Samedan
| Samedan | ||
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  Samedan | ||
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Location of Samedan  | ||
| Coordinates: 46°32′N 9°52′E / 46.533°N 9.867°ECoordinates: 46°32′N 9°52′E / 46.533°N 9.867°E | ||
| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Graubünden | |
| District | Maloja | |
| Government | ||
| • Mayor |
Gemeindepräsident Jon Fadri Huder (as of 2008) | |
| Area[1] | ||
| • Total | 113.83 km2 (43.95 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 1,721 m (5,646 ft) | |
| Population (Dec 2014[2]) | ||
| • Total | 3,014 | |
| • Density | 26/km2 (69/sq mi) | |
| Postal code | 7503 | |
| SFOS number | 3786 | |
| Surrounded by | Bergün/Bravuogn, Bever, Celerina/Schlarigna, Lanzada (IT-SO), La Punt-Chamues-ch, Pontresina, Sankt-Moritz, Sils im Engadin/Segl, Silvaplana | |
| Twin towns | Le Mont-sur-Lausanne (Switzerland) | |
| Website |
www SFSO statistics | |
Samedan (
[saˈmedən] ) is a town and municipality in the district of Maloja in the Swiss canton of Graubünden.
History
Samedan is first mentioned in 1139 as Samaden. In 1334 it was mentioned as Semeden, in 1367 as Semaden, in 1498 as Sumada and in 1527 as Sameden.[3] Samedan is the location of The Smallest Whiskey Bar on Earth, the establishment holding the Guinness World Records distinction of "Smallest Permanently Licensed Bar in the World."
Geography
Samedan has an area, as of 2006, of 114 km2 (44 sq mi). Of this area, 16.2% is used for agricultural purposes, while 9.1% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 1.9% is settled (buildings or roads) and the remainder (72.9%) is non-productive (rivers, glaciers or mountains).[4]
The municipality is located in the Oberengadin sub-district of the Maloja district in the central Oberengadin valley along the Inn river. It consists of the village of Samedan and the hamlet of Punt Muragl, the upper section of the Val Bever as well as an exclave that includes nearly the entire Val Roseg, a valley surrounded by the highest mountains of the canton: Piz Bernina, Piz Scerscen and Piz Roseg. Until 1943 Samedan was known as Samaden.[5]
Demographics
Samedan has a population (as of 31 December 2014) of 3,014.[2] As of 2008, 22.0% of the population was made up of foreign nationals.[6] Over the last 10 years the population has grown at a rate of 4.1%.[4]
The age distribution, as of 2000, in Samedan is; 267 children or 8.7% of the population are between 0 to 9 years old. 155 teenagers or 5.1% are 10 to 14, and 281 teenagers or 9.2% are 15 to 19. Of the adult population, 460 people or 15.0% of the population are between 20 to 29 years old. 541 people or 17.6% are 30 to 39, 462 people or 15.1% are 40 to 49, and 385 people or 12.5% are 50 to 59. The senior population distribution is 209 people or 6.8% of the population are between 60 to 69 years old, 189 people or 6.2% are 70 to 79, there are 103 people or 3.4% who are 80 to 89, and there are 17 people or 0.6% who are 90 to 99.[6]
In the 2007 federal election the most popular party was the SP which received 30.6% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SVP (28.7%), the FDP (28.2%) and the CVP (10.4%).[4]
In Samedan about 75.7% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule).[4]
Samedan has an unemployment rate of 1%. As of 2005, there were 35 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 13 businesses involved in this sector. 554 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 37 businesses in this sector. 1,891 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 194 businesses in this sector.[4]
The historical population is given in the following table:[3]
| year | population |
|---|---|
| 1850 | 412 |
| 1900 | 967 |
| 1930 | 1,783 |
| 1950 | 1,685 |
| 1980 | 2,553 |
| 2000 | 3,069 |
Languages
Most of the population (as of 2000) speaks German (61.5%), with Romansh being second most common (16.7%) and Italian being third (14.9%).[4] Originally, the entire population spoke the Upper-Engadin Romansh dialect of Putèr. Due to increasing trade with the outside world, Romansh usage began to decline in the 19th century. In 1880, only 47% spoke Romansh as a first language, while in 1910, it was 45% and in 1941, it was 42%. The Romansh-speaking percentage dropped until, in 1970, only 31% spoke it as their first language. In the 1980s, Romansh speakers increased slightly, but since then, the proportion has decreased. However, in 2000, there were 42% who understood Romansh even if it was not their first language.
| Languages in Samedan | ||||||
| Languages | Census 1980 | Census 1990 | Census 2000 | |||
| Number | Percent | Number | Percent | Number | Percent | |
| German | 1140 | 44.65% | 1567 | 54.50% | 1886 | 61.45% |
| Romansh | 841 | 32.94% | 649 | 22.57% | 511 | 16.65% |
| Italian | 451 | 17.67% | 476 | 16.56% | 458 | 14.92% |
| Population | 2553 | 100% | 2875 | 100% | 3069 | 100% |
Transportation
It is the administrative center of the upper Engadin region, and services include a regional hospital (Spital Oberengadin), a major RhB railway station with regular trains towards Pontresina, Chur and St. Moritz, and a regional airport (Engadin Airport). Both the Bernina Express and Glacier Express trains pass Samedan.
