Leventina (district)
Encyclopedia
The district of Leventina is one of the eight districts of the largely Italian
-speaking canton
of Ticino
in Switzerland
. The capital of the district is Faido
but the largest town is Airolo
at the beginning or at the end of the valley.
Situated to the north of the canton, its territory covers the area of the Ticino River
as far south as Biasca
, in particular the valleys of Val Bedretto and Valle Leventina.
Leventina is divided into four sub-districts, termed 'circles
' , and a total area of 479.57 km² (185.2 sq mi) with a population of (as of ). Its capital is the municipality of Faido
.
Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 0.9% and transportation infrastructure made up 1.4%. Out of the forested land, 28.2% of the total land area is heavily forested and 2.3% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 3.2% is used for growing crops. Of the water in the district, 1.0% is in lakes and 1.0% is in rivers and streams. Of the unproductive areas, 16.5% is unproductive vegetation and 20.0% is too rocky for vegetation.
, 81 people speak French
, 8,320 people speak Italian
, and 4 people speak Romansh. The remainder (793 people) speak another language.
, the gender distribution of the population was 52.4% male and 47.6% female. The population was made up of 3,378 Swiss men (34.4% of the population), and 1,772 (18.0%) non-Swiss men. There were 3,660 Swiss women (37.2%), and 1,024 (10.4%) non-Swiss women.
In there were 53 live births to Swiss citizens and 22 births to non-Swiss citizens, and in same time span there were 85 deaths of Swiss citizens and 12 non-Swiss citizen deaths. Ignoring immigration and emigration, the population of Swiss citizens decreased by 32 while the foreign population increased by 10. There were 2 Swiss men and 2 Swiss women who emigrated from Switzerland. At the same time, there were 22 non-Swiss men and 37 non-Swiss women who immigrated from another country to Switzerland. The total Swiss population change in 2008 (from all sources) was a decrease of 31 and the non-Swiss population change was a decrease of 74 people. This represents a population growth rate of -1.1%.
The age distribution, , in the Leventina District is; 701 children or 7.1% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 899 teenagers or 9.1% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 1,091 people or 11.1% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 1,251 people or 12.7% are between 30 and 39, 1,644 people or 16.7% are between 40 and 49, and 1,491 people or 15.2% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 1,204 people or 12.2% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 845 people or 8.6% are between 70 and 79, there are 708 people or 7.2% who are over 80.
there were 8,691 single family homes (or 63.4% of the total) out of a total of 13,704 inhabited buildings. There were 1,860 two family buildings (13.6%) and 2,373 multi-family buildings (17.3%). There were also 780 buildings in the district that were multipurpose buildings (used for both housing and commercial or another purpose).
there were 8,067 apartments in the district. The most common apartment size was the 4 room apartment of which there were 2,379. There were 452 single room apartments and 1,972 apartments with five or more rooms. Of these apartments, a total of 4,013 apartments (49.7% of the total) were permanently occupied, while 3,770 apartments (46.7%) were seasonally occupied and 284 apartments (3.5%) were empty.
The historical population is given in the following table:
the most popular party was the CVP
which received 33.52% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the FDP
(26.59%), the Ticino League
(15.64%) and the SP
(15.38%). In the federal election, a total of 3,468 votes were cast, and the voter turnout
was 56.6%.
In the Gran Consiglio election, there were a total of 6,292 registered voters in the Leventina District, of which 4,599 or 73.1% voted. 54 blank ballots and 4 null ballots were cast, leaving 4,541 valid ballots in the election. The most popular party was the PPD
+GenGiova which received 1,334 or 29.4% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were; the PLRT
(with 1,113 or 24.5%), the SSI (with 756 or 16.6%) and the PS
(with 582 or 12.8%).
In the Consiglio di Stato election, 35 blank ballots and 10 null ballots were cast, leaving 4,555 valid ballots in the election. The most popular party was the PPD which received 1,328 or 29.2% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were; the PLRT (with 1,114 or 24.5%), the LEGA (with 700 or 15.4%) and the SSI (with 652 or 14.3%).
