Villiers, Switzerland
Encyclopedia
Villiers is a municipality
in the district of Val-de-Ruz
in the canton
of Neuchâtel in Switzerland
.
Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 1.5% and transportation infrastructure made up 0.9%. Out of the forested land, 49.4% of the total land area is heavily forested and 3.7% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 8.3% is used for growing crops and 17.1% is pastures and 18.8% is used for alpine pastures.
The municipality is located in the Val de Ruz district, at the foot of the Chaumont and near the source of the Seyon river. It consists of the village of Villiers, the hamlet
of Clémesin and the alpine pastures of de La Dame, Chuffort, Aarberg, Ile-Frienisberg and Dombresson.
of the municipal coat of arms
is Gules, a Heart Argent and in chief a Mullet of Eight of the same.
Most of the population speaks French
(379 or 96.2%) as their first language, German
is the second most common (9 or 2.3%) and English
is the third (2 or 0.5%). There is 1 person who speaks Italian
.
, the population was 50.1% male and 49.9% female. The population was made up of 201 Swiss men (46.4% of the population) and 16 (3.7%) non-Swiss men. There were 197 Swiss women (45.5%) and 19 (4.4%) non-Swiss women. Of the population in the municipality, 111 or about 28.2% were born in Villiers and lived there in 2000. There were 159 or 40.4% who were born in the same canton, while 82 or 20.8% were born somewhere else in Switzerland, and 35 or 8.9% were born outside of Switzerland.
, children and teenagers (0-19 years old) make up 32% of the population, while adults (20-64 years old) make up 60.9% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 7.1%.
, there were 172 people who were single and never married in the municipality. There were 185 married individuals, 16 widows or widowers and 21 individuals who are divorced.
, there were 135 private households in the municipality, and an average of 2.9 persons per household. There were 26 households that consist of only one person and 17 households with five or more people. , a total of 133 apartments (82.1% of the total) were permanently occupied, while 26 apartments (16.0%) were seasonally occupied and 3 apartments (1.9%) were empty. , the construction rate of new housing units was 2.3 new units per 1000 residents.
The historical population is given in the following chart:
the most popular party was the SVP
which received 27.66% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SP
(21.64%), the LPS Party
(19.68%) and the Green Party
(11.81%). In the federal election, a total of 181 votes were cast, and the voter turnout
was 57.8%.
the total number of full-time equivalent
jobs was 99. The number of jobs in the primary sector was 21, all of which were in agriculture. The number of jobs in the secondary sector was 56 of which 52 or (92.9%) were in manufacturing and 4 (7.1%) were in construction. The number of jobs in the tertiary sector was 22. In the tertiary sector; 1 was in the sale or repair of motor vehicles, 4 or 18.2% were in a hotel or restaurant and 1 was in the information industry.
, there were 52 workers who commuted into the municipality and 155 workers who commuted away. The municipality is a net exporter of workers, with about 3.0 workers leaving the municipality for every one entering. Of the working population, 10.3% used public transportation to get to work, and 67.2% used a private car.
. Of the rest of the population, there were 16 individuals (or about 4.06% of the population) who belonged to another Christian church. There were 3 individuals (or about 0.76% of the population) who were Jewish
, and 116 (or about 29.44% of the population) belonged to no church, are agnostic
or atheist
, and 4 individuals (or about 1.02% of the population) did not answer the question.
). Of the 50 who completed tertiary schooling, 56.0% were Swiss men, 38.0% were Swiss women.
In the canton of Neuchâtel most municipalities provide two years of non-mandatory kindergarten
, followed by five years of mandatory primary education. The next four years of mandatory secondary education is provided at thirteen larger secondary schools, which many students travel out of their home municipality to attend. The kindergarten is combined with Le Pâquier and Dombresson
while the primary school is combined with Dombresson
. During the 2010-11 school year, there were 3 kindergarten classes with a total of 50 students between the municipalities. In the same year, there were 8 primary classes with a total of 156 students.
, there were 86 students from Villiers who attended schools outside the municipality.
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 district of Val-de-Ruz
Val-de-Ruz (district)
Val-de-Ruz District is a district of the canton of Neuchâtel, Switzerland, consisting of the region of Val de Ruz and the surrounding Jura Mountains. The district capital is the town of Cernier...
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 Neuchâtel 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....
.
History
Villiers is first mentioned in 1191 as in Vilar. In 1308 it was mentioned as de Villier.Geography
Villiers has an area, , of 10.6 square kilometre. Of this area, 4.7 square kilometre or 44.5% is used for agricultural purposes, while 5.61 square kilometre or 53.1% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 0.27 square kilometre or 2.6% is settled (buildings or roads) and 0.02 km² (4.9 acre) or 0.2% is unproductive land.Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 1.5% and transportation infrastructure made up 0.9%. Out of the forested land, 49.4% of the total land area is heavily forested and 3.7% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 8.3% is used for growing crops and 17.1% is pastures and 18.8% is used for alpine pastures.
The municipality is located in the Val de Ruz district, at the foot of the Chaumont and near the source of the Seyon river. It consists of the village of Villiers, the hamlet
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 Clémesin and the alpine pastures of de La Dame, Chuffort, Aarberg, Ile-Frienisberg and Dombresson.
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 Gules, a Heart Argent and in chief a Mullet of Eight of the same.
