Oberstocken
Encyclopedia
Oberstocken is a municipality
in the administrative district of Thun
in the canton
of Bern in Switzerland
.
In the 2007 election the most popular party was the SVP
which received 48.6% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the local small left-wing parties (15.9%), the SPS
(10.6%) and the Green Party
(9.1%).
The age distribution of the population is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 25.9% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 60.5% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 13.7%. In Oberstocken about 77.9% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule
).
Oberstocken has an unemployment rate of 2.38%. , there were 4 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 2 businesses involved in this sector. 13 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 5 businesses in this sector. 18 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 6 businesses in this sector.
The historical population is given in the following table:
Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 2.7% and transportation infrastructure made up 1.2%. Out of the forested land, 36.4% of the total land area is heavily forested and 2.7% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 4.6% is used for growing crops and 20.6% is pastures and 14.8% is used for alpine pastures. All the water in the municipality is in rivers and streams. Of the unproductive areas, 6.8% is unproductive vegetation and 5.3% is too rocky for vegetation.
Oberstocken lies in a valley in the Bernse high country of the alps
. The neighboring municipalities starting from the north in a clockwise direction are: Höfen
, Niederstocken
, Erlenbach im Simmental
, Därstetten
and Pohlern
.
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 administrative district of Thun
Thun (administrative district)
Thun District in the Canton of Bern was created on 1 January 2010. It is part of the Oberland administrative region. It contains 35 municipalities with an area of and a population of 103,233....
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....
.
Demographics
Oberstocken 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 9.8%. Most of the population speaks German (99.2%), with most of the rest speaking French ( 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 48.6% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the local small left-wing parties (15.9%), the SPS
Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland....
(10.6%) 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:...
(9.1%).
The age distribution of the population is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 25.9% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 60.5% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 13.7%. In Oberstocken about 77.9% 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...
).
Oberstocken has an unemployment rate of 2.38%. , there were 4 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 2 businesses involved in this sector. 13 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 5 businesses in this sector. 18 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 6 businesses in this sector.
The historical population is given in the following table:
| year | population |
|---|---|
| 1764 | 120 |
| 1850 | 223 |
| 1900 | 179 |
| 1950 | 243 |
| 2000 | 263 |
Civil Defense
With its 290 inhabitants this rural valley is designated as a civil defense evacuation site, with over 350 small bunkers. The main civil defense building is interimly used as a garage which houses 16 vehicles.Geography
Oberstocken has an area, , of 4.12 square kilometres (1.6 sq mi). Of this area, 1.68 km² (0.648651626435459 sq mi) or 40.8% is used for agricultural purposes, while 1.73 km² (0.667956734365086 sq mi) or 42.0% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 0.16 km² (0.0617763453748056 sq mi) or 3.9% is settled (buildings or roads), 0.03 km² (7.4 acre) or 0.7% is either rivers or lakes and 0.5 km² (0.193051079296268 sq mi) or 12.1% is unproductive land.Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 2.7% and transportation infrastructure made up 1.2%. Out of the forested land, 36.4% of the total land area is heavily forested and 2.7% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 4.6% is used for growing crops and 20.6% is pastures and 14.8% is used for alpine pastures. All the water in the municipality is in rivers and streams. Of the unproductive areas, 6.8% is unproductive vegetation and 5.3% is too rocky for vegetation.
Oberstocken lies in a valley in the Bernse high country of the alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
. The neighboring municipalities starting from the north in a clockwise direction are: Höfen
Höfen, Thun
Höfen is a municipality in the administrative district of Thun in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.-Geography:Höfen has an area, , of . Of this area, or 74.2% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 16.1% is forested...
, Niederstocken
Niederstocken
Niederstocken is a municipality in the administrative district of Thun in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.-Geography:Niederstocken has an area, , of . Of this area, or 24.8% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 54.7% is forested...
, Erlenbach im Simmental
Erlenbach im Simmental
Erlenbach im Simmental is a municipality in the district of Niedersimmental in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.-Geography:Erlenbach im Simmental has an area, , of . Of this area, or 50.5% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 37.9% is forested...
, Därstetten
Därstetten
Därstetten is a municipality in the Frutigen-Niedersimmental administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.-Geography:Därstetten has an area, , of . Of this area, or 46.2% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 39.9% is forested...
and Pohlern
Pohlern
Pohlern is a municipality in the administrative district of Thun in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.-Geography:Pohlern has an area of . Of this area, 37.1% is used for agricultural purposes, while 42.5% is forested...
.