Sonceboz-Sombeval facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sonceboz-Sombeval
Sonceboz-Sombeval village
Coat of arms
Sonceboz-Sombeval Location in Switzerland Show map of Switzerland Sonceboz-Sombeval Location in Canton of Bern Show map of Canton of Bern
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Bern
District	Jura bernois
Area
• Total	14.96 km2 (5.78 sq mi)
Elevation	653 m (2,142 ft)
Population  (Dec 2020 )
• Total	1,954
• Density	130.61/km2 (338.29/sq mi)
Postal code	2605
Surrounded by	Corgémont, Orvin, La Heutte, Tavannes

Sonceboz-Sombeval is a town in Switzerland. It is located in the Jura bernois area of the canton of Bern. This region is known for speaking French.

A Look Back: The History of Sonceboz-Sombeval

Sonceboz-Sombeval has a long and interesting past. It was first mentioned way back in 866 with the name Summavallis. Later, in 1179, it was called Sommeval, and by 1303, it was known as Suntzelbo.

Ancient Roots: Roman Times and Beyond

The town's location was very important because it was at the foot of the Pierre Pertuis pass. This pass has been used for travel since the time of the Roman Empire. A Roman road, called the Petinesca road, even ran near Sonceboz.

Archaeologists have found the remains of a Roman settlement from the 4th century on a ridge called Le Châtillon. After the Roman Empire ended, a new village grew right on top of this old Roman site.

Changes Over the Centuries

In 999, a powerful church group, Moutier-Grandval Abbey, gave some local farms and a chapel to the Prince-Bishop of Basel. This meant the church had a lot of control over the village.

Later, in 1530, the people of Sonceboz and Sombeval decided to join the Protestant Reformation. This was a big change in their religious beliefs. After this, the villages were managed by a different local government called Erguel.

Becoming Part of Switzerland

Big changes happened when France won a war in 1797. Sonceboz-Sombeval became part of a French area called Mont-Terrible. Then, in 1800, it moved to another French area, Haut-Rhin.

After Napoleon was defeated, European leaders met at the Congress of Vienna in 1815. They decided that Sonceboz-Sombeval would become part of the canton of Bern in Switzerland.

Growth and Industry

For a long time, Sonceboz was just a small group of houses, while Sombeval was the larger village. But in the early 1700s, Sonceboz became an important stop for traders using the pass.

A major change came in 1849 with the growth of the watch parts industry. This brought many workers to the villages, making them grow. In 1874, new railway lines opened, connecting Sonceboz to other towns like Biel and Tavannes. This made Sonceboz grow even faster, with more people and factories.

As Sonceboz and Sombeval grew, they eventually joined together to form one larger town. In 1936, a company called Société industrielle de Sonceboz built a factory there to make watch parts. Later, in 1978, a company called Bienna SA built a factory for flooring. By 2005, most jobs in the town were in manufacturing, showing how important industry became.

Exploring the Geography of Sonceboz-Sombeval

Sonceboz-Sombeval village

An aerial view of the village from 1950

Sonceboz-Sombeval covers an area of about 15 square kilometers (about 5.8 square miles).

Land Use in the Municipality

• Farmland: About 33.3% of the land is used for farming. This includes fields for crops and pastures where animals graze.
• Forests: A large part, about 58.4%, is covered by forests.
• Buildings and Roads: About 7.5% of the land has buildings or roads.
• Rivers and Lakes: A small amount, 0.5%, is made up of rivers or lakes.
• Unused Land: About 0.3% of the land is not used for anything.

The town is located in the Saint-Imier valley, right at the base of the historic Pierre Pertuis pass. The villages of Sonceboz and Sombeval have grown so much that they are now one connected area.

Understanding the Coat of Arms

The coat of arms for Sonceboz-Sombeval has a special design. It shows three green fir trees with red trunks. These trees stand on a green hill with three bumps. Above the trees, there are two red five-pointed stars.

Who Lives Here? Demographics of Sonceboz-Sombeval

Sonceboz-Sombeval has a population of 1,954. As of 2010, about 15.3% of the people living here are from other countries. Over the past 10 years (2000-2010), the population has grown by 5.4%.

Languages Spoken

Most people in Sonceboz-Sombeval speak French. About 81.5% of the population speaks French as their main language. German is the second most common language, spoken by about 12.1% of the people. A smaller number, about 3.2%, speak Italian.

Population Breakdown

As of 2008, the population was almost evenly split between males and females. About 50.6% were male and 49.4% were female.

Many people living in Sonceboz-Sombeval were born there or in the same canton. About 30.7% were born in the town itself, and 35.2% were born in the same canton. About 14.4% were born outside of Switzerland.

Age Groups

As of 2010, the population is divided into these age groups:

• Children and Teenagers (0–19 years old): 25.3%
• Adults (20–64 years old): 59.1%
• Seniors (over 64 years old): 15.6%

Historical Population Growth

The chart below shows how the population of Sonceboz-Sombeval has changed over many years:

Economy and Jobs in Sonceboz-Sombeval

In 2011, the unemployment rate in Sonceboz-Sombeval was 2.38%. This means a small number of people who wanted jobs couldn't find them.

Types of Jobs

As of 2008, there were 1,838 people working in the town. Jobs are divided into three main types:

• Primary Sector: This includes jobs related to farming and natural resources. There were 36 people working in this sector.
• Secondary Sector: This involves manufacturing and construction. A large number of people, 1,331, worked in this sector. Most of these jobs (97.2%) were in manufacturing, like making watch parts.
• Tertiary Sector: These are service jobs, like retail, hotels, and healthcare. There were 471 people working in this sector.

Commuting to Work

Many people travel to Sonceboz-Sombeval for work. In 2000, 1,329 workers came into the town, while 559 residents left to work elsewhere. This means more people come to Sonceboz-Sombeval for jobs than leave it. About 31.2% of the workers coming into the town are from outside Switzerland.

When getting to work, about 14.2% of people used public transportation, and 61.5% used a private car.

Religion in Sonceboz-Sombeval

According to the 2000 census, people in Sonceboz-Sombeval follow different religions:

• Roman Catholic: 32.8% of the population.
• Swiss Reformed Church: 40.6% of the population.
• Other Christian Churches: About 20.53% belonged to other Christian churches.
• Islam: About 0.96% of the population.
• No Religion: About 10.32% of the population did not belong to any church.

Education and Schools

In Sonceboz-Sombeval, many adults have completed their education. About 39.0% have finished high school (upper secondary education). Also, 8.1% have gone on to higher education, like university.

School System

The school system in the Canton of Bern works like this:

• Kindergarten: One year of non-required kindergarten.
• Primary School: Six years of primary school.
• Lower Secondary School: Three years of required secondary school. Students are grouped by their abilities.
• Further Education: After secondary school, students can choose to continue their education or start an apprenticeship (learning a trade on the job).

During the 2010-2011 school year, 170 students attended schools in Sonceboz-Sombeval. There were 43 students in kindergarten and 127 students in primary school.

Transportation: Getting Around

Sonceboz-Sombeval has its own railway station, Sonceboz-Sombeval. This station is an important hub because two different railway lines meet there. You can catch a train from here every hour to places like Biel/Bienne, Moutier, and La Chaux-de-Fonds.

Famous People from Sonceboz-Sombeval

• Le Bel Hubert (Hubert Bourquin), a singer.

See also

In Spanish: Sonceboz-Sombeval para niños