Schmerikon | |
|---|---|
 Schmerikon waterfront | |
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
Location of Schmerikon  | |
  Schmerikon  Schmerikon | |
| Coordinates:47°14′N8°57′E / 47.233°N 8.950°E /47.233; 8.950 | |
| Country | Switzerland |
| Canton | St. Gallen |
| District | Wahlkreis See-Gaster |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Félix Brunschwiler |
| Area | |
• Total | 5.98 km2 (2.31 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 408 m (1,339 ft) |
| Population (31 December 2018)[2] | |
• Total | 3,709 |
| • Density | 620/km2 (1,600/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (Central European Time) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (Central European Summer Time) |
| Postal code(s) | 8716 |
| SFOS number | 3338 |
| ISO 3166 code | CH-SG |
| Surrounded by | Eschenbach,Jona,Tuggen (SZ),Uznach |
| Website | www SFSO statistics |
Schmerikon is amunicipality in theWahlkreis (constituency) ofSee-Gaster in thecanton ofSt. Gallen inSwitzerland. In the localSwiss German dialect it is calledSchmerike.
Schmerikon is located at the head ofLake Zurich, on the section of the lake known as theObersee and where theLinth river enters the lake. Part of the municipality is a natural reserve, particularly along the lake shore.[3]
Schmerikon has an area, as of 2006[update], of 4 km2 (1.5 sq mi). Of this area, 38.9% is used for agricultural purposes, while 23% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 27% is settled (buildings or roads) and the remainder (11.1%) is non-productive (rivers or lakes).[4]
Theblazon of the municipalcoat of arms isGules two Crescents addorsed Or and in chief a Cross pattee Argent.[5]
Schmerikon has a population (as of 31 December 2020) of 3,971.[6] As of 2007[update], about 25.9% of the population was made up of foreign nationals. Of the foreign population, (as of 2000[update]), 22 are fromGermany, 239 are fromItaly, 363 are from ex-Yugoslavia, 17 are fromAustria, 140 are fromTurkey, and 97 are from another country.[7] Over the last 10 years the population has grown at a rate of 8.2%. Most of the population (as of 2000[update]) speaks German (83.4%), with Italian being second most common (4.7%) and Serbo-Croatian being third (3.2%).[4] Of the Swiss national languages (as of 2000[update]), 2,654 speakGerman, 11 people speakFrench, 150 people speakItalian, and 1 person speaksRomansh.[8]
The age distribution, as of 2000[update], in Schmerikon is; 365 children or 11.5% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 420 teenagers or 13.2% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 471 people or 14.8% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 494 people or 15.5% are between 30 and 39, 459 people or 14.4% are between 40 and 49, and 435 people or 13.7% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 262 people or 8.2% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 177 people or 5.6% are between 70 and 79, there are 79 people or 2.5% who are between 80 and 89, and there are 20 people or 0.6% who are between 90 and 99.[8]
In 2000[update] there were 351 persons (or 11.0% of the population) who were living alone in a private dwelling. There were 673 (or 21.2%) persons who were part of a couple (married or otherwise committed) without children, and 1,904 (or 59.8%) who were part of a couple with children. There were 148 (or 4.7%) people who lived in single parent home, while there are 22 persons who were adult children living with one or both parents, 7 persons who lived in a household made up of relatives, 18 who lived household made up of unrelated persons, and 59 who are either institutionalized or live in another type of collective housing.[8]
In the2019 federal election the most popular party was theSVP which received 34.6% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were theFDP (18.2%), theCVP (13.8%), and theGreens (13.5%).[9]
In Schmerikon about 64.4% of the population (between age 25–64) have completed either non-mandatoryupper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or aFachhochschule).[4] Out of the total population in Schmerikon, as of 2000[update], the highest education level completed by 792 people (24.9% of the population) wasPrimary, while 1,164 (36.6%) have completed their secondary education, 279 (8.8%) have attended aTertiary school, and 153 (4.8%) are not in school. The remainder did not answer this question.[8]
Schmerikon railway station is served by the inter-regionalVoralpen Express, which linksLucerne andRomanshorn viaRapperswil andSt. Gallen, and by aRegio service from Rapperswil toLinthal. Both trains run hourly, combining to provide a half-hourly service to Rapperswil.[10]
TheZürichsee-Schifffahrtsgesellschaft provides passenger shipping services onLake Zurich, including several daily through services to Zurich. These have a journey time of over three hours.
As of 2007[update], Schmerikon had an unemployment rate of 1.67%. As of 2005[update], there were 105 people employed in theprimary economic sector and about 19 businesses involved in this sector. 480 people are employed in thesecondary sector and there are 49 businesses in this sector. 777 people are employed in thetertiary sector, with 112 businesses in this sector.[4]
As of October 2009[update] the average unemployment rate was 4.1%.[11] There were 185 businesses in the municipality of which 50 were involved in the secondary sector of the economy while 122 were involved in the third.[12]
As of 2000[update] there were 584 residents who worked in the municipality, while 1,181 residents worked outside Schmerikon and 827 people commuted into the municipality for work.[13]
The main bank in this small town is "Bank Linth". The two main supermarkets are both located a 5-minute walk away from the train station, which is also the town centre. Schmerikon is a home to Schluckibier brewery and Schmerknerwii winery.
From the 2000 census[update], 2,147 or 67.5% areRoman Catholic, while 411 or 12.9% belonged to theSwiss Reformed Church. Of the rest of the population, there is 1 individual who belongs to theChristian Catholic faith, there are 56 individuals (or about 1.76% of the population) who belong to the Orthodox Church, and there are 22 individuals (or about 0.69% of the population) who belong to another Christian church. There is 1 individual who isJewish, and 248 (or about 7.79% of the population) who areIslamic. There are 22 individuals (or about 0.69% of the population) who belong to another church (not listed on the census), 166 (or about 5.22% of the population) belong to no church, areagnostic oratheist, and 108 individuals (or about 3.39% of the population) did not answer the question.[8]
The village of Schmerikon is designated as part of theInventory of Swiss Heritage Sites.[14] There are 2 B-class objects of cultural property protected byHague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict:Haus zum Hirzen from 17th century[15] andcatholic church of St. Jodokus with a tower from 1500.[16]
Schmerikoner Ried, a reed located on the northeasternlake shore in theLinthebene area towards theGrynau Castle, was set under federal protection as a low-moor bog of national importance (German:Bundesinventar der Flachmoore von nationaler Bedeutung) in 1994.[17]
Thanks to its location along the lakeObersee, Schmerikon is popular weekend destination for cyclists and hikers.National cycling routes 9 (Lakes Route)[18] and 99 (Herzroute)[19] run through municipality. National hiking route 4 (Via Jacobi)[20] run through municipality as one ofCamino de Santiago pilgrimage routes as well as regional route 84 (Zürichsee-Rundweg).[21]
Schmerikon offers a choice of hotels located at the lakeside. Municipality has indoor swimming pool and a lakeside pool with a large lakeside sunbathing lawn,[22] offers rental service of various water sports equipment.
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Media related toSchmerikon at Wikimedia Commons
Municipalities inSee-Gaster district, Switzerland | ||
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