Kymenlaakso

Kymenlaakso (Finnish: [ˈkymenˌlɑːkso]; Swedish: Kymmenedalen; lit. "Kymi/Kymmene Valley") is a region in Finland. It borders the regions of Uusimaa, Päijät-Häme, South Savo and South Karelia and Russia (Leningrad Oblast). Its name means literally The Valley of River Kymi. Kymijoki is one of the biggest rivers in Finland with a drainage basin with 11% of the area of Finland. The city of Kotka with 51,000 inhabitants is located at the delta of River Kymi and has the most important import harbour in Finland. Other cities are Kouvola further in the inland which has after a municipal merger 81,000 inhabitants and the old bastion town Hamina.

The Kymi River in Kotka

Kymenlaakso Kymmenedalen
Region
Region of Kymenlaakso Kymenlaakson maakunta (Finnish) Landskapet Kymmenedalen (Swedish)
Coat of arms
Kymenlaakso on a map of Finland
Coordinates: 60°30′N 027°00′E
Country	Finland
Historical province	Uusimaa, Karelia, Tavastia
Former provinces	Viborg and Nyslott County Kymmenegård and Nyslott County Viipuri Province Province of Kymi Southern Finland Province
Capital	Kotka and Kouvola
Area
• Total	5,595.36 km2 (2,160.38 sq mi)
Population  (2019)
• Total	174,167
• Density	31/km2 (81/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)
ISO 3166 code	FI-09
NUTS	186
Regional animal	Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra)
Regional bird	Eurasian bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula)
Regional fish	European sprat (Sprattus sprattus)
Regional flower	Yellow Iris (Iris pseudacorus)
Regional stone	Rapakivi granite
Regional lake	Lake Vuohijärvi
Website	www.kymenlaakso.fi

Kymenlaakso was one of the first industrialized regions of Finland. It became the most important region for paper and pulp industry in Finland. Since the late 1900s many plants have closed, which has caused some deindustrialization, unemployment and population decline in Kymenlaakso, especially in those communities that were built around plants in Kouvola.