Därstetten

Därstetten
The Moos hamlet in Därstetten.
Country Switzerland Canton Bern District Frutigen-Niedersimmental 46°39′N 7°29′E / 46.65°N 7.483°E / 46.65; 7.483Coordinates: 46°39′N 7°29′E / 46.65°N 7.483°E / 46.65; 7.483
Population	849 (Dec 2010)[1]
- Density	26 /km2 (67 /sq mi)
Area	32.79 km2 (12.66 sq mi)[2]
Elevation	757 m (2,484 ft)
Postal code	3763
SFOS number	0761
Surrounded by	Blumenstein, Diemtigen, Erlenbach im Simmental, Oberstocken, Oberwil im Simmental, Pohlern, Rüeggisberg, Rüschegg
Website	Därstetten.ch SFSO statistics
Därstetten
Map of Därstetten

Därstetten is a municipality in the Frutigen-Niedersimmental administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.

History

Därstetten is first mentioned in 1228 as Tarenchat.^[3]

Geography

Därstetten has an area, as of 2009^[update], of 32.79 km² (12.66 sq mi). Of this area, 15.16 km² (5.85 sq mi) or 46.2% is used for agricultural purposes, while 13.07 km² (5.05 sq mi) or 39.9% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 0.88 km² (0.34 sq mi) or 2.7% is settled (buildings or roads), 0.36 km² (0.14 sq mi) or 1.1% is either rivers or lakes and 3.32 km² (1.28 sq mi) or 10.1% is unproductive land.^[4]

Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 1.3% and transportation infrastructure made up 1.2%. 32.8% of the total land area is heavily forested and 5.7% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 0.2% is used for growing crops and 15.9% is pastures and 29.9% is used for alpine pastures. All the water in the municipality is in rivers and streams. Of the unproductive areas, 6.9% is unproductive vegatation and 3.2% is too rocky for vegatation.^[4]

The municipality is located on the valley floor and hills around the Stockhorn and Turnen mountains. The landscape includes a valley floor, forests and alps. It includes the farming cooperatives (Bäuerten) of Weissenburg, Reichenbach and Wiler.

Demographics

Därstetten has a population (as of 31 December 2010) of 849.^[1] As of 2007^[update], 2.6% of the population was made up of foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years the population has decreased at a rate of -0.1%. Most of the population (as of 2000^[update]) speaks German (96.9%), with French being second most common ( 0.9%) and Albanian being third ( 0.7%).

In the 2007 election the most popular party was the SVP which received 69.1% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the local small left-wing parties (10.1%), the FDP (6.2%) and the SPS (4.7%).

The age distribution of the population (as of 2000^[update]) is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 31.3% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 52.9% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 15.8%. The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Därstetten about 62.3% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either University or a Fachhochschule).

Därstetten has an unemployment rate of 0.98%. As of 2005^[update], there were 170 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 57 businesses involved in this sector. 77 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 19 businesses in this sector. 133 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 25 businesses in this sector.^[5] The historical population is given in the following table:^[3]

year	population
1764	535
1850	104
1900	897
1950	885
1980	759
2000	879

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Swiss Federal Statistical Office - STAT-TAB, online database – Datenwürfel für Thema 01.2 - Bevölkerungsstand und -bewegung (German) accessed 29 September
2. ^ Arealstatistik Standard - Gemeindedaten nach 4 Hauptbereichen
3. ^ ^{a b} Därstetten in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.
4. ^ ^{a b} Swiss Federal Statistical Office-Land Use Statistics 2009 data (German) accessed 25 March 2010
5. ^ Swiss Federal Statistical Office accessed 10-Jul-2009

External links

• Därstetten in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.