Saint-Blaise, Switzerland

Saint-Blaise
Coat of arms
Saint-Blaise Show map of Switzerland Saint-Blaise Show map of Canton of Neuchâtel
Location of Saint-Blaise
Coordinates: 47°1′N 6°59′E / 47.017°N 6.983°E / 47.017; 6.983Coordinates: 47°1′N 6°59′E / 47.017°N 6.983°E / 47.017; 6.983
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Neuchâtel
District	Neuchâtel
Area
• Total	8.87 km2 (3.42 sq mi)
Elevation	440 m (1,440 ft)
Population (Dec 2015)
• Total	3,284
• Density	370/km2 (960/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Saintblaisois
Postal code	2072
SFOS number	6459
Surrounded by	Cornaux, Cressier, Cudrefin (VD), Enges, Hauterive, Marin-Epagnier, Neuchâtel, Thielle-Wavre
Twin towns	St. Blasien (Germany)
Website	www.saint-blaise.ch SFSO statistics

Saint-Blaise is a municipality in the district of Neuchâtel in the canton of Neuchâtel in Switzerland.

Saint-Blaise is first mentioned in 1011 as Arins. In 1209 it was mentioned as Sanctus Blasus. The municipality was formerly known by its German name St Blasien, however, that name is no longer used.

Saint-Blaise has an area, as of 2009^[update], of 8.9 square kilometers (3.4 sq mi). Of this area, 2.31 km² (0.89 sq mi) or 26.0% is used for agricultural purposes, while 4.65 km² (1.80 sq mi) or 52.4% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 1.85 km² (0.71 sq mi) or 20.9% is settled (buildings or roads), 0.05 km² (12 acres) or 0.6% is either rivers or lakes and 0.02 km² (4.9 acres) or 0.2% is unproductive land.

Of the built up area, industrial buildings made up 1.1% of the total area while housing and buildings made up 6.0% and transportation infrastructure made up 4.5%. Power and water infrastructure as well as other special developed areas made up 2.0% of the area while parks, green belts and sports fields made up 7.2%. Out of the forested land, 50.8% of the total land area is heavily forested and 1.6% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 15.2% is used for growing crops and 6.7% is pastures, while 4.2% is used for orchards or vine crops. All the water in the municipality is in lakes.

The municipality is located in the Neuchâtel district, at the foot of the Chaumont and along Lake Neuchatel.

The blazon of the municipal coat of arms is Impalled, dexter Gules Saint Blasius clad Argent adorned Or holding a Crosier Or and a Comb Sable, and sinister per fess Azure a Cross Or and Argent a Mill Wheel Sable.

Saint-Blaise has a population (as of December 2015^[update]) of 3,284. As of 2008^[update], 19.8% of the population are resident foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years (2000–2010) the population has changed at a rate of 0.4%. It has changed at a rate of -4.6% due to migration and at a rate of 3.1% due to births and deaths.