. There are 1,197 individuals (or about 12.60% of the population) who belong to another church (not listed on the census), and 279 individuals (or about 2.94% of the population) did not answer the question.
provides up to three years of non-mandatory kindergarten
and in the Leventina District there were 183 children in kindergarten. The primary school program lasts for five years and includes both a standard school and a special school. In the district, 387 students attended the standard primary schools and 22 students attended the special school. In the lower secondary school system, students either attend a two year middle school followed by a two year pre-apprenticeship or they attend a four year program to prepare for higher education. There were 325 students in the two year middle school and 9 in their pre-apprenticeship, while 110 students were in the four year advanced program.
The upper secondary school includes several options, but at the end of the upper secondary program, a student will be prepared to enter a trade or to continue on to a university or college. In Ticino, vocational students may either attend school while working on their internship or apprenticeship (which takes three or four years) or may attend school followed by an internship or apprenticeship (which takes one year as a full-time student or one and a half to two years as a part-time student). There were 97 vocational students who were attending school full-time and 193 who attend part-time.
The professional program lasts three years and prepares a student for a job in engineering, nursing, computer science, business, tourism and similar fields. There were 25 students in the professional program.
!colspan="1" align=center bgcolor="#EFEFEF" | Area km²
|-
| || Airolo
|| align="center" | || align="center" | 94.37
|-
| || Bedretto
|| align="center" | || align="center" | 75.23
|-
|bgcolor="#EFEFEF" | ||bgcolor="#EFEFEF" | Total || bgcolor="#EFEFEF" align="center" |
|bgcolor="#EFEFEF" align="center"| 169.7
|-
|}
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
-speaking 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 Ticino
Ticino
Canton Ticino or Ticino is the southernmost canton of Switzerland. Named after the Ticino river, it is the only canton in which Italian is the sole official language...
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 capital of the district is Faido
Faido
Faido is the capital of the district of Leventina in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino in southern Switzerland.On 29 January 2006, Faido grew by incorporating the villages of Chiggiogna, Rossura, and Calonico.-History:...
but the largest town is Airolo
Airolo
Airolo is a municipality in the district of Leventina in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.-History:In the settlement of Madrano, Roman tombs from the 2nd and 3rd Centuries AD were found. They belonged to a Vicus, whose inhabitants probably collected crystal, which was processed in Locarno into...
at the beginning or at the end of the valley.
Situated to the north of the canton, its territory covers the area of the Ticino River
Ticino River
The river Ticino is a left-bank tributary of the Po River. It has given its name to the Swiss canton through which its upper portion flows.-The course:...
as far south as Biasca
Biasca
Biasca is a town of the district of Riviera in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.-History:Biasca is first mentioned in 830 as Aviasca in the Liber viventium of Pfäfers Abbey. In 1119 it was mentioned as Abiasca.-Early history:...
, in particular the valleys of Val Bedretto and Valle Leventina.
Leventina is divided into four sub-districts, termed 'circles
Circle (subnational entity)
Circle is a type of administrative division of some countries. In Thailand the former monthon are translated as circle. In German it is called Kreis; the former Holy Roman Empire was organized into Imperial Circles. Algerian daïras are circles....
' , and a total area of 479.57 km² (185.2 sq mi) with a population of (as of ). Its capital is the municipality of Faido
Faido
Faido is the capital of the district of Leventina in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino in southern Switzerland.On 29 January 2006, Faido grew by incorporating the villages of Chiggiogna, Rossura, and Calonico.-History:...
.
Geography
The Leventina District has an area, , of 479.57 square kilometres (185.2 sq mi). Of this area, 20.05 km² (7.7 sq mi) or 4.2% is used for agricultural purposes, while 175.08 km² (67.6 sq mi) or 36.5% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 13.59 km² (5.2 sq mi) or 2.8% is settled (buildings or roads), 9.26 km² (3.6 sq mi) or 1.9% is either rivers or lakes and 175.23 km² (67.7 sq mi) or 36.5% is unproductive land.Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 0.9% and transportation infrastructure made up 1.4%. Out of the forested land, 28.2% of the total land area is heavily forested and 2.3% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 3.2% is used for growing crops. Of the water in the district, 1.0% is in lakes and 1.0% is in rivers and streams. Of the unproductive areas, 16.5% is unproductive vegetation and 20.0% is too rocky for vegetation.
Demographics
The Leventina District has a population of . Of the Swiss national languages , 304 speak GermanGerman language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, 81 people speak French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, 8,320 people speak Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
, and 4 people speak Romansh. The remainder (793 people) speak another language.
