Grossaffoltern
Encyclopedia
Grossaffoltern is a municipality
in the Seeland administrative district
in the canton
of Bern in Switzerland
. The municipality
is known for its stork
colony.
Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 4.9% and transportation infrastructure made up 4.9%. 25.3% of the total land area is heavily forested. Of the agricultural land, 49.0% is used for growing crops and 11.8% is pastures, while 1.8% is used for orchards or vine crops. All the water in the municipality is in rivers and streams.
In the 2007 election the most popular party was SVP
which received 37.5% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SPS
(21.2%), the FDP
(14.4%) and the Green
(12.8%).
The age distribution of the population is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 25.5% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 60.7% and the seniors (over 64 years old) make up 13.8%.The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Grossaffoltern about 82.7% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule
).
Grossaffoltern has an unemployment rate of 0.56%. , there were 168 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 60 businesses involved in this agricultural sector. 192 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 31 businesses in this manufacturing sector. 231 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 62 businesses in the services sector.
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 Seeland administrative district
Seeland (administrative district)
Seeland District in the Canton of Bern was created on 1 January 2010. It is part of the Seeland administrative region. It contains 46 municipalities with an area of and a population of 67,209....
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....
. The municipality
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...
is known for its stork
Stork
Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long, stout bills. They belong to the family Ciconiidae. They are the only family in the biological order Ciconiiformes, which was once much larger and held a number of families....
colony.
Geography
Grossaffoltern has an area, , of 15.03 km² (5.8 sq mi). Of this area, 9.41 km² (3.6 sq mi) or 62.6% is used for agricultural purposes, while 3.93 km² (1.5 sq mi) or 26.1% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 1.64 km² (0.633207540091757 sq mi) or 10.9% is settled (buildings or roads), 0.1 km² (24.7 acre) or 0.7% is either rivers or lakes and 0.02 km² (4.9 acre) or 0.1% is unproductive land.Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 4.9% and transportation infrastructure made up 4.9%. 25.3% of the total land area is heavily forested. Of the agricultural land, 49.0% is used for growing crops and 11.8% is pastures, while 1.8% is used for orchards or vine crops. All the water in the municipality is in rivers and streams.
Demographics
Grossaffoltern has a population (as of ) of . , 3.8% of the population was made up of foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years the population has grown at a rate of 0.5%. Most of the population speaks German (96.4%), with French being second most common ( 0.8%) and English being third ( 0.6%).In the 2007 election the most popular party was 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...
which received 37.5% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SPS
Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland....
(21.2%), 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....
(14.4%) and the Green
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:...
(12.8%).
The age distribution of the population is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 25.5% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 60.7% and the seniors (over 64 years old) make up 13.8%.The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Grossaffoltern about 82.7% 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...
).
Grossaffoltern has an unemployment rate of 0.56%. , there were 168 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 60 businesses involved in this agricultural sector. 192 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 31 businesses in this manufacturing sector. 231 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 62 businesses in the services sector.