Innertkirchen
Encyclopedia
Innertkirchen is a municipality
in the Interlaken-Oberhasli administrative district
in the canton
of Bern in Switzerland
.
Its coat of arms
depicts an eagle wearing an imperial crown.
Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 0.3% and transportation infrastructure made up 0.3%. 13.8% of the total land area is heavily forested. Of the agricultural land, 2.4% is pastures and 13.2% is used for alpine pastures. All the water in the municipality is in rivers and streams. Of the unproductive areas, 11.5% is unproductive vegetation, 29.0% is too rocky for vegetation and 21.3% of the land is covered by glaciers.
In the 2007 election the most popular party was the SVP
which received 59.6% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SPS
(11.3%), the FDP
(10.3%) and the Green Party
(6.7%).
The age distribution of the population is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 24% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 56.3% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 19.7%. The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Innertkirchen about 71.2% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule
).
Innertkirchen has an unemployment rate of 0.47%. , there were 127 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 39 businesses involved in this sector. 252 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 16 businesses in this sector. 150 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 35 businesses in this sector.
The historical population is given in the following table:
plants provide around 1,500 million kWh of power per annum, as well as employment for 220 persons.
, which links the village with Meiringen railway station in the nearby town of Meiringen
. Connection can be made here with the Brünigbahn
railway from Interlaken
to Lucerne
.
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 Interlaken-Oberhasli administrative district
Interlaken-Oberhasli (administrative district)
Interlaken-Oberhasli District in the Canton of Bern was created on 1 January 2010. It is part of the Oberland administrative region. It contains 29 municipalities with an area of and a population of 48,763....
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....
.
Its coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
depicts an eagle wearing an imperial crown.
History
The name of the municipality is of recent origin and first appeared in print in 1834. It was formed from the farming settlements (Bäuerten) of Grund, Bottigen, Wyler-Schattseite, Wyler-Sonnseite and the agricultural cooperative of Äppigen.Geography
Innertkirchen has an area, , of 120.05 km² (46.4 sq mi). Of this area, 18.77 km² (7.2 sq mi) or 15.6% is used for agricultural purposes, while 24.15 km² (9.3 sq mi) or 20.1% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 0.92 km² (0.355213985905132 sq mi) or 0.8% is settled (buildings or roads), 1.97 km² (0.760621252427294 sq mi) or 1.6% is either rivers or lakes and 74.18 km² (28.6 sq mi) or 61.8% is unproductive land.Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 0.3% and transportation infrastructure made up 0.3%. 13.8% of the total land area is heavily forested. Of the agricultural land, 2.4% is pastures and 13.2% is used for alpine pastures. All the water in the municipality is in rivers and streams. Of the unproductive areas, 11.5% is unproductive vegetation, 29.0% is too rocky for vegetation and 21.3% of the land is covered by glaciers.
Demographics
Innertkirchen has a population (as of ) of . , 4.4% of the population was made up of foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years the population has decreased at a rate of -6.9%. Most of the population speaks German (95.4%), with Portuguese being second most common (1.1%) and Italian being third (0.6%).In the 2007 election the most popular party was 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...
which received 59.6% 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....
(11.3%), 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....
(10.3%) 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:...
(6.7%).
The age distribution of the population is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 24% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 56.3% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 19.7%. The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Innertkirchen about 71.2% 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...
).
Innertkirchen has an unemployment rate of 0.47%. , there were 127 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 39 businesses involved in this sector. 252 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 16 businesses in this sector. 150 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 35 businesses in this sector.
The historical population is given in the following table:
| year | population |
|---|---|
| 1764 | 656 |
| 1850 | 1,375 |
| 1880 | 1,438 |
| 1900 | 1,105 |
| 1950 | 1,194 |
| 1960 | 1,230 |
Industry
The village has access to considerable reserves of running water and two hydropowerHydropower
Hydropower, hydraulic power, hydrokinetic power or water power is power that is derived from the force or energy of falling water, which may be harnessed for useful purposes. Since ancient times, hydropower has been used for irrigation and the operation of various mechanical devices, such as...
plants provide around 1,500 million kWh of power per annum, as well as employment for 220 persons.
Transportation
Innertkirchen is the terminus of the local Meiringen-Innertkirchen Bahn narrow-gauge railwayRail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
, which links the village with Meiringen railway station in the nearby town of Meiringen
Meiringen
-References:...
. Connection can be made here with the Brünigbahn
Brünigbahn
The Brünigbahn was, until 31 December 2004, the only narrow gauge railway of the Swiss Federal Railways . On 30 June 2004, the Swiss Federal Council empowered the SBB to sell the Brünigbahn to Luzern–Stans–Engelberg-Bahn , and this company was renamed to Zentralbahn.The Brünigbahn encompasses the...
railway from Interlaken
Interlaken
Interlaken is a municipality in the Interlaken-Oberhasli administrative district in the Canton of Bern in Switzerland, a well-known tourist destination in the Bernese Oberland.-History:...
to Lucerne
Lucerne
Lucerne is a city in north-central Switzerland, in the German-speaking portion of that country. Lucerne is the capital of the Canton of Lucerne and the capital of the district of the same name. With a population of about 76,200 people, Lucerne is the most populous city in Central Switzerland, and...
.