, the gender distribution of the population was 52.4% male and 47.6% female. The population was made up of 3,378 Swiss men (34.4% of the population), and 1,772 (18.0%) non-Swiss men. There were 3,660 Swiss women (37.2%), and 1,024 (10.4%) non-Swiss women.
In there were 53 live births to Swiss citizens and 22 births to non-Swiss citizens, and in same time span there were 85 deaths of Swiss citizens and 12 non-Swiss citizen deaths. Ignoring immigration and emigration, the population of Swiss citizens decreased by 32 while the foreign population increased by 10. There were 2 Swiss men and 2 Swiss women who emigrated from Switzerland. At the same time, there were 22 non-Swiss men and 37 non-Swiss women who immigrated from another country to Switzerland. The total Swiss population change in 2008 (from all sources) was a decrease of 31 and the non-Swiss population change was a decrease of 74 people. This represents a population growth rate of -1.1%.
The age distribution, , in the Leventina District is; 701 children or 7.1% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 899 teenagers or 9.1% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 1,091 people or 11.1% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 1,251 people or 12.7% are between 30 and 39, 1,644 people or 16.7% are between 40 and 49, and 1,491 people or 15.2% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 1,204 people or 12.2% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 845 people or 8.6% are between 70 and 79, there are 708 people or 7.2% who are over 80.
there were 8,691 single family homes (or 63.4% of the total) out of a total of 13,704 inhabited buildings. There were 1,860 two family buildings (13.6%) and 2,373 multi-family buildings (17.3%). There were also 780 buildings in the district that were multipurpose buildings (used for both housing and commercial or another purpose).
there were 8,067 apartments in the district. The most common apartment size was the 4 room apartment of which there were 2,379. There were 452 single room apartments and 1,972 apartments with five or more rooms. Of these apartments, a total of 4,013 apartments (49.7% of the total) were permanently occupied, while 3,770 apartments (46.7%) were seasonally occupied and 284 apartments (3.5%) were empty.
The historical population is given in the following table:
| year | population |
|---|---|
| 1850 | 10,331 |
| 1880 | 14,972 |
| 1900 | 9,397 |
| 1950 | 9,602 |
| 1980 | 11,699 |
| 1990 | 10,032 |
| 2000 | 9,502 |
Politics
In the 2007 federal electionSwiss federal election, 2007
Elections to the Swiss Federal Assembly, the federal parliament of Switzerland, were held on Sunday, 21 October 2007. In a few cantons, a second round of the elections to the Council of States was held on 11 November, 18 November, and 25 November 2007...
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 33.52% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the FDP
FDP.The Liberals
FDP.The Liberals is a classical liberal political party in Switzerland. It is the joint-largest party in the Federal Council, third-largest party in the National Council, and second-largest in the Council of States....
(26.59%), the Ticino League
Ticino League
The Ticino League is an isolationist, national conservative political party in Switzerland active in the canton of Ticino.In 1991, after some public campaigning in the Sunday journal Mattino della Domenica against political power and use of public money, the editor Giuliano Bignasca and the...
(15.64%) and the SP
Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland....
(15.38%). In the federal election, a total of 3,468 votes were cast, and the voter turnout
Voter turnout
Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election . After increasing for many decades, there has been a trend of decreasing voter turnout in most established democracies since the 1960s...
was 56.6%.
In the Gran Consiglio election, there were a total of 6,292 registered voters in the Leventina District, of which 4,599 or 73.1% voted. 54 blank ballots and 4 null ballots were cast, leaving 4,541 valid ballots in the election. The most popular party was the PPD
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...
+GenGiova which received 1,334 or 29.4% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were; the PLRT
FDP.The Liberals
FDP.The Liberals is a classical liberal political party in Switzerland. It is the joint-largest party in the Federal Council, third-largest party in the National Council, and second-largest in the Council of States....
(with 1,113 or 24.5%), the SSI (with 756 or 16.6%) and the PS
Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland....
(with 582 or 12.8%).
In the Consiglio di Stato election, 35 blank ballots and 10 null ballots were cast, leaving 4,555 valid ballots in the election. The most popular party was the PPD which received 1,328 or 29.2% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were; the PLRT (with 1,114 or 24.5%), the LEGA (with 700 or 15.4%) and the SSI (with 652 or 14.3%).
