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Valkeakoski (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈʋɑlkeɑˌkoski]; lit. "white rapids") is a town and municipality in Finland. It is located 35 kilometres (22 mi) south of Tampere, 45 km (28 mi) north of Hämeenlinna and 150 km (93 mi) north of Helsinki in the Pirkanmaa region. The municipality has a population of 20,788 (31 August 2024)[2] and covers an area of 372.03 square kilometres (143.64 sq mi) of which 100.06 km2 (38.63 sq mi) is water.[1] The population density is 76.41 inhabitants per square kilometre (197.9/sq mi).
Valkeakoski | |
|---|---|
Town | |
| Valkeakosken kaupunki Valkeakoski stad | |
 Aerial view of Valkeakoski | |
 Coat of arms | |
 Location of Valkeakoski in Finland | |
| Coordinates: 61°16′N 024°02′E / 61.267°N 24.033°E | |
| Country |  Finland |
| Region | Pirkanmaa |
| Sub-region | Southern Pirkanmaa |
| Charter | 1923 |
| Government | |
| • Town manager | Jukka Varonen |
| Area (2018-01-01)[1] | |
| • Total | 372.03 km2 (143.64 sq mi) |
| • Land | 272.05 km2 (105.04 sq mi) |
| • Water | 100.06 km2 (38.63 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 240th largest in Finland |
| Population (2024-08-31)[2] | |
| • Total | 20,788 |
| • Rank | 51st largest in Finland |
| • Density | 76.41/km2 (197.9/sq mi) |
| Population by native language | |
| • Finnish | 94.7% (official) |
| • Swedish | 0.2% |
| • Others | 5.1% |
| Population by age | |
| • 0 to 14 | 15.5% |
| • 15 to 64 | 56.8% |
| • 65 or older | 27.7% |
| Time zone | UTC+02:00 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+03:00 (EEST) |
| Website | www |
The municipality is unilingually Finnish.
Valkeakoski is best known for its paper industry and domestically highly successful football team, FC Haka.
The town and the paper industry have both grown by the Valkeakoski rapids between the lake Mallasvesi in the north and the lake Vanajavesi in the south.
History
editThe Valkeakoski area is known to have been inhabited since the Iron Age. More than a thousand years ago, the ridges on the area served as a foundation of the Rapola fort. In the following Middle Ages, the mill town Sääksmäki was the center of the area. However, industrialization towards the end of the 19th century increased the importance of what became the contemporary town of Valkeakoski. The channel of Valkeakoski was opened in 1869, and the first paper mill was completed in 1873, marking the beginning of a continuing tradition of the forest industry. The municipality of Sääksmäki, from which the town of Valkeakoski was detached in 1923 was consolidated with Valkeakoski in 1973.[6]
Districts, neighborhoods and villages
edit
Countryside and villages
editThe entire countryside of Valkeakoski consists mainly of the former Sääksmäki municipality areas.
- Sääksmäki (consists of Huittula and Ritvala, Kemmola, Mälkiäinen, Haukila, Uskila, Tykölä, Viranmaa, Kasuri / Koivuniemi / Raija, Metsäkansa, Ylenjoki, Konho, Nikkarinhanko / Muti, Rantoo, Yli-Nissi, Kärjenniemi, Vedentaka, Kaapelinkulma, Kannistonmäki, Viuha, Mattila, Vuorentaka, Valto, Paino, Tarttila, Pyörönmaa and Vanhakylä)
Districts
editThere are 25 districts in what is considered the urban area of Valkeaskoki. These districts are further divided into neighborhoods. The districts and neighborhoods of Valkeakoski are:[7]
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In addition, outside of but in the vicinity of these districts lay Vanhakylä and Viuha.
Sports
editValkeakoski is notable for the football team FC Haka and also other Haka sections, especially the cross-country skiing section. The "skiing Haka" is one of the most successful skiing teams in Finland. The other major local sports organization Koskenpojat has also been really successful, winning many national championships in aerobic gymnastics.
International relations
editTwin towns — sister cities
editNotable persons from Valkeakoski
editNotable places and events
edit- National Football Museum
- Työväen Musiikkitapahtuma music festival (freely translated as Workers' Music Event)
- Tehtaan kenttä
References
edit- ^ a b "Area of Finnish Municipalities 1.1.2018" (PDF). National Land Survey of Finland. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
- ^ a b "Finland's preliminary population figure was 5,625,011 at the end of August 2024". Population structure. Statistics Finland. 2024-09-24. ISSN 1797-5395. Retrieved 2024-09-25.
- ^ "Population growth biggest in nearly 70 years". Population structure. Statistics Finland. 2024-04-26. ISSN 1797-5395. Retrieved 2024-04-29.
- ^ "Population according to age (1-year) and sex by area and the regional division of each statistical reference year, 2003–2020". StatFin. Statistics Finland. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
- ^ a b "Luettelo kuntien ja seurakuntien tuloveroprosenteista vuonna 2023". Tax Administration of Finland. 14 November 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
- ^ History of Valkeakoski
- ^ "Kaupunginosat". valkeakoski.fi (in Finnish). Valkeakoski. Retrieved 2019-12-30.
- ^ "Ystävyyskaupungit". valkeakoski.fi (in Finnish). Valkeakoski. Retrieved 2019-12-07.
Gallery
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Tehtaan kenttä – the football stadium in Valkeakoski, Finland, home of the football team FC Haka Valkeakoski
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Valtakatu, the main shopping street of Valkeakoski
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Downtown Valkeakoski
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Factories in Valkeakoski
External links
editMedia related to Valkeakoski at Wikimedia Commons
- Town of Valkeakoski – Official site