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Kerns
Picswiss OW-27-30.jpg
Coat of arms of Kerns
Coat of arms
Kerns is located in Switzerland
Kerns
Kerns
Location in Switzerland
Kerns is located in Canton of Obwalden
Kerns
Kerns
Location in Canton of Obwalden
Country Switzerland
Canton Obwalden
District n.a.
Area
 • Total 92.58 km2 (35.75 sq mi)
Elevation
564 m (1,850 ft)
Population
 (Dec 2020 )
 • Total 6,332
 • Density 68.395/km2 (177.142/sq mi)
Postal code
6064
Surrounded by Alpnach, Dallenwil (NW), Ennetmoos (NW), Hasliberg (BE), Innertkirchen (BE), Lungern, Sachseln, Sarnen, Wolfenschiessen (NW)

Kerns is a village in the canton of Obwalden in Switzerland. Kerns is first mentioned in 1036 as Chernz. After 1101 it was normally mentioned as Chernes.

Geography

Melchsee-Frutt Kuh
Swiss cow in the high meadows near Melchsee-Frutt

Kerns has an area, as of 2006, of 92.6 square kilometers (35.8 sq mi). Of this area, 46.7% is used for agricultural purposes, while 28.8% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 2.5% is settled (buildings or roads) and the remainder (21.9%) is non-productive (rivers, glaciers or mountains).

The municipality is located on a terrace on the south-west slope of the Stanserhorn and Arvigrat mountains in the Sarneraatal and Melchtal valleys. It is the largest municipality in the canton. .

Demographics

Picswiss OW-27-33
Chapel at Melchsee-Frutt with the Graustock mountain peak in the background

Kerns has a population (as of 31 December 2020) of 6,332. As of 2007, 8.0% of the population was made up of foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years the population has grown at a rate of 7.9%. Most of the population (as of 2000) speaks German (96.2%), with Albanian being second most common ( 1.3%) and Portuguese being third ( 0.5%).

In the 2007 federal election the most popular party was the SVP. The next three most popular parties were the CVP, the Other and the SPS.

In Kerns about 67.5% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule).

Sights

The main sights of Kerns are: chapel St. Niklausen, an old bridge (Hohe Brücke), and the pilgrimage church Melchtal. The ski area and mountain resort Melchsee-Frutt with the lake Melchsee is also part of the municipality of Kerns. The reservoir Tannensee is located above the village, at 1,976 m (6,483 ft).

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