Kempele
| Kempele | ||
|---|---|---|
| Municipality | ||
| Kempeleen kunta | ||
 | ||
| ||
 | ||
| Coordinates: 64°54′45″N 025°30′30″E / 64.91250°N 25.50833°ECoordinates: 64°54′45″N 025°30′30″E / 64.91250°N 25.50833°E | ||
| Country | Finland | |
| Region | Northern Ostrobothnia | |
| Sub-region | Oulu sub-region | |
| Charter | 1867 | |
| Government | ||
| • Municipality manager | Kari Ahokas | |
| Area(2011-01-01)[1] | ||
| • Total | 110.35 km2 (42.61 sq mi) | |
| • Land | 110.12 km2 (42.52 sq mi) | |
| • Water | 0.23 km2 (0.09 sq mi) | |
| Area rank | 327th largest in Finland | |
| Population (2013-08-31)[2] | ||
| • Total | 16,303 | |
| • Rank | 73rd largest in Finland | |
| • Density | 148.05/km2 (383.4/sq mi) | |
| Population by native language[3] | ||
| • Finnish | 99% (official) | |
| • Swedish | 0.1% | |
| • Others | 0.8% | |
| Population by age[4] | ||
| • 0 to 14 | 25.8% | |
| • 15 to 64 | 64.8% | |
| • 65 or older | 9.4% | |
| Time zone | EET (UTC+2) | |
| • Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+3) | |
| Postal code | 90440, 90450 | |
| Municipal tax rate[5] | 19.5% | |
| Website | www.kempele.fi | |
Kempele is a municipality in the province of Oulu, in Finland. The municipality is located in Northern Finland just south of city of Oulu. The population of Kempele is 16,303 (31 August 2013) and the municipality covers an area of 110.33 square kilometres (42.60 sq mi) (excluding sea areas) of which 0.21 square kilometres (0.081 sq mi) is inland water (2011-01-01). The population density is 148 inhabitants per square kilometre (380 /sq mi) (31 August 2013). The municipality of Kempele was founded in 1867.
Neighbourhood municipalities are Liminka, Oulu, Oulunsalo and Tyrnävä.
History
First permanent inhabitants settled in Kempele area approximately 500 years ago – at that time coast line was closer than what it is today. Kempele was part of Greater Liminka and consisted only of three houses in 1568 when the area was called as Kempele first time in official context. Full church privileges were granted to Kempele in 1774, which also meant separation from Liminka. Municipality administration was established in 1867.
Sights
The old wooden church of Kempele, which was built in late 17th century, is one of the oldest wooden churches in Finland. Originally Kempele was granted rights to build up a praying room in 1688, but local parishioners decided to construct a church with steeple. As it was typical at that time to bury local notable persons under the church building, also in Kempele there are approximately 150 graves – last of them from 1796.
Even though the old church is not anymore in active use after the new one was built next to it in 1990s, some activities are still kept in there.
Kempele may be best known, however, for being the headquarters of the world-famous heart rate monitor corporation, Polar Electro, which first innovated this product in 1978.
International relations
Twin towns — Sister cities
References
- ↑ "Area by municipality as of 1 January 2011" (PDF) (in Finnish and Swedish). Land Survey of Finland. Retrieved 9 March 2011.
- ↑ "VÄESTÖTIETOJÄRJESTELMÄ REKISTERITILANNE 31.8.2013" (in Finnish and Swedish). Population Register Center of Finland. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
- ↑ "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.
- ↑ "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.
- ↑ "List of municipal and parish tax rates in 2011". Tax Administration of Finland. 29 November 2010. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
- ↑ "Välissuhted" (in Estonian). Elva linn. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
External links
Media related to Kempele at Wikimedia Commons
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