Alterswil facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alterswil
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Hotel Alpenrose in Alterswil village
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 Alterswil
Location in Switzerland
Alterswil
Location in Canton of Fribourg
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| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Fribourg | |
| District | Sense | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 16.1 km2 (6.2 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 758 m (2,487 ft) | |
| Population
(2019)
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| • Total | 2,050 | |
| • Density | 127.3/km2 (329.8/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
1715
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| Surrounded by | Brünisried, Guggisberg (BE), Sankt Antoni, Sankt Ursen, Tafers, Wahlern (BE), Plaffeien | |
Alterswil was a town, or municipality, located in the Sense district of Fribourg, a canton in Switzerland. It was special because most people there spoke German, even though the Fribourg canton mostly speaks French. On January 1, 2021, Alterswil joined with another town, St. Antoni, to become part of Tafers.
Contents
History of Alterswil
Alterswil is a very old place. It was first written about in the year 1148. Back then, it was called Alterihcwilere. Later, in 1228, its name was recorded as Vilar Altri.
Geography and Landscape
Alterswil covered an area of about 16.1 square kilometers (6.2 square miles). A large part of this land, about 76%, was used for farming. Forests covered about 16% of the area. The rest of the land, about 6.6%, had buildings or roads. A small amount, less than 1%, was made up of rivers or lakes.
Most of the built-up areas were homes and other buildings. Roads and transportation took up a smaller part. In the forested areas, most were thick forests. Some parts had small groups of trees or orchards. For farming, a lot of land was used for growing crops. Other parts were pastures for animals.
The town was located in the Sense district. It was about 10 kilometers (6 miles) east of the city of Fribourg. Alterswil was a linear village, meaning it stretched out along a road. It also included several smaller settlements around it. These included places like Äckerli, Bennewil, and Zumholz.
Coat of Arms
The coat of arms for Alterswil was quite simple. It showed a silver fleur de lis on a red background. A fleur de lis is a symbol that looks like a lily flower.
People and Population
In 2019, Alterswil had a population of 2,050 people. Over the ten years from 2000 to 2010, the number of people living there grew slightly. Most people in Alterswil speak German. In 2000, about 93.8% of the population spoke German as their main language. Other languages spoken included Albanian and French.
In 2008, the population was almost evenly split between males and females. Most people living in Alterswil were Swiss citizens. About 45% of the people living there in 2000 were born in Alterswil itself. Another 33% were born in the same canton of Fribourg.
Children and teenagers (up to 19 years old) made up about 26% of the population in 2000. Adults (20-64 years old) were the largest group, at about 60%. Older adults (over 64 years old) made up about 13.6%.
The number of people living in Alterswil has changed over time. Here is a chart showing the historical population:
Economy and Jobs
In 2010, the unemployment rate in Alterswil was very low, at 1.4%. Many people in Alterswil had jobs. In 2008, there were 394 full-time jobs available. These jobs were in different parts of the economy:
- Primary Sector: This includes jobs like farming. About 105 jobs were in agriculture.
- Secondary Sector: This includes jobs in factories or construction. About 145 jobs were in this sector. Many of these were in manufacturing or building.
- Tertiary Sector: This includes jobs that provide services, like shops, hotels, or schools. About 144 jobs were in this sector. This included jobs in sales, transportation, restaurants, and education.
Many people who lived in Alterswil traveled to other towns for work. In 2000, about 697 people left Alterswil for their jobs. Only 188 people came into Alterswil to work. Most people, about 66.5%, used a private car to get to work. About 9.6% used public transportation.
Religion in Alterswil
According to the 2000 census, most people in Alterswil were Roman Catholic. About 71.9% of the population belonged to the Roman Catholic Church. The next largest group, about 16.5%, belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church. A small number of people belonged to other Christian churches or to Islam. Some people did not belong to any church.
Education System
In Alterswil, many people have a good education. In 2000, about 34.4% of the population had finished high school. About 9.5% had gone on to higher education, like a university or a specialized college.
The school system in the Canton of Fribourg works like this:
- Kindergarten: One year of non-required kindergarten.
- Primary School: Six years of primary school, which everyone must attend.
- Lower Secondary School: Three years of required secondary school. Students are grouped by their abilities.
- Upper Secondary School: After lower secondary, students can choose to go to a three or four-year upper secondary school. This can be a gymnasium (which prepares students for university) or a vocational program (which teaches job skills).
- Tertiary School: After upper secondary, students can go to university or continue their job training.
During the 2010-2011 school year, Alterswil had 132 students in 8 classes. There were two kindergarten classes and six primary classes. Many students from Alterswil went to schools in nearby towns for secondary or higher education. In 2000, 153 students from Alterswil went to schools outside the town.
See also
In Spanish: Alterswil para niños
