Biberist Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Biberist

Coat of arms

Biberist

Location in Switzerland

Biberist

Location in Canton of Solothurn

Switzerland

Area

• Total

12.25 km² (4.73 sq mi)

Elevation

447 m (1,467 ft)

Population

(Dec 2020 )

• Total

9,109

• Density

743.6/km² (1,925.9/sq mi)

Postal code

4562

Surrounded by

Bätterkinden (BE), Bellach, Derendingen, Gerlafingen, Lohn-Ammannsegg, Lüsslingen, Solothurn, Zielebach (BE), Zuchwil

Biberist is a town in Switzerland. It's located in the Wasseramt district, which is part of the canton of Solothurn. It's a cool place with a long history and a mix of nature and modern life.

A Look at Biberist's Past
Where is Biberist?
Biberist's Coat of Arms
Who Lives in Biberist?
Jobs and Economy
Faith and Community
Learning in Biberist
Images for kids
See also

A Look at Biberist's Past

Biberist is quite old! It was first mentioned way back in the year 762. Back then, it was called Biberussa. Later, around 1300, the two parts of the town, Ober- and Unterbiberist, were known as ze beiden Biberschon.

These two villages, Ober- and Unterbiberist, officially joined together to become one town in 1857.

Where is Biberist?

Biberist covers an area of about 12.3 square kilometers (that's about 4.7 square miles). A big part of this land, about 36.8%, is used for farming. Forests cover another large section, about 34.1% of the area.

About 26.4% of Biberist is built up with buildings and roads. You'll find industrial areas, homes, and transportation routes here. A small part, 2.2%, is made up of rivers.

The town is located in the Wasseramt district. It sits between two rivers, the Emme and the Aare, just south of the city of Solothurn.

Some nearby towns like Derendingen, Luterbach, Bellach, Langendorf, and Solothurn are thinking about joining with Biberist to form a new, bigger town in the future.

Biberist's Coat of Arms

A coat of arms is like a special symbol or logo for a town or family. Biberist's coat of arms has a unique design. It's split into two halves, one red and one white. On it, you'll see two "cramps" (which look like hooks) crossed over each other. Their colors are swapped depending on the background.

Who Lives in Biberist?

Biberist has a population of around 7,900 people. Many people in Biberist speak German, which is the most common language. You'll also hear Italian and Serbo-Croatian spoken by some residents. A few people speak French too.

About 28.6% of the people living in Biberist in 2000 were actually born there. Many others were born in the same canton (Solothurn) or elsewhere in Switzerland. About 17.8% of the population was born outside of Switzerland.

The town has a good mix of ages. About 7% of the population are young children (0-6 years old). Teenagers (7-19 years old) make up about 15.2% of the population. Most adults are between 25 and 64 years old, and there's also a good number of seniors over 65.

There are about 3,200 households in Biberist. Many of these are single-person households, but there are also many families with children.

Jobs and Economy

In Biberist, people work in many different types of jobs. The economy is divided into three main parts:

Primary sector: This includes jobs related to nature, like farming.
Secondary sector: This involves making things, like in factories (manufacturing) or building things (construction).
Tertiary sector: This is the biggest part and includes jobs that provide services. This could be working in shops, restaurants, transportation, healthcare, education, or even in offices like insurance or finance.

Many people who live in Biberist also travel to other towns for work. About 15% of workers use public transportation, while over half (53.4%) drive their own cars to work.

Paper factory in Biberist

Faith and Community

When it comes to religion, many people in Biberist are Roman Catholic or belong to the Swiss Reformed Church. There are also people who are part of Orthodox churches, other Christian churches, or are Islamic. Some residents are Buddhist or Hindu. A good number of people don't belong to any church.

St. Mary's Church in Biberist

Learning in Biberist

Education is important in Biberist. Many adults have completed their high school education. Some have even gone on to get higher education from a university or a specialized college.

The school system in Solothurn canton starts with two years of optional kindergarten. After that, students attend six years of primary school. After primary school, students go to secondary school for three years. Students from Biberist usually attend their secondary school in a nearby town.