Niederhelfenschwil
Encyclopedia
Niederhelfenschwil is a municipality
in the Wahlkreis (constituency) of Wil
in the canton
of St. Gallen in Switzerland
.
The municipality is located in the Wil Wahlkreis, north of the Thur river between Bischofszell
and Wil
. It consists of the villages of Niederhelfenschwil, Lenggenwil and Schloss Zuckenriet as well as the hamlets
of Enkhüseren, Dietenwil and Dägetschwil.
of the municipal coat of arms
is Azure between a Pall Or letters N, L and Z
, 16 are from Italy
, 50 are from ex-Yugoslavia
, 9 are from Austria
, 5 are from Turkey
, and 44 are from another country. Over the last 10 years the population has grown at a rate of 11.6%. Most of the population speaks German (97.0%), with Albanian being second most common ( 1.0%) and Portuguese being third ( 0.4%). Of the Swiss national languages , 2,522 speak German
, 2 people speak French
, 8 people speak Italian
, and 1 person speaks Romansh.
The age distribution, , in Niederhelfenschwil is; 475 children or 18.3% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 406 teenagers or 15.6% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 279 people or 10.7% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 479 people or 18.4% are between 30 and 39, 357 people or 13.7% are between 40 and 49, and 252 people or 9.7% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 165 people or 6.3% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 138 people or 5.3% are between 70 and 79, there are 44 people or 1.7% who are between 80 and 89,and there are 4 people or 0.2% who are between 90 and 99.
there were 176 persons (or 6.8% of the population) who were living alone in a private dwelling. There were 464 (or 17.9%) persons who were part of a couple (married or otherwise committed) without children, and 1,847 (or 71.1%) who were part of a couple with children. There were 62 (or 2.4%) people who lived in single parent home, while there are 22 persons who were adult children living with one or both parents, 9 persons who lived in a household made up of relatives, 6 who lived household made up of unrelated persons,and 13 who are either institutionalized or live in another type of collective housing.
In the 2007 federal election
the most popular party was the SVP
which received 45.1% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the CVP
(23.8%), the FDP
(11.6%) and the SP
(6.7%).
In Niederhelfenschwil about 77.4% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule
). Out of the total population in Niederhelfenschwil, , the highest education level completed by 500 people (19.2% of the population) was Primary, while 949 (36.5%) have completed their secondary education, 274 (10.5%) have attended a Tertiary school, and 55 (2.1%) are not in school. The remainder did not answer this question.
The historical population is given in the following table:
parish church
of St. John the Baptist and Zuckenriet Castle
are listed as Swiss heritage sites of national significance
.
the average unemployment rate was 2.4%. There were 190 businesses in the municipality of which 42 were involved in the secondary sector of the economy while 62 were involved in the third.
there were 487 residents who worked in the municipality, while 801 residents worked outside Niederhelfenschwil and 231 people commuted into the municipality for work.
. Of the rest of the population, there are 10 individuals (or about 0.38% of the population) who belong to the Orthodox Church, and there are 55 individuals (or about 2.12% of the population) who belong to another Christian church. There are 50 (or about 1.92% of the population) who are Islam
ic. There are 6 individuals (or about 0.23% of the population) who belong to another church (not listed on the census), 106 (or about 4.08% of the population) belong to no church, are agnostic
or atheist
, and 51 individuals (or about 1.96% of the population) did not answer the question.
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 Wahlkreis (constituency) of Wil
Wil (Wahlkreis)
Wil is a district of the canton of St.Gallen, Switzerland. It is named after the regional centre Wil, which is the largest city of the district.However, the district capital is Jonschwil.-Demographics:District Wil has a population of...
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 St. Gallen 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
Niederhelfenschwil is first mentioned in 818 as Helfolteswilare. In 1426 it was mentioned as Nidren-Helffentswile. The village of Lenggenwil was mentioned in 903 as Linkenvilare.Geography
Niederhelfenschwil has an area, , of 16.3 km² (6.3 sq mi). Of this area, 71.1% is used for agricultural purposes, while 19.8% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 8.4% is settled (buildings or roads) and the remainder (0.6%) is non-productive (rivers or lakes).The municipality is located in the Wil Wahlkreis, north of the Thur river between Bischofszell
Bischofszell
Bischofszell is a municipality in Weinfelden District in the canton of Thurgau in Switzerland. It is the seat of the district. In 1987, the city was awarded the Wakker Prize for the preservation of its architectural heritage...
and Wil
Wil
Wil is the capital of the Wahlkreis of Wil in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland.Wil is the third largest city in the Canton of St. Gallen, after the city of St...
