Bassecourt facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bassecourt
Former municipality of Switzerland
Sorne river at Bassecourt
Coat of arms
Bassecourt Location in Switzerland Show map of Switzerland Bassecourt Location in Canton of Jura Show map of Canton of Jura
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Jura
District	Delémont
Area
• Total	15.57 km2 (6.01 sq mi)
Elevation	477 m (1,565 ft)
Population  (2011)
• Total	3,439
• Density	220.87/km2 (572.06/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Les Patas
Postal code	2854
Localities	Berlincourt
Surrounded by	Glovelier, Boécourt, Develier, Courfaivre, Undervelier.

Bassecourt was once a town in the Delémont area of Jura, Switzerland. On January 1, 2013, Bassecourt joined with four other towns. These were Courfaivre, Glovelier, Soulce, and Undervelier. Together, they formed a new, larger town called Haute-Sorne.

Bassecourt's Past: A Look at Its History

Bassecourt was first mentioned in old writings in 1160. Back then, it was called Baressicort. A bit later, in 1184, it was also known by its German name, Altdorf.

The small village of Berlincourt, which is part of Bassecourt, has its own history. It was first written about in 1303. At that time, its name was Burlincort.

Exploring Bassecourt's Geography

Berlincourt village entrance

Aerial view of Bassecourt in 1955

Bassecourt covered an area of about 15.57 square kilometers (6 square miles). A large part of this land, about 37.5%, was used for farming. This means people grew crops or raised animals there.

Nearly half of the area, about 49.9%, was covered by forests. These forests are important for nature and wildlife. About 12.2% of the land had buildings or roads. This is where people lived and traveled. A small part, 0.4%, was rivers or lakes. The rest was unproductive land.

Where is Bassecourt Located?

Bassecourt is found in the Delémont area. It sits along the Sorne river, in the beautiful Delémont valley. Its location was important for travel. It was at a crossroads of major roads. These roads connected Delémont to La Chaux-de-Fonds and Porrentruy to Biel/Bienne. The town included the main village of Bassecourt and the smaller village of Berlincourt.

Bassecourt's Coat of Arms

The coat of arms for Bassecourt has a special design. It is described as Or three Piles in fess shortened Sable. This means it has a gold background. On it are three black pointed shapes, arranged horizontally.

Who Lives in Bassecourt?

House in Bassecourt

In 2011, Bassecourt had a population of 3,439 people. Many people living there were Swiss citizens. However, about 17.7% of the population were people from other countries.

Languages Spoken

Most people in Bassecourt speak French. In 2000, about 88.5% of the residents spoke French as their main language. Italian was the second most common language. About 3.2% of people spoke Italian. German was third, spoken by 2.9% of the population.

Age Groups in Bassecourt

In 2000, about 25.7% of the population were children and teenagers (under 20 years old). Adults, aged 20 to 64, made up 58% of the population. Older adults, over 64 years old, were about 16.2% of the residents.

Population Changes Over Time

The number of people living in Bassecourt has changed over many years. Here is a chart showing how the population grew:

Bassecourt's Economy: How People Worked

In 2010, the unemployment rate in Bassecourt was 5.8%. This means a small number of people who wanted jobs couldn't find them.

Jobs in Different Sectors

In 2008, people in Bassecourt worked in three main types of jobs:

• Primary sector: This includes jobs like farming and forestry. About 38 people worked in this area.
• Secondary sector: This involves manufacturing and construction. About 823 people had jobs in this sector.
• Tertiary sector: These are service jobs, like sales, healthcare, and education. About 742 people worked in this sector.

Many people who lived in Bassecourt also worked in other towns. In 2000, about 910 workers traveled out of Bassecourt for their jobs. About 840 workers came into Bassecourt from other places. Most people, about 63.2%, used a private car to get to work. About 11.5% used public transportation.

Religion in Bassecourt

Church in Bassecourt

In 2000, most people in Bassecourt were Roman Catholic. About 79.8% of the population belonged to this church. Another 8.7% were part of the Swiss Reformed Church. Some people also belonged to other Christian churches. A small number were Islamic. About 3.78% of the population did not belong to any church.

Getting Around: Transport in Bassecourt

Bassecourt is located on the Delémont–Delle railway line. This means it has a train station. The Bassecourt railway station helps people travel to and from the town.

Learning in Bassecourt: Education

Bassecourt school house

In Bassecourt, many people have completed their education. About 34.5% of the population finished upper secondary education. This is like high school. About 7.9% went on to higher education, like university.

The School System

The Canton of Jura has a specific school system. It starts with two years of non-required Kindergarten. After that, students go to six years of Primary school. Then, there are three years of lower Secondary school. Students are grouped by their abilities. After lower Secondary, students can choose to go to a three or four-year upper Secondary school. They can also start an apprenticeship to learn a trade.

During the 2009-2010 school year, 607 students attended schools in Bassecourt. There were 66 kindergarten students. The primary schools had 263 students. The lower secondary schools had 278 students.

Famous People from Bassecourt

• Grégoire Saucy (born 1999), a talented racing driver.

See also

In Spanish: Bassecourt para niños