Varkaus

Varkaus (before year 1929 Warkaus) is a Middle-Savonian industrial town and municipality of Finland. It is located in the province of Eastern Finland and is part of the Northern Savonia region, between the city of Kuopio and the town of Savonlinna.

Varkaus
Town
Varkauden kaupunki
Varkaus stad
Varkaus in July 2006
Varkaus in July 2006
Coat of arms of Varkaus
Coat of arms
Location of Varkaus in Finland
Location of Varkaus in Finland
Coordinates: 62°19′N 027°53.5′E
Country Finland
RegionNorthern Savonia
Sub-regionVarkaus
Market town1929
City rights1961
Government
 • Town managerHannu Tsupari
Area
 (2018-01-01)[1]
 • Total524.48 km2 (202.50 sq mi)
 • Land386.04 km2 (149.05 sq mi)
 • Water138.45 km2 (53.46 sq mi)
 • Rank206th largest in Finland
Population
 (2023-10-26)[2]
 • Total19,640
 • Rank56th largest in Finland
 • Density50.88/km2 (131.8/sq mi)
Population by native language
[3]
 • Finnish96.3% (official)
 • Swedish0.2%
 • Others3.5%
Population by age
[4]
 • 0 to 1412%
 • 15 to 6456.4%
 • 65 or older31.6%
Time zoneUTC+02:00 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+03:00 (EEST)
Websitewww.varkaus.fi
Illustration in Finland framstäldt i teckningar edited by Zacharias Topelius and published 1845-1852.

The municipality has a population of 19,640 (26 October 2023)[2] and covers an area of 524.48 square kilometres (202.50 sq mi) of which 138.45 km2 (53.46 sq mi) is water.[1] The population density is 50.88 inhabitants per square kilometre (131.8/sq mi).

The municipality is unilingually Finnish. In old Finnish 'Varkaus' meant strait, and this city is located in the lake district on straits between two parts of Lake Saimaa. An extension of the Saimaa Canal passes through the town.

History

Varkaus was born in the late 19th century as an industrial community of the A. Ahlström paper mills. It was a part of the municipalities of Leppävirta and Joroinen until 1929 when Varkaus became a market town. During the Finnish Civil War in 1918 the town was taken over by the Reds, but because of its isolated location in rural Finland, it was soon taken by the Whites on the Battle of Varkaus 19–21 February. The whites proceeded to execute every tenth Red soldier.

The municipality of Kangaslampi was consolidated to Varkaus on 1 January 2005.

Sport

The bandy team Warkauden Pallo-35, or just WP-35, plays in the highest division, Bandyliiga, and has become Finnish champions 16 times.

Notable people

Parts of the town of Varkaus
  • Kaura-aho
  • Käpykangas
  • Kuoppakangas
  • Kosulanniemi
  • Lehtoniemi
  • Puurtila
  • Taipale
  • Luttila
  • Könönpelto
  • Kangaslampi
  • Kurola
  • Hasinmäki
  • Häyrilä
  • Päiviönsaari
  • Peltola

Twin towns — sister cities

Varkaus is twinned with:

See also

References
  1. "Area of Finnish Municipalities 1.1.2018" (PDF). National Land Survey of Finland. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  2. "Preliminary population statistics 2023, September". StatFin. Statistics Finland. Retrieved 26 October 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.


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