Editing Bellwald

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Infobox Swiss town
 | subject_name		= Bellwald
 | image_photo            = Bellwald.jpg
 | municipality_type	= municipality
 | imagepath_coa	= CHE Bellwald COA.svg
 | imagepath_flag	= CHE Bellwald Flag.svg
 | canton		= Valais
 | iso-code-region 	= CH-VS
 | district		= [[Goms (district)|Goms]]
 |coordinates = {{coord|46|26|N|8|9|E|display=inline,title}}
 | postal_code		= 3997
 | municipality_code	= 6052
 | area			= 13.7
 | elevation		= 1560|elevation_description= 
 | population		= 452|populationof = December 2002 | popofyear = 2002
 | website		= www.bellwald.ch
 | mayor                = Martin Bittel |mayor_asof=|mayor_party=
 | mayor_title	= |list_of_mayors	= 
 | places		= 
 | demonym		= 
 | neighboring_municipalities= [[Blitzingen]], [[Ernen]], [[Fiesch]], [[Fieschertal]], [[Grafschaft, Switzerland|Grafschaft]], [[Niederwald, Switzerland|Niederwald]]
 | twintowns		= 
|}}

'''Bellwald''' is a [[Municipalities of Switzerland|municipality]] in the district of [[Goms (district)|Goms]] in the [[Cantons of Switzerland|canton]] of [[Valais]] in [[Switzerland]].

==History==
[[File:ETH-BIB-Bellwald, Wannehorn-LBS H1-018940.tif|thumb|Historic aerial photograph by Werner Friedli from 1955]]
Bellwald was first used to refer to the nearby mountain 1273 ''Beliwalt'' and 1293 ''Belwalt''.  The name then came to mean the main village below the mountain.  The village was first mentioned in 1374 as ''Zblattun''.<ref name=HDS/>

==Geography==
[[File:Goms, Bellwald, Sicht ueber das Tal.jpg|thumb|left|Above Bellwald, view over the valley]]
Bellwald has an area, {{as of|2011|lc=on}}, of {{convert|13.7|km2|mi2|sp=us}}.  Of this area, 49.7% is used for agricultural purposes, while 19.8% is forested.  Of the rest of the land, 4.4% is settled (buildings or roads) and 26.2% is unproductive land.<ref name=SFSO/>

It lies at {{convert|1600|m|ft|abbr=on}} and is the highest village in Goms, or the upper [[Rhône]] river valley.

The municipality consists of scattered settlements between the Rhône and Fiescher valley.  It consists of the village of Bellwald and the [[hamlet (place)|hamlets]] of Ried, Eggen, Bodmen and Fürgangen.

==Coat of arms==
The [[blazon]] of the municipal [[coat of arms]] is ''Azure, issuant from Coupeaux Vert a Pine tree of the same trunked Maroon.''<ref>[http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/ch-vs026.html Flags of the World.com]. Retrieved 7 September 2011</ref>

==Demographics==
[[File:Bellwald 01.jpg|thumb|Bellwald village]]
[[File:Fieschergletscher Ried 2010.jpg|thumb|upright|Ried village in Bellwald]]
Bellwald has a population ({{as of|{{Swiss populations YM|CH-VS}}|lc=on}}) of {{Swiss populations|CH-VS|6052}}.{{Swiss populations ref|CH-VS}}  {{as of|2008}}, 15.2% of the population are resident foreign nationals.<ref name=HDS_superweb>[http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/infothek/onlinedb/superweb/login.html Swiss Federal Statistical Office - Superweb database - Gemeinde Statistics 1981-2008] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100628151016/http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/infothek/onlinedb/superweb/login.html |date=28 June 2010 }} {{in lang|de}} Retrieved 19 June 2010</ref> Over the last 10 years (1999–2009 ) the population has changed at a rate of -6.5%.  It has changed at a rate of -3.3% due to migration and at a rate of 2.4% due to births and deaths.<ref name=SFSO>[http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/en/index/regionen/02/key.html Swiss Federal Statistical Office] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105172441/http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/en/index/regionen/02/key.html |date=5 January 2016 }} Retrieved 7 September 2011</ref>

Most of the population ({{as of|2000|lc=on}}) speaks [[German language|German]] (375 or 87.8%) as their first language, [[Serbo-Croatian]] is the second most common (16 or 3.7%) and [[Albanian language|Albanian]] is the third (12 or 2.8%).  There are 3 people who speak [[French language|French]], 1 person who speaks [[Italian language|Italian]].<ref name=STAT2000/>

