La Roche, Fribourg facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
La Roche
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 La Roche
Location in Switzerland
La Roche
Location in Canton of Fribourg
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| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Fribourg | |
| District | Gruyère | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 24.06 km2 (9.29 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 747 m (2,451 ft) | |
| Population
(Dec 2020 )
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| • Total | 1,821 | |
| • Density | 75.69/km2 (196.03/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
1634
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| Surrounded by | Hauteville, Le Mouret, Plasselb, Pont-la-Ville, Treyvaux, Val-de-Charmey | |
La Roche is a lovely town, also called a municipality, in the Gruyère district of the Fribourg canton in Switzerland. It's a beautiful place with a rich history and stunning natural surroundings.
Contents
A Glimpse into History
La Roche was first mentioned way back in 1134. At that time, it was known as de Rocha. The town used to have a German name, Zurflüh, but that name is not used anymore.
Exploring La Roche's Geography
La Roche covers an area of about 24.1 square kilometers (9.3 square miles). A big part of this land, almost half (47%), is used for farming. Another large part, about 46.9%, is covered by forests.
About 4% of the land has buildings or roads. A small amount (0.6%) is rivers or lakes. The remaining 1.3% is land that isn't used for farming or building.
Most of the forested land is covered with thick forests. Some areas also have orchards or small groups of trees. The farming land is used for growing crops, pastures for animals, and high mountain pastures. All the water in La Roche comes from flowing rivers and streams.
The town is located in the Gruyère district. It includes five main small villages, called hamlets. These hamlets are La Serbache, Scherwyl, Le Villaret, l'Adrey, and Le Revers.
Understanding the Coat of Arms
The coat of arms for La Roche is a special design that represents the town. It shows three green pine trees with brown trunks. These trees grow from three green hills. Above the trees, there are three silver five-pointed stars.
Who Lives in La Roche? (Demographics)
La Roche has a population of about 1,800 people as of 2023. Over the past ten years (2000–2010), the population grew by about 9.6%. Most of this growth came from people moving into the town.
Most people in La Roche speak French as their main language (about 92.5%). German is the second most common language, spoken by about 3.5% of the population. Portuguese is the third most common, spoken by about 2.4%.
In 2008, about 49.3% of the population was male, and 50.7% was female. Many people (about 47.8%) who lived in La Roche in 2000 were also born there.
Children and teenagers (up to 19 years old) make up about 27.4% of the population. Adults (20–64 years old) make up 56.8%, and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 15.8%.
In 2000, there were 467 homes in La Roche, with about 2.7 people living in each home on average.
The chart below shows how the population of La Roche has changed over many years:
Important Heritage Sites
The Farm House at Vers Les Roulin 52 is a very important building. It is listed as a Swiss heritage site of national significance. This means it's a special place that is protected because of its historical or cultural value.
La Roche's Economy
In 2010, the unemployment rate in La Roche was 3.1%. This means a small number of people who wanted jobs couldn't find them.
Many people in La Roche work in different areas:
- Primary sector: This includes jobs like farming and forestry. In 2008, about 90 people worked in this area.
- Secondary sector: This includes jobs in manufacturing (making things) and construction (building things). About 256 people worked in this sector.
- Tertiary sector: This includes jobs in services, like sales, transportation, hotels, restaurants, healthcare, and education. About 244 people worked in this sector.
In 2008, there were 486 full-time jobs in La Roche. Many people who live in La Roche travel to other towns for work. Also, some people travel into La Roche for their jobs. Most people (66.9%) use a private car to get to work, while 6.9% use public transportation.
Religious Life in La Roche
Based on a census from 2000, most people in La Roche (about 84.8%) are Roman Catholic. About 3.9% belong to the Swiss Reformed Church. There are also smaller numbers of people who are Orthodox Christian, Christian Catholic, or other Christian faiths. About 2.05% of the population is Islamic. A small number of people are Buddhist or belong to other religions. About 2.88% of the population does not belong to any church.
Education in La Roche
In La Roche, about 26.7% of the population has finished high school, which is called upper secondary education. About 6.4% have gone on to get higher education from a university or a specialized college.
The Fribourg school system starts with one year of optional Kindergarten. After that, students go to six years of Primary school. Then, they have three years of lower Secondary school. In lower Secondary, students are grouped based on their abilities.
After lower Secondary, students can choose to go to an optional upper Secondary school for three or four years. This can be a gymnasium (which prepares them for university) or a vocational program (which prepares them for a specific job). After upper Secondary, students can go to a college or start an apprenticeship.
During the 2010-2011 school year, 125 students attended schools in La Roche. There was one kindergarten class with 19 students and six primary classes with 106 students. While there were no lower secondary classes in La Roche itself, 63 students from the town went to lower secondary schools in nearby towns. Similarly, many students went to upper secondary or vocational schools in other municipalities.
In 2000, 25 students came to La Roche to attend school, while 95 students from La Roche went to schools outside the town.
See also
In Spanish: La Roche (Friburgo) para niños
