Saas-Balen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Saas Balen
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Church Saas-Balen
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 Saas Balen
Location in Switzerland
Saas Balen
Location in Canton of Valais
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| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Valais | |
| District | Visp | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 30.24 km2 (11.68 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 1,483 m (4,865 ft) | |
| Population
(Dec 2020 )
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| • Total | 351 | |
| • Density | 11.607/km2 (30.06/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
3908
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| Surrounded by | Eisten, Saas Fee, Saas Grund, St. Nicklaus, Simplon | |
Saas-Balen is a small town, also called a municipality, in Switzerland. It's located in the canton of Valais, which is like a state. This charming place sits at the foot of the impressive Mischabelhörner mountains, including the towering Dom peak.
Contents
History of Saas-Balen
Saas-Balen is an old settlement with a long history. The first time it was ever written about was in the year 1304. Back then, it was known by the name baln.
Geography of Saas-Balen
Saas-Balen covers an area of about 30.2 square kilometers (about 11.7 square miles). A small part of this land, about 10.7%, is used for farming. Forests cover a larger portion, about 22.7% of the area. Only a tiny bit, 1.3%, has buildings or roads. Most of the land, 65.4%, is unproductive, meaning it's not used for farming or building.
This municipality is found in the Visp district. It's the smallest town in the beautiful Saas valley. Saas-Balen includes the main village and several smaller areas called hamlets. These hamlets are Niedergut (also known as Ausser-Balen), Bidermatten, and part of Tamatten (Inner-Balen). There are also 25 tiny mountain settlements scattered around.
Saas-Balen's Coat of Arms
Every town has a special symbol called a coat of arms. Saas-Balen's coat of arms has a blue background. On this background, there's a green hill. A silver path curves over the hill and goes into a dark cave entrance. This cave is part of a silver cliff.
People of Saas-Balen
Saas-Balen has a population of about 400 people. As of 2008, a small part of the population, about 6.2%, were people from other countries. Over the last ten years (from 2000 to 2010), the number of people living here has gone down a little.
Most people in Saas-Balen speak German as their main language. In 2000, about 98.2% of the people spoke German. A few people spoke French (0.5%) or Serbo-Croatian (0.5%).
Most of the people in Saas-Balen were born there. In 2000, about 81.9% of the residents were born in Saas-Balen. Another 10.1% were born in the same canton, Valais. Only a small number were born elsewhere in Switzerland (4.0%) or outside of Switzerland (3.5%).
When looking at age groups in 2000:
- Children and teenagers (0–19 years old) made up 25.9% of the population.
- Adults (20–64 years old) made up 56.9% of the population.
- Seniors (over 64 years old) made up 17.1% of the population.
The chart below shows how the population of Saas-Balen has changed over many years:
Important Heritage Sites
Saas-Balen has some very important historical places. The Church of Mariä Himmelfahrt is one of them. It's listed as a Swiss heritage site of national significance. This means it's a very important cultural building for the whole country. Also, the entire hamlet of Bidermatten is recognized as part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites.
Economy and Jobs
In 2010, the unemployment rate in Saas-Balen was quite low, at 1.9%. This means most people who wanted to work had jobs.
Jobs in Saas-Balen can be divided into three main types:
- Primary Sector: This includes jobs like farming. In 2008, about 25 people worked in this sector, with 14 businesses involved.
- Secondary Sector: This includes jobs like manufacturing and construction. In 2008, 7 people worked in this sector, with 2 businesses.
- Tertiary Sector: This includes jobs in services, like shops, restaurants, and hotels. In 2008, 45 people worked in this sector, with 8 businesses.
Overall, 179 people living in Saas-Balen had jobs. About 41.9% of these workers were women.
Religion in Saas-Balen
According to a census in 2000, most people in Saas-Balen are Roman Catholic. About 95.2% of the population belonged to the Roman Catholic Church. A smaller number, 2.0%, belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church. There were also some members of an Orthodox church, making up about 2.52% of the population.
Education in Saas-Balen
Education is important in Saas-Balen. About 37.8% of the people have finished non-mandatory upper secondary education. A smaller group, 3.0%, have gone on to higher education, like university or a specialized college.
During the 2010–2011 school year, there were 8 students in the Saas-Balen school system. In the Canton of Valais, young children can attend one year of non-obligatory Kindergarten. However, in Saas-Balen during that year, there were no kindergarten classes or students.
The canton's school system requires students to attend six years of primary school. In Saas-Balen, there was one class with 8 students in primary school. After primary school, students go to secondary school. The lower secondary program is three years and is required. After that, students can choose to go to advanced schools for three to five more years. All secondary students from Saas-Balen attend their schools in a town nearby.
In 2000, 71 students from Saas-Balen went to schools outside of the municipality.
See also
In Spanish: Saas-Balen para niños