{{as of|2008}}, the gender distribution of the population was 51.5% male and 48.5% female.  The population was made up of 199 Swiss men (43.4% of the population) and 37 (8.1%) non-Swiss men.  There were 189 Swiss women (41.3%) and 33 (7.2%) non-Swiss women.<ref name=VS_Pop>[http://www.vs.ch/Navig/navig.asp?MenuID=14752 Ständige Wohnbevolkerung nach Geschlecht und Heimat am 31.12.2009.xls] {{in lang|de|fr}} Retrieved 24 August 2011</ref> Of the population in the municipality 217 or about 50.8% were born in Bellwald and lived there in 2000.  There were 69 or 16.2% who were born in the same canton, while 59 or 13.8% were born somewhere else in Switzerland, and 71 or 16.6% were born outside of Switzerland.<ref name=STAT2000/>

The age distribution of the population ({{as of|2000|lc=on}}) is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 25.8% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 57.6% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 16.6%.<ref name=SFSO/>

{{as of|2000}}, there were 166 people who were single and never married in the municipality.  There were 233 married individuals, 26 widows or widowers and 2 individuals who are divorced.<ref name=STAT2000>[http://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/Database/German_40%20-%20Eidgen%C3%B6ssische%20Volksz%C3%A4hlung/40.3%20-%202000/40.3%20-%202000.asp?lang=1&prod=40&secprod=3&openChild=true STAT-TAB Datenwürfel für Thema 40.3 - 2000] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130809142611/http://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/Database/German_40%20-%20Eidgen%C3%B6ssische%20Volksz%C3%A4hlung/40.3%20-%202000/40.3%20-%202000.asp?lang=1&prod=40&secprod=3&openChild=true |date=9 August 2013 }}  {{in lang|de}} Retrieved 2 February 2011</ref>

{{as of|2000}}, there were 175 private households in the municipality, and an average of 2.4 persons per household.<ref name=SFSO/> There were 56 households that consist of only one person and 12 households with five or more people.  Out of a total of 179 households that answered this question, 31.3% were households made up of just one person and there were 4 adults who lived with their parents.  Of the rest of the households, there are 49 married couples without children, 62 married couples with children There were 2 single parents with a child or children.  There were 2 households that were made up of unrelated people and 4 households that were made up of some sort of institution or another collective housing.<ref name=STAT2000/>

{{as of|2000|alt=In 2000}} there were 433 single family homes (or 75.2% of the total) out of a total of 576 inhabited buildings.  There were 96 multi-family buildings (16.7%), along with 17 multi-purpose buildings that were mostly used for housing (3.0%) and 30 other use buildings (commercial or industrial) that also had some housing (5.2%).<ref name=Housing>[http://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/Database/German_09%20-%20Bau-%20und%20Wohnungswesen/09.2%20-%20Geb%C3%A4ude%20und%20Wohnungen/09.2%20-%20Geb%C3%A4ude%20und%20Wohnungen.asp?lang=1&prod=09&secprod=2&openChild=true Swiss Federal Statistical Office STAT-TAB - Datenwürfel für Thema 09.2 - Gebäude und Wohnungen] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140907111534/http://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/Database/German_09%20-%20Bau-%20und%20Wohnungswesen/09.2%20-%20Geb%C3%A4ude%20und%20Wohnungen/09.2%20-%20Geb%C3%A4ude%20und%20Wohnungen.asp?lang=1&prod=09&secprod=2&openChild=true |date=7 September 2014 }} {{in lang|de}} Retrieved 28 January 2011</ref>

{{as of|2000|alt=In 2000}}, a total of 158 apartments (20.0% of the total) were permanently occupied, while 570 apartments (72.2%) were seasonally occupied and 62 apartments (7.8%) were empty.<ref name=Housing/>  {{as of|2009}}, the construction rate of new housing units was 34.9 new units per 1000 residents.<ref name=SFSO/> The vacancy rate for the municipality, {{as of|2010|alt=in 2010}}, was 2.52%.<ref name=SFSO/>

