Open Data Insight of the Day

Nestled in the Bezirk Liestal, the municipality of Giebenach is situated at an elevation of 325 meters above sea level. With a total surface area of 134 hectares, it is the smallest municipality in the canton of Basel-Landschaft by area. Table 2 summarizes the key features of the municipality, and figure 1 shows its location on the map.

Giebenach has a history dating back to its first mention in 1246. Originally consisting mainly of two farms, it is located in the Violental valley. Today, the village has limited commercial activity, including a carpentry shop, a garage, a restaurant, and several small warehouses, and is connected by public transport. A summary of its history is available on its Wikipedia page.

As of 2024, Giebenach has a population of 1,138 residents, ranking it 47th in the canton. Of these residents, 27.4 percent are foreign nationals. The population is composed of 216 children and young people aged 0-17, 724 adults of working age (18-65), and 198 older adults over 65. The gender distribution shows a slight majority of men, with 587 men compared to 551 women. Table 2 shows the population by age groups since 2005.

The land use in Giebenach reflects its rural character. Of its 134-hectare total surface, over half, 53.4 percent, is dedicated to agriculture. Settlement areas account for 27.8 percent of the land, while forests cover 18.8 percent.

In terms of municipal finances, Giebenach's tax revenue ranks 49th in the canton. The tax revenue per adult capita and the municipal tax multiplier also have specific rankings among the 86 municipalities, providing insight into the community's fiscal position.

The energy consumption profile for 2022 shows that heating oil was the primary energy source, followed by electricity and environmental heat. Electricity consumption per capita is 2.9 MWh, placing Giebenach 62nd out of 86 municipalities for this metric. This mid-range ranking suggests a typical level of consumption, which can be influenced by the presence or absence of industrial activity.

The vehicle stock in Giebenach as of 2026 consists of 792 passenger cars and delivery vans. Of these, 160 are electric vehicles, representing a notable 20.2 percent of the total fleet, with the remainder being petrol, diesel, or other combustion engine vehicles. This data is detailed in table 3.

Waste recycling data from 2024 shows that residents recycled 129 kg of green waste per person, ranking the municipality 24th in the canton for this category. However, for other materials like glass and paper, the per capita recycling amounts are lower, resulting in ranks of 83rd and 64th, respectively. The total recycled waste, recycled waste per capita, and canton-wide comparison values are shown in table 4.