. It consists of the villages of Niederhelfenschwil, Lenggenwil and Schloss Zuckenriet as well as the hamlets
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 Enkhüseren, Dietenwil and Dägetschwil.
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 Azure between a Pall Or letters N, L and Z
Demographics
Niederhelfenschwil has a population (as of ) of . , about 5.6% of the population was made up of foreign nationals. Of the foreign population, , 34 are from GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, 16 are from Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, 50 are from ex-Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
, 9 are from Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, 5 are from Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, and 44 are from another country. Over the last 10 years the population has grown at a rate of 11.6%. Most of the population speaks German (97.0%), with Albanian being second most common ( 1.0%) and Portuguese being third ( 0.4%). Of the Swiss national languages , 2,522 speak 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....
, 2 people speak 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...
, 8 people speak 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...
, and 1 person speaks Romansh.
The age distribution, , in Niederhelfenschwil is; 475 children or 18.3% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 406 teenagers or 15.6% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 279 people or 10.7% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 479 people or 18.4% are between 30 and 39, 357 people or 13.7% are between 40 and 49, and 252 people or 9.7% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 165 people or 6.3% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 138 people or 5.3% are between 70 and 79, there are 44 people or 1.7% who are between 80 and 89,and there are 4 people or 0.2% who are between 90 and 99.
there were 176 persons (or 6.8% of the population) who were living alone in a private dwelling. There were 464 (or 17.9%) persons who were part of a couple (married or otherwise committed) without children, and 1,847 (or 71.1%) who were part of a couple with children. There were 62 (or 2.4%) people who lived in single parent home, while there are 22 persons who were adult children living with one or both parents, 9 persons who lived in a household made up of relatives, 6 who lived household made up of unrelated persons,and 13 who are either institutionalized or live in another type of collective housing.
In the 2007 federal election
Swiss 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 45.1% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the CVP
Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland
The Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland is a Christian democratic political party in Switzerland. It is the fourth-largest party in the National Council, with 31 seats, and the largest in the Council of States, with 15 seats. It has one seat, that of Doris Leuthard, on the Swiss...
(23.8%), the FDP
Free Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Free Democratic Party was a classical liberal political party in Switzerland. It was one of the major parties in Switzerland until its merger with the smaller classical liberal Liberal Party, to form FDP.The Liberals on 1 January 2009....
(11.6%) and the SP
Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland....
(6.7%).
In Niederhelfenschwil about 77.4% 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...
). Out of the total population in Niederhelfenschwil, , the highest education level completed by 500 people (19.2% of the population) was Primary, while 949 (36.5%) have completed their secondary education, 274 (10.5%) have attended a Tertiary school, and 55 (2.1%) are not in school. The remainder did not answer this question.
The historical population is given in the following table:
| year | population |
|---|---|
| 1837 | 1,275 |
| 1850 | 1,279 |
| 1900 | 1,250 |
| 1950 | 1,469 |
| 1970 | 1,614 |
| 2000 | 2,599 |
Heritage sites of national significance
The CatholicRoman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
of St. John the Baptist and Zuckenriet Castle
Zuckenriet Castle
Zuckenriet Castle is a castle in the municipality of Niederhelfenschwil of the Canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland. It is a Swiss heritage site of national significance.-References:...
are listed as Swiss heritage sites of national significance
Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance
The Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance is a register of some 8,300 items of cultural property in Switzerland...
.
Economy
, Niederhelfenschwil had an unemployment rate of 0.84%. , there were 254 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 90 businesses involved in this sector. 228 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 49 businesses in this sector. 286 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 58 businesses in this sector.the average unemployment rate was 2.4%. There were 190 businesses in the municipality of which 42 were involved in the secondary sector of the economy while 62 were involved in the third.
there were 487 residents who worked in the municipality, while 801 residents worked outside Niederhelfenschwil and 231 people commuted into the municipality for work.
Religion
From the , 1,798 or 69.2% are Roman Catholic, while 523 or 20.1% 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 are 10 individuals (or about 0.38% of the population) who belong to the Orthodox Church, and there are 55 individuals (or about 2.12% of the population) who belong to another Christian church. There are 50 (or about 1.92% of the population) who are Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic. There are 6 individuals (or about 0.23% of the population) who belong to another church (not listed on the census), 106 (or about 4.08% of the population) belong 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 51 individuals (or about 1.96% of the population) did not answer the question.