Wildhaus
Encyclopedia
Wildhaus is a village in the new municipality
of Wildhaus-Alt St. Johann in the Wahlkreis (constituency) of Toggenburg in the canton
of St. Gallen in Switzerland
. The municipalities of Alt St. Johann
and Wildhaus merged into the municipality of Wildhaus-Alt St. Johann
on 1 January 2010.
The reformer Huldrych Zwingli
was born in Wildhaus in 1484. His birth house can still be visited.
The village is located on Wildhaus Pass
(1090 m (3,576.1 ft)) from Gams
, in the Rhine valley, to Unterwasser
in Toggenburg between the Churfirsten
peaks and Säntis
. The ski
slopes above Wildhaus, Unterwasser and Alt St. Johann on the Churfirsten
ranges reach 2262 m (7,421.3 ft).
The municipalities of Alt St. Johann and Wildhaus merged into the municipality of Wildhaus-Alt St. Johann on 1 January 2010.
of the municipal coat of arms
is Argent an Ibex Sable on a Stone proper between two Pine Trees Vert issuant from a Base of the last.
, 3 are from Italy
, 77 are from ex-Yugoslavia
, 7 are from Austria
, 5 are from Turkey
, and 55 are from another country. Over the last 10 years the population has decreased at a rate of -8.1%. Most of the population speaks German (91.8%), with Albanian being second most common ( 2.4%) and Serbo-Croatian being third ( 1.8%). Of the Swiss national languages , 1,157 speak German
, 5 people speak French
, 2 people speak Italian
, and 3 people speak Romansh.
The age distribution, , in Wildhaus is; 140 children or 11.1% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 204 teenagers or 16.2% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 139 people or 11.0% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 170 people or 13.5% are between 30 and 39, 179 people or 14.2% are between 40 and 49, and 150 people or 11.9% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 128 people or 10.2% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 102 people or 8.1% are between 70 and 79, there are 40 people or 3.2% who are between 80 and 89,and there are 8 people or 0.6% who are between 90 and 99.
there were 202 persons (or 16.0% of the population) who were living alone in a private dwelling. There were 255 (or 20.2%) persons who were part of a couple (married or otherwise committed) without children, and 646 (or 51.3%) who were part of a couple with children. There were 74 (or 5.9%) people who lived in single parent home, while there are 17 persons who were adult children living with one or both parents, 4 persons who lived in a household made up of relatives,and 62 who are either institutionalized or live in another type of collective housing.
In the 2007 federal election
the most popular party was the SVP
which received 39.5% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the FDP
(21.3%), the CVP
(18.5%) and the SP
(10.1%).
The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Wildhaus about 69% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either University or a Fachhochschule
). Out of the total population in Wildhaus, , the highest education level completed by 315 people (25.0% of the population) was Primary, while 448 (35.6%) have completed their secondary education, 136 (10.8%) have attended a Tertiary school, and 32 (2.5%) are not in school. The remainder did not answer this question.
The Birthplace of the reformer Huldrych Zwingli
at Lisighus 167 is listed as a Swiss heritage site of national significance
.
the average unemployment rate was 2.2%. There were 122 businesses in the municipality of which 18 were involved in the secondary sector of the economy while 56 were involved in the third.
there were 466 residents who worked in the municipality, while 194 residents worked outside Wildhaus and 164 people communted into the municipality for work.
. Of the rest of the population, there are 17 individuals (or about 1.35% of the population) who belong to the Orthodox Church, and there are 17 individuals (or about 1.35% of the population) who belong to another Christian church. There are 49 (or about 3.89% of the population) who are Islam
ic. There are 3 individuals (or about 0.24% of the population) who belong to another church (not listed on the census), 88 (or about 6.98% of the population) belong to no church, are agnostic
or atheist
, and 46 individuals (or about 3.65% of the population) did not answer the question.
. The wettest month is August during which time Wildhaus receives an average of 202 mm (8 in) of rain or snow. During this month there is precipitation for an average of 14.7 days. The month with the most days of precipitation is June, with an average of 15.8, but with only 199 mm (7.8 in) of rain or snow. The driest month of the year is October with an average of 100 mm (3.9 in) of precipitation over 14.7 days.