The historical population is given in the following chart:<ref name=HDS>{{HDS|2682|Bellwald}}</ref><ref>[http://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/Database/German_40%20-%20Eidgen%C3%B6ssische%20Volksz%C3%A4hlung/40.4%20-%201850-2000/40.4%20-%201850-2000.asp?lang=1&prod=40&secprod=4&openChild=true Swiss Federal Statistical Office STAT-TAB Bevölkerungsentwicklung nach Region, 1850-2000] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140930162751/http://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/Database/German_40%20-%20Eidgen%C3%B6ssische%20Volksz%C3%A4hlung/40.4%20-%201850-2000/40.4%20-%201850-2000.asp?lang=1&prod=40&secprod=4&openChild=true |date=30 September 2014 }} {{in lang|de}} Retrieved 29 January 2011</ref>
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  bar:1850 from:start till:266 text:"266"
  bar:1860 from:start till:287 text:"287"
  bar:1870 from:start till:293 text:"293"
  bar:1880 from:start till:308 text:"308"
  bar:1888 from:start till:290 text:"290"
  bar:1900 from:start till:285 text:"285"
  bar:1910 from:start till:251 text:"251"
  bar:1920 from:start till:264 text:"264"
  bar:1930 from:start till:275 text:"275"
  bar:1941 from:start till:297 text:"297"
  bar:1950 from:start till:265 text:"265"
  bar:1960 from:start till:253 text:"253"
  bar:1970 from:start till:258 text:"258"
  bar:1980 from:start till:285 text:"285"
  bar:1990 from:start till:310 text:"310"
  bar:2000 from:start till:427 text:"427"
  bar:2018 from:start till:378 text:"378"
</timeline>

==Sights==
The entire hamlet of Bodma is designated as part of the [[Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bevoelkerungsschutz.admin.ch/internet/bs/de/home/themen/kgs/kgs_inventar/a-objekte.html |title=Kantonsliste A-Objekte |year=2009 |work=KGS Inventar |publisher=Federal Office of Civil Protection |language=German |accessdate=25 April 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100628110559/http://www.bevoelkerungsschutz.admin.ch/internet/bs/de/home/themen/kgs/kgs_inventar/a-objekte.html |archivedate=28 June 2010 }}</ref>

<gallery>
Image:Bellwald- Aussicht.jpg
Image:Luftbild Goms.jpg
Image:3661 - Bellwald viewed from Eggishorn.JPG
</gallery>

==Politics==
In the [[2007 Swiss federal election|2007 federal election]] the most popular party was the [[Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland|CVP]] which received 56.51% of the vote.  The next three most popular parties were the [[Swiss People's Party|SVP]] (18.89%), the [[Social Democratic Party of Switzerland|SP]] (17.91%) and the [[FDP.The Liberals|FDP]] (4.28%).  In the federal election, a total of 167 votes were cast, and the [[voter turnout]] was 54.4%.<ref>[http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/17/02/blank/data/04/03.html Swiss Federal Statistical Office, ''Nationalratswahlen 2007: Stärke der Parteien und Wahlbeteiligung, nach Gemeinden/Bezirk/Canton''] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150514211354/http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/17/02/blank/data/04/03.html |date=14 May 2015 }} {{in lang|de}} Retrieved 28 May 2010</ref>

In the 2009 [[Conseil d'État (Switzerland)|Conseil d'État/Staatsrat]] election a total of 154 votes were cast, of which 16 or about 10.4% were invalid.  The voter participation was 53.1%, which is similar to the cantonal average of 54.67%.<ref>[http://www.vs.ch/Navig/navig.asp?MenuID=4363&Language=de&link= Staatsratswahlen vom 1. März 2009] {{in lang|de}} Retrieved 24 August 2011</ref> In the 2007 [[Swiss Council of States election, 2007|Swiss Council of States election]] a total of 165 votes were cast, of which 5 or about 3.0% were invalid.  The voter participation was 55.0%, which is similar to the cantonal average of 59.88%.<ref>[http://www.vs.ch/navig/navig.asp?MenuID=4360&RefMenuID=0&RefServiceID=0 Ständeratswahl 2007] {{in lang|de}} Retrieved 24 August 2011</ref>

==Economy==
[[File:Bahnhof Fürgangen-Bellwald 01.jpg|thumb|Fürgangen-Bellwald train station]]
{{as of|2010|In 2010}}, Bellwald had an unemployment rate of 3.8%.  {{as of|2008}}, there were 19 people employed in the [[Primary sector of the economy|primary economic sector]] and about 8 businesses involved in this sector.  48 people were employed in the [[Secondary sector of the economy|secondary sector]] and there were 7 businesses in this sector.  118 people were employed in the [[Tertiary sector of the economy|tertiary sector]], with 25 businesses in this sector.<ref name=SFSO/> There were 204 residents of the municipality who were employed in some capacity, of which females made up 42.6% of the workforce.