Heritage sites of national significance
The Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart and the Library of Fundaziun de Planta are listed as Swiss heritage sites of national significance.[7]
Climate
Koppen-Geiger climate classification classifies its climate as subarctic (Dfc). Between 1961 and 1990 Samedan had an average of 95.5 days of rain per year and on average received 700 mm (28 in) of precipitation. The wettest month was August during which time Samedan received an average of 99 mm (3.9 in) of precipitation. During this month there was precipitation for an average of 11.5 days. The driest month of the year was February with an average of 25 mm (0.98 in) of precipitation over 5 days.[8]
| Climate data for Samedan (1981-2010) Extremes (1901-present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 12.9 (55.2) |
11.7 (53.1) |
14.1 (57.4) |
21.0 (69.8) |
28.0 (82.4) |
32.0 (89.6) |
30.5 (86.9) |
29.2 (84.6) |
25.1 (77.2) |
21.4 (70.5) |
17.0 (62.6) |
13.4 (56.1) |
32.0 (89.6) |
| Average high °C (°F) | −1.6 (29.1) |
0.5 (32.9) |
3.7 (38.7) |
7.4 (45.3) |
12.9 (55.2) |
16.4 (61.5) |
19.3 (66.7) |
18.7 (65.7) |
14.9 (58.8) |
10.9 (51.6) |
3.7 (38.7) |
−1.2 (29.8) |
8.8 (47.8) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −9.1 (15.6) |
−7.8 (18) |
−2.8 (27) |
1.6 (34.9) |
6.6 (43.9) |
9.9 (49.8) |
12.2 (54) |
11.5 (52.7) |
7.9 (46.2) |
3.8 (38.8) |
−2.7 (27.1) |
−7.5 (18.5) |
2.0 (35.6) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −17.1 (1.2) |
−16.9 (1.6) |
−10.5 (13.1) |
−4.7 (23.5) |
−0.2 (31.6) |
2.5 (36.5) |
4.3 (39.7) |
4.1 (39.4) |
0.9 (33.6) |
−3.0 (26.6) |
−9.3 (15.3) |
−14.6 (5.7) |
−5.4 (22.3) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −36.9 (−34.4) |
−35.1 (−31.2) |
−30.0 (−22) |
−21.7 (−7.1) |
−18.6 (−1.5) |
−9.5 (14.9) |
−5.4 (22.3) |
−6.7 (19.9) |
−11.6 (11.1) |
−21.4 (−6.5) |
−29.9 (−21.8) |
−34.4 (−29.9) |
−36.9 (−34.4) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 28 (1.1) |
20 (0.79) |
26 (1.02) |
39 (1.54) |
78 (3.07) |
90 (3.54) |
93 (3.66) |
99 (3.9) |
73 (2.87) |
68 (2.68) |
61 (2.4) |
36 (1.42) |
713 (28.07) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 52.4 (20.63) |
38.9 (15.31) |
32.5 (12.8) |
23.5 (9.25) |
6.3 (2.48) |
0.6 (0.24) |
0.3 (0.12) |
0.3 (0.12) |
1.2 (0.47) |
8.1 (3.19) |
40.8 (16.06) |
49.9 (19.65) |
254.8 (100.31) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 5.3 | 4.2 | 4.8 | 6.0 | 9.3 | 10.3 | 10.0 | 10.5 | 7.8 | 7.6 | 7.0 | 6.0 | 88.8 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 1.0 cm) | 9.1 | 7.4 | 7.6 | 5.8 | 1.5 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 2 | 6.8 | 9.1 | 50.4 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 77.9 | 73.5 | 71.2 | 69.7 | 69.5 | 69.6 | 70.3 | 72.5 | 73.4 | 74.9 | 78.2 | 79.7 | 73.4 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 117 | 121 | 140 | 138 | 158 | 176 | 200 | 180 | 154 | 140 | 106 | 103 | 1,733 |
| Source #1: MeteoSwiss [9] | |||||||||||||
| Source #2: KNMI[10] | |||||||||||||
Cultural references
James Bond escapes from Blofeld's base at Piz Gloria to Samedan in Ian Fleming's On Her Majesty's Secret Service where he is rescued by his future wife, Tracy.
The nineteenth century campaigner for women's rights and the repeal of the Contagious Diseases Acts, Josephine Butler, holidayed in Samedan in 1881 preferring it to Pontresina. She walked extensively with friends whilst her husband, because of his rheumatism, painted and sketched. He preached at the local Protestant church, which was largely run by another English clergyman Mr Eardley [11]
References
- ↑ Arealstatistik Standard - Gemeindedaten nach 4 Hauptbereichen
- 1 2 Swiss Federal Statistics Office – STAT-TAB Ständige und Nichtständige Wohnbevölkerung nach Region, Geschlecht, Nationalität und Alter (German) accessed 31 August 2015
- 1 2 Samedan in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Swiss Federal Statistical Office accessed 20-Oct-2009
- ↑ Amtliches Gemeindeverzeichnis der Schweiz published by the Swiss Federal Statistical Office (German) accessed 23 September 2009
- 1 2 Graubunden Population Statistics (German) accessed 21 September 2009
- ↑ Swiss inventory of cultural property of national and regional significance 21.11.2008 version, (German) accessed 20-Oct-2009
- ↑ "Temperature and Precipitation Average Values-Table, 1961-1990" (in German, French, and Italian). Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology - MeteoSwiss. Retrieved 8 May 2009., the weather station elevation is 1708 meters above sea level.
- ↑ "Climate Norm Value Tables". Climate diagrams and normals from Swiss measuring stations. Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology (MeteoSwiss). Retrieved 23 January 2013. The weather station elevation is 1708 meters above sea level.
- ↑ "Samedan extreme values". KNMI. Retrieved 8 November 2011.
- ↑ Diary of stay in the Engadine held at Women's Library London
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Samedan. |
External links
- Official website (German)
- Samedan in Romansh, German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.
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