Jens, Switzerland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jens
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 Jens
Location in Switzerland
Jens
Location in Canton of Bern
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| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Bern | |
| District | Seeland | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 4.58 km2 (1.77 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 437 m (1,434 ft) | |
| Population
(Dec 2020 )
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| • Total | 633 | |
| • Density | 138.21/km2 (358.0/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
2565
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| Surrounded by | Aegerten, Bellmund, Kappelen, Merzligen, Port, Studen, Worben | |
Jens is a small town, also called a municipality, located in the Seeland area of the canton of Bern in Switzerland.
Contents
History of Jens
Jens was first mentioned in old writings between 1229 and 1230. Back then, it was called Gens. Later, in 1335, its name changed to Jensse.
The village was originally part of a larger territory known as the Herrschaft of Nidau. In 1335, the owner, Knight Ulrich von Sutz, sold his land. It was bought by the Counts of Neuchâtel-Nidau. The Counts owned the land until 1398. Then, the city of Bern took over. Under Bern's rule, Jens became part of the Bailiwick of Nidau. A Bailiwick was like a district managed by a special officer.
Jens and a nearby village called Worben shared a local court. They were also part of the Bürglen church area.
Between 1868 and 1891, big projects called the Jura water correction happened. A canal was built in Jens. The nearby marshy land was drained. This created a lot of new farmland. Most of this land was used to grow sugar beets. These beets were sent to a sugar factory in Aarberg.
As more people moved to Jens, new homes were built. The Tannacker and Weieried housing areas were built in the late 1970s. Today, many people who live in Jens travel to other towns for work.
Where is Jens? (Geography)
Jens covers an area of about 4.6 square kilometers (1.8 square miles). As of 2012, most of this land, about 69.9%, is used for farming. Forests cover about 22.9% of the area.
About 7.4% of Jens is covered by buildings and roads. A very small part, 0.2%, is made up of rivers or lakes. Most of the forest is dense, meaning it has many trees. The farmland is mostly used for growing crops. Some areas are pastures for animals.
The town is located on the southern side of a hill called Jensberg.
In 2010, Jens became part of a new administrative area. This new area is called Verwaltungskreis Seeland.
Jens's Coat of Arms
A coat of arms is like a special symbol for a town or family. The coat of arms for Jens has a specific design. It is described as: Gules a Rose Argent barbed and seeded proper and a Bar of the second. This means it has a red background (Gules). On it, there is a silver rose (Argent) with its natural green parts (barbed and seeded proper). There is also a silver bar (Bar of the second).
People of Jens (Demographics)
Jens has a population of about 667 people (as of December 2011). In 2010, about 3.0% of the people living in Jens were from other countries.
Most people in Jens speak German. About 96.1% of the population speaks German as their first language. French is the second most common language, spoken by about 2.1% of people. A small number of people also speak English.
In 2008, the population was almost equally split between males and females. About 50.2% were male and 49.8% were female. Most people living in Jens were born in Switzerland. About 32.7% were born right in Jens.
In 2011, children and teenagers (ages 0-19) made up about 21.9% of the population. Adults (ages 20-64) made up 60.6%. Older adults (over 64) made up 17.5%.
Most people in Jens are married. In 2000, about 32.7% of people were single. About 55.4% were married.
The chart below shows how the population of Jens has changed over time:
Economy and Jobs
In 2011, the unemployment rate in Jens was very low, at 0.82%. This means almost everyone who wanted a job had one.
In 2008, there were 97 people working in Jens. These jobs were in different areas:
- Farming (Primary Sector): 43 people worked in farming. This includes growing crops and raising animals.
- Making Things (Secondary Sector): 24 people worked in this area. This includes jobs in factories and construction.
- Services (Tertiary Sector): 30 people worked in services. This includes jobs in shops, restaurants, and education.
Many people who live in Jens travel to other towns for work. In 2000, 245 people left Jens to work elsewhere. Only 24 people came into Jens for work. This means Jens is a place where many people live but work outside the town.
About 11.2% of workers used public transportation to get to work. Most, about 59.9%, used a private car.
Religion in Jens
Based on the 2000 census, most people in Jens belong to the Swiss Reformed Church. About 75.0% of the population were members of this church.
The second largest group was Roman Catholic, making up about 9.0% of the population.
Some people belonged to other Christian churches. A small number of people were Islamic, Buddhist, or Hindu. About 8.37% of the population said they did not belong to any church.
Education in Jens
In Jens, many adults have completed a good level of education. About 57.7% have finished upper secondary education. This is like high school. About 25.1% have gone on to higher education, like university or a specialized college (Fachhochschule).
The school system in the Canton of Bern works like this:
- One year of non-required Kindergarten.
- Six years of Primary school.
- Three years of required lower Secondary school. Students are grouped by their abilities.
- After lower Secondary, students can continue their schooling or start an apprenticeship. An apprenticeship is like learning a job by working with an expert.
During the 2011-2012 school year, 48 students went to school in Jens. There was one kindergarten class with 15 students. There were two primary classes with 33 students.
In 2000, 48 students lived and went to school in Jens. However, 45 students from Jens went to schools outside the town.
See also
In Spanish: Jens para niños
