Ilomantsi

Ilomantsi
Municipality
Ilomantsin kunta
Church of Saint Prophet Elijah

Coat of arms

Location of Ilomantsi in Finland
Coordinates: 62°40′N 030°56′E / 62.667°N 30.933°E / 62.667; 30.933Coordinates: 62°40′N 030°56′E / 62.667°N 30.933°E / 62.667; 30.933
Country  Finland
Region North Karelia
Sub-region Joensuu sub-region
Charter 1875
Government
 • Municipal manager Markku Lappalainen 
Area (2018-01-01)[1]
 • Total 3,172.69 km2 (1,224.98 sq mi)
 • Land 2,763.68 km2 (1,067.06 sq mi)
 • Water 409.01 km2 (157.92 sq mi)
Area rank 19th largest in Finland
Population (2017-08-31)[2]
 • Total 5,199
 • Rank 169th largest in Finland
 • Density 1.88/km2 (4.9/sq mi)
Population by native language[3]
 • Finnish 98.2% (official)
 • Swedish 0.2%
 • Others 1.7%
Population by age[4]
 • 0 to 14 11.2%
 • 15 to 64 61.1%
 • 65 or older 27.6%
Time zone UTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+3 (EEST)
Municipal tax rate[5] 19.75%
Website www.ilomantsi.fi

Ilomantsi (Swedish: Ilomants) is municipality and a village of Finland.

It is located in the province of Eastern Finland and is part of the North Karelia region. The municipality has a population of 5,199 (31 August 2017)[2] and covers an area of 3,172.69 square kilometres (1,224.98 sq mi) of which 409.01 km2 (157.92 sq mi) is water.[1] The population density is 1.88 inhabitants per square kilometre (4.9/sq mi). The most eastern point of Finland and of the continental part of the European Union is located in Ilomantsi near the village of Hattuvaara. (In the EU, only Cyprus is located further to the east.)

The nearest town is Joensuu, 72 kilometres (45 mi) away; the distance to Helsinki is 511 km (318 mi). Neighbouring municipalities are Lieksa and Joensuu. In the east, Ilomantsi shares 100 km (60 mi) long border with the Russian Republic of Karelia. The municipality is sparsely populated and is mostly characterized by forests and boglands. About 250 km2 (97 sq mi) of the area is designated as natural reserves, among them the national parks Petkeljärvi and Patvinsuo. The most important bodies of water in Ilomantsi are the lakes Koitere and Nuorajärvi and the river Koitajoki.

The municipality is unilingually Finnish. Local words of Karelian or Russian extraction might be used in Ilomantsi. For example, the central village of the municipality is not called kirkonkylä as is usual in Finland, but pogosta (a Russian loan-word, originally pogost). Even the local newspaper is called Pogostan Sanomat, i.e. "The Pogosta News".

Ilomantsi has 17.4% Orthodox minority, which is the largest percentage among Finnish municipalities. The wooden Orthodox church of Ilomantsi is the largest in Finland and is dedicated to the prophet Elijah. There are also five Orthodox chapels (tsasouna) in the municipality. The Orthodox community of Ilomantsi is more than 500 years old and counts 1,100 members.

Notable residents

Population

The following table shows the decrease in population of the municipality every five years since 1980. The regional allocation used is 1 January 2017.

1980 - 2015
Year Population
1980 8 753
1985 8 469
1990 8 054
1995 7 832
2000 7 129
2005 6 422
2010 5 883
2015 5 336

Sights

Ilomantsi offers a small amount yet historical sights. There are great scenery for nature lovers, sights and events for a cultural jeweler, taste culinary delights.

Few places to visit :

  • Orthodox Church (built in 1892)
  • Lutheric Church (built in 1796)
  • Katri Vala - Culture centre
  • Church of Kivilahti (built in 1954), Clock tower (built in 1969)
  • Research centre of Mekrijärvi
  • Möhkö - A nearby village which was one of the locations of the Winter War.
  • Gun workshop in Naarva - Museum (built in 1790)
  • Church of Naarva (built in 1958), Clock tower (built in 1971)
  • The Poetry Village of Parppeinvaara and the Poet's Pirtti. (An animal museum and a restaurant available)
  • National Park of Patvinsuo
  • National Park of Petkeljärvi
  • Taistelijan Talo (Fighters House) - Museum about the Winter War and the Continuation War (built in 1988).

References

  1. 1 2 "Area of Finnish Municipalities 1.1.2018" (PDF). National Land Survey of Finland. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  2. 1 2 "Ennakkoväkiluku sukupuolen mukaan alueittain, elokuu 2017" (in Finnish). Statistics Finland. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
  3. ↑ "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. Retrieved 29 March 2009.
  4. ↑ "Population according to age and gender by area as of 31 December 2008". Statistics Finland's PX-Web databases. Statistics Finland. Retrieved 28 April 2009.
  5. ↑ "List of municipal and parish tax rates in 2011". Tax Administration of Finland. 29 November 2010. Retrieved 13 March 2011.

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