Demographics
Villiers has a population of . , 7.1% of the population are resident foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years (2000–2010) the population has changed at a rate of 14.8%. Migration accounted for 8.8%, while births and deaths accounted for 7%.Most of the population speaks 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...
(379 or 96.2%) as their first language, 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....
is the second most common (9 or 2.3%) and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
is the third (2 or 0.5%). There is 1 person who speaks 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...
.
, the population was 50.1% male and 49.9% female. The population was made up of 201 Swiss men (46.4% of the population) and 16 (3.7%) non-Swiss men. There were 197 Swiss women (45.5%) and 19 (4.4%) non-Swiss women. Of the population in the municipality, 111 or about 28.2% were born in Villiers and lived there in 2000. There were 159 or 40.4% who were born in the same canton, while 82 or 20.8% were born somewhere else in Switzerland, and 35 or 8.9% were born outside of Switzerland.
, children and teenagers (0-19 years old) make up 32% of the population, while adults (20-64 years old) make up 60.9% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 7.1%.
, there were 172 people who were single and never married in the municipality. There were 185 married individuals, 16 widows or widowers and 21 individuals who are divorced.
, there were 135 private households in the municipality, and an average of 2.9 persons per household. There were 26 households that consist of only one person and 17 households with five or more people. , a total of 133 apartments (82.1% of the total) were permanently occupied, while 26 apartments (16.0%) were seasonally occupied and 3 apartments (1.9%) were empty. , the construction rate of new housing units was 2.3 new units per 1000 residents.
The historical population is given in the following chart:
Politics
In the 2007 federal electionSwiss 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 27.66% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SP
Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland....
(21.64%), the LPS Party
Liberal Party of Switzerland
The Liberal Party of Switzerland was a party with economically liberal policies. It was known as a party of the upper class. On 1 January 2009 it merged with the larger Free Democratic Party to establish FDP.The Liberals....
(19.68%) 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:...
(11.81%). In the federal election, a total of 181 votes were cast, and the voter turnout
Voter turnout
Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election . After increasing for many decades, there has been a trend of decreasing voter turnout in most established democracies since the 1960s...
was 57.8%.
Economy
, Villiers had an unemployment rate of 3.6%. , there were 27 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 11 businesses involved in this sector. 64 people were employed in the secondary sector and there were 6 businesses in this sector. 31 people were employed in the tertiary sector, with 8 businesses in this sector. There were 204 residents of the municipality who were employed in some capacity, of which females made up 43.6% of the workforce.the total number of full-time equivalent
Full-time equivalent
Full-time equivalent , is a unit to measure employed persons or students in a way that makes them comparable although they may work or study a different number of hours per week. FTE is often used to measure a worker's involvement in a project, or to track cost reductions in an organization...
jobs was 99. The number of jobs in the primary sector was 21, all of which were in agriculture. The number of jobs in the secondary sector was 56 of which 52 or (92.9%) were in manufacturing and 4 (7.1%) were in construction. The number of jobs in the tertiary sector was 22. In the tertiary sector; 1 was in the sale or repair of motor vehicles, 4 or 18.2% were in a hotel or restaurant and 1 was in the information industry.
, there were 52 workers who commuted into the municipality and 155 workers who commuted away. The municipality is a net exporter of workers, with about 3.0 workers leaving the municipality for every one entering. Of the working population, 10.3% used public transportation to get to work, and 67.2% used a private car.
Religion
From the , 58 or 14.7% were Roman Catholic, while 205 or 52.0% 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 were 16 individuals (or about 4.06% of the population) who belonged to another Christian church. There were 3 individuals (or about 0.76% of the population) who were Jewish
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
, and 116 (or about 29.44% of the population) belonged 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 4 individuals (or about 1.02% of the population) did not answer the question.
Education
In Villiers about 146 or (37.1%) of the population have completed non-mandatory upper secondary education, and 50 or (12.7%) have completed additional higher education (either university or a FachhochschuleFachhochschule
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...
). Of the 50 who completed tertiary schooling, 56.0% were Swiss men, 38.0% were Swiss women.
In the canton of Neuchâtel most municipalities provide two years of non-mandatory kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
, followed by five years of mandatory primary education. The next four years of mandatory secondary education is provided at thirteen larger secondary schools, which many students travel out of their home municipality to attend. The kindergarten is combined with Le Pâquier and Dombresson
Dombresson
Dombresson is a municipality in the district of Val-de-Ruz in the canton of Neuchâtel in Switzerland.The municipalities of Boudevilliers, Cernier, Chézard-Saint-Martin, Coffrane, Dombresson, Engollon, Fenin-Vilars-Saules, Fontainemelon, Fontaines, Les Geneveys-sur-Coffrane, Les Hauts-Geneveys,...
while the primary school is combined with Dombresson
Dombresson
Dombresson is a municipality in the district of Val-de-Ruz in the canton of Neuchâtel in Switzerland.The municipalities of Boudevilliers, Cernier, Chézard-Saint-Martin, Coffrane, Dombresson, Engollon, Fenin-Vilars-Saules, Fontainemelon, Fontaines, Les Geneveys-sur-Coffrane, Les Hauts-Geneveys,...
. During the 2010-11 school year, there were 3 kindergarten classes with a total of 50 students between the municipalities. In the same year, there were 8 primary classes with a total of 156 students.
, there were 86 students from Villiers who attended schools outside the municipality.