Kouvola

Kouvola (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈkou̯ʋolɑ]) is a city and municipality in southeastern Finland. It is located along the Kymijoki River in the region of Kymenlaakso, 62 kilometres (39 mi) kilometers east of Lahti, 87 kilometres (54 mi) west of Lappeenranta and 134 kilometres (83 mi) northeast of the capital, Helsinki. With Kotka, Kouvola is one of the capital centers and is the largest city in the Kymenlaakso region.

Kouvola
City
Kouvolan kaupunki
Kouvola stad
City of Kouvola
Aerial photo of Kouvola
Aerial photo of Kouvola
Coat of arms of Kouvola
Coat of arms
Motto: 
Näköisesi paikka (The place you look like)
Location of Kouvola in Finland
Location of Kouvola in Finland
Coordinates: 60°52′05″N 026°42′15″E
Country Finland
Region Kymenlaakso
Sub-regionKouvola sub-region
Charter1922
City rights1960
Government
 • City managerMarita Toikka
Area
 (2018-01-01)[1]
 • City2,883.30 km2 (1,113.25 sq mi)
 • Land2,558.24 km2 (987.74 sq mi)
 • Water325.06 km2 (125.51 sq mi)
 • Rank22nd largest in Finland
Population
 (2023-09-19)[2]
 • City79,080
 • Rank11th largest in Finland
 • Density30.91/km2 (80.1/sq mi)
 • Urban
55,372
 • Metro
60,776
 • Metro density267/km2 (690/sq mi)
Population by native language
[3]
 • Finnish95% (official)
 • Swedish0.4%
 • Others4.7%
Population by age
[4]
 • 0 to 1413%
 • 15 to 6458.4%
 • 65 or older28.6%
Time zoneUTC+02:00 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+03:00 (EEST)
Postal code
45100
ClimateDfc
Websitewww.kouvola.fi

The whole municipal area has a population of 79,080 (19 September 2023),[2] but the actual downtown itself is home to 47,391 people.[5] It covers an area of 2,883.30 square kilometres (1,113.25 sq mi) of which 325.06 km2 (125.51 sq mi) is water.[1] The population density is 30.91 inhabitants per square kilometre (80.1/sq mi). Kouvola is bordered by the municipalities of Hamina, Heinola, Iitti, Kotka, Lapinjärvi, Loviisa, Luumäki, Miehikkälä, Mäntyharju, Pyhtää and Savitaipale. Kouvola has over 450 lakes and, together with Mäntyharju, the Kouvola area includes the Repovesi National Park.[6]

Kouvola, which had population growth as late as the 1980s, has suffered a loss of migration since the 1990s. Over time, the loss has only deepened, so that at the end of the 2010s Kouvola was Finland's worst migration loss area. Natural demographics have also trended downward; in 2017, more than 450 more people died in the city than new ones were born.[7][8][9] The reasons for the emigration are thought to be largely due to job losses in the region.[8][9]

History
Coat of arms of Kouvola in 1952–2008.

The village of Kouvola has been inhabited since the Middle Ages, and it has belonged alternately to the churches of Hollola, Iitti and Valkeala. However, the actual development did not start until the 1870s when the Riihimäki–Saint Petersburg line was built and Kouvola became a railway junction.[6] Kouvola railroad built Kymin mill founder Axel Wilhelm Wahren railway administration by on application, on the basis of the track engineers decided to recommend the creation of a fifth-end position in a half mile east of the variable alert Otava with acceptance on sandy soil on fabric. In the next decade, the Savonia railway was built from Kouvola to the north and the Kotka line to the south, resulting in Kouvola becoming one of the busiest railway junctions in Finland. Over time, Kouvola developed into an important pulp-producing, paper-milling and printing centre and even had a leading industrial engineering sector.[6]

In 1918, conflict between the Red and White factions raged heavily during the Finnish Civil War. More than 200 people were killed in the area during the fighting.

As a result of the railway, Kouvola was heavily built. In 1922 it was separated from the municipality of Valkeala and gained commercial rights immediately the following year. The city of Kouvola was established in 1960. Kouvola was annexed to Vyborg Province in 1922-1945 but in 1940 and 1944, most of Vyborg County was ceded to the Soviet Union, and the remaining areas were formed into Kymi Province in 1945. Kouvola had also become an administrative center; As the capital of Kymen County, it operated from 1955 until the 1997 county reform.

