Schelten facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Schelten
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 Schelten
Location in Switzerland
Schelten
Location in Canton of Bern
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| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Bern | |
| District | Jura bernois | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 5.56 km2 (2.15 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 746 m (2,448 ft) | |
| Population
(Dec 2020 )
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| • Total | 39 | |
| • Density | 7.01/km2 (18.17/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
2827
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| Surrounded by | Mervelier, Vermes (JU), Aedermannsdorf (SO), Beinwil (SO) | |
Schelten (also known as La Scheulte in French) is a small town, or municipality, in Switzerland. It's located in the Jura bernois area of the canton of Bern. Schelten is special because it's one of only two German-speaking towns in the mostly French-speaking Bernese Jura region. The other one is Seehof.
Contents
History of Schelten
Schelten was first written about in 1563, when it was called la Schilt. Later, in 1914, its name changed to Schelten.
Early History and Changes
For a long time, Schelten was owned by the leader of Moutier-Grandval, who worked under the Prince-Bishop of Basel. When many nearby towns changed their religion during the Protestant Reformation, Schelten stayed Catholic.
In 1797, after France won some battles in the French Revolutionary Wars, Schelten became part of France. It was first in a French area called Mont-Terrible, and then in Haut-Rhin in 1800. After Napoleon was defeated, Schelten became part of the Canton of Bern in 1815.
Language and Identity
The village used to speak mostly French. But after it joined the Canton of Bern in 1815, more German speakers moved in. In 1914, the name changed from La Scheulte to Schelten to show this shift. Schelten became a place where German culture was strong.
When people in the Jura region voted in 1974-75 to decide if they wanted to form their own canton, Schelten voted to stay with Bern. This was different from many nearby towns that chose to join the new Canton of Jura.
Local Chapel
The village is part of the church area of Mervelier. In 1861, a chapel named St. Anthony was built in Schelten. It was later fixed up between 1985 and 1987.
Geography of Schelten
Schelten covers an area of about 5.61 square kilometers. A big part of this land, about 38.3%, is used for farming. Even more, about 59.2%, is covered by forests. A small part, about 2.0%, has buildings or roads.
Land Use
Most of the forested land, 55.8% of the total area, is dense forest. Some areas also have orchards or small groups of trees. For farming, 11.5% of the land is used for pastures, and 26.6% is for mountain pastures. All the water in the town comes from flowing rivers or streams.
Location and Surroundings
Schelten is located at the bottom of the Schelten Pass. This pass is a road that connects Delémont and Balsthal. Schelten is the northernmost town in the Canton of Bern.
In 2010, Schelten joined a new administrative area called Arrondissement administratif Jura bernois.
Coat of Arms
The coat of arms for Schelten shows a green oak tree with red fruits. It stands on three green hills. A wavy blue stripe crosses over the tree and hills. This design is on a silver background.
People of Schelten (Demographics)
Schelten has a small population. As of December 2011, there were 39 people living there, all of whom were Swiss citizens. Over the last 10 years (2001-2011), the number of people has gone down a little.
Languages Spoken
Most people in Schelten speak German as their first language. About 82.7% of the population spoke German in 2000. French was the second most common language, spoken by about 15.4% of the people. A small number, 1.9%, spoke Spanish.
Age Groups and Households
In 2011, children and teenagers (up to 19 years old) made up about 35.9% of the population. Adults (20-64 years old) were 46.2%, and seniors (over 64 years old) were 17.9%.
In 2010, there were 3 households where only one person lived. There were also 3 households with five or more people.
Population Over Time
The chart below shows how the population of Schelten has changed over many years:
Economy of Schelten
In 2011, Schelten had no unemployment, meaning everyone who wanted a job had one.
Jobs and Work
As of 2008, 25 people worked in Schelten. All of them worked in the primary economic sector, which means jobs like farming or forestry. There were no jobs in manufacturing or services at that time.
Most people who live in Schelten also work there. In 2000, 24 workers (out of 27 total) both lived and worked in the town. A small number of people traveled into Schelten for work, and even fewer traveled out for work.
When it came to getting to work, about 15.4% of workers used public transportation, and 7.7% used a private car.
Religion in Schelten
According to the 2000 census, about half of the people in Schelten, 50.0%, belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church (a type of Protestant church). About 30.8% were Roman Catholic. A small group, about 9.62%, did not belong to any church or were agnostic or atheist.
Education in Schelten
In Schelten, about 41.4% of adults have finished high school (called upper secondary education in Switzerland). A smaller group, 6.9%, have gone on to get a higher education from a university or a special college.
School System
The Canton of Bern has a school system that starts with one year of optional Kindergarten. After that, students go to six years of Primary school. Then, there are three years of required lower Secondary school, where students are grouped by their abilities. After lower Secondary, students can choose to continue their education or start an apprenticeship (learning a trade on the job).
Local Schools
During the 2011–12 school year, 10 students attended classes in Schelten. There were no kindergarten classes. The 5 primary school students went to a school in a nearby town. There was one lower secondary class in Schelten with 5 students.
In 2000, 9 students went to school in Schelten. Only 2 of them lived and went to school in the town, while 7 came from other towns. Also, 5 people who lived in Schelten went to school outside the town.
See also
In Spanish: Schelten para niños
