Surselva District

Surselva District
District Surselva
Bezirk Surselva
—  District  —
Country  Switzerland
Canton  Graubünden
Capital Ilanz
Area
 • Total 1,373.54 km2 (530.3 sq mi)
Population (2010)
 • Total 21,777
 • Density 15.9/km2 (41.1/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Municipalities 41

Surselva District is an administrative district in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. It has an area of 1,373.39 km2 (530.27 sq mi) and has a population of 21,777 (as of 31 December 2010).[1]

The Surselva encompasses the valley of the Vorderrhein and all its side valleys, from the source near the Oberalppass all the way down towards Reichenau (where the Vorderrhein joins the Hinterrhein to form the then only Rhine called river). The district ends before that confluence at the huge forest on the giant debris of Flims Rockslide that is responsible for the name of the region: The debris area lack of water and soil and were ever left as a big forest as it was useless for farming. This forest (romonsch: selva) is the border for "Sur-selva" (meaning "above the forest"). The Surselva is one of the few areas in Switzerland that is mainly Romansh-speaking (another notable valley being the Engadin, the valley of the Inn). There are a few German-speaking communities in the Surselva, two notable ones being Obersaxen and Vals, which were founded in the thirteenth century by the Walser.

Contents

Sub division: Kreis

It consists of five Kreise (sub-districts) and forty-three municipalities:

Disentis sub-district
Municipality Population
(31 December 2010)[1]		 Area (km²)
Breil/Brigels 1,298 50.84
Disentis/Mustér 2,111 91.08
Medel (Lucmagn) 435 136.20
Sumvitg 1,281 101.83
Trun 1,234

51.9
Tujetsch 1,732 133.92
Ilanz sub-district
Municipality Population
(31 December 2010)[1]		 Area (km²)
Castrisch 400 7.18
Falera 579 22.35
Ilanz 2,315 4.50
Laax 1,346 31.68
Ladir 119 7.21
Luven 204 6.83
Mundaun 313 8.59
Pitasch 109 10.81
Riein 67 15.82
Ruschein 355 12.54
Sagogn 671 6.95
Schluein 523 4.81
Schnaus 127 2.99
Sevgein 200 4.60
Valendas 298 22.79
Versam 235 16.77
Lumnezia/Lugnez sub-district
Municipality Population
(31 December 2010)[1]		 Area (km²)
Cumbel 250 4.45
Degen 235 6.74
Duvin 88 17.91
Lumbrein 369 37.83
Morissen 242 5.69
St. Martin 37 22.93
Suraua 255 24.20
Vals 1,030 152.58
Vella 437 7.91
Vignogn 181 7.38
Vrin 247 71.23
Ruis sub-district
Municipality Population
(31 December 2010)[1]		 Area (km²)
Andiast 222 13.63
Obersaxen 828 61.54
Pigniu 28 17.98
Rueun 420 11.58
Siat 177 13.48
Waltensburg/Vuorz 364 32.32
Safien sub-district (Safien valley)
Municipality Population
(31 December 2010)[1]		 Area (km²)
Safien 305 100.58
Tenna 110 11.28

Mergers and name changes

Languages

Romansh is the predominant language in the district, most of which speak the Sursilvan dialect. There is a large German-speaking minority in Surselva, notably the Walser settlements of Obersaxen and Vals. However, the percentage of Romansh-speakers is on the decline. Traditional Romansh-speaking cities such as Ilanz are losing ground to German.

Languages of Surselva District, GR
Languages Census 2000
Number Percent
German 7,335 34.5 %
Romansh 12,606 59.4 %
Italian 289 1.4 %
TOTAL 21,231 100 %

A long distance hike is signposted to follow the main Vorderrhein River through the whole of the district[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Swiss Federal Statistics Office – STAT-TAB Ständige und Nichtständige Wohnbevölkerung nach Region, Geschlecht, Nationalität und Alter (German) accessed 10 December 2011
  2. ^ Amtliches Gemeindeverzeichnis der Schweiz published by the Swiss Federal Statistical Office (German) accessed 21 December 2011
  3. ^ Hiking Surselva, Switzerland on official tourism board
Districts of Graubünden