Lavin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lavin
Former municipality of Switzerland
Coat of arms
Lavin Location in Switzerland Show map of Switzerland Lavin Location in Canton of Graubünden Show map of Canton of Graubünden
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Graubünden
District	Inn
Area
• Total	46.18 km2 (17.83 sq mi)
Elevation	1,412 m (4,633 ft)
Population  (Dec 2014)
• Total	221
• Density	4.786/km2 (12.395/sq mi)
Postal code	7543
Surrounded by	Ardez, Gaschurn (AT-8), Guarda, Klosters-Serneus, Susch, Zernez

Lavin old wooden bridge

Lavin was once a small town, or municipality, in the Swiss region of Graubünden. It was located in the Inn area. On January 1, 2015, Lavin joined with another town called Susch. Together, they became part of the larger municipality of Zernez.

A Glimpse into Lavin's Past

Lavin is quite old! We first hear about it in writings from the 12th century. Back then, it was known by a slightly different name, Lawinis.

Where is Lavin?

Verstanclahorn mountain near Lavin

Aerial view of Lavin (1947)

Lavin covers an area of about 46.2 square kilometers (about 17.8 square miles). Imagine a place where nature is all around!

• A big part of the land, almost 20%, is used for farming.
• Another 18% is covered by forests.
• Only a tiny bit, less than 1%, has buildings or roads.
• The largest part, over 60%, is made up of mountains, rivers, or glaciers. This means it's a very natural and wild place.

Lavin is located on the left side of the Inn River. It's known as a linear village, which means its buildings are spread out along a road or river.

Who Lives in Lavin?

In 2014, about 221 people lived in Lavin. A small number of these residents, about 8.5%, were from other countries. Over the past ten years, the number of people living in Lavin has slowly grown.

The people of Switzerland are generally well-educated. In Lavin, most adults (about 87.7%) have finished high school or gone on to higher education, like university.

Lavin has a very low unemployment rate, meaning most people who want to work have jobs.

• About 20 people work in farming.
• A few people work in manufacturing.
• Around 50 people work in services, like shops or tourism.

Here's how the population of Lavin has changed over many years:

What Languages are Spoken?

Most people in Lavin speak Rhaeto-Romance, which is a very old local language. In 2000, about 76% of the people spoke Romansh. The second most common language is German, spoken by about 23% of the population. A small number of people also speak Portuguese.

Even though German speakers have been in Lavin for a long time, most people still speak the local Romansh dialect called Vallader. While the number of Romansh speakers has gone down a little over the years, most people in Lavin still understand it.

Important Historical Sites

The old, empty village of Gonda is a very special place near Lavin. It's considered a heritage site of national significance in Switzerland. Gonda was first mentioned around 1160, but by the 1600s, everyone had left it. In 1983, the village was carefully restored so people can still visit and see what it was like long ago.

See also

In Spanish: Lavin para niños