Belp
Encyclopedia
Belp is a municipality
in the Bern-Mittelland administrative district
in the canton
of Bern in Switzerland
. It is close to Bern's Belp Airport.
Of the built up area, industrial buildings made up 1.3% of the total area while housing and buildings made up 8.9% and transportation infrastructure made up 5.6%. 23.9% of the total land area is heavily forested and 1.3% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 40.0% is used for growing crops and 13.8% is pastures. All the water in the municipality is in rivers and streams.
The municipality is located at the mouth of the Gürbetal
and on the left bank of the Aare river. It includes the village of Belp, the hamlets
of Viehweide, Heitern and Hofmatt. In recent years, a number of new developments have been built including Eissel (1956–75), Montenach (1960s), Schafmatt (1970s), Hühnerhubel (1980). The parish
includes Belp, Belpberg
and Toffen
. It is home to the Bern-Belp regional airport
.
In the 2007 election the most popular party was the SVP
which received 38.6% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SPS
(18.1%), the FDP
(13.6%) and the Green Party
(9.2%).
The age distribution of the population is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 23.6% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 62.7% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 13.7%. The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Belp about 80.6% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either University or a Fachhochschule
).
Belp has an unemployment rate of 1.73%. , there were 252 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 55 businesses involved in this sector. 994 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 93 businesses in this sector. 2784 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 339 businesses in this sector.
The historical population is given in the following table:
and Sky Work Airlines
are located on the grounds of Bern Airport
in Belp.
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 Bern-Mittelland administrative district
Bern-Mittelland (administrative district)
Bern-Mittelland District in the Canton of Bern was created on 1 January 2010. It is part of the Bern-Mittelland administrative region, and is the only district in the region...
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....
. It is close to Bern's Belp Airport.
Geography
Belp has an area, , of 17.59 km² (6.8 sq mi). Of this area, 9.64 km² (3.7 sq mi) or 54.8% is used for agricultural purposes, while4.43 km² (1.7 sq mi) or 25.2% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 3 km² (1.2 sq mi) or 17.1% is settled (buildings or roads), 0.49 km² (0.189190057710342 sq mi) or 2.8% is either rivers or lakes and 0.05 km² (12.4 acre) or 0.3% is unproductive land.Of the built up area, industrial buildings made up 1.3% of the total area while housing and buildings made up 8.9% and transportation infrastructure made up 5.6%. 23.9% of the total land area is heavily forested and 1.3% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 40.0% is used for growing crops and 13.8% is pastures. All the water in the municipality is in rivers and streams.
The municipality is located at the mouth of the Gürbetal
Gürbetal
Gürbetal in Switzerland lies between the cities of Bern and Thun, west of the Aare river. It contains the municipality of Seftigen and those that surround it. The valley is named after the Gürbe river which flows through it. The largest town in the Gürbe valley is Belp...
and on the left bank of the Aare river. It includes the village of Belp, the hamlets
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
of Viehweide, Heitern and Hofmatt. In recent years, a number of new developments have been built including Eissel (1956–75), Montenach (1960s), Schafmatt (1970s), Hühnerhubel (1980). The parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
includes Belp, Belpberg
Belpberg
Belpberg is a municipality in the Bern-Mittelland administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.The villages historic dependency on agriculture, dairy farming and cattle breeding have continued to the present day...
and Toffen
Toffen
Toffen is a municipality in the Bern-Mittelland administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It lies approximately 10 km south of the city of Bern.The palace situated there, Schloss Toffen, is a heritage site of national significance....
. It is home to the Bern-Belp regional airport
Bern Airport
Bern-Belp Airport is an airport serving Bern in Switzerland. The airport is within the town limits of Belp, and it is often known simply as Belp Airport....
.
Demographics
Belp has a population (as of ) of . , 9.9% of the population was made up of foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years the population has grown at a rate of 14.1%. Most of the population speaks German (92.5%), with French being second most common ( 1.2%) and Albanian being third ( 1.2%).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 38.6% 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....
(18.1%), 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....
(13.6%) 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:...
(9.2%).
The age distribution of the population is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 23.6% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 62.7% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 13.7%. The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Belp about 80.6% 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...
).
Belp has an unemployment rate of 1.73%. , there were 252 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 55 businesses involved in this sector. 994 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 93 businesses in this sector. 2784 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 339 businesses in this sector.
The historical population is given in the following table:
| year | population |
|---|---|
| 1764 | 789 |
| 1850 | 1,970 |
| 1900 | 2,343 |
| 1950 | 4,066 |
| 2000 | 9,193 |
Economy
The head offices of HeliswissHeliswiss
Heliswiss AG is a Swiss helicopter company with headquarters on the property of Bern Airport in Belp, Switzerland, near Bern.-History:Heliswiss - the oldest helicopter company in Switzerland - was founded as „Heliswiss Schweizerische Helikopter AG“ with headquarters in Berne-Belp on April 17, 1958....
and Sky Work Airlines
Sky Work Airlines
SkyWork Airlines AG is a Swiss airline, with its head office in the complex of "Piste Süd" near Bern Airport in Belp. It primarily operates scheduled flights to destinations across Europe and Northern Africa, with charter operations throughout the summer months....
are located on the grounds of Bern Airport
Bern Airport
Bern-Belp Airport is an airport serving Bern in Switzerland. The airport is within the town limits of Belp, and it is often known simply as Belp Airport....
in Belp.