 Of the rest of the land, 23.2% is settled (buildings or roads) and the remainder (0.9%) is non-productive (rivers or lakes).The municipality was part of the former Unterrheintal district before the creation of the Rheintal "Wahlkreis".It is located at the base of the Appenzell hill country and along the main road between St. Margrethen and Altstätten.