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...
of Wildhaus-Alt St. Johann in the Wahlkreis (constituency) of Toggenburg 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 St. Gallen 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 municipalities of Alt St. Johann
Alt St. Johann
Alt St. Johann is a village in the new municipality of Wildhaus-Alt St. Johann in the Wahlkreis of Toggenburg in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland. The municipalities of Alt St. Johann and Wildhaus merged on 1 January 2010 into the new municipality of Wildhaus-Alt St.Johann.-History:Alt St....
and Wildhaus merged into the municipality of Wildhaus-Alt St. Johann
Wildhaus-Alt St. Johann
Wildhaus-Alt St. Johann is a municipality in the Wahlkreis of Toggenburg in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland. It was formed on 1 January 2010 through the merger of Alt St. Johann and Wildhaus.-Demographics:...
on 1 January 2010.
The reformer Huldrych Zwingli
Huldrych Zwingli
Ulrich Zwingli was a leader of the Reformation in Switzerland. Born during a time of emerging Swiss patriotism and increasing criticism of the Swiss mercenary system, he attended the University of Vienna and the University of Basel, a scholarly centre of humanism...
was born in Wildhaus in 1484. His birth house can still be visited.
Geography
Wildhaus has an area, , of 34.4 km² (13.3 sq mi). Of this area, 50.6% is used for agricultural purposes, while 22.8% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 4.1% is settled (buildings or roads) and the remainder (22.5%) is non-productive (rivers or lakes).The village is located on Wildhaus Pass
Wildhaus Pass
Wildhaus Pass is a high mountain pass in the Alps in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland.It connects Gams in the Rhine valley and Unterwasser and Wattwil in the Toggenburg. The pass lies between the Säntis and the Churfirsten massifs...
(1090 m (3,576.1 ft)) from Gams
Gams
Gams is a municipality in the Wahlkreis of Werdenberg in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland.-History:Gams is first mentioned in 835 as Campesias. In 1210 it was mentioned as Chames, in 1236 as Gamps. Until the Middle Ages it was a Romansh village and was known in Romansh as...
, in the Rhine valley, to Unterwasser
Unterwasser
Unterwasser is a small village in the canton of St. Gallen, Switzerland. It is part of the municipality of Wildhaus-Alt St. Johann. It is a relatively small ski resort, and many of its trails are shared with the nearby village of Wildhaus...
in Toggenburg between the Churfirsten
Churfirsten
Churfirsten is a mountain range in the Canton of St. Gallen, Switzerland. Depending on the way they are counted, there are seven to thirteen peaks.-Peaks::*Selun *Frümsel *Brisi *Zuestoll...
peaks and Säntis
Säntis
At 2,502.9 meters above sea level, Säntis is the tallest mountain in the Alpstein massif of northeastern Switzerland. The mountain is a highly visible landmark thanks to its exposed northerly location within the Alpstein massif. As a consequence, houses called Säntisblick can be found in regions...
. The ski
Ski
A ski is a long, flat device worn on the foot, usually attached through a boot, designed to help the wearer slide smoothly over snow. Originally intended as an aid to travel in snowy regions, they are now mainly used for recreational and sporting purposes...
slopes above Wildhaus, Unterwasser and Alt St. Johann on the Churfirsten
Churfirsten
Churfirsten is a mountain range in the Canton of St. Gallen, Switzerland. Depending on the way they are counted, there are seven to thirteen peaks.-Peaks::*Selun *Frümsel *Brisi *Zuestoll...
ranges reach 2262 m (7,421.3 ft).
The municipalities of Alt St. Johann and Wildhaus merged into the municipality of Wildhaus-Alt St. Johann on 1 January 2010.
Coat of arms
The blazonBlazon
In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image...
of the municipal 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...
is Argent an Ibex Sable on a Stone proper between two Pine Trees Vert issuant from a Base of the last.
