Appenzell Outer Rhodes (AR), 56,000 inhabitants, is a rural alpine canton with strong cultural identity. Traditional textile industry, private banking, community life.
The canton
Population: 56,000
Capital: Herisau
Median salary: CHF 6,500/month
Language: Alpine German (Swiss German)
Economy
Textile industry: Huber+Suhner (cables), Vögele
Private banking: Notenstein La Roche
Cheese: Appenzeller, global export
Tourism: Säntis (mountain), hiking
Housing
3.5 rooms: CHF 1,200-1,600/month
Purchase: CHF 600K-1M
Very quiet, vacancy available
Practical life
St. Gallen 25 min: neighbouring city
Living tradition: Landsgemeinde (open-air popular vote)
Very conservative: women received cantonal voting rights in 1989