In January 2009, the six municipalities of Kouvola, Kuusankoski, Elimäki, Anjalankoski, Valkeala and Jaala were consolidated, forming the new municipality of Kouvola. Kouvola has also assumed the slogan Kymijoen kaupunki (the town of Kymijoki) previously used by Anjalankoski.[10]

Culture

Province History of Kouvola

Sports

Kouvola is the hometown of the Sudet sports club, which became Finnish champions in bandy six consecutive times, and they have a football team which is playing at the fourth highest level, Kolmonen, despite Sudet being one of the oldest football clubs in Finland. KooKoo is the most successful ice hockey team in Kymenlaakso. It plays in the Finnish top league, SM-liiga. Kouvolan Pallonlyöjät (KPL) is a baseball team based in Kouvola and known for Pesäpallo. KPL was won five Finnish championships and it plays in the Finnish top league, Superpesis. Kouvot is a basketball team based in Kouvola. the team plays in the highest level Korisliiga and has won four Finnish championships.

MyPa is one of the most successful football clubs in Finland and the 1990s was the golden era. MyPa is played 23 seasons in the Finnish top football league Veikkausliiga. MyPa are based in the industrial village of Myllykoski, part of the city of Kouvola. The club became inactive in professional football after having ceased operations in 2015 due to financial difficulties. In 2017, MyPa returned and started again from the fourth highest tier but has quickly risen to the second highest level, Ykkönen, where it is now playing. Kouvola also has a Palomäki Ski Jump Center, very close to the city, where young people and other sports enthusiasts can go to jump on a ski jump.

Local government
City Council of Kouvola
Party Seats
Social Democratic Party 16
National Coalition Party 13
Centre Party 9
Green League 6
Finns Party 5
Christian Democrats 4
Sitoutumattomat (Independent) 2
Left Alliance 2
Suur-Kouvolan sitoutumattomat 2

Climate

Like its western neighbour city Lahti, Kouvola lies just between the two climate zones, humid continental climate (Dfb) and a subarctic climate (Dfc). Summers are generally relatively warm as the city is considered to be one of the hottest cities in Finland as it has had the most days with "helle" (temperatures above 25 °C) since 2000. Winters are cold and long, colder than cities located in the coastal areas of Finland because of its location further inland, meaning the marine effect doesn't affect the city as much than those nearer the sea and specially those nearer the southwestern coasts of the Finnish side of Gulf of Finland. This too means that the summers are warmer due to it being further inland as the sea effect is making the summer temperatures slightly cooler in coastal areas. The average annual temperature is 4.4 °C. The highest ever recorded temperature in the station was 34.1 (93.4 °F), on July 28, 2010. The lowest ever recorded was -37.3 °C (-35.1 °F). The city has a significant rainfall throughout the year and even in the driest month the precipitation stays over 30 mm a month. The average snow depth ranges from 40 to 50 centimetres on winters.

