Kemi
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Kemi (Script error: No such module "IPA".; Template:Langx Script error: No such module "IPA".; Template:Langx; Template:Langx) is a town and municipality of Finland. It is located approximately 30 kilometres (19 mi) from the city of Tornio and the Swedish border. The distance to Oulu is 105 kilometres (65 mi) to the south and to Rovaniemi is 117 kilometres (73 mi) to the northeast. It was founded in 1869 by a decree of the Emperor Alexander II of Russia because of its proximity to a deepwater port.
The town has a population of 19,339 (31 December 2025)[1] and covers an area of 747.28 km2 (288.53 sq mi) of which 652.1 square kilometers (251.8 sq mi) are water.[2] The population density is 202.76 inhabitants per square kilometre (525.1/sq mi).
According to current statistics, Kemi has the highest number of drug crimes than any other town in Finland. This is thought to be due to its proximity to the Swedish border and the drug smuggling that occurs across it.[3]
History
World War II hostage crisis
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During World War II, after Finland signed the Moscow Armistice and found itself involved in the Lapland War against its former German ally, German forces at the beginning of October 1944 captured 132 Finnish civilian hostages in Kemi (as well as 130 in Rovaniemi) and threatened to kill them unless the Finnish army released the German POWs captured in the Battle of Tornio. However, Finland refused to comply and threatened to retaliate by killing the German POWs. The hostages were released unharmed on October 11, 1944, near Rovaniemi.[citation needed]
Geography
Kemi is situated on the Bothnian Bay, at the mouth of the river Kemijoki, and it is part of the Lapland region.
Climate
The climate type of Kemi is a typical subarctic climate (Köppen Dfc). It is characterized by long, cold winters and warm, short summers; but because it is on the coast of the Gulf of Bothnia, the characteristics of its continental climate are not as pronounced as inland areas. Script error: No such module "weather box".
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Note
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Economy
The main economic activity in Kemi is centered on two large paper and woodpulp mills and on the only chromium mine in Europe (which supplies the Outokumpu ferrochrome plant in Tornio).
In April 2007, the city of Kemi laid off all of its municipal workers for two weeks due to the failing economy of the city. Spiraling specialist healthcare costs and a fleeing industry tax base are stated as the cause for the firing.[8] These are the most drastic temporary dismissals to take place in Finland since 2000.
Sights
Kemi has a claim to fame as the home of the world's largest snow castle[9] (reconstructed every year to a different design). The SnowCastle of Kemi is usually built in the inner harbor of the city.
A model of The Crown of Finland (the original was never made for the King of Finland) is kept in the town's gemstone gallery. It also houses replicas of the Imperial State Crown of Great Britain, the scepter of the Czar of Russia, the Orbs of Denmark, and the diamond necklace of Marie Antoinette, among other items.
Additional attractions include:
- Kemi church
- Kemi Gemstone Gallery[citation needed]
- Icebreaker Sampo
- The sailship Jähti[citation needed]
Culture
Kemi is the hometown of the power metal band Sonata Arctica.[citation needed]
Politics
Results of the 2019 Finnish parliamentary election in Kemi:[10]
- Left Alliance 26.2%
- Social Democratic Party 23.6%
- The Finns Party 19.8%
- Center Party 13.6%
- National Coalition Party 7.2%
- Green League 5.1%
- Movement Now 1.8%
- Christian Democrats 0.7%
- Communist Worker‘s Party - For Peace and Socialism 2,7%
Town manager
| Town manager | Term |
|---|---|
| Olli Nylander | 1930-1956 |
| Risto Hölttä | 1956-1966 |
| Taisto Jokelainen | 1967-1980 |
| Juhani Leino | 1980-2000 |
| Kalervo Ukkola | 2000-2005 |
| Ossi Repo | 2006-2012 |
| Tero Nissinen | 2012-2021 |
| Matti Ruotsalainen | 2021- |
Transportation
Kemi railway station is an intermediate station on the railway between Lapland and Helsinki. It is operated by VR. The junction of the Kolari and Rovaniemi lines lies to the north of Kemi station.
Finnish national road 4 and European routes E8 and E75 run through the town.
Kemi-Tornio Airport is located 4.5 kilometers (2.8 mi) north of Kemi city center.
The Port of Kemi is a cargo port handling containerised and bulk cargo as well as oil and petrochemical products.[11]
Education
A polytechnic university of applied sciences is situated in Kemi.
Notable people
- Heikki Jauhopää (died 1586), Finnish cunning man executed for witchcraft
- Juhani Paasivirta (1919–1993), Finnish historian[citation needed]
- Ensio Seppänen (1924–2008), Finnish sculptor and professor[citation needed]
- Anna-Liisa Tiekso (1929–2010), Finnish politician[citation needed]
- Tony Kakko (1975-), Finnish musician and singer of Sonata Arctica[citation needed]
International relations
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Twin towns – sister cities
Kemi is twinned with:
- Template:Flagicon Tromsø (Norway), since 1940
- Template:Flagicon Volgograd (Russia), since 1953
- Template:Flagicon Liptovský Mikuláš (Slovakia)
- Template:Flagicon Newtownards (Northern Ireland)
- Template:Flagicon Székesfehérvár (Hungary)[12]
- Template:Flagicon Luleå (Sweden)
See also
References
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- ^ Cite error: The named reference
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- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."FMI normals 1991-2020" (in suomi). fmi.fi. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."FMI normals 1991-2020" (in suomi). FMI. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."FMI normals 1991-2020" (in suomi). FMI. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Kemi, Finland". Weatherbase. 2013. Retrieved on April 18, 2013.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Northern city of Kemi to lay off all municipal workers for two weeks". Helsingin Sanomat – International Edition. Helsinki: Helsingin Sanomat Oy. 24 April 2007. Retrieved 7 January 2009.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Pictures of the day: 4 February 2011". The Telegraph. 4 February 2011. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Eduskuntavaalit 2019, Kemi". Oikeusministerö - Tieto- ja tulospalvelu. 23 April 2019. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Port of Kemi". PortOfKemi.fi. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Bozsoki, Agnes. "Partnervárosok Névsora Partner és Testvérvárosok Névsora" [Partner and Twin Cities List]. City of Székesfehérvár (in magyar). Archived from the original on 8 December 2012. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
External links
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- Town of Kemi – Official website
- Page Template:Sister-inline/styles.css has no content.Script error: No such module "Sister project logo". [[voy:Kemi#Template:Wikidata|Kemi]] travel guide from Wikivoyage
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