Bargen, Schaffhausen

Bargen is first mentioned in 884 as Paragen. ==Geography==

Bargen has an area, , of . Of this area, 29.2% is used for agricultural purposes, while 65.8% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 4.8% is settled (buildings or roads) and the remainder (0.2%) is non-productive (rivers, glaciers or mountains). The municipality is located in the Schaffhausen district. It is a farming village on the northernmost point of Switzerland. The municipality includes a notable protected natural area, Tannbüehl, which is known for its over 20 varieties of orchids. ==Demographics==

Bargen has a population () of 249, of which 12.4% are foreign nationals. Of the foreign population, (), 60% are from Germany, 22.9% are from Italy, 11.4% are from Croatia, and 5.7% are from another country. Over the last 10 years the population has decreased at a rate of -2.1%. Most of the population () speaks German (96.0%), with Italian being second most common ( 1.6%) and Serbo-Croatian being third ( 1.2%). There is also a small but significant population of Poles. (0.23) The age distribution of the population () is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 18.9% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 59.8% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 21.3%. In the 2007 federal election the most popular party was the SVP which received 65.2% of the vote. The next two most popular parties were the SP (23.7%), and the FDP (11.2%). ==Coat of arms==

The blazon of the municipal coat of arms is Or a Plumb Sable topped with a Hat of the same trimmed Argent feathered Vert, Gules and of the first. ==Industry==

Bargen has an unemployment rate of 1.15%. , there were 22 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 9 businesses involved in this sector. 5 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 2 businesses in this sector. 68 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 11 businesses in this sector. the mid year average unemployment rate was 1.8%. There were 12 non-agrarian businesses in the municipality and 5.1% of the (non-agrarian) population was involved in the secondary sector of the economy while 94.9% were involved in the third. At the same time, 71.2% of the working population was employed full-time, and 28.8% was employed part-time. There were 59 residents of the municipality were employed in some capacity, of which females made up 54.2% of the workforce. there were 42 residents who worked in the municipality, while 83 residents worked outside Bargen and 26 people commuted into the municipality for work. , there are 2 restaurants, and 1 hotel with 10 beds. The hospitality industry in Bargen employs 6 people. ==Transportation==

The A4 expressway passes through Bargen and enters into Germany after a customs facility. ==Places of interest==

The "Tannbuel" is one of the most important and well-known conservation lands of the Randen mountains. Hundreds of nature friends visit the area every year, in order to experience the "Frauenschueli"-orchid flush in May and June. The "Tannbuel" is one of the most interesting locations of our region and offers more than "Frauenschueli". ==References==