Climate data for Kouvola Utti airport, normals 1991-2020, extremes 1960 - present
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 7.6
(45.7)		 8.7
(47.7)		 15.6
(60.1)		 24.9
(76.8)		 30.2
(86.4)		 32.2
(90.0)		 34.5
(94.1)		 33.0
(91.4)		 28.7
(83.7)		 17.7
(63.9)		 11.9
(53.4)		 9.7
(49.5)		 34.5
(94.1)
Average high °C (°F) −3.4
(25.9)		 −3.4
(25.9)		 1.3
(34.3)		 8.3
(46.9)		 15.9
(60.6)		 20.2
(68.4)		 22.9
(73.2)		 20.8
(69.4)		 14.9
(58.8)		 7.5
(45.5)		 2.1
(35.8)		 −1.1
(30.0)		 8.8
(47.9)
Daily mean °C (°F) −6.1
(21.0)		 −6.4
(20.5)		 −2.3
(27.9)		 3.7
(38.7)		 10.6
(51.1)		 15.2
(59.4)		 18.0
(64.4)		 16.1
(61.0)		 10.8
(51.4)		 4.7
(40.5)		 0.1
(32.2)		 −3.5
(25.7)		 5.1
(41.2)
Average low °C (°F) −9.1
(15.6)		 −9.7
(14.5)		 −6.3
(20.7)		 −0.8
(30.6)		 4.7
(40.5)		 10.0
(50.0)		 13.0
(55.4)		 11.6
(52.9)		 7.1
(44.8)		 2.0
(35.6)		 −2.2
(28.0)		 −6.0
(21.2)		 1.2
(34.2)
Record low °C (°F) −37.3
(−35.1)		 −34.9
(−30.8)		 −29.3
(−20.7)		 −17.5
(0.5)		 −6.4
(20.5)		 −0.5
(31.1)		 3.0
(37.4)		 −0.1
(31.8)		 −5.4
(22.3)		 −14.9
(5.2)		 −22.3
(−8.1)		 −35.0
(−31.0)		 −37.3
(−35.1)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 54
(2.1)		 45
(1.8)		 42
(1.7)		 31
(1.2)		 41
(1.6)		 63
(2.5)		 69
(2.7)		 71
(2.8)		 63
(2.5)		 72
(2.8)		 66
(2.6)		 64
(2.5)		 681
(26.8)
Average precipitation days 12 10 9 7 8 9 9 10 10 12 12 13 121
Source: FMI climatologial normals for Finland 1991-2020
Climate data for Kouvola Anjala (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1959- present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 7.6
(45.7)		 8.8
(47.8)		 16.1
(61.0)		 23.8
(74.8)		 29.8
(85.6)		 32.4
(90.3)		 33.5
(92.3)		 31.9
(89.4)		 27.5
(81.5)		 19.2
(66.6)		 13.4
(56.1)		 9.7
(49.5)		 33.5
(92.3)
Average high °C (°F) −2.7
(27.1)		 −2.6
(27.3)		 2.1
(35.8)		 8.9
(48.0)		 16.2
(61.2)		 20.5
(68.9)		 23.2
(73.8)		 21.3
(70.3)		 15.4
(59.7)		 8.2
(46.8)		 2.8
(37.0)		 −0.5
(31.1)		 9.4
(48.9)
Daily mean °C (°F) −5.3
(22.5)		 −5.7
(21.7)		 −2.0
(28.4)		 4.0
(39.2)		 10.4
(50.7)		 15.0
(59.0)		 17.9
(64.2)		 16.0
(60.8)		 10.9
(51.6)		 5.1
(41.2)		 0.7
(33.3)		 −2.7
(27.1)		 5.4
(41.7)
Average low °C (°F) −8.4
(16.9)		 −9.1
(15.6)		 −6.0
(21.2)		 −0.6
(30.9)		 4.2
(39.6)		 9.4
(48.9)		 12.3
(54.1)		 11.1
(52.0)		 6.8
(44.2)		 2.2
(36.0)		 −1.6
(29.1)		 −5.3
(22.5)		 1.3
(34.3)
Record low °C (°F) −37.3
(−35.1)		 −36.0
(−32.8)		 −33.5
(−28.3)		 −22.5
(−8.5)		 −8.2
(17.2)		 −3.0
(26.6)		 1.4
(34.5)		 −3.1
(26.4)		 −7.9
(17.8)		 −16.3
(2.7)		 −23.3
(−9.9)		 −36.6
(−33.9)		 −37.3
(−35.1)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 52
(2.0)		 45
(1.8)		 40
(1.6)		 32
(1.3)		 38
(1.5)		 64
(2.5)		 66
(2.6)		 76
(3.0)		 61
(2.4)		 72
(2.8)		 67
(2.6)		 64
(2.5)		 677
(26.7)
Average precipitation days 12.0 10 8 7 7 10 9 10 9 11 12 13 118
Source 1: https://helda.helsinki.fi/handle/10138/336063
Source 2: https://kilotavu.com/asema-taulukko.php?asema=101194

Demographics

Population

The city of Kouvola has 79,080 inhabitants, making it the 11th most populous municipality in Finland. In Kouvola, 4.8% of the population has a foreign background, which is below to the national average.[12]

Population size of Kouvola (and merged municipalities) 1990–2020[12]
Year Population
1990
94,352
1995
94,138
2000
91,550
2005
89,924
2010
88,072
2015
85,855
2020
81,187

Languages

Population by mother tongue (2022)[12]

  Finnish (95.3%)
  Russian (1.8%)
  Estonian (0.5%)
  Swedish (0.4%)
  Arabic (0.3%)
  Thai (0.2%)
  Somali (0.2%)
  Other (1.3%)

Kouvola is a monolingual Finnish-speaking municipality. There are 287 Swedish speakers in Kouvola, or 0.4% of the population.[12] As English and Swedish are compulsory school subjects, functional bilingualism or trilingualism acquired through language studies is not uncommon.

