Oberbalm
Encyclopedia
Oberbalm, is a municipality
in the Bern-Mittelland administrative district
in the canton
of Bern in Switzerland
.
Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 2.8% and transportation infrastructure made up 1.7%. Out of the forested land, 18.2% of the total land area is heavily forested and 2.6% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 21.2% is used for growing crops and 50.5% is pastures, while 2.3% 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 the SVP
which received 56.4% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SPS
(11.3%), the Green Party
(9.6%) and the local small left-wing parties (5.7%).
The age distribution of the population is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 23.5% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 60.7% and the seniors (over 64 years old) make up 15.8%. In Oberbalm about 69.9% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule
).
Oberbalm has an unemployment rate of 2.1%. , there were 193 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 71 businesses involved in this sector. 53 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 9 businesses in this sector. 51 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 15 businesses in this sector.
.
Each summer an open-air Rock Festival (Outdoor Elch) is held on top of Balmberg Hill.
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....
.
Geography
Oberbalm has an area, , of 12.41 square kilometres (4.8 sq mi). Of this area, 9.18 km² (3.5 sq mi) or 74.0% is used for agricultural purposes, while 2.58 km² (0.99614356916874 sq mi) or 20.8% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 0.57 km² (0.220078230397745 sq mi) or 4.6% is settled (buildings or roads), 0.02 km² (4.9 acre) or 0.2% is either rivers or lakes.Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 2.8% and transportation infrastructure made up 1.7%. Out of the forested land, 18.2% of the total land area is heavily forested and 2.6% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 21.2% is used for growing crops and 50.5% is pastures, while 2.3% is used for orchards or vine crops. All the water in the municipality is in rivers and streams.
Demographics
Oberbalm has a population (as of ) of . , 3.1% of the population was made up of foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years the population has grown at a rate of 3.1%. Most of the population speaks German (98.9%), with French being second most common ( 0.1%) and Italian being third ( 0.1%).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 56.4% 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....
(11.3%), 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:...
(9.6%) and the local small left-wing parties (5.7%).
The age distribution of the population is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 23.5% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 60.7% and the seniors (over 64 years old) make up 15.8%. In Oberbalm about 69.9% 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...
).
Oberbalm has an unemployment rate of 2.1%. , there were 193 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 71 businesses involved in this sector. 53 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 9 businesses in this sector. 51 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 15 businesses in this sector.
Sights
The village of Oberbalm is famous for its church, the St. Sulpitius Church which contains frescoes from 1470. Oberbalm is a place of pilgrimagePilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
.
Each summer an open-air Rock Festival (Outdoor Elch) is held on top of Balmberg Hill.