Kemi
| Kemi | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| — Town — | |||
| Kemin kaupunki | |||
 | |||
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 | |||
| Coordinates: 65°44′N 024°34′E / 65.733°N 24.567°ECoordinates: 65°44′N 024°34′E / 65.733°N 24.567°E | |||
| Country | Finland | ||
| Region | Lapland | ||
| Sub-region | Kemi–Tornio sub-region | ||
| Charter | 1869 | ||
| Government | |||
| - Town manager | Ossi Repo | ||
| Area (2010-01-01)[1] | |||
| - Total | 747.44 km2 (288.6 sq mi) | ||
| - Land | 95.27 km2 (36.8 sq mi) | ||
| - Water | 652.17 km2 (251.8 sq mi) | ||
| Area rank | 162nd largest in Finland | ||
| Population (2010-03-31)[2] | |||
| - Total | 22,601 | ||
| - Density | 237.23/km2 (614.4/sq mi) | ||
| Population rank | 45th largest in Finland | ||
| Population by native language [3] | |||
| - Finnish | 98% (official) | ||
| - Swedish | 0.1% | ||
| - Others | 1.9% | ||
| Population by age [4] | |||
| - 0 to 14 | 14.2% | ||
| - 15 to 64 | 66.5% | ||
| - 65 or older | 19.3% | ||
| Time zone | EET (UTC+2) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+3) | ||
| Municipal tax rate[5] | 20.75% | ||
| Website | www.kemi.fi | ||
Kemi (Northern Sami: Giepma) is a town and municipality of Finland. It is located very near of the city of Tornio. It was founded in 1869 by royal decree, because of its proximity to a deep water harbour.
Kemi is situated by the Bothnian Bay, at the mouth of river Kemijoki, and it is part of Laplandregion. The town has a population of 22,601 (31 March 2010)[2] and covers an area of 747.44 square kilometres (288.59 sq mi) of which 652.17 km2 (251.80 sq mi) is water.[1] The population density is 237.23 inhabitants per square kilometre (614.4 /sq mi).
The main economic activity in Kemi is centred on two large paper and woodpulp mills and on the only chromium mine in Europe (which supplies the Outokumpu ferrochrome plant in Tornio). A polytechnic university is also situated in Kemi.
Kemi also has a claim to fame as the home of the world's largest snow castle (reconstructed every year with a different architecture). The snowcastle is usually located at the inner harbour of Kemi.
A model of The Crown of Finland (original was never made for the King of Finland) is kept in the Gemstone gallery. There are also replicas like the Imperial State Crown of Great Britain; the Sceptre of the Czar of Russia; Orbs of Denmark and the Diamond neckless of Marie Antoinette among other things.
It's also the hometown of the Power Metal band Sonata Arctica.
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[edit] WWII Hostage Crisis
During the Second World War, after Finland signed the Moscow Armistice and found itself involved in the Lapland War with its former German ally, German forces in the beginning of October 1944 captured 132 Finnish civilian hostages from Kemi (as well as 130 from Rovaniemi) and threatened to kill them unless the Finnish army released Germans captured at the Battle of Tornio. However, the Finns refused to comply and threatened to retaliate by killing the German POWs. The hostages were released unharmed on October 11, 1944, near Rovaniemi.
[edit] Sights
- Kemi church
- The SnowCastle of Kemi
- Gemstone gallery
- Icebreaker Sampo
- The sailship Jähti
[edit] Economics
In April 2007, the city of Kemi laid off all of its municipal workers for 2 weeks due to the failing economy of the city. Spiraling specialist health care costs and a fleeting industry tax base are stated as the cause for the vote.[6] These are the most drastic temporary dismissals to take place in Finland since 2000.
[edit] Transportation
Kemi railway station is an intermediate station on the railway between Lapland and Helsinki. It is operated by VR. The junction of the Kolari and Rovaniemi lines lies to the north of Kemi station.
Finnish national road 4 and European routes E8 and E75 run through the town.
Kemi-Tornio Airport is located 4.5 kilometres (2.8 mi) north of Kemi city centre.
[edit] Town twinning
Tromsø (Norway), since 1940
Volgograd (Russia), since 1953
Liptovský Mikuláš (Slovakia)
Newtownards (Northern Ireland)
Székesfehérvár (Hungary)
[edit] References
- ^ a b "Area by municipality as of 1 January 2010" (in Finnish and Swedish) (PDF). Land Survey of Finland. http://www.maanmittauslaitos.fi/Pintaalat_kunnittain_1.1.2010.pdf. Retrieved 27 March 2010.
- ^ a b "Population by municipality as of 31 March 2010" (in Finnish and Swedish). Population Information System. Population Register Center of Finland. http://www.vrk.fi/vrk/files.nsf/files/ACFC13B2F489698CC22577030039BD73/$file/20100331.htm. Retrieved 13 April 2010.
- ^ "Population according to language and the number of foreigners and land area km2 by area as of 31 December 2008". Statistics Finland's PX-Web databases. Statistics Finland. http://pxweb2.stat.fi/Dialog/varval.asp?ma=060_vaerak_tau_107_fi&ti=V%E4est%F6+kielen+mukaan+sek%E4+ulkomaan+kansalaisten+m%E4%E4r%E4+ja+maa%2Dpinta%2Dala+alueittain++1980+%2D+2008&path=../Database/StatFin/vrm/vaerak/&lang=3&multilang=fi. Retrieved 29 March 2009.
- ^ "Population according to age and gender by area as of 31 December 2008". Statistics Finland's PX-Web databases. Statistics Finland. http://pxweb2.stat.fi/Dialog/varval.asp?ma=050_vaerak_tau_104_fi&ti=V%E4est%F6+i%E4n+%281%2Dv%2E%29+ja+sukupuolen+mukaan+alueittain+1980+%2D+2008&path=../Database/StatFin/vrm/vaerak/&lang=3&multilang=fi. Retrieved 28 April 2009.
- ^ "List of municipal and parish tax rates in 2010". Tax Administration of Finland. 24 November 2009. http://www.vero.fi/download.asp?id=5853;25512. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
- ^ "Northern city of Kemi to lay off all municipal workers for two weeks". Helsingin Sanomat – Internation Edition. Helsinki: Helsingin Sanomat Oy. 2007-04-24. http://www.hs.fi/english/article/1135226785425. Retrieved 7 January 2009.
[edit] External links
 | Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Kemi |
- Town of Kemi – Official website
- Kemi travel guide from Wikitravel
- Kemi SnowCastle – The world's biggest snowcastle
- Sampo Tours – The world's only Arctic Icebreaker for tourist cruises
- Webcam to Snowcastle site (Inner Harbour)
[edit] Gallery
 Kemi Church, May 2007 |  Meripuistokatu street with the Kemi City Hall in the background |  Kemi Snow Castle |
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