Indemini facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Indemini
Former municipality of Switzerland
Coat of arms
Indemini Location in Switzerland Show map of Switzerland Indemini Location in Canton of Ticino Show map of Canton of Ticino
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Ticino
District	Locarno
Municipality	Gambarogno
Area
• Total	11.3 km2 (4.4 sq mi)
Elevation	950 m (3,120 ft)
Population
• Total	43
• Density	3.81/km2 (9.86/sq mi)
Postal code	6571
Surrounded by	Alto Malcantone, Curiglia con Monteviasco (IT-VA), Gerra (Gambarogno), Piazzogna, San Nazzaro, Sant'Abbondio, Sigirino, Veddasca (IT-VA), Vira (Gambarogno)

Indemini is a small village that used to be its own municipality (like a town with its own local government) in the Locarno area of Ticino, a canton (or state) in Switzerland.

On April 25, 2010, Indemini and several other nearby municipalities, like Caviano and Magadino, joined together to form a bigger municipality called Gambarogno. So, Indemini is now part of Gambarogno.

History of Indemini

Montoia alpine pasture, a summer pasture near Indemini

Indemini was first mentioned in records way back in 1260. In the Middle Ages (a long time ago, from about 500 to 1500 AD), it was part of a group of villages called a Vicinanza in the Gambarogno region. These villages often shared land and resources.

In the 1600s, there were disagreements with neighboring villages from Valle Veddasca and Malcantone about who owned the mountain pastures and forests. These border arguments were finally settled in 1752 with a special agreement called the Treaty of Varese.

Around 1800, the Swiss government at the time, known as the Helvetic Republic, even thought about trading Indemini for another area called Campione d'Italia with a nearby Italian republic.

A special church group, called a vice-parish, was started in Indemini in 1556. This happened after they separated from the main church area in Vira. The local church, San Bartolomeo, was probably built before 1213. It was made bigger in the 1600s and fixed up in the 1800s.

For a long time, Indemini was quite isolated. It wasn't until 1917–18 that a proper road was built on the Swiss side to connect it to other places. A road from Italy didn't arrive until 1964. This isolation helped Indemini keep its old-fashioned, rural look.

In the past, people in the village mostly made a living from farming. However, farming became less important in the 1970s and 80s. Today, the village is often quiet for most of the year, but its population grows a lot during the summer when many people come to visit or stay.

Indemini's Geography

Indemini village

Aerial view of the area around Indemini (1954)

Indemini covers an area of about 11.32 square kilometers (about 4.37 square miles). Most of this land, about 78.3%, is covered in forests. A small part, about 1%, is used for farming. About 1.1% of the land has buildings or roads, and 0.6% is made up of rivers or lakes. The remaining 13.3% is land that isn't used for farming or building, like rocky areas.

The village itself is located in the Locarno district, high up at about 938 meters (3,077 feet) above sea level. It's in the upper part of the Valle Veddasca valley, right on the border with Italy.

Coat of Arms

A coat of arms is like a special symbol or emblem for a town or family. Indemini's coat of arms has a green background. On it, you can see a silver sickle (a tool for cutting crops) and a silver axe, both with gold handles, crossed over each other. At the top, there's a sun rising from a wavy blue and white stripe.

Population and People

As of December 2009, Indemini had a population of 43 people. In 2008, about 4.7% of the people living there were foreign nationals (people from other countries). Over ten years, from 1997 to 2007, the population of Indemini decreased by about 26.7%.

In 2000, almost an equal number of people spoke German and Italian (48.7% each). A very small number (2.6%) spoke French.

In 2008, there were more men (58.1%) than women (41.9%) living in Indemini. The population changes each year due to people moving in or out, and births or deaths.

Here's a look at the age groups in Indemini in 2009:

• There were no children under 9 years old.
• 2 teenagers (4.7%) were between 10 and 19 years old.
• 6 adults (14.0%) were between 20 and 29 years old.
• 9 adults (20.9%) were between 40 and 49 years old.
• 9 adults (20.9%) were between 50 and 59 years old.
• 12 seniors (27.9%) were between 60 and 69 years old.
• 1 senior was between 70 and 79 years old.
• 4 seniors (9.3%) were over 80 years old.

Most of the homes in Indemini are single-family houses. In 2000, there were 21 private households, with an average of 1.9 people living in each. Interestingly, in 2000, out of 225 apartments in the village, only 21 were lived in all year round. The other 204 apartments were used only during certain seasons, like summer.

Here's how the population of Indemini has changed over time:

Economy and Jobs

In 2007, Indemini had a very low unemployment rate of 0%, meaning everyone who wanted a job had one.

In 2005, there were 6 people working in the primary economic sector. This means they worked in jobs that get raw materials from nature, like farming or forestry. There were 3 businesses in this area.

No one worked in the secondary sector, which includes manufacturing and construction.

6 people worked in the tertiary sector, which includes services like shops, hotels, or healthcare. There were 3 businesses in this sector.

In 2000, 5 workers came into Indemini for their jobs, while 2 workers left Indemini to work elsewhere. This means more people came to work in Indemini than left it. Of the people who worked, 8.3% used public transportation to get to their jobs, and 16.7% used a private car.

Religion

According to the 2000 census, about 43.6% of the people in Indemini were Roman Catholic. About 25.6% belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church (a type of Protestant church). The remaining people belonged to other churches not listed in the census.

Education

Switzerland is known for having a well-educated population. In Indemini, about 61.2% of adults (aged 25–64) have finished either higher secondary education (like high school) or even more advanced education, such as university or a specialized college.

In 2009, there were a total of 6 students in Indemini.

• The Ticino education system offers up to three years of optional kindergarten. There were children in kindergarten in Indemini.
• Primary school lasts for five years. 1 student attended primary school in the village.
• For middle school, students can choose between a two-year program followed by a pre-apprenticeship, or a four-year program to get ready for higher education. In Indemini, 1 student was in the two-year middle school, and 1 student was in the four-year advanced program.
• After middle school, students can go to upper secondary school to prepare for a trade or for university. There were 2 students in full-time vocational training (learning a specific job skill).
• 1 student was in a professional program, which lasts three years and prepares students for jobs in fields like engineering or nursing.

In 2000, 9 students from Indemini went to schools outside the village.

See also

In Spanish: Indemini para niños