Demographics
Wildhaus has a population of 1,209, of which about 11.1% are foreign nationals. Of the foreign population, , 20 are from GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, 3 are from Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, 77 are from ex-Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
, 7 are from Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, 5 are from Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, and 55 are from another country. Over the last 10 years the population has decreased at a rate of -8.1%. Most of the population speaks German (91.8%), with Albanian being second most common ( 2.4%) and Serbo-Croatian being third ( 1.8%). Of the Swiss national languages , 1,157 speak German
German 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....
, 5 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...
, 2 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 3 people speak Romansh.
The age distribution, , in Wildhaus is; 140 children or 11.1% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 204 teenagers or 16.2% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 139 people or 11.0% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 170 people or 13.5% are between 30 and 39, 179 people or 14.2% are between 40 and 49, and 150 people or 11.9% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 128 people or 10.2% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 102 people or 8.1% are between 70 and 79, there are 40 people or 3.2% who are between 80 and 89,and there are 8 people or 0.6% who are between 90 and 99.
there were 202 persons (or 16.0% of the population) who were living alone in a private dwelling. There were 255 (or 20.2%) persons who were part of a couple (married or otherwise committed) without children, and 646 (or 51.3%) who were part of a couple with children. There were 74 (or 5.9%) people who lived in single parent home, while there are 17 persons who were adult children living with one or both parents, 4 persons who lived in a household made up of relatives,and 62 who are either institutionalized or live in another type of collective housing.
In the 2007 federal election
Swiss 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 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 39.5% 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....
(21.3%), 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...
(18.5%) and the SP
Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland....
(10.1%).
The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Wildhaus about 69% 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...
). Out of the total population in Wildhaus, , the highest education level completed by 315 people (25.0% of the population) was Primary, while 448 (35.6%) have completed their secondary education, 136 (10.8%) have attended a Tertiary school, and 32 (2.5%) are not in school. The remainder did not answer this question.
Heritage sites of national significance
Huldrych Zwingli
Ulrich Zwingli was a leader of the Reformation in Switzerland. Born during a time of emerging Swiss patriotism and increasing criticism of the Swiss mercenary system, he attended the University of Vienna and the University of Basel, a scholarly centre of humanism...
at Lisighus 167 is listed as a Swiss heritage site of national significance
Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance
The Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance is a register of some 8,300 items of cultural property in Switzerland...
.
Economy
, Wildhaus had an unemployment rate of 1.25%. , there were 133 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 52 businesses involved in this sector. 60 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 19 businesses in this sector. 403 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 51 businesses in this sector.the average unemployment rate was 2.2%. There were 122 businesses in the municipality of which 18 were involved in the secondary sector of the economy while 56 were involved in the third.
there were 466 residents who worked in the municipality, while 194 residents worked outside Wildhaus and 164 people communted into the municipality for work.
Religion
From the , 468 or 37.1% are Roman Catholic, while 572 or 45.4% 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...
. Of the rest of the population, there are 17 individuals (or about 1.35% of the population) who belong to the Orthodox Church, and there are 17 individuals (or about 1.35% of the population) who belong to another Christian church. There are 49 (or about 3.89% of the population) who are Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic. There are 3 individuals (or about 0.24% of the population) who belong to another church (not listed on the census), 88 (or about 6.98% of the population) belong to no church, are agnostic
Agnosticism
Agnosticism is the view that the truth value of certain claims—especially claims about the existence or non-existence of any deity, but also other religious and metaphysical claims—is unknown or unknowable....
or atheist
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
, and 46 individuals (or about 3.65% of the population) did not answer the question.
Weather
Wildhaus has an average of 157 days of rain or snow per year and on average receives 1640 mm (64.6 in) of precipitationPrecipitation (meteorology)
In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation...
. The wettest month is August during which time Wildhaus receives an average of 202 mm (8 in) of rain or snow. During this month there is precipitation for an average of 14.7 days. The month with the most days of precipitation is June, with an average of 15.8, but with only 199 mm (7.8 in) of rain or snow. The driest month of the year is October with an average of 100 mm (3.9 in) of precipitation over 14.7 days.