Gelterkinden facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gelterkinden
|
||
|---|---|---|
 |
||
|
||
 Gelterkinden
Location in Switzerland
Gelterkinden
Location in Canton of Basel-Landschaft
|
||
| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Basel-Landschaft | |
| District | Sissach | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 9.78 km2 (3.78 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 404 m (1,325 ft) | |
| Population
(Jun 2021 )
|
||
| • Total | 6,252 | |
| • Density | 639.3/km2 (1,655.7/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
4460
|
|
| Surrounded by | Böckten, Diepflingen, Ormalingen, Rickenbach, Rümlingen, Rünenberg, Tecknau, Thürnen, Wittinsburg | |
Gelterkinden is a town, also called a municipality, in Switzerland. It is part of the Sissach district in the canton of Basel-Country.
Contents
History of Gelterkinden
Gelterkinden was first written about between the years 1101 and 1103. Back then, its name was spelled Gelterkingen. This is how we know the town has a long history.
Geography and Landscape
Gelterkinden covers an area of about 9.79 square kilometers (3.78 square miles). A big part of this land, about 34.2%, is used for farming. This means there are fields and pastures.
Almost half of the area, 47.4%, is covered by forests. The rest of the land, about 18.2%, has buildings and roads. A very small part is rivers or lakes.
The town is in the Sissach district. The main part of Gelterkinden is in the upper Ergolz valley. It's located where two rivers, the Ergolz and the Eibach, meet. This meeting point is called a confluence.
Gelterkinden is not just one village. It includes the main village and more than 20 smaller settlements. One of these is Sommerau, which even has its own train station.
Understanding the Coat of Arms
The coat of arms for Gelterkinden is like a special symbol for the town. It is divided into three parts from top to bottom. The colors used are blue, silver (or white), and red. This design is called Trierced per pale, Azure, Argent and Gules.
Population and People
Gelterkinden has a population of about 5,800 people. About 15.7% of the people living here are from other countries. Over the past ten years, the number of people living in Gelterkinden has grown by about 5.8%.
Most people in Gelterkinden speak German, which is about 87.7% of the population. Other languages spoken include Italian language (3.2%) and Serbo-Croatian (2.2%).
In 2008, about 48.7% of the people were male and 51.3% were female. Most people (83.4%) are Swiss citizens. About 28.5% of the people living in Gelterkinden in 2000 were also born there.
The town has a mix of ages. About 6.1% of the population are young children (0-6 years old). Teenagers (7-19 years old) make up about 15.1% of the population. Adults aged 20-64 make up a large part, and about 17.9% are seniors (65 years and older).
Most households in Gelterkinden have about 2.4 people. About 29.2% of households are made up of just one person. Many households are married couples, some with children and some without.
The town has many single-family homes. Most of these homes were built between 1971 and 1980. There are also multi-family buildings and buildings used for both homes and businesses.
The chart below shows how the population of Gelterkinden has changed over many years:
Important Sights
The entire village of Gelterkinden is considered an important historical site. It is part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites. This means it has special buildings and areas that are protected because of their history and beauty.
Economy and Jobs
In 2007, the unemployment rate in Gelterkinden was low, at 1.93%. This means most people who wanted jobs had them.
Many people work in different types of jobs:
- Primary sector: This includes jobs like farming. About 67 people worked in this area in 2005.
- Secondary sector: This includes jobs in factories and construction. About 404 people worked here.
- Tertiary sector: This includes jobs in services, like shops, offices, and healthcare. About 1,823 people worked in this sector.
In 2008, there were about 1,715 full-time jobs in Gelterkinden. A big part of these jobs were in services. For example, many people worked in sales, transportation, hotels, education, and healthcare.
Many people who live in Gelterkinden travel to other towns for work. Also, many people from other towns come to Gelterkinden to work. About 25.8% of workers use public transportation to get to their jobs. About 38.2% use a private car.
Religion in Gelterkinden
Based on a 2000 survey, many people in Gelterkinden belong to Christian churches. About 22.8% were Roman Catholic, and 53.8% belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church.
There were also people who belonged to other Christian churches, like Orthodox and Christian Catholic. About 6.88% of the population were Islamic. A small number of people were Buddhist or Hindu. About 9.30% of the people said they did not belong to any church.
Transportation and Travel
Gelterkinden is located on the Hauenstein Railway line. This means it has train services. The main train station is Gelterkinden railway station. There is also another station called Sommerau, which is in the settlement of Sommerau within the municipality.
Education and Learning
Many people in Gelterkinden have a good education. About 38.2% of the population have finished upper secondary education. This is like high school.
About 12.1% of the people have gone on to higher education. This means they have studied at a university or a specialized college.
In 2000, 406 students came to Gelterkinden from other towns to go to school. Also, 152 students from Gelterkinden went to schools outside the town.
See also
In Spanish: Gelterkinden para niños
