Grandval, Switzerland
Encyclopedia
Grandval is a municipality
in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton
of Bern in Switzerland
. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura
(Jura Bernois). Grandval also used to be known under its German name Granfel or Granfelden, but these forms are no longer commonly used.
Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 2.1% and transportation infrastructure made up 1.3%. 44.2% of the total land area is heavily forested and 6.2% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 9.6% is used for growing crops and 13.2% is pastures and 21.0% is used for alpine pastures. All the water in the municipality is in rivers and streams.
The municipality is located in the Grand Val (valley of Moutier), but some scattered houses are located on a part of Mont Raimeux
.
In the 2007 election the most popular party was the SPS
which received 38.4% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SVP
(32.2%), the local small left-wing parties (7.9%) and the Green Party
(7.6%).
The age distribution of the population is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 28% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 55.2% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 16.8%. The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Grandval about 59.2% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule
).
Grandval has an unemployment rate of 1%. , there were 25 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 10 businesses involved in this sector. 15 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 6 businesses in this sector. 20 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 9 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 Jura bernois administrative district 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 Bern 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....
. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura
Bernese Jura
Bernese Jura is the name for the French-speaking area of the Swiss canton of Bern, and from 2010 one of five administrative divisions of the canton....
(Jura Bernois). Grandval also used to be known under its German name Granfel or Granfelden, but these forms are no longer commonly used.
Geography
Grandval has an area, , of 8.24 km² (3.2 sq mi). Of this area, 3.64 km² (1.4 sq mi) or 44.2% is used for agricultural purposes, while 4.15 km² (1.6 sq mi) or 50.4% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 0.34 km² (0.131274733921462 sq mi) or 4.1% is settled (buildings or roads), 0.02 km² (4.9 acre) or 0.2% is either rivers or lakes and 0.04 km² (9.9 acre) or 0.5% is unproductive land.Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 2.1% and transportation infrastructure made up 1.3%. 44.2% of the total land area is heavily forested and 6.2% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 9.6% is used for growing crops and 13.2% is pastures and 21.0% is used for alpine pastures. All the water in the municipality is in rivers and streams.
The municipality is located in the Grand Val (valley of Moutier), but some scattered houses are located on a part of Mont Raimeux
Mont Raimeux
Mont Raimeux is the highest mountain in the Swiss canton of Jura. It lies in the Jura Mountains on the border between the cantons of Berne and Jura.-References:*...
.
Demographics
Grandval has a population (as of ) of . , 5.9% of the population was made up of foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years the population has decreased at a rate of -10.3%. Most of the population speaks French (85.6%), with German being second most common (12.0%) and Italian being third ( 0.8%).In the 2007 election the most popular party was the SPS
Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland....
which received 38.4% 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...
(32.2%), the local small left-wing parties (7.9%) 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:...
(7.6%).
The age distribution of the population is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 28% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 55.2% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 16.8%. The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Grandval about 59.2% 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...
).
Grandval has an unemployment rate of 1%. , there were 25 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 10 businesses involved in this sector. 15 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 6 businesses in this sector. 20 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 9 businesses in this sector.
The historical population is given in the following table:
| year | population |
|---|---|
| 1755 | 132 |
| 1850 | 261 |
| 1900 | 287 |
| 1950 | 370 |
| 2000 | 368 |