Romont, Bern facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Romont
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 Romont
Location in Switzerland
Romont
Location in Canton of Bern
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| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Bern | |
| District | Jura bernois | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 7.02 km2 (2.71 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 907 m (2,976 ft) | |
| Population
(Dec 2020 )
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| • Total | 202 | |
| • Density | 28.77/km2 (74.53/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
2538
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| Surrounded by | Court, Sorvilier, Péry, Plagne, Vauffelin, Pieterlen, Lengnau, Grenchen | |
Romont (French pronunciation: [ʁɔmɔ̃]) is a small town, also called a municipality, in Switzerland. It is part of the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern. Romont is located in the French-speaking part of the Bernese Jura region.
Contents
History of Romont
Romont was first written about in the year 1311. Back then, it was called Redemont. It also had a German name, Rothmund, but people don't use that name anymore.
Early History and Ownership
In 1311, the Basel Cathedral owned some land in Romont. They gave this land to a person named Bourkard de la Roche. During the 1300s and 1400s, a rich family called Romont owned a castle. This castle was located between Romont and Vauffelin.
During the Middle Ages, Romont was part of an area called the seigniory of Erguel. This area was controlled by the Prince Bishop of Basel. A Prince-Bishop was a powerful leader who was both a religious bishop and a ruler of a territory.
Changes in Control
In 1797, during the French Revolutionary Wars, France won a big battle. After this, Romont became part of a French area called the Département of Mont-Terrible. Three years later, in 1800, it became part of another French Département called Haut-Rhin.
After Napoleon was defeated, and a big meeting called the Congress of Vienna happened, Romont was given to the Canton of Bern in 1815.
Modern Changes
In 1839, Romont moved from one district to another. It changed from the Büren district to the Courtelary district. This change happened because of its location, language, and history.
Starting in 1971, the villages of Romont, Vauffelin, and Frinvillier began sharing a school system. Many people who live in Romont travel to Biel/Bienne or other towns for work. Some also work in farming right in Romont.
Geography and Landscape
Romont covers an area of 7.02 km2 (2.71 sq mi). About 37.8% of this land is used for farming. A large part, 58.3%, is covered by forests.
Only a small part, 3.1%, has buildings or roads. A tiny bit, 0.1%, is rivers or lakes. Another 0.1% is land that cannot be used for anything.
Land Use Details
Of the built-up areas, 1.1% are homes and other buildings. Roads and transport areas make up 1.6%. In the forested areas, 52.1% is dense forest. Another 6.3% has orchards or small groups of trees.
For farming land, 8.0% is used for growing crops. About 11.1% is used for pastures where animals graze. Another 18.3% is used for high mountain pastures. All the water in Romont is in lakes.
The town is located on the first ridge of the Jura Mountains. It sits above Pieterlen and the Aare valley.
On December 31, 2009, the old district of Courtelary was closed. The next day, Romont joined the new Jura bernois administrative district.
Coat of Arms
The blazon of Romont's municipal coat of arms describes its design. It shows a red shield with a silver tower. The tower stands on a green hill. Above the tower, there is a silver section with a blue sparrow-hawk.
Population and People
Romont has a population of 202 people (as of December 2020[update]). As of 2010, about 9.5% of the people living there are from other countries. Over the last 10 years (2000-2010), the population grew by 4.7%. This growth was mostly due to more births than deaths, and some people moving into the town.
Languages Spoken
Most people in Romont speak French. About 52.8% of the population speaks French as their main language (as of 2000[update]). The second most common language is German, spoken by 41.1% of the people. A smaller group, 2.5%, speaks Italian.
Population Breakdown
As of 2008, about 48.7% of the population was male and 51.3% was female. Most people in Romont were born in Switzerland. About 35.5% were born in Romont itself (as of 2000[update]).
Family Life
In 2000, there were 68 single people in Romont who had never been married. There were 114 married people, 10 widows or widowers, and 5 divorced people.
There were 13 homes where only one person lived. There were also 5 homes with five or more people. Most apartments, 82.6%, were lived in all the time. A small number, 7.6%, were used only during certain seasons. About 9.8% of apartments were empty.
The chart below shows how Romont's population has changed over time:
Economy and Jobs
In 2011, Romont had a very low unemployment rate of 0.72%. This means almost everyone who wanted a job had one. As of 2008, there were 37 people working in the town.
Types of Jobs
Jobs are usually divided into three main types:
- Primary sector: This includes jobs that get raw materials from nature, like farming or mining. In Romont, 24 people worked in farming. There were 8 businesses in this area.
- Secondary sector: These jobs turn raw materials into finished products, like factories or construction. Only 3 people worked in this sector, all in construction. There was 1 business.
- Tertiary sector: These jobs provide services, like shops, restaurants, or schools. 10 people worked in this sector, with 5 businesses.
In 2008, there were 28 full-time equivalent jobs. This means if you add up all the hours worked, it would be like 28 people working full-time. Most of these jobs were in agriculture (17 jobs). There were 3 jobs in construction. In the service sector, 1 job was in sales or car repair, and 4 jobs were in hotels or restaurants.
Commuting to Work
In 2000, 14 workers came into Romont for their jobs. However, 83 workers left Romont to work in other places. This means many more people leave Romont for work than come into it. About 6.1% of workers used public transport, and 71.9% used a private car to get to work.
Religion in Romont
Based on the 2000 census, about 17.8% of the people in Romont were Roman Catholic. A larger group, 59.4%, belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church.
A small number of people, about 2.03%, were members of an Orthodox church. Another 2.03% belonged to other Christian churches. About 12.69% of the population did not belong to any church, or were agnostic (not sure about God) or atheist (don't believe in God). About 7.11% did not answer the question about their religion.
Education and Schools
In Romont, about 35.5% of the people have finished upper secondary education. This is schooling after middle school that is not required. About 11.7% have gone on to higher education, like a university or a specialized college (a Fachhochschule).
School System in Bern
The Canton of Bern has its own school system. It starts with one year of Kindergarten, which is not required. After that, students go to six years of Primary school. Then, they have three years of lower Secondary school. In secondary school, students are grouped based on their abilities. After lower Secondary, students can choose to continue their schooling or start an apprenticeship (learning a trade on the job).
During the 2010-2011 school year, 13 students attended classes in Romont. There were no kindergarten classes. There was one primary class with 13 students. Of these primary students, 30.8% were not Swiss citizens. Also, 53.8% spoke a different main language than the language used in the classroom.
In 2000, 28 students came to Romont from other towns for school. At the same time, 18 students from Romont went to schools outside the town.
See also
In Spanish: Romont (Berna) para niños
