This is a derivate of the German expression schwinden machen (wood clearing).

Schwende has an area, as of 2011[update], of 57.5 square kilometers (22.2 sq mi).

[2] The district covers the portion of the half-canton which lies south-west of the Sitter river.

It includes the settlement of Schwende as well as the western portion of Weissbad which is between the Sitter and south of the Brüelbachs.

It also includes the village of Wasserauen as well as the majority of the Alpstein mountains to the peak of Mt.

The blazon of the municipal coat of arms is Azure a Castle Argent windowed Sable and roofed Gules issuant from a Mount of 3 Coupeaux Vert with a bandlet wavy Argent.

The coat of arms refers back to the Schwende Castle located in this village, but destroyed at the beginning of Appenzell's liberation wars.

[2] Most of the population (as of 2000[update]) speaks German (1,816 or 93.9%), with Serbo-Croatian being second most common (32 or 1.7%) and Italian being third (15 or 0.8%).

[7] About 64.5% of the total households were owner occupied, or in other words did not pay rent (though they may have a mortgage or a rent-to-own agreement).

[2] The historical population is given in the following chart:[1][10] The Wildkirchli site with the Chapel of St. Michael and paleolithic houses as well as an early modern settlement is listed as a Swiss heritage site of national significance.

In the federal election, a total of 282 votes were cast, and the voter turnout was 20.0%.

[2] There were 975 residents of the district who were employed in some capacity, of which females made up 40.3% of the workforce.

The number of jobs in the primary sector was 90, of which 87 were in agriculture and 3 were in forestry or lumber production.

In the tertiary sector; 56 or 11.9% were in the sale or repair of motor vehicles, 18 or 3.8% were in the movement and storage of goods, 264 or 55.9% were in a hotel or restaurant, 19 or 4.0% were the insurance or financial industry, 53 or 11.2% were technical professionals or scientists, 41 or 8.7% were in education and 1 was in health care.

From the 2000 census[update], 1,641 or 84.8% were Roman Catholic, while 158 or 8.2% belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church.