Hinterrhein, Switzerland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hinterrhein
Coat of arms
Hinterrhein Location in Switzerland Show map of Switzerland Hinterrhein Location in Canton of Graubünden Show map of Canton of Graubünden
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Graubünden
District	Viamala
Area
• Total	48.3 km2 (18.6 sq mi)
Elevation (Kirche Hinterrhein)	1,620 m (5,310 ft)
Population  (Dec 2020 )
• Total	61
• Density	1.263/km2 (3.271/sq mi)
Postal code	7438
Surrounded by	Blenio (TI), Malvaglia (TI), Mesocco, Nufenen, Vals

Hinterrhein (which means Valragn in the Romansh language) is a small village in the Viamala Region of Switzerland. It used to be its own municipality in the canton of Graubünden.

This village is special because it's located close to where the Hinterrhein river begins. This river is one of the two main streams that form the mighty Rhine river. On January 1, 2019, Hinterrhein joined with two other villages, Nufenen and Splügen, to create a new, larger municipality called Rheinwald.

History of Hinterrhein

Hinterrhein is a very old place. The first time it was ever written about was in the year 1219. Back then, it was simply known as de Reno.

Geography and Landscape

The Hinterrhein river flowing near the village.

Hinterrhein covers an area of about 48.4 square kilometers (which is about 18.7 square miles). A good part of this land, about 22.7%, is used for farming. Forests cover about 7.6% of the area.

Only a small part, 1.2%, has buildings or roads. The biggest part, about 68.5%, is made up of natural features like rivers, glaciers, and mountains. This means much of Hinterrhein is wild and beautiful nature!

The village itself is a haufendorf. This means it's an unplanned village with buildings packed closely together around a central area. Hinterrhein is also found at the northern entrance of the San Bernardino tunnel. This tunnel is an important route through the mountains.

Population and People

How Many People Live Here?

As of the latest count, Hinterrhein has a population of 61 people. About 6.4% of the people living here are from other countries. Over the last ten years, the number of people living in Hinterrhein has stayed about the same.

Age Groups in Hinterrhein

In 2000, the population was made up of 57.7% males and 42.3% females. Here's a look at the age groups:

• 8.6% of the population were children aged 0 to 9 years old.
• 1.9% were 10 to 14 years old.
• 5.7% were 15 to 19 years old.
• 13.3% were young adults aged 20 to 29.
• 18.1% were 30 to 39 years old.
• Another 18.1% were 40 to 49 years old.
• 10.5% were 50 to 59 years old.
• 13.3% were older adults aged 60 to 69.
• 8.6% were 70 to 79 years old.
• And 1.9% were 80 to 89 years old.

Education and Jobs

Many adults in Hinterrhein (about 44.8% of those aged 25-64) have completed higher education. This means they went to a university or a special college called a Fachhochschule.

Hinterrhein has a very low unemployment rate, which means almost everyone who wants a job has one.

• In 2005, 28 people worked in the primary sector. This includes jobs like farming. There were 12 businesses in this area.
• Only 2 people worked in the secondary sector, which involves making things in factories. There was 1 business in this area.
• 11 people worked in the tertiary sector, which includes jobs like services (shops, hotels, etc.). There were 4 businesses in this area.

Population Changes Over Time

The number of people living in Hinterrhein has changed quite a bit over the years:

Languages Spoken

Most people in Hinterrhein speak German. In 2000, about 75.2% of the population spoke German. Italian was the second most common language, spoken by 14.3% of the people. Portuguese was third, spoken by 5.7%.

Here's a table showing how the languages have changed over time:

Important Historical Sites

One very important historical site in Hinterrhein is the Alte Landbrücke, which means "Old Bridge". This bridge is so important that it's listed as a Swiss heritage site of national significance.

Climate and Weather

Hinterrhein has a climate with a good amount of rain and snow. Between 1961 and 1990, the village had about 121.4 days of rain each year. On average, it received about 1469 millimeters (or 57.8 inches) of precipitation annually.

The wettest month is usually May, with about 194 millimeters (7.6 inches) of rain. It rains for about 14.2 days in May. The driest month is February, with only about 45 millimeters (1.8 inches) of precipitation.

Here's a detailed look at the weather in Hinterrhein:

See also

In Spanish: Hinterrhein para niños