Belprahon Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Belprahon

A House in Belprahon village

Coat of arms

Belprahon

Location in Switzerland

Belprahon

Location in Canton of Bern

Switzerland

Area

• Total

3.82 km² (1.47 sq mi)

Elevation

627 m (2,057 ft)

Population

(Dec 2020 )

• Total

279

• Density

73.04/km² (189.2/sq mi)

Postal code

2744

Surrounded by

Moutier, Roches, Grandval, Eschert

Belprahon is a small town in Switzerland. It is located in the Jura mountains, in the French-speaking part of the canton of Bern. Belprahon is part of the Jura bernois administrative district.

History of Belprahon
Geography and Nature
Town Symbol (Coat of Arms)
People of Belprahon
Economy and Jobs
Religion
Education
Images for kids
See also

History of Belprahon

Belprahon used to be known by its German name, Tiefenbach. However, this name is not used anymore.

For most of its history, Belprahon was part of the lands belonging to the Moutier-Grandval Abbey. This was a very old monastery.

In 1797, the French army won a big battle. Belprahon then became part of France. It was first part of a French area called Mont-Terrible. Later, in 1800, it became part of another French area called Haut-Rhin.

After Napoleon was defeated, Belprahon became part of the canton of Bern in Switzerland in 1815. This was decided at a big meeting called the Congress of Vienna.

For a long time, Belprahon was a quiet farming village. Major roads did not pass through it. In the 1960s, many people started moving to Belprahon. These people often traveled to other towns for work. By 1990, most working people from Belprahon commuted to jobs elsewhere. Today, many jobs in Belprahon are in the services sector. This means jobs like shops, restaurants, or offices.

Geography and Nature

Belprahon's border and the surrounding hills

Belprahon covers an area of about 3.79 square kilometers (1.46 square miles). A large part of this land is covered by forests. About 52.5% of the area is forested. Another big part, about 39.9%, is used for farming.

Some land is also used for buildings and roads. This makes up about 7.3% of the town's area. A very small part, 0.5%, is land that cannot be used for anything.

Aerial view of Belprahon from above (1919)

Belprahon is located on the northern side of a valley called the Grand Val. This valley is also known as the valley of Moutier.

In 2010, Belprahon joined a new administrative area. It became part of the Arrondissement administratif Jura bernois.

Town Symbol (Coat of Arms)

The symbol for Belprahon is called a coat of arms. It shows a house with a pointed roof. There are two green fir trees next to the house. Below this, there is a fountain basin between two stars. All these symbols are in silver on a blue background.

People of Belprahon

Houses in Belprahon

Belprahon has a population of about 303 people (as of December 2011). A small number of people living here are from other countries.

Most people in Belprahon speak French. About 88% of the population speaks French as their main language. German is the second most common language, spoken by about 6% of the people. A small number of people also speak Italian.

Belprahon village fountain

In 2008, the population was almost equally split between males and females. About 50.5% were male and 49.5% were female. Most people living in Belprahon were born in Switzerland.

About 23% of the population are children and teenagers (0–19 years old). Adults (20–64 years old) make up about 50% of the population. Seniors (over 64 years old) make up about 26.7%.

Many people in Belprahon are married. In 2000, about 185 people were married. There were also people who were single, widowed, or divorced.

The number of people living in Belprahon has changed over time. The chart below shows how the population has grown and shrunk through the years.

Economy and Jobs

The Croix-Blanche Restaurant in Belprahon

In 2011, the unemployment rate in Belprahon was low, at 1.88%. This means almost everyone who wanted a job had one.

In 2008, there were 67 people working in Belprahon. Most jobs were in the services sector. This includes jobs like working in shops, restaurants, or offices. There were 47 people working in this sector.

Some people also worked in the primary sector, which includes farming. There were 8 people working in agriculture. The secondary sector, which includes manufacturing (making things), had 12 people working.

Many people who live in Belprahon travel to other towns for work. In 2000, 138 people left Belprahon to work elsewhere. Only 61 people came into Belprahon for work. This means more people leave the town for work than come in.

About 70% of working people used a private car to get to work. About 12% used public transportation.

Religion

In 2000, about 45% of the people in Belprahon belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church. About 39% were Roman Catholic. There were also people who belonged to other Christian churches. A small number of people were Islamic. About 10% of the population did not belong to any church.

Education

Belprahon municipal school house.

Many adults in Belprahon have completed higher education. About 55% have finished high school (upper secondary education). About 22% have gone on to university or a similar higher education school.

The school system in the Canton of Bern starts with one year of optional Kindergarten. After that, students go to six years of Primary school. Then, there are three years of lower Secondary school. In secondary school, students are grouped by their abilities. After secondary school, students can continue their education or start an apprenticeship to learn a trade.

In the 2011-2012 school year, 18 students were attending primary school in Belprahon. There were no kindergarten classes in the town.

In 2000, 24 students went to school in Belprahon. Most of these students lived in Belprahon. However, many students from Belprahon (41 students) went to schools in other towns.