Saint-Martin, Valais facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Saint-Martin
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Saint-Martin village
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 Saint-Martin
Location in Switzerland
Saint-Martin
Location in Canton of Valais
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| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Valais | |
| District | Hérens | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 37 km2 (14 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 1,411 m (4,629 ft) | |
| Population
(Dec 2020 )
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| • Total | 842 | |
| • Density | 22.8/km2 (58.9/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
1969
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| Surrounded by | Evolène, Grimentz, Hérémence, Mase, Nax, Vex | |
Saint-Martin is a town, also called a municipality, located in the Hérens district in Switzerland. It's part of the Valais canton.
Contents
A Look Back: History of Saint-Martin
Saint-Martin was first written about in the year 1224. Back then, it was called Sanctum Martinum.
Exploring the Geography of Saint-Martin
Saint-Martin covers an area of 37 square kilometers (about 14 square miles). A large part of this land, about 33%, is used for farming. Forests cover an even bigger part, about 43% of the area.
Only a small portion, 2.4%, has buildings or roads. The remaining 21.8% is land that cannot be used for farming or building.
Villages and Hamlets in Saint-Martin
The municipality is in the Hérens district. It includes several villages. These are Saint-Martin, Suen, Trogne, Eison, Liez, Praz-Jean, and La Luette. There are also a few smaller hamlets, like Ossona.
Understanding the Saint-Martin Coat of Arms
The coat of arms for Saint-Martin has a special design. It shows Saint Martin on a horse. He is cutting his red coat to share it with a beggar. The background is blue, and the ground is green.
People and Population in Saint-Martin
Saint-Martin has a population of 875 people (as of December 2002). In 2008, about 3.2% of the people living here were from other countries. Over ten years, from 1999 to 2009, the population changed a little. It grew by 2.4% because people moved in. However, it decreased by 2.4% due to births and deaths.
Languages Spoken in Saint-Martin
Most people in Saint-Martin speak French. In 2000, about 98.9% of the population spoke French as their main language. A small number spoke German (0.6%) or Portuguese (0.2%). Only one person spoke Italian.
Who Lives in Saint-Martin?
In 2008, the population was almost half male and half female. About 48% were men and 52% were women. Most people were Swiss citizens.
In 2000, about 77% of the people living in Saint-Martin were born there. About 9% were born in the same canton, and 7% were born elsewhere in Switzerland. Only 3.2% were born outside Switzerland.
Age Groups in Saint-Martin
In 2000, children and teenagers (0-19 years old) made up 22.1% of the population. Adults (20-64 years old) were the largest group, at 54.7%. Seniors (over 64 years old) made up 23.2% of the population.
Households and Homes in Saint-Martin
In 2000, there were 342 private households in Saint-Martin. On average, each household had 2.6 people. About 24% of households had only one person. There were also 31 households with five or more people.
Most of the homes in Saint-Martin are single-family houses. In 2000, these made up about 60.5% of all inhabited buildings. There were also multi-family buildings and buildings used for both living and work.
Most apartments (about 60%) were lived in all year round. About 33% were used seasonally, like for holidays. A small number of apartments (7.4%) were empty.
Population Changes Over Time
The chart below shows how the population of Saint-Martin has changed over many years.
Economy and Jobs in Saint-Martin
In 2010, the unemployment rate in Saint-Martin was 2.5%. This means a small number of people who wanted jobs couldn't find them.
Types of Jobs in Saint-Martin
In 2008, there were 155 full-time jobs in the municipality.
- Primary Sector: 16 jobs were in the primary sector, which mostly means farming.
- Secondary Sector: 80 jobs were in the secondary sector. Most of these (80%) were in manufacturing, like making things. The other 20% were in construction.
- Tertiary Sector: 59 jobs were in the tertiary sector, which includes services. These jobs included sales, transportation, hotels, restaurants, and education.
Commuting for Work
In 2000, 30 people came into Saint-Martin for work. However, 282 people left the municipality to work elsewhere. This means many more people leave Saint-Martin for work than come in. Most people (70.3%) used a private car to get to work. About 15% used public transportation.
Religion in Saint-Martin
Based on the 2000 census, most people in Saint-Martin are Roman Catholic. About 92.2% of the population belonged to the Roman Catholic Church. A smaller group, 2.2%, belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church. A few people belonged to other Christian churches. About 1.1% of the population said they had no religion or were agnostic or atheist.
Education in Saint-Martin
In Saint-Martin, about 33% of the population has finished upper secondary education. This is education after middle school but before college. About 6.2% of people have gone on to higher education, like a university.
In 2000, only 2 students came to Saint-Martin for school from other towns. However, 62 students from Saint-Martin went to schools outside the municipality.
Images for kids
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Saint-Martin village
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Coat of arms of Saint-Martin
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Flag of Saint-Martin
See also
In Spanish: Saint-Martin (Valais) para niños
