Kouvola

Kouvola (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈkou̯wolɑ]) is a city and municipality in southeastern Finland. It is located on the Kymijoki River in the region of Kymenlaakso 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
The Torikatu tower houses and the Pohjolatalo in the center of Kouvola
Coat of arms
Motto(s): 
"Näköisesi paikka." (The place you look like.)
"Kaikkea kivaa betonista" (Everything nice from concrete)
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)
Area rank22nd largest in Finland
Population
 (2019-01-31)[2]
 • City83,149
 • Rank10th largest in Finland
 • Density32.5/km2 (84/sq mi)
 • Metro
60,776
 • Metro density267/km2 (690/sq mi)
Population by native language
 • Finnish97.2% (official)
 • Swedish0.4%
 • Others2.4%
Population by age
 • 0 to 1415.1%
 • 15 to 6465.1%
 • 65 or older19.8%
Time zoneUTC+02:00 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+03:00 (EEST)
Postal code
45100
Municipal tax rate[5]20%
ClimateDfc
Websitewww.kouvola.fi

The city has a population of 83,149 (31 January 2019)[2] and 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 32.5 inhabitants per square kilometre (84/sq mi).

Kouvola is bordered by the municipalities of Hamina, Heinola, Iitti, Kotka, Lapinjärvi, Loviisa, Luumäki, Miehikkälä, Mäntyharju, Pyhtää and Savitaipale.

Kouvola have been often deemed “the most useless” or “the ugliest” city in Finland.[6] Kouvola's architecture looks a lot like the Soviet / DDR style architecture, From which it has received an unofficial nickname: Kouvostoliitto (after Neuvostoliitto, USSR). These negative feedback has given rise to all sorts of memes, and Kouvola has become more familiar as well.

History
Kouvola railway station in 2019

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. 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, Savo was built from Kouvola to the north and Kotka line south of Kouvola, resulting in Kouvola becoming one of the busiest railway junctions in Finland.

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.

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.[7]

Historical affiliations
Finland under Swedish rule (Sweden)
1743–1808

Grand Duchy of Finland (Russian Empire) 1809–1917
Finland 1917–1918
Finnish Socialist Workers' Republic 1918

 Finland 1918–present

Culture

Province History of Kouvola

Local government

The Kouvola City Council has 59 delegates. Its seat allocation in 2017-2020:

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

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 third 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 but is currently playing in the fourth highest level, Kakkonen. 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.

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

Twin towns and sister cities

Kouvola is twinned with:[8]

Well-known people born in Kouvola
  • Finnish baseball, KSS Energia Areena
  • Lumon arena is a ice hockey arena
  • Kouvola indoor swimming pool
  • Kouvola's main Church
  • Kouvola's City Hall
  • Kimola Canal
  • Football KSOY-stadion
  • Kymi River
  • Kymi paper and pulp mill
  • Tykkimäki Amusement park
  • shopping centre Veturi
  • Verla Groundwood and Board Mill (Museum)

References
  1. "Area of Finnish Municipalities 1.1.2018" (PDF). National Land Survey of Finland. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  2. "Suomen virallinen tilasto (SVT): Väestön ennakkotilasto [verkkojulkaisu]. Tammikuu 2019" (in Finnish). Statistics Finland. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  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. Kouvola – strategic and beautiful
  7. "Kouvolan kaupunki". Website of Kouvola. Retrieved 20 June 2010.
  8. "Kansainvälinen Kouvola" (in Finnish). City of Kouvola. 20 May 2019. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
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