Bernese Jura

Jura Bernois District
Arrondissement administratif Jura bernois
—  District  —
Court, Switzerland
Country  Switzerland
Canton  Bern
Capital Courtelary
Area
 • Total 541 km2 (208.9 sq mi)
Population (December 2010)
 • Total 51,668
 • Density 95.5/km2 (247.4/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Municipalities 49

Bernese Jura (French: Jura Bernois) is the name for the French-speaking area of the Swiss canton of Bern, and from 2010 one of five administrative divisions of the canton.[1]

Comprising the three French-speaking districts in the northern part of the canton, it contains 49 municipalities with an area of 541.75 km2 (209.17 sq mi) and a population (as of December 2010) of 51,668 . More than 90% of the population of the three districts speak French.

The Bernese Jura of today comprises only three out of a total of seven districts which were known as the Bernese Jura during the period of 1815–1979. Of the remaining four, three seceded as the canton of Jura in 1979, while the fourth, the Laufen district, joined the canton of Basel-Landschaft in 1994.

Contents

History

Most of the territory of the Bernese Jura was passed from the County of Burgundy to the Bishopric of Basel in AD 999. It was annexed by France during the Napoleonic period, 1798-1814. In 1814, the Congress of Vienna accorded it to the canton of Bern to compensate for the loss of the new canton of Vaud.

From 1815 to 1979, the term Bernese Jura also included the territory now forming the canton of Jura, which seceded following a national popular vote on 24 September 1978. Its administrative capital was Biel/Bienne from 1815 to 2009. Since 2010, Biel/Bienne has been made the administrative capital of a separate district, and the administrative capital of the remaining Bernese Jura is now Courtelary.

Representation

According to the canton's constitution, one of the seven members of the Executive Council of Bern has to be a French-speaking citizen of this area. Of the 160 seats in the Grand Council of Bern, 12 seats are reserved for the Bernese Jura and an additional three seats are guaranteed for the French-speaking population of the bilingual district of Biel/Bienne.

Administrative divisions

Historically (until 2001), the region was divided into three districts (2004 population estimates):

Flag Name Population
(31 December 2010)[2]
Area in km²
Belprahon 297 3.83
Bévilard 1,684 5.69
Champoz 153 7.17
Châtelat 111 4.15
Corcelles 223 6.77
Corgémont 1,548 17.61
Cormoret 509 13.49
Cortébert 703 14.78
Court 1,393 24.61
Courtelary 1,270 22.17
Crémines 530 9.48
Diesse 444 9.44
Eschert 378 6.58
Grandval 350 8.23
La Ferrière 546 14.20
La Heutte 483 8.09
Lamboing 674 9.10
La Neuveville 3,495 6.81
Loveresse 316 4.72
Malleray 1,967 10.25
Monible 43 3.39
Mont-Tramelan 120 4.64
Moutier 7,466 19.60
Nods 746 26.66
Orvin 1,192 21.59
Perrefitte 480 8.57
Péry 1,357 15.71
Plagne 361 7.48
Pontenet 209 2.73
Prêles 907 6.97
Rebévelier 47 3.54
Reconvilier 2,238 8.24
Renan 851 12.63
Roches 217 9.05
Romont 199 7.03
Saicourt 593 13.76
Saint-Imier 4,771 20.89
Saules 150 4.28
Schelten 41 5.57
Seehof 69 8.41
Sonceboz-Sombeval 1,779 15.00
Sonvilier 1,180 23.79
Sornetan 126 5.65
Sorvilier 263 6.89
Souboz 132 10.71
Tavannes 3,478 14.78
Tramelan 4,254 24.83
Vauffelin 438 5.96
Villeret 887 16.23
Total (49) 51,668 541.75

See also

References

This article incorporates information from the equivalent article on the German Wikipedia.

External links