The canton of Vaud (VD) is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland. It is divided into ten districts and its capital is Lausanne. The canton is the third largest in the country in terms of population and the fourth largest in terms of area, with 814,762 inhabitants as of 31 December 2020 and 3,212.03 km2. French is the only official language. After Lausanne, its largest cities are Yverdon-les-Bains and Montreux. It is located in the French-speaking part of Switzerland and borders the canton of Neuchâtel to the north, the cantons of Fribourg and Berne to the east, the canton of Valais to the south, the canton of Geneva to the south-west and France to the west. The geography of the canton includes the three natural regions of Switzerland: the Jura Mountains, the Swiss Plateau and the Swiss Alps. Two of the country's largest lakes, Lake Geneva and Lake Neuchâtel, are located partly within its territory. A former Bernese bailiwick, Vaud joined the Swiss Confederation as a canton in 1803. Its flag bears the motto "Liberté et patrie" on a white and green background.