Diemtigen
Encyclopedia
Diemtigen is a municipality
in the Frutigen-Niedersimmental administrative district
in the canton
of Bern in Switzerland
.
In 1986, the community was awarded the Wakker Prize
for preservation of its architectural heritage.
Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 0.7% and transportation infrastructure made up 0.8%. 25.5% of the total land area is heavily forested and 3.7% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 0.3% is used for growing crops and 9.5% is pastures and 38.2% is used for alpine pastures. All the water in the municipality is in rivers and streams. Of the unproductive areas, 9.1% is unproductive vegatation and 10.3% is too rocky for vegatation.
In the 2007 election the most popular party was the SVP
which received 70% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the local small left-wing parties (7.6%), the Green Party
(6%) and the SPS
(5.9%).
The age distribution of the population is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 26.3% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 57.5% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 16.2%. The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Diemtigen about 61.8% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule
).
Diemtigen has an unemployment rate of 0.83%. , there were 420 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 145 businesses involved in this sector. 289 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 46 businesses in this sector. 331 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 79 businesses in this sector.
The historical population is given in the following table:
to a Municipality of Switzerland for the development and preservation of its architectural heritage. In 1986, Diemtigen was given the prize for consistent planning that remained spared much of an area measuring 130 km² (50.2 sq mi) from development. The scattered nature of the municipality made this more difficult, because there are many scattered land owners with different goals. However, the municipality was able to create a number of large landscape protection zones, which limited and concentrated holiday house areas to a few places.
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....
.
In 1986, the community was awarded the Wakker Prize
Wakker Prize
The Wakker Prize is awarded annually by the Swiss Heritage Society to a Municipality of Switzerland for the development and preservation of its architectural heritage....
for preservation of its architectural heritage.
Geography
Diemtigen has an area, , of 129.97 km² (50.2 sq mi). Of this area, 62.4 km² (24.1 sq mi) or 48.0% is used for agricultural purposes, while 39.51 km² (15.3 sq mi) or 30.4% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 2.27 km² (0.876451900005054 sq mi) or 1.7% is settled (buildings or roads), 0.6 km² (0.231661295155521 sq mi) or 0.5% is either rivers or lakes and 25.24 km² (9.7 sq mi) or 19.4% is unproductive land.Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 0.7% and transportation infrastructure made up 0.8%. 25.5% of the total land area is heavily forested and 3.7% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 0.3% is used for growing crops and 9.5% is pastures and 38.2% is used for alpine pastures. All the water in the municipality is in rivers and streams. Of the unproductive areas, 9.1% is unproductive vegatation and 10.3% is too rocky for vegatation.
Demographics
Diemtigen has a population (as of ) of . , 2.7% of the population was made up of foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years the population has grown at a rate of 0.8%. Most of the population speaks German (98.2%), with Albanian being second most common ( 0.5%) and Serbo-Croatian being third ( 0.4%).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% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the local small left-wing parties (7.6%), 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:...
(6%) and the SPS
Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland....
(5.9%).
The age distribution of the population is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 26.3% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 57.5% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 16.2%. The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Diemtigen about 61.8% 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...
).
Diemtigen has an unemployment rate of 0.83%. , there were 420 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 145 businesses involved in this sector. 289 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 46 businesses in this sector. 331 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 79 businesses in this sector.
The historical population is given in the following table:
| year | population |
|---|---|
| 1764 | 1,138 |
| 1850 | 2,150 |
| 1900 | 2,014 |
| 1950 | 2,049 |
| 1970 | 1,913 |
| 2000 | 2,054 |
Wakker Prize
The Wakker prize is given each year by the Swiss Heritage SocietySwiss Heritage Society
The Swiss Heritage Society is a non-profit organisation dedicated to the advancement of Switzerland’s architectural heritage. Its focus is on the preservation of important landmarks, the development of the structural environment, and the promotion of good architectural design.The SHS was founded...
to a Municipality of Switzerland for the development and preservation of its architectural heritage. In 1986, Diemtigen was given the prize for consistent planning that remained spared much of an area measuring 130 km² (50.2 sq mi) from development. The scattered nature of the municipality made this more difficult, because there are many scattered land owners with different goals. However, the municipality was able to create a number of large landscape protection zones, which limited and concentrated holiday house areas to a few places.