Wattwil facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wattwil
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 Wattwil
Location in Switzerland
Wattwil
Location in Canton of St. Gallen
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| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | St. Gallen | |
| District | Toggenburg | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 51.18 km2 (19.76 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 610 m (2,000 ft) | |
| Population
(Dec 2020 )
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| • Total | 8,837 | |
| • Density | 172.665/km2 (447.20/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
9630
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| Surrounded by | Brunnadern, Bütschwil, Ebnat-Kappel, Ernetschwil, Goldingen, Gommiswald, Hemberg, Krinau, Lichtensteig, Mosnang, Oberhelfenschwil, Sankt Gallenkappel | |
Wattwil is a town, also called a municipality, located in the Toggenburg area of St. Gallen canton in Switzerland. On January 1, 2013, the nearby town of Krinau became part of Wattwil.
Contents
Geography of Wattwil
Wattwil is a large area. After Krinau joined, the municipality now covers about 43.93 square kilometers (16.96 square miles).
Before this merger, Wattwil itself was about 44 square kilometers (17 square miles). A big part of this land, 52.6%, is used for farming. Forests cover 37.3% of the area. The rest of the land, 8.3%, has buildings or roads. A small part, 1.8%, is made up of rivers or lakes.
Krinau, before it merged, was about 7.3 square kilometers (2.8 square miles). Most of its land, 57.6%, was used for farming. Forests covered 39.1%. Only 2.8% of Krinau had buildings or roads. The remaining 0.6% was non-productive land like rivers. Krinau included its main village and small hamlets like Altschwil and Kapf.
Wattwil's Coat of Arms
The official coat of arms for Wattwil shows two unicorn heads. They are blue and face away from each other on a gold background.
This design was chosen in 1924. It was officially approved on October 13, 1925. The unicorn design comes from the old coat of arms of the Iberg area. This area was once controlled by the Abbey of St. Gallen. The unicorn symbol was first seen in 1551.
People and Population
Wattwil has a population of about 8,536 people as of December 2014. Krinau had 260 people in 2011 before it joined Wattwil.
In 2007, about 23.1% of the people living in Wattwil were from other countries. Many of these foreign residents came from Germany, Italy, and countries that used to be part of Yugoslavia.
Most people in Wattwil speak German, about 86.9%. Italian is the second most common language, spoken by 2.9% of the population. Serbo-Croatian is third, spoken by 2.6%.
In 2000, about 12.8% of the population were children aged 0-9. Teenagers aged 10-19 made up 14.0%. Adults aged 20-59 made up about 62.2% of the population. Older adults, 60 and above, made up about 21.1%.
Many people in Wattwil live in families. In 2000, about 56% of people lived in families with children. About 21.3% were couples without children. Around 12.7% of people lived alone.
In 2007, the most popular political party in Wattwil was the SVP. They received 37.5% of the votes in the federal election.
About 63.1% of adults in Wattwil (aged 25-64) have finished high school or gone on to higher education. This means they have either completed a non-mandatory upper secondary education or attended a university.
Places to See in Wattwil
Wattwil and the nearby village of Lichtensteig are recognized as important Swiss heritage sites. There are several interesting buildings to visit in Wattwil.
- Reformed Church: This church was built between 1845 and 1848. It has a Neoclassical style, which means it looks like old Greek and Roman buildings. It was repaired in 1969.
- Capuchin Abbey: This used to be a monastery for Capuchin monks. It was built with walls around it. The church inside the abbey was built in 1622. Parts of the abbey were rebuilt later, between 1730 and 1782.
- Burg Iberg (Iberg Castle): This castle was built in 1240 by Heinrich von Iberg. It was damaged during the Appenzell Wars in 1405 but was soon rebuilt. Some parts of the castle were taken down in 1835, but the roof and battlements (the top parts of the walls with gaps for defense) are new.
Wattwil's Economy
Wattwil has a healthy economy. In 2007, the unemployment rate was low, at 1.75%.
The town has different types of jobs:
- Primary Sector: This includes jobs like farming. In 2005, about 383 people worked in this area.
- Secondary Sector: This involves manufacturing and construction. In 2005, 1,608 people worked in this sector.
- Tertiary Sector: This covers services like shops, hospitals, and offices. In 2005, 2,421 people worked in this sector.
Many people also travel to Wattwil for work. In 2000, 1,937 people came into Wattwil to work, while 1,621 residents of Wattwil worked outside the municipality.
Religion in Wattwil
In 2000, people in Wattwil followed different religions:
- About 40.2% were Roman Catholic.
- About 34.8% belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church.
- About 9.76% were Muslim.
- A smaller number belonged to other Christian churches, the Orthodox Church, or other faiths.
- About 5.37% of the population did not belong to any church or religion.
Notable People from Wattwil
- Johann Georg Birnstiel: He was a Swiss Reformed minister and a writer.
See also
In Spanish: Wattwil para niños
