages_spoken_or_written loris kessel
In the study of human settlements , an urban agglomeration is an extended city or town area comprising the built - up area of a central place (" usually a municipality ") and any suburbs linked by continuous urban area . INSEE , the ___MASK78___ Statistical Institute , uses the term " unité urbaine ", which means continuous urbanized area . However , because of differences in definitions of what does and does not constitute an " agglomeration ", as well as variations and limitations in statistical or geographical methodology , it can be problematic to compare different agglomerations around the world . It may not be clear , for instance , whether an area should be considered to be a satellite and part of an agglomeration , or a distinct entity in itself . Ticino , formally the Republic and Canton of Ticino (; ; see also in other languages ) is the southernmost canton of Switzerland . Ticino borders the Canton of Uri to the north , Valais to the west ( through the Novena Pass ), Graubünden to the northeast , Italy ' s regions of Piedmont and Lombardy to the south and it surrounds the small ___MASK67___ exclave of Campione d ' Italia . Loris Kessel ( 1 April 1950 -- 15 May 2010 ) was a racing driver from Switzerland . He was born in Lugano and died in Montagnola following a long illness . He participated in six Formula One World Championship Grands Prix , debuting on 2 May 1976 . He scored no championship points . In 1976 , he drove a Brabham for RAM , and in 1977 he drove his own Apollon - Williams , although this car was not a success . Kessel ran a series of car dealerships in Switzerland and his own racing team , competing in Ferrari Challenge series in Italy and the main European series . The team also competes in the FIA GT3 European Championship with the same car . Europe is a continent that comprises the westernmost part of Eurasia . Europe is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north , the Atlantic Ocean to the west , and the Mediterranean Sea to the south . To the east and southeast , Europe is generally considered as separated from Asia by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains , the Ural River , the Caspian and Black Seas , and the waterways of the ___MASK87___ Straits . Yet the non - oceanic borders of Europe  a concept dating back to classical antiquity  are arbitrary . The primarily physiographic term " continent " as applied to Europe also incorporates cultural and political elements whose discontinuities are not always reflected by the continent ' s current overland boundaries . The Alps are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe , stretching approximately across eight Alpine countries : Austria , France , Germany , Italy , Liechtenstein , Monaco , Slovenia , and Switzerland . The mountains were formed over tens of millions of years as the African and Eurasian tectonic plates collided . Extreme shortening caused by the event resulted in marine sedimentary rocks rising by thrusting and folding into high mountain peaks such as Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn . Mont Blanc spans the ___MASK78___  ___MASK67___ border , and at is the highest mountain in the Alps . The Alpine region area contains about a hundred peaks higher than 4000 metres ( just over 13 , 000 feet ). Lugano is a city in southern Switzerland in the ___MASK67___ - speaking canton of Ticino bordering Italy . It has a population of 71 , 500 , and an urban agglomeration over 145 , 000 . The 9th largest Swiss city , it is the largest in Ticino and largest with an ___MASK67___ speaking majority outside Italy . Geneva (, , , ) is the second most populous city in Switzerland ( after Zürich ) and is the most populous city of Romandy , the ___MASK78___ - speaking part of Switzerland . Situated where the Rhône exits Lake Geneva , it is the capital of the Republic and Canton of Geneva . Lake Lugano ( or , from ) is a glacial lake which is situated on the border between southern Switzerland and northern Italy . The lake , named after the city of Lugano , is situated between Lake Como and Lago Maggiore . It was cited for the first time by Gregory of Tours in 590 with the name " Ceresio ", a name which is said to have derived from the ___MASK93___ word " cerasus ", meaning cherry , and refers to the abundance of cherry trees which at one time adorned the shores of the lake . The lake appears in documents in 804 under the name " Laco Luanasco ". Montagnola is a small Swiss village in Collina d ' Oro municipality . Located in the ___MASK67___ - speaking canton of Ticino , it is close to the border between Switzerland and Italy . It looks over Lake Lugano and the city of Lugano upon it . It falls within the local parish of Sant ' Abbondio Gentilino . Italy , officially the ___MASK67___ Republic , is a unitary parliamentary republic in Europe . Located in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea , Italy shares open land borders with France , Switzerland , Austria , Slovenia , San Marino and Vatican City . Italy covers an area of and has a largely temperate seasonal climate and Mediterranean climate ; due to its shape , it is often referred to in Italy as " lo Stivale " ( the Boot ). With 61 million inhabitants , it is the fourth most populous EU member state . Liechtenstein , officially the Principality of Liechtenstein , is a doubly landlocked ___MASK50___ - speaking microstate in Central Europe . It is a constitutional monarchy with the rank of principality , headed by the Prince of Liechtenstein . The city of Bern or Berne (; Bernese ___MASK50___ : " Bärn " ) is the de facto capital of Switzerland , referred to by the Swiss as their ( e . g . in ___MASK50___ ) " Bundesstadt ," or " federal city ". With a population of 141 , 762 ( November 2016 ), Bern is the fourth most populous city in Switzerland . The Bern agglomeration , which includes 36 municipalities , had a population of 406 , 900 in 2014 . The metropolitan area had a population of 660 , 000 in 2000 . Bern is also the capital of the canton of Bern , the second most populous of Switzerland ' s cantons . Switzerland , officially the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic in Europe . It consists of 26 cantons , and the city of Bern is the seat of the federal authorities . The country is situated in Western - Central Europe , and is bordered by Italy to the south , France to the west , Germany to the north , and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east . Switzerland is a landlocked country geographically divided between the Alps , the Swiss Plateau and the Jura , spanning an area of . While the Alps occupy the greater part of the territory , the Swiss population of approximately eight million people is concentrated mostly on the plateau , where the largest cities are to be found : among them are the two global cities and economic centres Zürich and Geneva . France , officially the ___MASK78___ Republic , is a country with territory in western Europe and several overseas regions and territories . The European , or metropolitan , area of France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the ___MASK14___ Channel and the North Sea , and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean . Overseas France include ___MASK78___ Guiana on the South American continent and several island territories in the Atlantic , Pacific and Indian oceans . France spans and had a total population of almost 67 million people as of January 2017 . It is a unitary semi - presidential republic with the capital in Paris , the country ' s largest city and main cultural and commercial centre . Other major urban centres include Marseille , Lyon , Lille , Nice , Toulouse and Bordeaux .