Gelfingen
Encyclopedia
Gelfingen is a municipality
in the district of Hochdorf
in the canton
of Lucerne in Switzerland
. On 1 January 2009 it became part of the municipality of Hitzkirch
.
Gelfingen is first mentioned in 1045 as Gelvingun.
The municipality is located below Schloss Heidegg on Lake Baldegg
. On 21 May 2006 an attempt to merge the Hitzkirch and the surrounding 10 municipalities failed, when five of the eleven voted against the merger. A less ambitious merger was then proposed and accepted, with the municipalities of Gelfingen, Hämikon
, Mosen
, Müswangen
, Retschwil
and Sulz
joining Hitzkirch
.
In the 2007 election the most popular party was the CVP
which received 35.5% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SVP
(23.3%), the FDP
(22.7%) and the Green Party
(10.1%).
The age distribution of the population is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 35.4% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 56.3% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 8.3%. The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Gelfingen about 77.8% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either University or a Fachhochschule
).
Gelfingen has an unemployment rate of 1.21%. , there were 62 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 17 businesses involved in this sector. 18 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 6 businesses in this sector. 65 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 19 businesses in this sector.
The historical population is given in the following table:
Municipalities of Switzerland
Communes , also known as municipalities, are the smallest government division in Switzerland, numbering 2,596 . While many have a population of a few hundred citizens, the largest cities such as Zürich or Geneva also have the legal status of municipalities...
in the district of Hochdorf
Hochdorf (district)
Hochdorf District is one of the five Ämtern, or districts, of the German-speaking Canton of Lucerne, Switzerland. Its capital is the town of Hochdorf. It has a population of .Hochdorf District consists of the following fourteen municipalities:...
in the canton
Cantons of Switzerland
The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848...
of Lucerne in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. On 1 January 2009 it became part of the municipality of Hitzkirch
Hitzkirch
Hitzkirch is a municipality in the district of Hochdorf in the canton of Lucerne in Switzerland. On 1 January 2009, Gelfingen, Hämikon, Mosen, Müswangen, Retschwil and Sulz joined Hitzkirch.-Geography:...
.
History
Geography
Gelfingen has an area of 3.9 km² (1.5 sq mi). Of this area, 64.9% is used for agricultural purposes, while 25.2% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 9.6% is settled (buildings or roads) and the remainder (0.3%) is non-productive (rivers, glaciers or mountains).The municipality is located below Schloss Heidegg on Lake Baldegg
Lake Baldegg
Lake Baldegg is a lake in the Canton of Lucerne, Switzerland. Its area is about 5.2 km² and its maximum depth is 66 m.-External links:* at Gelfingen...
. On 21 May 2006 an attempt to merge the Hitzkirch and the surrounding 10 municipalities failed, when five of the eleven voted against the merger. A less ambitious merger was then proposed and accepted, with the municipalities of Gelfingen, Hämikon
Hämikon
Hämikon is a municipality in the district of Hochdorf in the canton of Lucerne in Switzerland. On 1 January 2009 it became part of the municipality of Hitzkirch.-Geography:...
, Mosen
Mosen, Lucerne
Mosen is a municipality in the district of Hochdorf in the canton of Lucerne in Switzerland. On 1 January 2009 it became part of the municipality of Hitzkirch.-History:...
, Müswangen
Müswangen
Müswangen is a municipality in the district of Hochdorf in the canton of Lucerne in Switzerland. Since 1 January 2009, it has been part of the municipality of Hitzkirch.-History:...
, Retschwil
Retschwil
Retschwil was a municipality in the district of Hochdorf, in the canton of Lucerne, Switzerland. On 1 January 2009, Retschwil together with Gelfingen, Hämikon, Mosen, Müswangen, and Sulz joined Hitzkirch.-Geography:...
and Sulz
Sulz, Lucerne
Sulz is a municipality in the district of Hochdorf in the canton of Lucerne in Switzerland. On 1 January 2009, Sulz together with Gelfingen, Hämikon, Mosen, Müswangen, and Retschwil joined Hitzkirch.-Geography:...
joining Hitzkirch
Hitzkirch
Hitzkirch is a municipality in the district of Hochdorf in the canton of Lucerne in Switzerland. On 1 January 2009, Gelfingen, Hämikon, Mosen, Müswangen, Retschwil and Sulz joined Hitzkirch.-Geography:...
.
Demographics
Gelfingen has a population of 764, of which 5.4% are foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years the population has grown at a rate of 20.3%. Most of the population speaks German (94.1%), with English being second most common ( 1.4%) and Portuguese being third ( 1.0%).In the 2007 election the most popular party was the CVP
Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland
The Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland is a Christian democratic political party in Switzerland. It is the fourth-largest party in the National Council, with 31 seats, and the largest in the Council of States, with 15 seats. It has one seat, that of Doris Leuthard, on the Swiss...
which received 35.5% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SVP
Swiss People's Party
The Swiss People's Party , also known as the Democratic Union of the Centre , is a conservative political party in Switzerland. Chaired by Toni Brunner, but spearheaded by Christoph Blocher, the party is the largest party in the Federal Assembly, with 58 members of the National Council and 6 of...
(23.3%), the FDP
Free Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Free Democratic Party was a classical liberal political party in Switzerland. It was one of the major parties in Switzerland until its merger with the smaller classical liberal Liberal Party, to form FDP.The Liberals on 1 January 2009....
(22.7%) and the Green Party
Green Party of Switzerland
The Green Party of Switzerland is the fifth-largest party in the National Council of Switzerland, and the largest party that is not represented on the Federal Council.-History:...
(10.1%).
The age distribution of the population is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 35.4% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 56.3% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 8.3%. The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Gelfingen about 77.8% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either University or a Fachhochschule
Fachhochschule
A Fachhochschule or University of Applied Sciences is a German type of tertiary education institution, sometimes specialized in certain topical areas . Fachhochschulen were founded in Germany and later adopted by Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Greece...
).
Gelfingen has an unemployment rate of 1.21%. , there were 62 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 17 businesses involved in this sector. 18 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 6 businesses in this sector. 65 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 19 businesses in this sector.
The historical population is given in the following table:
| year | population |
|---|---|
| 1678 | 381 |
| 1798 | 307 |
| 1850 | 497 |
| 1900 | 443 |
| 1950 | 469 |
| 2000 | 709 |