Affoltern im Emmental facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Affoltern im Emmental
|
||
|---|---|---|
Affoltern-Weier rail station
|
||
|
||
 Affoltern im Emmental
Location in Switzerland
Affoltern im Emmental
Location in Canton of Bern
|
||
| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Bern | |
| District | Emmental | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 11.51 km2 (4.44 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 801 m (2,628 ft) | |
| Population
(Dec 2020 )
|
||
| • Total | 1,125 | |
| • Density | 97.74/km2 (253.15/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
3416
|
|
| Localities | Weier, Rinderbach, Eggerdingen, Heiligenland, Hirsegg | |
| Surrounded by | Walterswil, Dürrenroth, Sumiswald, Rüegsau, Heimiswil, Wynigen | |
Affoltern im Emmental is a small town, also called a municipality, located in Switzerland. It is part of the Bern area and sits in the Emmental district.
Contents
History of Affoltern im Emmental
Affoltern was first mentioned in old writings around 1261 or 1263. Back then, it was called Affolterra.
The first signs of people living here date back to the Middle Ages. The village church, named St. Michael, was first talked about in 1275. It was a small local chapel until 1484. At that time, a group called the Teutonic Knights helped pay for a full-time priest.
In 1528, the area of Bern changed its religion to Protestantism. Affoltern also became Protestant. However, the Teutonic Knights still had some say over the church until 1698.
By the 1700s, many farmers in the Emmental hills were raising cows. They used the cows for meat and milk. In 1764, a company called Pionierbauern Sommer started in Affoltern. They exported cheese. This company stayed in business for over 100 years, closing in 1869.
A cheese co-op, which is like a group of farmers working together, opened in 1844. This helped local dairy farmers. In the early 1900s, Affoltern was still quite far away from other places. Because of this, some cheese makers and sellers moved to other towns.
Today, about one-third of the jobs in Affoltern are in farming. The other jobs are in small factories and service companies. In 1990, a special dairy center opened. Here, visitors can watch how cheese is made.
Geography of Affoltern
Affoltern im Emmental covers an area of about 11.5 square kilometers (4.4 square miles). Most of this land, about 72.3%, is used for farming. Forests cover about 19.7% of the area. Buildings and roads make up about 7.6% of the land.
The name Affoltern im Emmental tells you where it is. It's located in the beautiful Emmental region of Switzerland. This area is known for its rolling hills.
Affoltern shares its borders with several other towns. These include Walterswil, Dürrenroth, Sumiswald, Rüegsau, Heimiswil, and Wynigen. A famous mountain called Lueg is also found in Affoltern.
Several small villages, or hamlets, are part of Affoltern im Emmental. These are Weier, Rinderbach, Eggerdingen, Heiligenland, and Hirsegg.
In 2010, the old district that Affoltern belonged to was changed. Affoltern then joined a new, larger district called Verwaltungskreis Emmental.
What Does the Name Affoltern Mean?
The name Affoltern comes from an old German word. It means "apple-tree." The apple tree is a very important symbol for Affoltern. You can even see an apple tree on the town's official coat of arms. This type of symbol, where the picture matches the name, is called a canting arms.
The town's coat of arms shows a green apple tree with red apples. It is placed on a silver background.
People Living in Affoltern
As of December 2012, Affoltern im Emmental had a population of 1,142 people. A small part of the population, about 3.5%, were people from other countries.
Most people in Affoltern speak German. About 98.1% of the population uses German as their main language. A few people also speak Serbo-Croatian or French.
In 2013, the population was split evenly between men and women. About half were male and half were female. Most of the people living here were Swiss citizens.
About 20.1% of the population are children and teenagers (0–19 years old). Adults (20–64 years old) make up 59.3% of the population. Older adults (over 64 years old) make up 20.6%.
The chart below shows how the population of Affoltern has changed over time.
Economy and Jobs
In 2011, the unemployment rate in Affoltern im Emmental was low, at 1.95%. This means most people who wanted jobs had them.
Many people in Affoltern work in three main types of jobs:
- Primary sector: These are jobs that get raw materials from nature. In Affoltern, this mainly means farming.
- Secondary sector: These jobs involve making things. This includes manufacturing and construction.
- Tertiary sector: These jobs provide services. This includes things like sales, transportation, hotels, restaurants, and healthcare.
In 2008, there were 394 full-time jobs in Affoltern. Most of these jobs were in farming, manufacturing, and services.
Many people who live in Affoltern travel to other towns for work. In 2000, about 328 people left Affoltern to work elsewhere. About 212 people came into Affoltern to work. This means more people leave the town for work than come into it. Most people use a private car to get to work.
Religion in Affoltern
According to a survey in 2000, most people in Affoltern belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church. This was about 82.6% of the population. About 5.4% were Roman Catholic. A small number of people belonged to other Christian churches or were Muslim or Hindu. About 3.14% of the people said they had no religion.
Climate in Affoltern
Between 1981 and 2010, Affoltern im Emmental had about 138 days of rain or snow each year. On average, it received about 1222 millimeters (48 inches) of rain or snow per year.
The wettest month was May, with about 138 millimeters (5.4 inches) of rain or snow. It rained or snowed for about 13.6 days in May. The driest month was February, with about 67 millimeters (2.6 inches) of rain or snow over 10.5 days.
Education in Affoltern
In Switzerland, the school system in the Canton of Bern works like this:
- One year of optional Kindergarten.
- Six years of Primary school.
- Three years of required lower Secondary school. Students are grouped by their abilities.
After lower secondary school, students can choose to continue their education or start an apprenticeship (learning a job while working).
In the 2012–13 school year, 92 students attended classes in Affoltern im Emmental. There were 20 students in kindergarten and 59 students in primary school. Some students from Affoltern also went to lower secondary schools in nearby towns.
Transportation
Affoltern has a train station in the hamlet of Weier. This station connects the town to Huttwil in one direction and Lützelflüh in the other.
Famous People from Affoltern
- Bruno Leibundgut - He is an astronomer who was born in Affoltern. He used to be the Science Director of the ESO and helped create the Very Large Telescope.
See also
In Spanish: Affoltern im Emmental para niños