At least 40 different languages are spoken in Kouvola. The most commonly spoken foreign languages are Russian (1.8%), Estonian (0.5%), Arabic (0.3%) and Thai (0.2%).[12]

Immigration
Population by country of birth (2022)[12]
NationalityPopulation %
 Finland73,73595.3
 Soviet Union1,1161.4
 Estonia3210.4
 Russia2350.3
 Sweden2100.3
 Thailand1900.2
 Turkey1230.2
 Somalia1120.1
 Iraq930.1
 China710.1
 Philippines540.1
Other1,0751.4

In 2022, there were 3,785 persons with a migrant background living in Kouvola, or 4.8% of the population.[note 1] The number of residents who were born abroad was 3,694, or 4.7% of the population. The number of persons with foreign citizenship living in Kouvola was 2,267.[14] Most foreign-born citizens came from the former Soviet Union, Estonia, Russia and Sweden.[12]

The relative share of immigrants in Kouvola's population is below to the national average. However, the city's new residents are increasingly of foreign origin. This will increase the proportion of foreign residents in the coming years.

Religion

In 2022, the Evangelical Lutheran Church was the largest religious group with 70.5% of the population of Kouvola. Other religious groups accounted for 2.0% of the population. 27.5% of the population had no religious affiliation.[12]

International relations
Main article: List of twin towns and sister cities in Finland

Twin towns and sister cities

Kouvola is twinned with:[15]

Regionalization
Kouvola regional councils.
Region Committee Population Area km2 Population Density
Kouvola central (1) 30 185 44,88 672,57
Kuusankoski (2) 20 647 692,07 29,83
Anjalankoski (3) 15 000 752,92 19,92
Valkeala (4) 11 433 1003,72 11,39
Elimäki (5) 7 900 391,74 20,17
5 region Committee 85 165 2 885,33 29,52

Jaala is only one does not form its own regional committee, but is part of the Kuusankoski regional committee.

Notable people
Map of territorial changes of Kouvola and Kuusankoski. Most of the area of old Kouvola was separated from Valkeala, except for the western parts of the city, which were separated from Kuusankoski.

Notes
  1. Statistics Finland classifies a person as having a "foreign background" if both parents or the only known parent were born abroad.[13]

References
  1. "Area of Finnish Municipalities 1.1.2018" (PDF). National Land Survey of Finland. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  2. "Finland's preliminary population figure was 5,587,841 at the end of August 2023". StatFin. Statistics Finland. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  3. "Demographic Structure by area as of 31 December 2022". Statistics Finland's PX-Web databases. Statistics Finland. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  4. "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.
  5. Taajamat väkiluvun ja väestöntiheyden mukaan 31.12.2019. – Statistics Finland. (in Finnish)
  6. Kruk, Katherine (5 April 2012). "Kouvola – strategic and beautiful". Helsinki Times. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  7. "Kouvola suuren tuskan edessä". YLE (in Finnish). Retrieved October 13, 2021.
  8. "Kaakkois-Suomen suurin kaupunki vaihtuu, jos väestöennuste toteutuu – Kouvolan väkiluku vähenee tuhansilla". YLE (in Finnish). Retrieved October 13, 2021.
  9. el Kamel, Sonia; Hujanen, Touko (November 27, 2020). "Älkää lähtekö!". Ylioppilaslehti (in Finnish). Retrieved October 13, 2021.
  10. "Kouvolan kaupunki". Website of Kouvola. Retrieved 20 June 2010.
  11. Jäntti, Pasi. "Mikä on kouvo?". Kaleva (in Finnish). Archived from the original on May 17, 2014. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  12. "Number of foreign-language speakers grew by nearly 38,000 persons". Statistics Finland. 31 May 2023. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  13. "Persons with foreign background". Statistics Finland. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
  14. "Population structure 2000-2022, urban-rural classification". Statistics Finland. 26 May 2023. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  15. "Kansainvälinen Kouvola" (in Finnish). City of Kouvola. 20 May 2019. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
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