Lavin is a former municipality in the district of Inn in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. On 1 January 2015 the former municipalities of Lavin and Susch merged into the municipality of Zernez.[1]

Lavin
Coat of arms of Lavin
Location of Lavin
Map
Lavin is located in Switzerland
Lavin
Lavin
Lavin is located in Canton of Graubünden
Lavin
Lavin
Coordinates: 46°46′N 10°06′E / 46.767°N 10.100°E / 46.767; 10.100
CountrySwitzerland
CantonGraubünden
DistrictInn
Area
 • Total46.26 km2 (17.86 sq mi)
Elevation
1,412 m (4,633 ft)
Population
 (Dec 2014)
 • Total221
 • Density4.8/km2 (12/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (Central European Time)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (Central European Summer Time)
Postal code(s)
7543
SFOS number3743
ISO 3166 codeCH-GR
Surrounded byArdez, Gaschurn (AT-8), Guarda, Klosters-Serneus, Susch, Zernez
Websitewww.lavin.ch
SFSO statistics
Lavin old wooden bridge

History edit

Lavin is first mentioned in the 12th century as Lawinis.[2]

Geography edit

 
Verstanclahorn mountain near Lavin
 
Aerial view (1947)

Lavin had an area, as of 2006, of 46.2 km2 (17.8 sq mi). Of this area, 19.9% is used for agricultural purposes, while 18.3% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 0.6% is settled (buildings or roads) and the remainder (61.2%) is non-productive (rivers, glaciers or mountains).[3]

The former municipality is located in the Sur Tasna sub-district of the Inn district on the left bank of the Inn river. It is the capital of the sub-district. It consists of the linear village of Lavin.

Demographics edit

Lavin had a population (as of 2014) of 221. As of 2008, 8.5% of the population was made up of foreign nationals.[4] Over the last 10 years the population has grown at a rate of 7.2%.[3]

As of 2000, the gender distribution of the population was 46.9% male and 53.1% female.[5] The age distribution, as of 2000, in Lavin is; 18 children or 10.3% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old. 14 teenagers or 8.0% are 10 to 14, and 12 teenagers or 6.9% are 15 to 19. Of the adult population, 15 people or 8.6% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 20 people or 11.5% are 30 to 39, 25 people or 14.4% are 40 to 49, and 22 people or 12.6% are 50 to 59. The senior population distribution is 14 people or 8.0% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 25 people or 14.4% are 70 to 79, there are 7 people or 4.0% who are 80 to 89, and there are 2 people or 1.1% who are 90 to 99.[4]

In the 2007 federal election the most popular party was the SPS which received 46.8% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SVP (26.1%), the FDP (15.5%) and the CVP (6.1%).[3]

The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Lavin about 87.7% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule).[3]

Lavin has an unemployment rate of 0.71%. As of 2005, there were 20 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 8 businesses involved in this sector. 2 people are employed in the secondary sector and there is 1 business in this sector. 50 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 9 businesses in this sector.[3]

The historical population is given in the following table:[2]

year population
1835 359
1850 367
1900 249
1950 242
1970 155
1990 184
2000 174

Languages edit

Most of the population (as of 2000) speaks Rhaeto-Romance (75.9%), with German being second most common (23.0%) and Portuguese being third ( 0.6%).[3] By the 19th Century there was a German-speaking minority in Lavin. However the majority speak the Vallader Romansh dialect. Between 1880 and 1941 the Romansh speaking percentage remained the same (83%). In the last decades the Romansh speaking percentage has decreased. In 1990 91% of the population understood Romansh, though some spoke it as a second language, and in 2000 it was 86%.

Languages in Lavin
Languages Census 1980 Census 1990 Census 2000
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
German 33 18.13% 38 20.65% 40 22.99%
Romanish 147 80.77% 145 78.80% 132 75.86%
Population 182 100% 184 100% 174 100%

Heritage sites of national significance edit

The abandoned village of Gonda is listed as a Swiss heritage site of national significance.[6] Gonda was first mentioned about 1160 and by the 17th Century was abandoned. In 1983 it was restored.[2]

References edit

  1. ^ Amtliches Gemeindeverzeichnis der Schweiz published by the Swiss Federal Statistical Office (in German) accessed 27 April 2016
  2. ^ a b c Lavin in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Swiss Federal Statistical Office Archived 2016-01-05 at the Wayback Machine accessed 12-Oct-2009
  4. ^ a b Graubunden Population Statistics Archived 2009-08-27 at the Wayback Machine (in German) accessed 21 September 2009
  5. ^ Graubunden in Numbers Archived 2009-09-24 at the Wayback Machine (in German) accessed 21 September 2009
  6. ^ Swiss inventory of cultural property of national and regional significance Archived 2009-05-01 at the Wayback Machine 21.11.2008 version, (in German) accessed 12-Oct-2009