Fieschertal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fieschertal
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Fieschertal village
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 Fieschertal
Location in Switzerland
Fieschertal
Location in Canton of Valais
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| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Valais | |
| District | Goms | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 172.81 km2 (66.72 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 1,108 m (3,635 ft) | |
| Population
(Dec 2020 )
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| • Total | 326 | |
| • Density | 1.8865/km2 (4.886/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
3984
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| Surrounded by | Bellwald, Betten, Blatten (Lötschen), Fiesch, Grafschaft, Grindelwald (BE), Guttannen (BE), Lauterbrunnen (BE), Münster-Geschinen, Naters, Reckingen-Gluringen | |
Fieschertal is a small village and a municipality (like a town or district) in Switzerland. It's located in the Goms district, within the Valais canton. Besides the main village, Fieschertal also includes smaller communities called Wichul, Zer Flie, and Wirbul.
Contents
A Look Back in Time
Fieschertal was first mentioned in old records way back in 1351. It was called vallis de Vies then, which means "valley of Vies."
Exploring Fieschertal's Geography
The village of Fieschertal sits in the valley of the Wysswasser river. This river flows from the Fiescher glacier and eventually joins the larger Rhone river. The municipality of Fieschertal is huge, but most of it is made up of high mountains and large glaciers.
Glaciers and Mountains
A big part of the famous Aletsch glacier is in Fieschertal. The entire Fiescher glacier is also within its borders. Many impressive mountains are found here or on its edges. These include the Jungfrau, Mönch, Fiescherhorn, Finsteraarhorn, and Aletschhorn. The beautiful Märjelen lake is also part of the area.
Land Use in Fieschertal
As of 2011, Fieschertal covers about 173 square kilometers (67 square miles). Only a small part of this land is used for farming (3%). About 2.2% is covered by forests. Most of the area, 94.7%, is unproductive land, meaning it's mostly glaciers and rocky mountains.
Understanding the Coat of Arms
The official coat of arms for Fieschertal has a special design. It shows a red rose with green leaves on a gold background at the top. Below that, on a green background, there's a blue and silver zigzag pattern with a wavy silver stripe.
Who Lives in Fieschertal?
Fieschertal has a population of about 318 people as of 2018. Over the last 10 years (1999–2009), the population grew by 7%. This growth was mainly because more people moved into the area.
Languages Spoken
Most people in Fieschertal speak German as their main language. In 2000, about 98.4% of the population spoke German. A few people also spoke Dutch, French, or Italian.
Where People Come From
In 2000, about 61.6% of the people living in Fieschertal were born there. Another 25.9% were born in the same canton (Valais). About 5.9% came from other parts of Switzerland, and 3.9% were born outside of Switzerland.
Age Groups
Looking at the population in 2000, about 25.5% were children and teenagers (0–19 years old). Adults (20–64 years old) made up 58% of the population. Seniors (over 64 years old) were 16.5%.
Family Life
In 2000, there were 94 private households in Fieschertal, with about 2.7 people living in each home. About 24.2% of households had only one person. Many households were married couples, some with children and some without.
Housing in Fieschertal
In 2000, there were 133 inhabited buildings in Fieschertal. Most of these (57.1%) were single-family homes. About 44.7% of the apartments were lived in all year round.
The chart below shows how the population of Fieschertal has changed over time:
Fieschertal's Economy
In 2010, Fieschertal had a low unemployment rate of 2.8%. This means most people who wanted to work had jobs.
Job Sectors
Jobs are often grouped into three main types:
- Primary sector: This includes jobs that get raw materials from nature, like farming or forestry. In 2008, 27 people worked in this sector in Fieschertal.
- Secondary sector: These jobs involve making things, like in factories or construction. There were 110 people working in this sector.
- Tertiary sector: This sector is about providing services, like working in shops, hotels, or transportation. In Fieschertal, 136 people worked in this sector.
Commuting to Work
In 2000, more people left Fieschertal for work than came into the municipality. About 15.7% of working people used public transportation, while 56% drove their own cars.
Getting Around Fieschertal
The village of Fieschertal is connected to the nearby village of Fiesch by a 3-kilometer (about 2-mile) road. Fiesch is on the main road that goes up the Rhone valley.
Public Transport
A special bus service called PostBus Switzerland runs between Fiesch and Fieschertal. This bus connects to the Fiesch train station, which is on the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn line. The bus runs about once an hour.
Remote Areas
About 18 kilometers (11 miles) northwest of Fieschertal village is the Jungfraujoch train station. This station is a popular tourist spot called the "Top of Europe." However, the area between the village and Jungfraujoch, and most of the rest of the municipality, has no roads or other ways to travel. It's mostly wild, natural land.
Religion in the Community
According to the 2000 census, most people in Fieschertal were Roman Catholic (94.1%). A small number (1.6%) belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church. A few people did not belong to any church.
Fieschertal's Weather
Fieschertal typically has rain or snow on about 98.9 days each year. On average, it receives about 923 millimeters (36 inches) of precipitation annually.
Wettest and Driest Months
The wettest month is usually October, with an average of 98 millimeters (3.9 inches) of rain or snow over 7.4 days. May has the most days with precipitation (10.1 days), but with slightly less rain or snow (95 mm or 3.7 inches). The driest month is July, with about 57 millimeters (2.2 inches) of precipitation over 8.2 days.
Education in Fieschertal
In Fieschertal, about 37.3% of the population has finished non-mandatory high school education. A smaller number, 4.3%, have gone on to higher education, like university.
Students Studying Elsewhere
As of 2000, 37 students from Fieschertal attended schools outside of the municipality.
See also
In Spanish: Fieschertal para niños
