Niederwald, Switzerland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Niederwald
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 Niederwald
Location in Switzerland
Niederwald
Location in Canton of Valais
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| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Valais | |
| District | Goms | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 4.7 km2 (1.8 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 1,251 m (4,104 ft) | |
| Population
(December 2002)
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| • Total | 66 | |
| • Density | 14.04/km2 (36.4/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
3989
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| Surrounded by | Bellwald, Blitzingen, Ernen | |
Niederwald is a small village located in the Valais canton of Switzerland. It used to be its own municipality. However, on January 1, 2017, Niederwald joined with several other villages. These villages were Blitzingen, Grafschaft, Münster-Geschinen, and Reckingen-Gluringen. Together, they formed a new, larger municipality called Goms.
Contents
History of Niederwald
Niederwald is quite an old place. We know it was first mentioned in official records way back in 1526. Back then, its name was written as Zniderwaldt.
Geography and Location
Niederwald covers an area of about 4.7 square kilometers (about 1.8 square miles). A large part of this land, about 34.8%, is used for farming. Forests cover another big part, about 43.8% of the area.
The village itself is built on about 3.0% of the land. The rest, about 18.4%, is land that cannot be used for farming or building.
Niederwald is located high up, above the Fiesch valley. It sits along an old highway. This road used to connect Ernen to the other side of the Rhone river. The village itself is a haufendorf, which means it grew without a strict plan. Its buildings are packed closely together around a central area. There was also a small settlement nearby called Rottenbrigge.
Coat of Arms
Every town has a special symbol called a coat of arms. Niederwald's coat of arms shows three green pine trees. They stand on green hills. Above them is a blue section. This design represents the nature and history of the village.
People and Population
Niederwald has a small population. As of 2008, about 6.8% of the people living there were from other countries. Over ten years, from 1999 to 2009, the number of people living in Niederwald decreased.
Most people in Niederwald speak German. In 2000, about 92.9% of the villagers spoke German as their main language. A smaller number spoke French (4.3%) or Serbo-Croatian (2.9%).
In 2000, more than half of the people (55.7%) were born in Niederwald and still lived there. Many others were born in the same canton (27.1%). Some were born elsewhere in Switzerland (7.1%) or outside Switzerland (10.0%).
The ages of the people in Niederwald in 2000 were:
- Children and teenagers (0–19 years old): 18.6%
- Adults (20–64 years old): 58.6%
- Seniors (over 64 years old): 22.9%
The chart below shows how the population of Niederwald has changed over many years:
Famous People from Niederwald
Niederwald is known as the home of César Ritz. He was a very famous hotelier. This means he was a person who owned or managed hotels. He is buried in the cemetery in Niederwald.
Interesting Sights
The entire village of Niederwald is considered a special place. It is part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites. This means its buildings and layout are important to Swiss history and culture.
Economy and Jobs
In 2010, Niederwald had a very low unemployment rate, only 0.5%. This means almost everyone who wanted a job had one.
People in Niederwald work in different areas:
- Some work in agriculture, like farming.
- Others work in the secondary sector, which includes making things (manufacturing) or building.
- A few work in the tertiary sector, which includes services like hotels or restaurants.
Many people who live in Niederwald travel to other towns for work. Also, many people from other places come to Niederwald to work. In 2000, about 17.1% of workers used public transportation to get to their jobs. About 37.1% used a private car.
Religion
According to the 2000 census, most people in Niederwald are Roman Catholic. About 92.9% of the population followed this religion. A small number of people belonged to an Orthodox church. About 4.29% of the people did not belong to any church.
Education
In Niederwald, many adults have completed a good level of education. About 40.0% of the population finished non-mandatory upper secondary education. This is like high school. A smaller number, about 4.3%, went on to higher education. This means they attended a university or a special college called a Fachhochschule.
In 2000, six students from Niederwald went to schools outside the village.
See also
In Spanish: Niederwald para niños
