Sion District facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sion District de Sion
District
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Valais
Capital	Sion
Area
• Total	125.6 km2 (48.5 sq mi)
Population  (2020)
• Total	48,447
• Density	385.72/km2 (999.0/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Municipalities	5

The District of Sion is a cool area located in the Valais region of Switzerland. It's like a county or a larger administrative zone within a canton. A canton is similar to a state or province in other countries.

This district is home to many people, with a population of 48,447 as of 31 December 2020. It covers an area of about 125.6 square kilometers, which is roughly 48.5 square miles. The main city and capital of the district is Sion.

What are the Municipalities in Sion?

The District of Sion is made up of five smaller areas called municipalities. Think of these as towns or local government areas. Each municipality has its own local government and community.

Here are the municipalities in the Sion District:

What is the Coat of Arms?

Every district and city often has a special symbol called a coat of arms. It's like a unique badge that represents the area. The coat of arms for the Sion District is described as Per pale Argent two Mullets of Five Gules, and Gules.

This fancy description means the shield is split down the middle. One side is silver (Argent) with two red (Gules) five-pointed stars (Mullets). The other side is completely red (Gules).

Who Lives in Sion?

Let's look at the people who live in the Sion District! As of as of December 2020^[update], the total population is 48,447.

Languages Spoken in Sion

Most people in Sion speak French. In 2000, about 85.1% of the population spoke French as their main language. Other languages spoken include German (5.1%) and Portuguese (2.8%). A smaller number of people also speak Italian and Romansh.

Gender and Origin of Residents

In 2008, the population was almost evenly split between males and females. About 48.3% were male and 51.7% were female. Most residents are Swiss citizens. About 36.8% of the population were Swiss men and 40.8% were Swiss women. The rest were non-Swiss residents.

Many people living in Sion were also born there. In 2000, about 39.7% of the population were born in Sion. Another 26.7% were born in the same canton of Valais. About 10.8% were born elsewhere in Switzerland, and 19.6% were born outside of Switzerland.

How Has the Population Changed Over Time?

The number of people living in Sion has grown a lot over the years. Here's a look at how the population has changed:

How Municipalities Have Changed

Over the years, some smaller municipalities have joined with the larger municipality of Sion. This is a common way for areas to grow and manage their resources better.

• On November 17, 1962, Bramois became part of Sion.
• On January 1, 2013, Salins also joined Sion.
• On January 1, 2017, Les Agettes merged into Sion.

Politics and Voting in Sion

Like any democratic area, Sion has its own political activities and elections. People vote for representatives to make decisions for their community.

Political Parties and Elections

In the 2007 federal election, the most popular political party in Sion was the CVP. They received about 37.31% of the votes. Other popular parties included the SP, the SVP, and the FDP.

Voting is an important part of being a citizen. In 2007, about 59.9% of eligible voters in Sion participated in the federal election. This shows that many people in Sion care about who represents them.

What Religions are Practiced?

People in Sion practice different religions, reflecting the diverse community.

Religious Groups in Sion

Based on the 2000 census, most people in Sion are Roman Catholic, making up about 80.1% of the population. Another 4.6% belong to the Swiss Reformed Church.

There are also smaller groups of people who are Orthodox Christians, Christian Catholics, or belong to other Christian churches. Some residents are Muslim (about 3.86%), Buddhist, or Hindu. A small number of people do not belong to any church or have other beliefs.

What is the Weather Like?

Sion experiences a moderate climate. It has an average of 82.6 days each year when it rains or snows.

Rainfall and Precipitation

On average, Sion receives about 598 millimeters (23.5 inches) of rain or snow per year. The wettest month is usually December, with about 61 millimeters (2.4 inches) of precipitation. Even though August has more days with rain (about 8.2 days), it receives less total precipitation, around 55 millimeters (2.2 inches). The driest month is April, with only about 36 millimeters (1.4 inches) of precipitation over 5.9 days.

Education in Sion

Education is very important in Sion. Many people continue their studies beyond basic schooling.

Educational Attainment

About 32.2% of the population in Sion have completed non-mandatory upper secondary education. This means they finished high school or a similar level of schooling.

Additionally, about 13.3% of the population have gone on to higher education. This includes attending a university or a Fachhochschule (a type of university for applied sciences). Of those who completed higher education, most were Swiss men and women.

See also

In Spanish: Distrito de Sion para niños