Kandergrund
Encyclopedia
Kandergrund is a municipality
in the Frutigen-Niedersimmental administrative district
in the canton
of Bern in Switzerland
.
, however the earliest documented settlement was around the Castle (now ruins) Felsenburg. Kandergrund, together with Kandersteg
, is first mentioned in 1352 as der Kandergrund.
During the Middle Ages, Kandergrund was politically and religiously part of Frutigen
. In 1833, it finally separated and became an independent municipality. At that time, Mitholz and Kandersteg were part of Kandergrun. In 1850 a church was built in Bunderbach, and ten years later that church became the parish church
of Kandergrund parish. In 1909 Kandersteg separated from Kandergrund.
Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 1.0% and transportation infrastructure made up 1.8%. Power and water infrastructure as well as other special developed areas made up 1.2% of the area 32.4% of the total land area is heavily forested and 3.3% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 10.9% is pastures and 21.9% is used for alpine pastures. All the water in the municipality is in rivers and streams. Of the unproductive areas, 11.1% is unproductive vegetation and 14.1% is too rocky for vegetation.
In the 2007 election the most popular party was the SVP
which received 70.8% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SPS
(7.6%), the CSP
(6%) and the Green Party
(4.2%).
The age distribution of the population is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 20.2% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 66.8% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 13%. The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Kandergrund about 59.4% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule
).
Kandergrund has an unemployment rate of 0.54%. , there were 115 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 41 businesses involved in this sector. 77 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 16 businesses in this sector. 108 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 25 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 Frutigen-Niedersimmental administrative district
Frutigen-Niedersimmental (administrative district)
Frutigen-Niedersimmental District in the Canton of Bern was created on 1 January 2010. It is part of the Oberland administrative region. It contains 13 municipalities with an area of and a population of 38,871....
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....
.
History
The area may have been lightly inhabited during the Bronze ageBronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
, however the earliest documented settlement was around the Castle (now ruins) Felsenburg. Kandergrund, together with Kandersteg
Kandersteg
Kandersteg is a municipality in the Frutigen-Niedersimmental administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located along the valley of the River Kander, west of the Jungfrau massif. It is noted for its spectacular mountain scenery and sylvan alpine landscapes. Tourism is a...
, is first mentioned in 1352 as der Kandergrund.
During the Middle Ages, Kandergrund was politically and religiously part of Frutigen
Frutigen
Frutigen is a municipality in the Bernese Oberland in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is the capital of the Frutigen-Niedersimmental administrative district.-History:...
. In 1833, it finally separated and became an independent municipality. At that time, Mitholz and Kandersteg were part of Kandergrun. In 1850 a church was built in Bunderbach, and ten years later that church became the parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
of Kandergrund parish. In 1909 Kandersteg separated from Kandergrund.
Geography
Kandergrund has an area, , of 32.06 km² (12.4 sq mi). Of this area, 10.5 km² (4.1 sq mi) or 32.8% is used for agricultural purposes, while 11.83 km² (4.6 sq mi) or 36.9% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 1.37 km² (0.528959957271773 sq mi) or 4.3% is settled (buildings or roads), 0.25 km² (0.0965255396481338 sq mi) or 0.8% is either rivers or lakes and 8.07 km² (3.1 sq mi) or 25.2% is unproductive land.Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 1.0% and transportation infrastructure made up 1.8%. Power and water infrastructure as well as other special developed areas made up 1.2% of the area 32.4% of the total land area is heavily forested and 3.3% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 10.9% is pastures and 21.9% is used for alpine pastures. All the water in the municipality is in rivers and streams. Of the unproductive areas, 11.1% is unproductive vegetation and 14.1% is too rocky for vegetation.
Demographics
Kandergrund has a population (as of ) of . , 4.3% of the population was made up of foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years the population has decreased at a rate of -0.5%. Most of the population speaks German (91.9%), with Swedish being second most common ( 3.3%) and Italian being third ( 1.5%).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 70.8% 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....
(7.6%), the CSP
Christian Social Party (Switzerland)
The Christian Social Party is a political party in Switzerland. The CSP is more social democratic than the CVP. With the moderate Christian left as its background, the CSP commits itself to social democratic and environmentalist political solutions...
(6%) 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:...
(4.2%).
The age distribution of the population is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 20.2% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 66.8% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 13%. The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Kandergrund about 59.4% 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...
).
Kandergrund has an unemployment rate of 0.54%. , there were 115 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 41 businesses involved in this sector. 77 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 16 businesses in this sector. 108 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 25 businesses in this sector.
The historical population is given in the following table:
| year | population |
|---|---|
| 1850 | 1,069 |
| 1900 | 1,098 |
| 1910 | 2,332 |
| 1920 | 781 |
| 1950 | 905 |
| 1980 | 728 |
- After 1910 Kandergrund only