{{as of|2008|alt=In 2008}} the total number of [[full-time equivalent]] jobs was 158.  The number of jobs in the primary sector was 10, all of which were in agriculture.  The number of jobs in the secondary sector was 47 of which 12 or (25.5%) were in manufacturing and 35 (74.5%) were in construction.  The number of jobs in the tertiary sector was 101.  In the tertiary sector; 19 or 18.8% were in wholesale or retail sales or the repair of motor vehicles, 16 or 15.8% were in the movement and storage of goods, 49 or 48.5% were in a hotel or restaurant, 1 was the insurance or financial industry, 1 was a technical professional or scientist, 3 or 3.0% were in education.<ref>[http://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/Database/German_06%20-%20Industrie%20und%20Dienstleistungen/06.2%20-%20Unternehmen/06.2%20-%20Unternehmen.asp?lang=1&prod=06&secprod=2&openChild=true Swiss Federal Statistical Office STAT-TAB Betriebszählung: Arbeitsstätten nach Gemeinde und NOGA 2008 (Abschnitte), Sektoren 1-3] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141225013454/http://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/Database/German_06%20-%20Industrie%20und%20Dienstleistungen/06.2%20-%20Unternehmen/06.2%20-%20Unternehmen.asp?lang=1&prod=06&secprod=2&openChild=true |date=25 December 2014 }} {{in lang|de}} Retrieved 28 January 2011</ref>

{{as of|2000|alt=In 2000}}, there were 43 workers who commuted into the municipality and 51 workers who commuted away.  The municipality is a net exporter of workers, with about 1.2 workers leaving the municipality for every one entering.<ref name=commuter>[https://archive.today/20120804043150/http://www.media-stat.admin.ch/stat/pendler/pop.php Swiss Federal Statistical Office - Statweb] {{in lang|de}} Retrieved 24 June 2010</ref> Of the working population, 11.8% used public transportation to get to work, and 36.3% used a private car.<ref name=SFSO/>

==Religion==
[[File:Bellwald-Kirche.jpg|thumb|Bellwald church]]
From the {{as of|2000|alt=2000 census}}, 332 or 77.8% were [[Roman Catholic]], while 28 or 6.6% belonged to the [[Swiss Reformed Church]].  Of the rest of the population, there were 8 [[Eastern Orthodox Church|members of an Orthodox church]] (or about 1.87% of the population), and there was 1 individual who belongs to another Christian church.  There were 27 (or about 6.32% of the population) who were [[Islam]]ic.  20 (or about 4.68% of the population) belonged to no church, are [[Agnosticism|agnostic]] or [[Atheism|atheist]], and 11 individuals (or about 2.58% of the population) did not answer the question.<ref name=STAT2000/>

==Education==
In Bellwald about 154 or (36.1%) of the population have completed non-mandatory [[Education in Switzerland#Secondary|upper secondary education]], and 39 or (9.1%) have completed additional higher education (either [[List of universities in Switzerland|university]] or a ''[[Fachhochschule]]'').  Of the 39 who completed tertiary schooling, 46.2% were Swiss men, 15.4% were Swiss women, 23.1% were non-Swiss men and 15.4% were non-Swiss women.<ref name=STAT2000/>

During the 2010-2011 school year there were a total of 21 students in the Bellwald school system.  The [[Education in Switzerland|education system]] in the Canton of Valais allows young children to attend one year of non-obligatory [[Kindergarten]].<ref>{{Cite report |title=Kantonale Schulstrukturen in der Schweiz und im Fürstentum Liechtenstein / Structures Scolaires Cantonales en Suisse et Dans la Principauté du Liechtenstein |url= http://edudoc.ch/record/35128/files/Schulsystem_alle.pdf |author= EDK/CDIP/IDES |year= 2010 |accessdate= 24 June 2010 }}</ref> During that school year, there was one kindergarten class (KG1 or KG2) and 4 kindergarten students.  The canton's school system requires students to attend six years of [[primary school]].  In Bellwald there were a total of 2 classes and 21 students in the primary school.  The [[secondary school]] program consists of three lower, obligatory years of schooling (orientation classes), followed by three to five years of optional, advanced schools.  All the lower secondary students from Bellwald attend their school in a neighboring municipality.<ref>[http://www.vs.ch/navig/navig.asp?MenuID=14519&RefMenuID=0&RefServiceID=0 Obligatorische Schulzeit] {{in lang|de}} Retrieved 24 August 2011</ref> All the upper secondary students attended school in another municipality.

{{as of|2000}}, there were 32 students in Bellwald who came from another municipality, while 10 residents attended schools outside the municipality.<ref name=commuter/>

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Bellwald}}
*[http://www.bellwald.ch Bellwald Tourismus] {{in lang|de}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20130725160757/http://www.bellwald-underground.ch/wordpress/ Bellwald Underground] {{in lang|de}}

{{Municipalities of the district of Goms}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Ski areas and resorts in Switzerland]]