Bargen, Schaffhausen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bargen
Coat of arms
Bargen Location in Switzerland Show map of Switzerland Bargen Location in Canton of Schaffhausen Show map of Canton of Schaffhausen
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Schaffhausen
District	n.a.
Area
• Total	8.27 km2 (3.19 sq mi)
Elevation	605 m (1,985 ft)
Population  (Dec 2020 )
• Total	320
• Density	38.7/km2 (100.2/sq mi)
Postal code	8233
Localities	Oberbargen
Surrounded by	Blumberg (DE-BW), Merishausen, Tengen (DE-BW)

Bargen is a small town, also called a municipality, in the canton of Schaffhausen in Switzerland. It's special because the very northernmost point of the country is located here, in a part called Oberbargen.

History of Bargen

Bargen is a very old place. It was first written about in the year 884. Back then, its name was Paragen.

Geography and Nature in Bargen

A peaceful view of the countryside around Bargen

Bargen from above in 1964

Bargen covers an area of about 8.3 square kilometers (which is about 3.2 square miles). A big part of this land, almost 30%, is used for farming. Even more, about 66%, is covered by forests. The rest of the land has buildings and roads, or it's natural areas like rivers.

This municipality is located in the Schaffhausen district. It's mainly a farming village. It sits right at the northernmost tip of Switzerland. Bargen is also home to a special protected natural area called Tannbüehl. This area is famous for its more than 20 different kinds of beautiful orchid flowers.

People and Life in Bargen

Bargen has a population of 249 people (as of 2008). About 12% of these people are from other countries. Most of the foreign residents are from Germany, Italy, and Croatia. Over the last 10 years, the number of people living here has gone down a little.

Most people in Bargen speak German, which is about 96% of the population. A smaller number of people speak Italian or Serbo-Croatian. There are also a few people from Poland.

When it comes to age, about 19% of the people are children and teenagers (under 19 years old). Adults, aged 20 to 64, make up about 60% of the population. People over 64 years old make up about 21%.

In the 2007 national election, the most popular political party was the SVP. They received about 65% of the votes. The next most popular parties were the SP and the FDP.

People in Switzerland generally have a good education. In Bargen, about 74% of adults (aged 25–64) have finished high school or gone on to higher education, like university. Many children attend kindergarten and primary school in Bargen.

In the year 2000, about 21% of the people in Bargen were part of the Roman Catholic Church. About 62% belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church.

Here's how Bargen's population has changed over time:

Bargen's Coat of Arms

The blazon (official description) of Bargen's coat of arms is quite detailed. It shows a black plumb bob (a tool used to find a straight vertical line) on a gold background. This plumb bob has a black hat on top, decorated with silver, green, and red feathers.

Jobs and Economy in Bargen

Bargen has a low unemployment rate, which means most people who want to work can find jobs. In 2005, about 22 people worked in the primary economic sector, which includes farming. There were 9 businesses in this area.

Only 5 people worked in the secondary sector, which is about manufacturing and making things. There were 2 businesses here. The largest number of people, 68, worked in the tertiary sector. This sector includes services, like shops, restaurants, and other businesses that provide help to people. There were 11 businesses in this sector.

In 2008, about 71% of the working people had full-time jobs, and 29% worked part-time. More than half of the working people were women. Many residents of Bargen also travel to other towns for work.

Bargen also has 2 restaurants and 1 hotel with 10 beds, which are part of the hospitality industry. These businesses employ 6 people.

Getting Around Bargen

The A4 expressway goes through Bargen. This road is important because it leads directly into Germany after passing through a customs facility.

Cool Places to Visit in Bargen

The "Tannbuel" is one of the most important and well-known nature areas in the Randen mountains. Many nature lovers visit this area every year. They come to see the "Frauenschueli"-orchid flowers bloom in May and June. The "Tannbuel" is a very interesting place in the region, offering more than just these special orchids.

See also

In Spanish: Bargen (Schaffhausen) para niños