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Massongex
Massongex as seen from Chiètres (Bex)
Massongex as seen from Chiètres (Bex)
Coat of arms of Massongex
Coat of arms
Massongex is located in Switzerland
Massongex
Massongex
Location in Switzerland
Massongex is located in Canton of Valais
Massongex
Massongex
Location in Canton of Valais
Country Switzerland
Canton Valais
District Saint-Maurice
Area
 • Total 6.64 km2 (2.56 sq mi)
Elevation
308 m (1,010 ft)
Population
 (Dec 2020 )
 • Total 1,923
 • Density 289.61/km2 (750.1/sq mi)
Postal code
1869
Surrounded by Bex (VD), Monthey, Saint-Maurice, Vérossaz

Massongex is a small town, also known as a municipality, in Switzerland. It is located in the canton of Valais, a beautiful region known for its mountains. Massongex is part of the Saint-Maurice district and sits on the left side of the Rhone river. It is a quiet place with a mix of farms, forests, and homes.

History of Massongex

Massongex is an old settlement. It was first mentioned in official records way back in 1226. This shows that people have lived in this area for a very long time!

Geography of Massongex

Massongex covers an area of about 6.6 square kilometers (which is about 2.5 square miles). A big part of the land, about 33.6%, is used for farming. This means there are fields where crops grow and pastures for animals. Almost half of Massongex, about 47.1%, is covered by forests. Imagine all those trees! About 15.1% of the land has buildings and roads. This includes houses, shops, and places where people work. A small part, about 3%, is made up of rivers or lakes. The municipality is located in the Saint-Maurice district. It sits on the left side of the Rhone river. Massongex includes the main village and eight smaller communities called hamlets, like Daviaz.

Massongex Coat of Arms

Every town has a special symbol called a coat of arms. It's like a unique badge for the municipality. The coat of arms for Massongex shows three silver towers on a red background. The towers have black lines to show the bricks, windows, and doors.

Population of Massongex

Massongex has a population of about 1,534 people (as of December 2002). In 2008, about 16.4% of the people living in Massongex were from other countries. Most people in Massongex speak French as their main language. About 92.3% of the population speaks French. A smaller number of people speak German (2.1%) or Italian (1.8%). In 2008, the population was almost evenly split between males and females. About 50.2% were male and 49.8% were female. Children and teenagers (ages 0-19) make up a good portion of the population, about 27.7%. Adults (20-64 years old) make up 61%, and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 11.2%.

The chart below shows how the population of Massongex has changed over the years:

Important Historical Sites

Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Massongex - Dédicace de Sextus Varennus Priscus
Inscription from Tarnaiae, an ancient settlement

Massongex is home to an important historical site called Tarnaiae. This was an ancient settlement from the Celtic and Gallo-Roman times. It is considered a very important heritage site for Switzerland.

Economy and Jobs

In 2010, the unemployment rate in Massongex was 4.6%. Many people in Massongex have jobs in different areas.

  • The primary sector includes jobs like farming and fishing. In 2008, there were 27 people working in this area.
  • The secondary sector includes jobs in manufacturing and construction. About 102 people worked in this sector.
  • The tertiary sector includes jobs in services, like sales, hotels, education, and healthcare. About 120 people worked in this sector.

Many people who live in Massongex travel to other towns for work. In 2000, about 73.7% of working people used a private car to get to their jobs.

Religion in Massongex

Based on a 2000 survey, most people in Massongex are Roman Catholic, making up about 76.6% of the population. About 10.6% of the people belong to the Swiss Reformed Church. There are also smaller groups of people who follow other Christian churches or Islam. About 5.16% of the population said they did not belong to any church.

Education in Massongex

Many adults in Massongex have completed their education. About 36.2% have finished high school (called non-mandatory upper secondary education). About 7.8% have gone on to higher education, like a university or a specialized college. Massongex has a local library called the Bibliothèque communale. In 2008, the library had 4,340 books and other media. It loaned out 3,671 items that year. The library was open 132 days and for about 6 hours per week.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Massongex para niños

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