Religion
From the , 7,815 or 82.2% were Roman Catholic, while 211 or 2.2% belonged to the Swiss Reformed ChurchSwiss Reformed Church
The Reformed branch of Protestantism in Switzerland was started in Zürich by Huldrych Zwingli and spread within a few years to Basel , Bern , St...
. There are 1,197 individuals (or about 12.60% of the population) who belong to another church (not listed on the census), and 279 individuals (or about 2.94% of the population) did not answer the question.
Education
In the Leventina District there was a total of 1,351 students . The Ticino education systemEducation in Switzerland
The education system in Switzerland is very diverse, because the constitution of Switzerland delegates the authority for the school system mainly to the cantons...
provides up to three years of non-mandatory kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
and in the Leventina District there were 183 children in kindergarten. The primary school program lasts for five years and includes both a standard school and a special school. In the district, 387 students attended the standard primary schools and 22 students attended the special school. In the lower secondary school system, students either attend a two year middle school followed by a two year pre-apprenticeship or they attend a four year program to prepare for higher education. There were 325 students in the two year middle school and 9 in their pre-apprenticeship, while 110 students were in the four year advanced program.
The upper secondary school includes several options, but at the end of the upper secondary program, a student will be prepared to enter a trade or to continue on to a university or college. In Ticino, vocational students may either attend school while working on their internship or apprenticeship (which takes three or four years) or may attend school followed by an internship or apprenticeship (which takes one year as a full-time student or one and a half to two years as a part-time student). There were 97 vocational students who were attending school full-time and 193 who attend part-time.
The professional program lasts three years and prepares a student for a job in engineering, nursing, computer science, business, tourism and similar fields. There were 25 students in the professional program.
Circles and municipalities
!colspan="1" align=center bgcolor="#EFEFEF" | Area km²
|-
| || Airolo
Airolo
Airolo is a municipality in the district of Leventina in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.-History:In the settlement of Madrano, Roman tombs from the 2nd and 3rd Centuries AD were found. They belonged to a Vicus, whose inhabitants probably collected crystal, which was processed in Locarno into...
|| align="center" | || align="center" | 94.37
|-
| || Bedretto
Bedretto
Bedretto is a municipality in the district of Leventina in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.-History:In 1906 pre-Roman graves and a Roman era villa and coins were discovered in Bedretto. The presumption, that it was originally part of Airolo, could not be confirmed by any available records...
|| align="center" | || align="center" | 75.23
|-
|bgcolor="#EFEFEF" | ||bgcolor="#EFEFEF" | Total || bgcolor="#EFEFEF" align="center" |
|bgcolor="#EFEFEF" align="center"| 169.7
|-
|}
!colspan="1" align=center bgcolor="#EFEFEF" | Area km²
|-
| || Calpiogna
Calpiogna
Calpiogna is a municipality in the district of Leventina in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.-History:Calpiogna is first mentioned in 1246 as Calpiognia. The village was the seat of the still existing Degagna of Fichengo, one of three Degagne that makes up the Vicinanza of Faido...
|| align="center" | || align="center" | 3.3
|-
| || Campello
Campello, Switzerland
Campello is a municipality in the district of Leventina in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.-History:Campello is first mentioned in 1400. According to the only partially confirmed tradition, the village emerged from the settlement of Fontanedo, which was completely abandoned by the mid-18th...
|| align="center" | || align="center" | 4.0
|-
| || Chironico
Chironico
Chironico is a municipality located in the district of Leventina in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.-History:Chironico is first mentioned in 1202 as Cuirono. The village lies on a terrace that was partly created by a prehistoric landslide on the opposite side of the valley...
|| align="center" | || align="center" | 57.7
|-
|
|| FaidoFaido
Faido is the capital of the district of Leventina in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino in southern Switzerland.On 29 January 2006, Faido grew by incorporating the villages of Chiggiogna, Rossura, and Calonico.-History:...
|| align="center" | || align="center" | 25.40
|-
| || Mairengo
Mairengo
Mairengo is a municipality in the district of Leventina in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.-History:Mairengo is first mentioned in 1201 as Mairencho. During the Middle Ages the village belonged to the Degagna of Tarnolgio, which was part of the Vicinanza of Faido...
