Blitzingen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Blitzingen
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Blitzingen village
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 Blitzingen
Location in Switzerland
Blitzingen
Location in Canton of Valais
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| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Valais | |
| District | Goms | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 11.8 km2 (4.6 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 1,290 m (4,230 ft) | |
| Population
(December 2002)
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| • Total | 90 | |
| • Density | 7.6/km2 (19.8/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
3989
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| Surrounded by | Bellwald, Ernen, Grafschaft, Niederwald | |
Blitzingen was once a small municipality located in the Goms district of the Valais canton in Switzerland. It was a charming place nestled in the Swiss Alps.
On January 1, 2017, Blitzingen joined with several other nearby municipalities. These included Grafschaft, Münster-Geschinen, Niederwald, and Reckingen-Gluringen. Together, they all became part of the larger municipality of Goms.
Contents
History of Blitzingen
Blitzingen is quite an old place! It was first written about in historical records way back in the year 1203. At that time, its name was spelled Blicingen.
Where is Blitzingen?
Blitzingen is located in a beautiful part of Switzerland. In 2011, its total area was about 11.8 square kilometers (which is about 4.5 square miles).
Much of the land in Blitzingen is used for farming, about 36.7%. Forests cover a good portion too, around 27.3%. Only a small part, about 1.7%, has buildings or roads. The rest, about 34.3%, is made up of mountains or other natural areas that aren't used for farming or building.
The area of Blitzingen includes the main village of Blitzingen. It also has smaller settlements called hamlets. These hamlets are named Ammere, Bodme, Wiler, and Gadme.
What Does the Coat of Arms Mean?
The coat of arms for Blitzingen is very interesting! It shows a blue shield with a green cliff at the bottom. From this cliff, a flag appears. The flag is red and white, with two crosses that are half red and half white. It also has a golden staff.
On the left side of the shield, there is a golden lightning bolt. In the top part of the shield, there are two golden stars. The lightning bolt is special because the German word for lightning is Blitz. This is a fun way the coat of arms connects to the name Blitzingen!
Who Lives in Blitzingen?
In 2015, Blitzingen had a population of 90 people. Over the years, the number of people living there has changed. Between 1999 and 2009, the population went down by about 24%. This was partly because some people moved away and partly due to fewer births than deaths.
Most people in Blitzingen speak German. In 2000, about 92.9% of the people spoke German as their main language. A small number of people also spoke Serbo-Croatian.
In 2008, the population was almost evenly split between males and females. About 51.9% were male and 48.1% were female. Most of the people living in Blitzingen were Swiss citizens.
Many people who lived in Blitzingen in 2000 were actually born there. About 44.4% were born in Blitzingen itself. Others were born in the same canton (21.2%) or elsewhere in Switzerland (11.1%). About 21.2% of the people were born outside of Switzerland.
The age groups in Blitzingen in 2000 were:
- Kids and teenagers (0–19 years old): 23.2%
- Adults (20–64 years old): 49.5%
- Seniors (over 64 years old): 27.3%
In 2000, there were 42 households in Blitzingen. On average, each household had about 2.3 people. Some households had only one person, while a few had five or more.
Here's a look at how the population of Blitzingen has changed over time:
What is Special About Blitzingen?
The hamlets of Ammere, Gadme, Wiler, and Bodmen in Blitzingen are very special. They are recognized as part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites. This means they have important historical or cultural value.
What Kind of Jobs are There?
In 2010, Blitzingen had a very low unemployment rate, only 0.7%. This means almost everyone who wanted a job had one.
In 2008, jobs in Blitzingen were mainly in three areas:
- Primary sector: This includes jobs like farming. There were 11 people working in this area.
- Secondary sector: This includes jobs like manufacturing (making things). There were 4 people working here.
- Tertiary sector: This includes jobs in services, like hotels or restaurants. There were 19 people working in this sector.
Many jobs in the tertiary sector were in hotels or restaurants, showing that tourism might be important there.
In 2000, some people who lived in Blitzingen traveled to other places for work. About 6.1% used public transportation, and 46.9% drove their own cars.
Religion in Blitzingen
Based on information from 2000, most people in Blitzingen were Roman Catholic, about 81.8%. A smaller number, about 2.0%, belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church. There were also some people who were members of an Orthodox church. A few people did not belong to any church or preferred not to say.
Learning and Education
Education is important in Switzerland. In Blitzingen, about 24.2% of the people had finished upper secondary education. This is like high school. About 7.1% had gone on to higher education, like a university.
In 2000, 13 students from Blitzingen went to schools outside of the municipality.
How to Get Around
The village of Blitzingen has its own Blitzingen railway station. This means you can easily reach Blitzingen by train!
Images for kids
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Blitzingen village
See also
In Spanish: Blitzingen para niños
