Hérens District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hérens
District d'Hérens
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District
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| Country |  Switzerland |
| Canton |  Valais |
| Capital | Vex |
| Area | |
| • Total | 443.5 km2 (171.2 sq mi) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 10,953 |
| • Density | 24.697/km2 (63.964/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Municipalities | 6 |
The district of Hérens is a region in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It is home to 10,953 people (as of 31 December 2020). This area is known for its beautiful valleys and mountains.
Contents
Where is Hérens located?
Most of the towns in Hérens are found in the Val d'Hérens. This valley is on the south side of the Rhône River. One town, Ayent, is on the north side of the river.
What towns are in Hérens?
The district of Hérens includes several important municipalities (towns or local areas). Here is a list of them:
| Municipality | Population (31 December 2020) |
Area km2 |
|---|---|---|
| Ayent | 4,137 | 55.13 |
| Evolène | 1,647 | 209.94 |
| Hérémence | 1,433 | 107.53 |
| Mont-Noble | 1,102 | 43.0 |
| Saint-Martin | 842 | 37.02 |
| Vex | 1,792 | 12.99 |
| Total | 10,953 | 470.73 |
A brief history of Hérens
The history of Hérens involves many changes over time. After the Lower Valais region was taken over by the bishopric of Sion (a church-led area) in 1476, the Val d’Hérens became part of the area controlled by Saint-Maurice.
In 1560, it joined the larger area of Sion. However, the Val d'Hérémence part remained separate for a while.
How Hérens became a district
The district of Hérémence was officially formed in 1798. This was during a time when Switzerland was changing its government. It became its own "tithing" (a type of administrative area) in 1802. Later, in 1810, it was even a "canton" (like a state) within a French department.
In 1815, after more changes, it became a tithing again. After 1848, it was called a district within the canton of Valais. The town of Ayent was added to it at this time. Some other towns, like Arbaz and Savièse, were separated from Hérémence in 1839.
Recent changes to municipalities
On January 1, 2011, three smaller towns – Vernamiège, Nax, and Mase – joined together. They formed the new municipality called Mont-Noble. Another town, Les Agettes, merged with Sion on January 1, 2017.
Who lives in Hérens?
Hérens has a population of 10,953 people (as of as of December 2020[update]). Most people in Hérens speak French. About 95% of the population speaks French as their main language. German is the second most common language, spoken by about 2.2% of the people. Portuguese is third, spoken by about 1.1%.
Population facts
In 2008, about 49.3% of the people in Hérens were male and 50.7% were female. Most people living in the district were born in Switzerland. About 55.8% of the population in 2000 were born in Hérens itself.
Many people in the district are married. In 2000, about 4,616 people were married. There were also about 1,031 households (homes) where only one person lived.
Population changes over time
The chart below shows how the population of Hérens has changed throughout history:
How politics work in Hérens
In Switzerland, people vote for their leaders in elections. In the 2007 federal election, the most popular political party in Hérens was the CVP. They received about 47.67% of all the votes.
Other popular parties included the SP (17.26%), the SVP (15.57%), and the FDP (11.21%). A total of 5,651 votes were cast in that election. This means about 71.8% of eligible voters participated.
Voting in local elections
In the 2009 election for the Conseil d'État (a local government council), about 65% of people voted. This was higher than the average for the canton (the larger region). For the 2007 Swiss Council of States election, about 72.4% of people voted. This also showed a strong interest in voting in Hérens.
Religion in Hérens
Most people in Hérens are Christian. According to a 2000 survey, about 87.9% of the population were Roman Catholic. Another 4.0% belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church.
A small number of people belonged to other Christian churches, like Orthodox churches. There were also a few people who were Jewish or Islamic. Some people followed Buddhism or Hinduism. About 3.47% of the population did not belong to any church.
Education in Hérens
Education is important in Hérens. About 28.3% of the people have finished their non-mandatory upper secondary education. This means they completed schooling beyond what is required.
About 7.9% of the population has gone on to higher education. This includes attending a university or a Fachhochschule (a type of professional university). Of those who completed higher education, most were Swiss men and women.
See also
In Spanish: Distrito de Hérens para niños
