Niederweningen

Niederweningen
Country Switzerland Canton Zurich District Dielsdorf 47°30′N 8°23′E / 47.5°N 8.383°E / 47.5; 8.383Coordinates: 47°30′N 8°23′E / 47.5°N 8.383°E / 47.5; 8.383
Population	2,729 (Dec 2010)[1]
- Density	397 /km2 (1,027 /sq mi)
Area	6.88 km2 (2.66 sq mi)
Elevation	505 m (1,657 ft)
Postal code	8166
SFOS number	0091
Surrounded by	Otelfingen, Schleinikon, Schneisingen (AG), Siglistorf (AG), Unterehrendingen (AG), Wettingen (AG)
Website	www.niederweningen.ch SFSO statistics
Niederweningen
View map of Niederweningen

Niederweningen is a municipality in the district of Dielsdorf in the canton of Zürich in Switzerland.

History

Niederweningen is first mentioned between 1096 and 1111 as Waningen. In 1269 it was mentioned as Nidirunweningin.^[2]

Geography

Churcg of Niederweningen

Niederweningen has an area of 6.9 km² (2.7 sq mi). Of this area, 48.2% is used for agricultural purposes, while 38.3% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 13.1% is settled (buildings or roads) and the remainder (0.4%) is non-productive (rivers, glaciers or mountains).^[3]

The municipality stretches along the Surb river through the Wehntal from the northern edge of the Lägern ridge to the new housing developments on the southern face of the Egg.

Demographics

Niederweningen has a population (as of 31 December 2010) of 2,729.^[1] As of 2007^[update], 11.1% of the population was made up of foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years the population has grown at a rate of 37.8%. Most of the population (as of 2000^[update]) speaks German (90.8%), with Italian being second most common ( 1.7%) and Serbo-Croatian being third ( 1.4%).

In the 2007 election the most popular party was the SVP which received 39.1% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SPS (13.8%), the Green Party (13.7%) and the FDP (10.2%).

The age distribution of the population (as of 2000^[update]) is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 27% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 64.9% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 8.1%. In Niederweningen about 83.3% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule).

Niederweningen has an unemployment rate of 2.01%. As of 2005^[update], there were 54 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 22 businesses involved in this sector. 453 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 13 businesses in this sector. 233 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 66 businesses in this sector.^[3] The historical population is given in the following table:^[2]

year	population
1634	309
1850	806
1900	551
1950	841
2000	2,220

Sights

Mammoth Museum in Niederweningen

Niederweningen is home the Mammoth Museum (Mammut Museum). In 1890, workers building the railroad through the valley discovered mammoth bones, which were housed in the Zoological Museum in Zurich.^[2] In 2003 a 34,000 year old complete mammoth skeleton was discovered not far from the 1890 site. In 2005 a museum was established in Niederweningen to house the skeletons. While parts of at least 9 skeletons were discovered, the museum houses only one complete skeleton. The museum also includes displays of other ice age animals and artifacts from more recent human settlements.^[4]

Transport

Niederweningen is a terminal station of the Zürich S-Bahn on the lines S5 and S55. Its train station is a 35 minute ride from Zürich Hauptbahnhof.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Canton of Zurich Statistical Office (German) accessed 29 March 2011
2. ^ ^{a b c} Niederweningen in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.
3. ^ ^{a b} Swiss Federal Statistical Office accessed 03-Aug-2009
4. ^ Brief Description of the museum accessed 3 August 2009

External links

• Mammoth Museum (German)