Chamoson

Chamoson
Coat of arms
Chamoson Show map of Switzerland Chamoson Show map of Canton of Valais
Location of Chamoson
Coordinates: 46°12′N 7°13′E / 46.200°N 7.217°E / 46.200; 7.217Coordinates: 46°12′N 7°13′E / 46.200°N 7.217°E / 46.200; 7.217
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Valais
District	Conthey
Government
• Mayor	Claude Crittin
Area
• Total	32.47 km2 (12.54 sq mi)
Elevation	600-2,500 m (−7,600 ft)
Population (Dec 2015)
• Total	3,587
• Density	110/km2 (290/sq mi)
Postal code	1955
SFOS number	6022
Surrounded by	Ardon, Bex (VD), Conthey, Leytron, Nendaz, Riddes
Website	www.chamoson.ch SFSO statistics

Chamoson is a municipality in the district of Conthey in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.

Chamoson is first mentioned in 1050 as Camusia. In 1233 it was mentioned as Scamosun.

Chamoson has an area, as of 2009^[update], of 32.5 square kilometers (12.5 sq mi). Of this area, 8.02 km² (3.10 sq mi) or 24.7% is used for agricultural purposes, while 10.11 km² (3.90 sq mi) or 31.1% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 2.29 km² (0.88 sq mi) or 7.1% is settled (buildings or roads), 0.54 km² (0.21 sq mi) or 1.7% is either rivers or lakes and 11.44 km² (4.42 sq mi) or 35.2% is unproductive land.

Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 3.2% and transportation infrastructure made up 2.9%. Out of the forested land, 25.3% of the total land area is heavily forested and 1.9% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 1.1% is used for growing crops and 1.8% is pastures, while 15.9% is used for orchards or vine crops and 6.0% is used for alpine pastures. All the water in the municipality is flowing water. Of the unproductive areas, 6.5% is unproductive vegetation and 28.6% is too rocky for vegetation.

The municipality is located on the right side of the Rhone. It consists of the settlements of Chamoson, Saint-Pierre-de-Clages and Grugnay as well as the spring pasture camp of Mayens-de-Chamoson.

The blazon of the municipal coat of arms is Quarterly Argent and Gules.

Chamoson has a population (as of December 2015^[update]) of 3,587. As of 2008^[update], 14.9% of the population are resident foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years (1999–2009 ) the population has changed at a rate of 20.8%. It has changed at a rate of 21.6% due to migration and at a rate of -0.4% due to births and deaths.