Giffers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Giffers
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Giffers village
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 Giffers
Location in Switzerland
Giffers
Location in Canton of Fribourg
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| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Fribourg | |
| District | Sense | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 5.22 km2 (2.02 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 767 m (2,516 ft) | |
| Population
(Dec 2020 )
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| • Total | 1,664 | |
| • Density | 318.8/km2 (825.6/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
1735
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| Surrounded by | Plaffeien, Plasselb, Rechthalten, Sankt Silvester, Tentlingen | |
Giffers (French: Chevrilles) is a town in Switzerland. It is located in the Sense district of the Fribourg canton. Giffers is special because most people there speak German. This is interesting since the Fribourg canton is mostly French-speaking.
Contents
History of Giffers
Giffers has a long history! It was first mentioned in old records way back in 1160. At that time, it was called Chivriles. Later, in 1301, its name changed to Guifrils. Finally, in 1577, the town was first called Giffers, which is the name it still has today.
Geography and Nature
Giffers covers an area of about 5.15 square kilometers (2 square miles). A big part of this area, about 65%, is used for farming. This means there are many fields and pastures.
About 20% of Giffers is covered by forests. These forests are important for nature and provide homes for animals. The rest of the land is used for buildings and roads, making up about 14% of the area. There are also some rivers and lakes, which cover about 2% of the land.
Giffers is located in the Sense district. It sits on the Ärgera/Gérine river, about 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) south-east of the city of Fribourg. The town itself is a long village, and it includes smaller areas called hamlets. These hamlets are Färtschera, Gauchetli, Matte, Neustatt, Popplera, and Vorsatz.
Giffers's Coat of Arms
A coat of arms is a special design that represents a town or family. Giffers has its own unique coat of arms. It is divided into four sections, alternating between gold (Or) and red (Gules). In each section, there is a four-leaf clover shape called a "quatrefoil." The colors of the quatrefoils are swapped, or "counterchanged," meaning a red quatrefoil is on a gold background, and a gold quatrefoil is on a red background.
People and Population
Giffers has a population of about 1,500 people. In recent years, the number of people living in Giffers has slowly grown. Most people in Giffers speak German as their main language. About 92% of the population speaks German. French is the second most common language, spoken by about 7% of the people. A very small number of people also speak English or Italian.
Most of the people living in Giffers were born either in the town itself or in the same canton (Fribourg). About 36% were born in Giffers, and 41% were born elsewhere in Fribourg.
Age Groups in Giffers
The population of Giffers includes people of all ages:
- Children and Teenagers: About 26% of the population are young people aged 0 to 19 years old.
- Adults: About 61% of the population are adults aged 20 to 64 years old.
- Seniors: About 13% of the population are seniors, aged over 64 years old.
This shows that Giffers has a good mix of young people, working adults, and older residents.
Population Changes Over Time
The chart below shows how the population of Giffers has changed over many years. You can see how the number of residents has grown, especially in recent decades.
Economy and Jobs
Giffers has a low unemployment rate, which means most people who want to work can find a job. Many people in Giffers work in different types of jobs.
Types of Jobs in Giffers
- Agriculture: Some people work in farming, which is called the primary sector. This includes jobs like growing crops or raising animals.
- Manufacturing and Construction: Others work in the secondary sector. This involves making things in factories (manufacturing) or building houses and roads (construction).
- Services: The largest number of jobs are in the tertiary sector, which includes services. These jobs involve helping people or providing services. Examples include:
- Working in shops or selling cars.
- Transporting goods.
- Working in hotels or restaurants.
- Jobs in insurance or finance.
- Being a doctor, nurse, or working in healthcare.
- Being a teacher or working in education.
Many people who live in Giffers travel to other towns for work. However, Giffers also has jobs for people who come from other places. Most people use a private car to get to work, but some also use public transportation.
Religion in Giffers
Most people in Giffers are Roman Catholic. About 83% of the population belongs to the Roman Catholic Church. The second largest group belongs to the Swiss Reformed Church, which is a Protestant church. There are also smaller numbers of people who follow other Christian faiths, Islam, or Buddhism. Some people do not belong to any church.
Education System
Education is very important in Giffers, just like in the rest of Switzerland. The school system in the Fribourg canton helps students learn and grow.
School Levels
- Kindergarten: Children start with one year of non-mandatory kindergarten.
- Primary School: After kindergarten, students go to primary school for six years.
- Lower Secondary School: This is followed by three years of mandatory lower secondary school. Students are grouped based on their abilities.
- Upper Secondary School: After lower secondary, students can choose to go to an optional upper secondary school for three or four years. This can be a gymnasium (which prepares them for university) or a vocational program (which teaches them skills for a specific job).
- Tertiary Education: After upper secondary, students can go to a university or a specialized college, or continue their job training.
Students in Giffers
During a recent school year, Giffers had about 209 students attending classes in the town. This included students in kindergarten and primary school. Some students from Giffers also attended schools in nearby towns, especially for lower secondary, upper secondary, and higher education. Giffers also welcomed students from other towns to its schools.
See also
In Spanish: Giffers para niños
