List of cities and towns in Finland

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The following is a list of cities in Finland. In the year 1977, the legal difference between towns and municipalities was removed. Today[when?] they are all classified as municipalities, some of which are commonly referred to as cities (kaupunki in Finnish, stad in Swedish). A municipality can decide whether it calls itself a municipality or a city. To date, many decide to use the latter.[citation needed]

There is no direct Finnish equivalent to "city",[citation needed] but suurkaupunki (~ large town) is used for a few cities in Finland. This fits the EU's definition of a city, which has the criteria of a minimum population of 50,000 and a minimum population density of 500 inhabitants per square kilometer. A simple, independent decision in the municipal council is sufficient to call a municipality (kunta) a city (kaupunki). For cities founded before the 1960s, the list includes the year the city was chartered.

Many municipal mergers have been carried out in Finland (and more are yet to come, due to a countrywide municipal reform). Mergers also make it difficult to define what towns are cities because mergers make the population increase a bit but make the population density decrease. For example, according to the EU definition, Tampere is no longer a city, due to the municipal mergers with Messukylä, Aitolahti, and Teisko, which decreased its official population density to 410.5 inhabitants per square kilometer, as of 1 July 2012. In Finland, the whole area inside a municipality's borders is officially considered the city or town area.

The names used in this encyclopedia are usually the Finnish or Swedish forms, depending on the majority language of the municipality, except when there is a commonly used English name.

Cities (founded)[]

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Tampere
Vantaa
Oulu
Turku
Jyväskylä
Finnish name Swedish name District Founded Population[1]
Akaa[a] Ackas 2007 16,709
Alajärvi 1986 9,752
Alavus Alavo 1977 11,611
Espoo Esbo Helsinki 1972 281,866
Forssa 1964 17,079
Haapajärvi 1977 7,178
Haapavesi 1996 6,895
Hamina Fredrikshamn 1653 20,410
Hanko Hangö 1874 8,448
Harjavalta 1977 7,076
Heinola 1839 19,007
Helsinki Helsingfors 1550 648,650
Huittinen Vittis 1977 10,140
Hyvinkää Hyvinge 1960 46,622
Hämeenlinna Tavastehus 1639 67,713
Iisalmi Idensalmi 1891 21,546
Ikaalinen Ikalis 1977 7,037
Imatra 1971 27,035
Pietarsaari Jakobstad 1652 19,303
Joensuu 1848 76,228
Jyväskylä 1837 140,812
Jämsä[b] 1977 20,764
Järvenpää Träskända 1967 43,170
Kaarina S:t Karins Turku 1993 33,335
Kajaani Kajana 1651 37,039
Kalajoki 1865 12,446
Kangasala Tampere 2018 31,815
Kankaanpää 1972 11,506
Kannus 1986 5,496
Karkkila Högfors 1977 8,804
Kaskinen Kaskö 1785 1,275
Kauhajoki 2001 13,441
Kauhava 1986 16,159
Kauniainen Grankulla Helsinki 1972 9,577
Kemi 1869 21,019
Kemijärvi 1973 7,410
Kerava Kervo Helsinki 1970 36,174
Keuruu Keuru 1986 9,858
Kitee Kides 1992 10,382
Kiuruvesi 1993 8,196
Kokemäki Kumo 1977 7,300
Kokkola Karleby 1620 47,723
Kotka 1878 53,110
Kouvola[c] 1960 83,600
Kristiinankaupunki Kristinestad 1649 6,605
Kuhmo 1986 8,377
Kuopio[d] 1775 118,434
Kurikka 1977 21,050
Kuusamo 2000 15,219
Lahti Lahtis 1905 119,999
Laitila Letala 1986 8,658
Lappeenranta[e] Villmanstrand 1649 72,801
Lapua Lappo 1977 14,545
Lieksa 1973 11,157
Lohja Lojo 1969 46,490
Loimaa 1969 16,106
Loviisa Lovisa 1745 14,968
Maarianhamina Mariehamn 1861 11,769
Mikkeli S:t Michel 1838 53,983
Mänttä-Vilppula[f] 2009 10,062
Naantali Nådendal Turku 1443 19,168
Nivala 1992 10,764
Nokia Tampere 1977 33,403
Nurmes 1974 7,675
Uusikaarlepyy Nykarleby 1620 7,476
Närpiö Närpes 1993 9,503
Orimattila 1992 16,071
Orivesi 1986 9,221
Oulainen 1977 7,457
Oulu Uleåborg 1605 202,753
Outokumpu 1977 6,825
Paimio Pemar Turku 1997 10,784
Parainen Pargas Turku 1977 15,261
Parkano 1977 6,519
Pieksämäki 1962 18,039
Pori Björneborg 1558 84,566
Porvoo Borgå Helsinki 1346 50,224
Pudasjärvi 2004 8,033
Pyhäjärvi[g] 1993 5,282
Raahe Brahestad 1649 24,852
Raasepori Raseborg[h] 2009 27,792
Raisio Reso Turku 1974 24,219
Rauma Raumo 1442 39,401
Riihimäki 1960 28,835
Rovaniemi 1960 62,667
Saarijärvi 1986 9,509
Salo 1960 52,580
Sastamala[i] 2009 24,727
Savonlinna Nyslott 1639 33,866
Seinäjoki 1960 63,072
Somero 1993 8,859
Suonenjoki 1977 7,179
Tampere Tammerfors Tampere 1779 234,441
Tornio Torneå 1621 21,912
Turku Åbo Turku 1200–1300 190,935
Ulvila Ulvsby 1365 to 1558, later 2000 13,074
Uusikaupunki Nystad 1617 15,737
Vaasa Vasa 1606 67,465
Valkeakoski 1963 21,199
Vantaa Vanda Helsinki 1974 226,160
Varkaus 1962 20,956
Viitasaari 1996 6,295
Virrat Virdois 1977 6,756
Ylivieska 1971 15,205
Ylöjärvi Tampere 2004 33,034
Ähtäri Etseri 1986 5,788
Äänekoski[j] 1973 18,971

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ Administrative center is the locality of Toijala, which became a city in 1977.
  2. ^ Includes a former city of Jämsänkoski, which became a city in 1986.
  3. ^ Includes former cities of Anjalankoski and Kuusankoski, which became cities in 1977 and 1973, respectively.
  4. ^ Includes former cities of Juankoski and Nilsiä, both became cities in 1998.
  5. ^ Includes a former city of Joutseno, which became a city in 2009.
  6. ^ Administrative center is the locality of Mänttä, which became a city in 1973.
  7. ^ Administrative center is the locality of Pyhäsalmi, the city also carried this name from 1993 to 1996.
  8. ^ Administrative center is the locality of Ekenäs (founded in 1546), also includes a former city of Karis (became a city in 1977).
  9. ^ Administrative center is the locality of Vammala, which became a city in 1965.
  10. ^ Includes a former city of Suolahti, which became a city in 1977.

References[]

  1. ^ "Preliminary population structure by area, 2021M01*-2021M03*". StatFin (in Finnish). Statistics Finland. Retrieved 2 May 2021.

External links[]

Media related to Cities in Finland at Wikimedia Commons

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