Oberuzwil facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Oberuzwil
Coat of arms
Oberuzwil Location in Switzerland Show map of Switzerland Oberuzwil Location in Canton of St. Gallen Show map of Canton of St. Gallen
Country	Switzerland
Canton	St. Gallen
District	Wahlkreis Wil
Area
• Total	14.08 km2 (5.44 sq mi)
Elevation	560 m (1,840 ft)
Population  (Dec 2020 )
• Total	6,491
• Density	461.01/km2 (1,194.0/sq mi)
Postal code	9242
Localities	Oberuzwil, Bichwil, Riggenschwil, Niederglatt
Surrounded by	Degersheim, Flawil, Jonschwil, Lütisburg, Oberbüren, Uzwil

Oberuzwil is a small town, also called a municipality, located in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland. It is part of the Wil area, known as a Wahlkreis (constituency).

History of Oberuzwil

Oberuzwil was first mentioned in old writings way back in the year 819. Back then, it was called Uzzinwilare. Later, in 1382, its name changed to Obren Utzwille.

The village of Bichwil, which is part of Oberuzwil, was first mentioned in 865. It was known as Pichilinwilare. Another village, Niederglatt, appeared in records in 1336 as Nidernglat.

Geography and Landscape

Panorama of Uzwil-Oberuzwil. In the foreground: Bichwil; background (left to right): Oberuzwil, Uzwil, Industrie Uzwil, Niederuzwil

Aerial view from 800 m by Walter Mittelholzer (1927)

Oberuzwil covers an area of about 14.1 square kilometers (about 5.4 square miles). A large part of this land, almost 60%, is used for farming. Forests cover about 26% of the area.

About 13% of the land has buildings or roads. The rest, a small part, includes rivers or lakes.

The municipality includes the main villages of Oberuzwil, Bichwil, and Niederglatt. It also has smaller areas called hamlets like Buechen, Wilen, Riggenschwil, Oberrindal, and Ramsau. You can also find many scattered farmhouses around.

There's a beautiful lake called Bettenauer Weiher right on the border with the town of Jonschwil.

Oberuzwil's Coat of Arms

The official coat of arms for Oberuzwil has a special design. It shows a silver mill wheel on a blue background. Below the wheel, there's a wavy blue line. At the very bottom, it has a checkered pattern of silver and red squares.

People and Population

Oberuzwil has a population of about 6,700 people. Around 15% of the people living here are from other countries. Many of these foreign residents come from places like Germany, Italy, former Yugoslavia, Austria, and Turkey.

Most people in Oberuzwil speak German, which is about 91% of the population. Other languages spoken include Serbo-Croatian and Albanian. A small number of people also speak French or Italian.

Age Groups in Oberuzwil

In Oberuzwil, the population is made up of different age groups:

• About 13% are children aged 0 to 9 years old.
• Around 15% are teenagers aged 10 to 19 years old.
• About 10% are young adults aged 20 to 29 years old.
• The largest group, about 30%, are adults between 30 and 49 years old.
• About 12% are adults aged 50 to 59 years old.
• Older adults, aged 60 and above, make up about 18% of the population.

Living Arrangements

In Oberuzwil, many people live in different types of households:

• About 10% of people live alone.
• Around 22% are couples without children.
• The majority, about 59%, are couples living with their children.
• About 4% of households are single-parent homes.

Education in Oberuzwil

Education is important in Oberuzwil. About 74% of adults (aged 25-64) have completed either high school or gone on to higher education, like university.

Looking at the whole population:

• About 20% have completed primary school.
• Around 37% have finished secondary school.
• About 12% have attended a university or similar higher education school.

Historical Population Growth

The population of Oberuzwil has grown over many years:

Local Economy

Oberuzwil has a healthy economy with many different types of jobs. In 2007, the unemployment rate was very low, at about 1.72%.

The economy is divided into three main parts:

• Primary Sector: This includes jobs like farming. About 187 people work in this area, with around 69 businesses.
• Secondary Sector: This involves manufacturing and industry. About 603 people work here, with 56 businesses.
• Tertiary Sector: This covers services, like shops, offices, and healthcare. About 816 people are employed in this sector, with 161 businesses.

Many people who live in Oberuzwil also work in other towns. At the same time, many people from outside Oberuzwil come to work here.

Religious Beliefs

In Oberuzwil, people follow different religions. Based on a census from 2000:

• About 48% of the people are Roman Catholic.
• Around 32% belong to the Swiss Reformed Church (Protestant).
• Smaller groups include people who are Orthodox Christian or belong to other Christian churches.
• About 3.4% of the population is Islamic.
• Around 6.4% of people do not belong to any church or religion.

Things to See

The small area of Niederglatt, which is part of Oberuzwil, is recognized as an important Swiss Heritage Site. This means it has special historical or cultural value.

See also

In Spanish: Oberuzwil para niños