Ferden facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ferden
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Ferden village
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 Ferden
Location in Switzerland
Ferden
Location in Canton of Valais
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| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Valais | |
| District | Raron | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 27.92 km2 (10.78 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 1,389 m (4,557 ft) | |
| Population
(Dec 2020 )
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| • Total | 247 | |
| • Density | 8.847/km2 (22.91/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
3916
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| Surrounded by | Erschmatt, Gampel, Guttet-Feschel, Kandersteg (BE), Kippel, Leukerbad, Niedergesteln, Steg | |
Ferden is a small and charming municipality (like a town) in Switzerland. It is located in the beautiful canton of Valais, nestled in the Raron district. Besides the main village of Ferden, this area also includes the tiny hamlet of Goppenstein and some mountain settlements called Faldum, Resti, and Kummen. It is a great place to learn about Swiss village life!
Contents
A Glimpse into Ferden's Past
Ferden has a long history. The first time anyone wrote about Ferden was in the year 1380. Back then, it was called Verdan.
Exploring Ferden's Geography
Ferden covers an area of about 27.9 square kilometers (10.8 square miles). A good part of this land, about 17.7%, is used for farming. Forests cover another 19.3% of the area.
Only a small portion, less than 1%, has buildings or roads. About 1% of the land is covered by rivers or lakes. The largest part, over 61%, is unproductive land. This means it is too rocky or has too little vegetation to be used for farming or building.
Ferden is located at the bottom of the Lötschen valley. It sits at an elevation of about 1,370 meters (4,490 feet) above sea level. The main village of Ferden is a haufendorf village. This means it is an irregular, unplanned village with closely packed buildings around a central square.
A reservoir called Stausee Ferden is also found here. It is on the Lonza River.
Ferden's Coat of Arms
The coat of arms for Ferden has a special design. It is divided into two parts by a wavy silver bar. The top part is red and shows a silver cross with three-leafed ends. The bottom part is green and shows a silver host (a communion wafer) with golden rays coming from a golden cup.
Understanding Ferden's Population
Ferden has a population of about 342 people. Most people in Ferden, about 97.9%, speak German as their main language. A small number speak Italian or French.
In 2008, a little over half of the population (51.5%) was male, and just under half (48.5%) was female. Most people living in Ferden were born there or in the same canton (region).
About 22.4% of the population are children and teenagers (0–19 years old). Adults (20–64 years old) make up 60.1%, and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 17.5%.
Most households in Ferden have about 2.5 people living in them. In 2000, most apartments were lived in all the time. Some were used only during certain seasons, and a few were empty.
The chart below shows how Ferden's population has changed over the years:
Ferden's Economy and Jobs
In 2010, Ferden had a very low unemployment rate of 0.8%. This means almost everyone who wanted a job had one.
Many people work in the primary economic sector, which includes farming. There are also jobs in the secondary sector, like construction. The largest number of jobs are in the tertiary sector. This includes services like transportation, hotels, and restaurants.
Many people who live in Ferden travel to other places for work. More people leave Ferden for work than come into Ferden for work. About 34.5% of workers use public transportation, and 43.4% use a private car to get to their jobs.
Getting Around Ferden: Transport
Goppenstein railway station is located within Ferden. This station is on the Lötschberg line. You can catch trains here to cities like Bern, Thun, and Brig.
Goppenstein is also special because it is the southern end of a car carrying shuttle train. This train takes cars through the Lötschberg tunnel to Kandersteg station.
The main road through the Lötschental valley passes through Ferden. This road goes from Steg to Fafleralp. A PostAuto bus service runs along this road. It connects the villages in the upper valley, including Ferden, to Goppenstein station. Some buses even continue further down the valley to Steg.
Religion in Ferden
According to the 2000 census, most people in Ferden, about 95.8%, are Roman Catholic. A smaller number, about 3.1%, belong to the Swiss Reformed Church. Very few people said they had no religion or did not answer the question.
Education in Ferden
In Ferden, about 31.1% of the population has finished non-mandatory upper secondary education. This is like high school. About 6.3% have gone on to complete higher education, such as university or a specialized college.
In 2000, some students from other towns came to Ferden for school. At the same time, some students from Ferden went to schools outside the municipality.
See also
In Spanish: Ferden para niños
