Certara facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Certara
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 Certara
Location in Switzerland
Certara
Location in Canton of Ticino
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| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Ticino | |
| District | Lugano | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 2.73 km2 (1.05 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 1,025 m (3,363 ft) | |
| Population
(Dec 2011)
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| • Total | 60 | |
| • Density | 22.0/km2 (57/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
6959
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| Surrounded by | Bogno, Cimadera, Valcolla, Val Rezzo (IT-CO) | |
Certara was once a small municipality (a type of local government area) in the Lugano area of Ticino, a canton (like a state) in Switzerland. On April 14, 2013, Certara and several other nearby municipalities joined together to become part of the larger city of Lugano.
Contents
History of Certara
Certara was first mentioned in official records way back in 1264. At that time, it was known as Certara and already had a church called S. Pietro Martire.
It probably started as a simple camp where people kept their animals in the mountains. For a long time, it depended on the main church in Sonvico. However, Certara slowly grew. By 1591, it owned its own land. It even had its own cemetery by the 1600s and a special building for baptisms (called a Baptistery) by 1670. It also had its own pastor (a church leader).
Most people in Certara made their living from farming and raising animals. They also got money from people who had moved away and sent money back home. Starting in the late 1800s, fewer people lived in Certara. This happened because farming became less important, and more people moved to the bigger city of Lugano. Today, many of the houses in Certara are used as second homes or vacation spots.
Where Certara Is Located
Before it joined Lugano, Certara covered an area of about 2.7 square kilometers (about 1 square mile). A small part of this land, about 7%, was used for farming. Most of the area, about 81%, was covered by forests. The rest of the land was either built up with houses and roads (4.4%) or was unproductive (3.3%), meaning it couldn't be used for farming or building.
The municipality is found in the Lugano district. It sits on the left side of a valley called Val Colla. It's located between two mountains: Denti della Vecchia and il Gazzirola, which is near the Italian border.
Certara's Coat of Arms
A coat of arms is a special design that represents a place or family. Certara's coat of arms shows a red rose on a gold background. The rose is placed between two pointed shapes that come up from the bottom.
The rose on the coat of arms has a special meaning. It represents Certara's location between the two mountains: i Denti della Vecchia (which means "the teeth of the old woman") and il Gazzirola.
People of Certara
In 2011, Certara had a population of 60 people. About 14.5% of the people living there in 2008 were foreign nationals, meaning they were from other countries. Over ten years, from 1997 to 2007, the population of Certara went down by about 27.8%.
Most people in Certara speak Italian, which is 81.5% of the population. The second most common language is German (12.3%), and then French (4.6%).
In 2008, there were slightly more women (55%) than men (45%) living in Certara.
The age groups in Certara in 2009 showed that 5% were children aged 0-9, and 8.3% were teenagers aged 10-19. Most of the population was adult, with a good number of people over 60 years old.
In 2000, there were 31 homes in Certara, with about 2 people living in each home on average. Most of the buildings (89.9%) were single-family homes. Many of the apartments in Certara (70.4%) were used only during certain seasons, like for vacations.
The number of people living in Certara over time is shown in this chart:
Economy (Jobs and Work)
In 2007, Certara had an unemployment rate of 6%. This means 6% of people who wanted to work couldn't find a job.
In 2005, there were people working in the primary economic sector (like farming or fishing). There was also 1 person working in the secondary sector (like manufacturing).
In 2000, 17 workers from Certara traveled outside the municipality for their jobs. About 8.7% of working people used public transportation to get to work, while 69.6% drove their own cars.
Religion
According to the 2000 census, most people in Certara were Roman Catholic (75.4%). A smaller number (4.6%) belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church. Some people (12.31%) belonged to other churches, and a few (7.69%) did not state their religion.
Education
In Switzerland, most people are well educated. In Certara, about 67.6% of adults (aged 25–64) had finished either non-mandatory high school or gone on to higher education, like a university.
In 2009, there were a total of 5 students living in Certara.
The education system in Ticino starts with up to three years of non-mandatory kindergarten. After that, there are five years of mandatory primary school. In Certara, 1 student attended primary school.
For middle school, students can choose between a two-year program followed by a pre-apprenticeship, or a four-year program to prepare for university. In Certara, 2 students were in the two-year middle school program.
After middle school, students can go to upper secondary school. This prepares them for a trade or for university. In Ticino, students can learn a trade by going to school and working an internship or apprenticeship at the same time. In Certara, 1 student was a full-time vocational student, and 1 was part-time.
In 2000, 3 students from Certara went to schools outside of the municipality.
See also
In Spanish: Certara para niños
