Zug [key], canton (1993 pop. 87,100), 93 sq mi (241 sq km), N central Switzerland. The smallest canton in Switzerland, it is a forested and mountainous region with orchards, meadows, and pastures in the valleys. Fruit cultivation is a main occupation, and the region has industries in textiles, beer, and metal goods. Its inhabitants are mainly German-speaking and Catholic. Owned by the counts of Kyburg and later (after 1273) by the Hapsburg family, Zug joined the Swiss Confederation in 1352 and again in 1364, after a return to Hapsburg domination. In 1845 the canton joined the Catholic Sonderbund. Zug gained its current constitution in 1894. Its capital, Zug (1993 pop. 21,700), is on the Lake of Zug (15 sq mi/39 sq km). It has manufactures of metalware, electrical equipment, and textiles, and is an important cattle market. Zug retains a medieval flavor. Its Church of St. Oswald is one of the most splendid late-Gothic churches in Switzerland.
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