Goms District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Goms
Bezirk Goms
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District
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Landscape of Goms, here the village of Reckingen
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| Country |  Switzerland |
| Canton |  Valais |
| Seat | Münster |
| Area | |
| • Total | 588.3 km2 (227.1 sq mi) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 4,377 |
| • Density | 7.4401/km2 (19.270/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Municipalities | 8 |
Goms (also known as District de Conches in French) is a special area called a district in the Valais region of Switzerland. It covers a large part of the upper Rhône valley, from where the river starts all the way to the town of Brig. As of 31 December 2020, about 4,377 people live in Goms.
Contents
Towns and Villages in Goms
Goms is made up of several smaller towns and villages, which are called municipalities. Here's a look at them:
| Municipality | Population (31 December 2020) |
Area km2 |
|---|---|---|
| Bellwald | 354 | 13.69 |
| Binn | 127 | 65.03 |
| Ernen | 518 | 35.38 |
| Fiesch | 909 | 11.26 |
| Fieschertal | 326 | 172.96 |
| Goms | 1,160 | 129.0 |
| Lax | 329 | 5.02 |
| Obergoms | 654 | 155.83 |
| Total | 4,377 | 588.11 |
Goms Coat of Arms
-coat_of_arms.svg)
Every district and town has a special symbol called a coat of arms. The coat of arms for Goms is divided into two parts: a red top and a white bottom. In each part, there is a cross that changes color. So, a white cross is on the red part, and a red cross is on the white part.
People of Goms
As of December 2020, the population of Goms is 4,377 people. Most people in Goms speak German as their main language. In 2000, about 92.8% of the people spoke German. Other languages spoken include Serbo-Croatian (3.8%) and Albanian (0.9%). A smaller number of people also speak French or Italian.
In 2008, the population was almost evenly split between males and females. About 51% were male and 49% were female. Most people living in Goms were born in Switzerland. Many were even born right there in Goms or in the same canton of Valais.
Many different types of households make up the community. Some people live alone, while others live in families with children. There are also households where unrelated people live together.
The chart below shows how the population of Goms has changed over many years:
Changes to Municipalities
Over the years, some of the smaller towns and villages in Goms have joined together to form larger municipalities. This helps with local government and services.
- In 2000, Biel (VS), Ritzingen, and Selkingen became one new municipality called Grafschaft.
- In 2004, Geschinen and Münster (VS) merged to form Münster-Geschinen. Also, Gluringen and Reckingen (VS) became Reckingen-Gluringen. Steinhaus, Ausserbinn, and Mühlebach joined the municipality of Ernen.
- In 2009, Ulrichen, Obergesteln, and Oberwald merged to create Obergoms.
- Most recently, in 2017, Blitzingen, Grafschaft, Münster-Geschinen, Niederwald, and Reckingen-Gluringen all combined to form the current municipality of Goms.
Politics and Elections
In Switzerland, people vote for their leaders and representatives. In the 2007 federal election, the most popular political party in Goms was the CVP. They received about 62% of the votes. Other parties that received votes included the SVP, the SP, and the FDP.
When people vote, it's called voter turnout. In that election, about 55% of the people who could vote actually did vote. This shows how many people participated in choosing their representatives.
Religion in Goms
According to the 2000 census, most people in Goms are Roman Catholic, making up about 84.9% of the population. A smaller number, about 5.1%, belong to the Swiss Reformed Church. There are also people who are Orthodox Christian or belong to other Christian churches. About 1.8% of the population are Muslim. Some people do not belong to any church or have different beliefs.
Education in Goms
Education is important in Goms. Many adults have completed their upper secondary education, which is like high school. A smaller number of people have gone on to get higher education from a university or a specialized college called a Fachhochschule. This shows that people in Goms value learning and continue their studies.
Sports and Activities
Goms is well-known for its outdoor activities, especially in winter. It's a very popular place for cross-country skiing. There is a huge network of cross-country skiing trails, stretching for about 100 kilometers (62 miles). This makes it a great spot for winter sports enthusiasts.
See also
In Spanish: Distrito de Goms para niños