|| align="center" | || align="center" | 6.6
|-
| || Osco
Osco
Osco is a municipality in the district of Leventina in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.-History:Osco is first mentioned in 1171 as Hoscho. In 1237 it was mentioned as Osco. Golasecca culture graves have been discovered in Freggio and Brusgnano. Osco was one of the three Degagne of the...
|| align="center" | || align="center" | 11.9
|-
|bgcolor="#EFEFEF" | ||bgcolor="#EFEFEF" | Total || bgcolor="#EFEFEF" align="center" |
|bgcolor="#EFEFEF" align="center" | 109.0
|-
|}
!colspan="1" align=center bgcolor="#EFEFEF" | Area km²
|-
| || Anzonico
Anzonico
Anzonico is a municipality in the district of Leventina in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.In 1666 or 67 a landslide engulfed the principal village, dragging many houses into the valley below and killing many of the inhabitants.-History:...
|| align="center" | || align="center" | 10.6
|-
| || Bodio
Bodio
Bodio is a municipality in the district of Leventina in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.-History:Bodio is first mentioned in 1227 as Boidi. During the Middle Ages, Bodio and the now abandoned village of Simbra formed a Degagna in the Giornico area...
|| align="center" | || align="center" | 6.44
|-
| || Cavagnago
Cavagnago
Cavagnago is a municipality in the district of Leventina in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.-History:Cavagnago is first mentioned in 1270 as Cavagnago. In the early 17th Century, the hamlets of Segno, Mascengo and Codaghengo formed the village of Cavagnago which was a Degagna of the old...
|| align="center" | || align="center" | 6.7
|-
| || Giornico
Giornico
Giornico is a municipality in the district of Leventina in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.-History:Giornico is first mentioned around 935-94 as de Iudicibus Giornicensis. In 1202 it was mentioned as Iornico, and around 1210-58 it was mentioned as Zurnigo...
|| align="center" | || align="center" | 19.48
|-
| || Personico
Personico
Personico is a municipality in the district of Leventina in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.-History:Personico is first mentioned in 1227 as Prexonego. During the Middle Ages, it belonged to the Vicinanza of Giornico. The village church of SS. Nazario e Celso was first mentioned in 1256...
|| align="center" | || align="center" | 39.04
|-
| || Pollegio
Pollegio
Pollegio is a municipality in the district of Leventina in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland, located in the lower Leventina .- History :...
|| align="center" | || align="center" | 5.89
|-
| || Sobrio
Sobrio
Sobrio is a municipality in the district of Leventina in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.-Geography:Sobrio has an area, , of . Of this area, or 9.7% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 70.2% is forested...
|| align="center" | || align="center" | 6.4
|-
|bgcolor="#EFEFEF" | ||bgcolor="#EFEFEF" | Total || bgcolor="#EFEFEF" align="center" |
|bgcolor="#EFEFEF" align="center" | 94.6
|-
|}
!colspan="1" align=center bgcolor="#EFEFEF" | Area km²
|-
| || Dalpe
Dalpe
Dalpe is a municipality in the district of Leventina in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.-History:In Dalpe a small cemetery from a 5th Century BC Golasecca culture settlement was discovered. Dalpe is first mentioned in 1217 as Albe. In the 13th Century the Gotthard route went through Faido to...
|| align="center" | || align="center" | 14.52
|-
| || Prato Leventina
Prato Leventina
Prato is a municipality in the district of Leventina in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.-History:Prato is first mentioned in 1211 as de Prato. In German it used to be known as Pratt, though this name is no longer used. Between 1902 and 1939 it was known as Prato-Fiesso...
|| align="center" | || align="center" | 16.9
|-
| || Quinto
Quinto, Switzerland
Quinto is a municipality in the district of Leventina in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.-History:A grave from the early Iron Age has been found in the valley. The modern municipality of Quinto is first mentioned in 1227. The old Vicinanza, whose statutes were first written in 1408, consisted...
|| align="center" | || align="center" | 75.2
|-
|bgcolor="#EFEFEF" | ||bgcolor="#EFEFEF" | Total || bgcolor="#EFEFEF" align="center" |
|bgcolor="#EFEFEF" align="center" | 106.6
|-
|}