Gurtnellen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gurtnellen
Coat of arms
Gurtnellen Location in Switzerland Show map of Switzerland Gurtnellen Location in Canton of Uri Show map of Canton of Uri
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Uri
District	n.a.
Area
• Total	83.31 km2 (32.17 sq mi)
Elevation	928 m (3,045 ft)
Population  (Dec 2020 )
• Total	512
• Density	6.146/km2 (15.917/sq mi)
Postal code	6482
Surrounded by	Andermatt, Erstfeld, Göschenen, Silenen, Tujetsch (GR), Wassen

Gurtnellen is a small village and a municipality in the canton of Uri in Switzerland. It is located in the beautiful Reuss Valley and is an important stop along the famous Gotthard rail line.

History of Gurtnellen

Gurtnellen has a long history. It was first mentioned in old documents in 1257. At that time, it was known as Chuno und die Gurteneller. Later, in 1321, its name appeared as Gruntellon. By 1359, it was called Gurtenellen, which is very similar to its name today.

Exploring Gurtnellen's Geography

Map showing the Pfaffensprung spiral tunnel near Gurtnellen

The Saint Joseph parish church and the Reuss river in Gurtnellen

An aerial view of Gurtnellen from 1600 meters, taken in 1931

Gurtnellen covers an area of about 83.4 square kilometers (32.2 square miles). A small part of this land, about 11.9%, is used for farming. Forests cover a larger portion, about 25.1% of the area. Only a tiny part, 1.3%, has buildings or roads. The biggest part, 61.7%, is made up of mountains, rivers, or glaciers. These areas are not used for farming or building.

The village sits above the Reuss river. It is located right along the Gotthard railway line. Gurtnellen includes several smaller parts. These are the village sections called Dorf, Wiler, Intschi, and Arni. It also includes some land on the left side of the Reuss river, close to Amsteg and Silenen.

People and Population in Gurtnellen

Gurtnellen has a population of about 600 people. A small number of these residents, around 4.4%, are from other countries. Over the last ten years, the number of people living in Gurtnellen has slowly gone down.

Most people in Gurtnellen speak German. About 97.3% of the population uses German as their main language. Portuguese is the second most common language, spoken by 1.6% of the people. French is spoken by about 0.5% of the residents.

In 2007, the population was split evenly between males and females. There were 50.0% males and 50.0% females.

The people of Switzerland are generally well-educated. In Gurtnellen, about 43.9% of adults (aged 25-64) have completed higher education. This means they have either gone to a university or a special college called a Fachhochschule.

Gurtnellen has a very low unemployment rate, which means most people who want to work can find jobs. Only about 0.65% of people are unemployed.

Many people in Gurtnellen work in different jobs:

• Primary sector: About 82 people work in farming or similar jobs. There are 38 businesses in this area.
• Secondary sector: Around 64 people work in manufacturing or construction. There are 3 businesses in this area.
• Tertiary sector: About 168 people work in services, like shops or hotels. There are 21 businesses in this sector.

The population of Gurtnellen has changed over time. Here is a look at how the number of people has grown or shrunk:

The population saw big increases in 1880 and 1920. This was mainly because of the construction of the Gotthard rail tunnel and later, bridge building and adding electricity to the railway. Many workers came to the area for these big projects.

See also

In Spanish: Gurtnellen para niños