Kittilä

Kittilä
Municipality
Kittilän kunta
Kommunen Kittilä
Ski Resort Levi, in Kittilä

Coat of arms

Location of Kittilä in Finland
Coordinates: 67°39′N 024°54.5′E / 67.650°N 24.9083°E / 67.650; 24.9083Coordinates: 67°39′N 024°54.5′E / 67.650°N 24.9083°E / 67.650; 24.9083
Country  Finland
Region Lapland
Sub-region Fell Lapland sub-region
Charter 1854
Government
 • Municipality manager Seppo Maula
Area (2018-01-01)[1]
 • Total 8,262.97 km2 (3,190.35 sq mi)
 • Land 8,093.96 km2 (3,125.10 sq mi)
 • Water 168.71 km2 (65.14 sq mi)
Area rank 3rd largest in Finland
Population (2017-08-31)[2]
 • Total 6,358
 • Rank 152nd largest in Finland
 • Density 0.79/km2 (2.0/sq mi)
Population by native language[3]
 • Finnish 98% (official)
 • Swedish 0.3%
 • Sami 0.1%
 • Others 1.6%
Population by age[4]
 • 0 to 14 15.8%
 • 15 to 64 66%
 • 65 or older 18.2%
Time zone UTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+3 (EEST)
Municipal tax rate[5] 19%
Website www.kittila.fi

Kittilä (Inari Sami: Kittâl, Northern Sami: Gihttel) is a municipality of Finland and a popular holiday resort.

It is located in northern Finland north of the Arctic Circle within the Lapland region. The municipality has a population of 6,358 (31 August 2017)[2] and covers an area of 8,262.97 square kilometres (3,190.35 sq mi) of which 168.71 km2 (65.14 sq mi) is water.[1] The population density is 0.79 inhabitants per square kilometre (2.0/sq mi).

View from the top of Kätkätunturi

The ski resort Levi is situated in Kittilä on Levi Fell (in Finnish "Levitunturi") (elevation 531 metres (1742 feet)). The resort hosts a slalom event early each season on the Alpine World Cup circuit and offers both downhill and cross-country skiing to the public, as well as snow shoeing, including to the next nearest fell, Kätkätunturi, located west of Levitunturi. Kätkätunturi is 504.6 metres (1,656 ft) high and 7 kilometres (4 mi) long.

On 5 June 2006, it was announced that a Canadian mining corporation Agnico-Eagle Mines will start a new gold mine in Kittilä. Once completed, it will be the biggest gold mine in Europe. Experts say that the deposits hold at least three million ounces of gold, by current market price worth 1.8 billion U.S. dollars. The mine is expected to produce an average of 150,000 ounces of gold annually for at least 13 years.

Kittilä Airport is served by Blue1, Finnair and Finncomm Airlines. Thomson Airways also serves the airport from various UK bases as part of their programme of ski flights, as well as Christmas specials and flights in support of the When You Wish Upon A Star children's foundation. Thomas Cook Airlines also fly to Kittilä Airport from Bristol and Gatwick Airport between November to April every year.

Kittilä is also famous for being the location of the lowest recorded temperature in Finnish history: −51.5 °C (−60.7 °F), measured in January 1999 in Pokka. The "midnight sun" is above the horizon from 29 May to 16 July, and the period with continuous daylight lasts a bit longer, polar night from 14 December to 29 December.

Climate

Kittilä has a subarctic climate as a result of its northerly location and being far inland, which renders strong seasonal shifts. The sun does not set between 30 May and 15 July (47 days), and white nights lasts from early May to early August. The period that the sun does not rise lasts from 14 December to 29 December (16 days), the exact boundaries depending on local topography. Although winter temperatures are cold they are still less severe than in similar locations elsewhere in the world due to some Gulf Stream influence. In summer temperatures generally are moderate, although warm days are possible.

Climate data for Kittilä
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) −9.6
(14.7)		 −9.1
(15.6)		 −3.6
(25.5)		 2.1
(35.8)		 8.8
(47.8)		 16.2
(61.2)		 18.7
(65.7)		 16.2
(61.2)		 10.1
(50.2)		 2.9
(37.2)		 −3.4
(25.9)		 −8.0
(17.6)		 3.4
(38.2)
Daily mean °C (°F) −14.8
(5.4)		 −14.3
(6.3)		 −9.1
(15.6)		 −2.6
(27.3)		 4.4
(39.9)		 11.5
(52.7)		 13.9
(57)		 11.7
(53.1)		 6.3
(43.3)		 −0.2
(31.6)		 −7.3
(18.9)		 −12.8
(9)		 −1.1
(30)
Average low °C (°F) −20.0
(−4)		 −19.5
(−3.1)		 −14.5
(5.9)		 −7.2
(19)		 0.1
(32.2)		 6.8
(44.2)		 9.2
(48.6)		 7.3
(45.1)		 2.5
(36.5)		 −3.2
(26.2)		 −11.1
(12)		 −17.6
(0.3)		 −5.6
(21.9)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 30
(1.18)		 25
(0.98)		 25
(0.98)		 25
(0.98)		 31
(1.22)		 48
(1.89)		 62
(2.44)		 63
(2.48)		 52
(2.05)		 46
(1.81)		 39
(1.54)		 31
(1.22)		 477
(18.77)
Source: en.climate-data.org[6]

Notable residents

See also

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.
  6. ↑ http://en.climate-data.org/location/72903/

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