Meikirch
Encyclopedia
Meikirch is a municipality
in the district of Aarberg
in the canton
of Bern in Switzerland
.
The municipality consists of the villages Meikirch, Ortschwaben, and Wahlendorf, as well as Grächwil, Aetzikofen, and Weissenstein.
Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 5.9% and transportation infrastructure made up 3.1%. Out of the forested land, all of the forested land area is covered with heavy forests. Of the agricultural land, 51.9% is used for growing crops and 10.5% is pastures, while 1.9% 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 32.6% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the FDP
(18.3%), the SPS
(18.2%) and the Green Party
(15.8%).
The age distribution of the population is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 25.8% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 61.4% and the seniors (over 64 years old) make up 12.8%. In Meikirch about 87% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule
).
Meikirch has an unemployment rate of 1.22%. , there were 98 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 33 businesses involved in this agricultural sector. 140 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 21 businesses in this manufacturing sector. 218 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 50 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 district of Aarberg
Aarberg (district)
The Aarberg District was an administrative district of the canton of Bern, Switzerland. Its capital was the town of Aarberg. The district contained 12 municipalities covering an area of :*CH-3270 Aarberg*CH-3282 Bargen*CH-3257 Grossaffoltern...
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 consists of the villages Meikirch, Ortschwaben, and Wahlendorf, as well as Grächwil, Aetzikofen, and Weissenstein.
Geography
Meikirch has an area, , of 10.23 square kilometres (3.9 sq mi). Of this area, 6.57 km² (2.5 sq mi) or 64.2% is used for agricultural purposes, while 2.72 km² (1.1 sq mi) or 26.6% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 0.96 km² (0.370658072248834 sq mi) or 9.4% is settled (buildings or roads), 0.01 km² (2.5 acre) or 0.1% is either rivers or lakes.Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 5.9% and transportation infrastructure made up 3.1%. Out of the forested land, all of the forested land area is covered with heavy forests. Of the agricultural land, 51.9% is used for growing crops and 10.5% is pastures, while 1.9% is used for orchards or vine crops. All the water in the municipality is in rivers and streams.
Demographics
Meikirch has a population (as of ) of . , 5.2% of the population was made up of foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years the population has grown at a rate of 1%. Most of the population speaks German (95.4%), with French being second most common ( 1.0%) and Italian being third ( 0.8%).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 32.6% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were 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....
(18.3%), the SPS
Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland....
(18.2%) 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:...
(15.8%).
The age distribution of the population is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 25.8% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 61.4% and the seniors (over 64 years old) make up 12.8%. In Meikirch about 87% 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...
).
Meikirch has an unemployment rate of 1.22%. , there were 98 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 33 businesses involved in this agricultural sector. 140 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 21 businesses in this manufacturing sector. 218 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 50 businesses in the services sector.