Karstula

Karstula is a municipality of Finland founded in 1867. It is located in the Central Finland region. The municipality has a population of 3,905 (31 July 2020)[2] and covers an area of 963.19 square kilometres (371.89 sq mi) of which 76.22 km² (29.43 sq mi) is water.[1] The population density is 4.4 inhabitants per square kilometre (11/sq mi).

Karstula
Municipality
Karstulan kunta Karstula kommun
Karstula Church
Coat of arms
Location of Karstula in Finland
Coordinates: 62°52.5′N 024°48′E
Country	Finland
Region	Central Finland
Sub-region	Saarijärvi–Viitasaari sub-region
Charter	1867
Government
• Municipal manager	Pekka Kanervio
Area  (2018-01-01)[1]
• Total	963.19 km^2 (371.89 sq mi)
• Land	887.25 km^2 (342.57 sq mi)
• Water	76.22 km^2 (29.43 sq mi)
Area rank	86th largest in Finland
Population  (2020-07-31)[2]
• Total	3,905
• Rank	197th largest in Finland
• Density	4.4/km^2 (11/sq mi)
Population by native language [3]
• Finnish	99.5% (official)
• Others	0.5%
Population by age [4]
• 0 to 14	15.2%
• 15 to 64	60.7%
• 65 or older	24.1%
Time zone	UTC+02:00 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+03:00 (EEST)
Municipal tax rate[5]	18.5%
Website	www.karstula.fi

Neighbouring municipalities are Kannonkoski, Kivijärvi, Kyyjärvi, Saarijärvi and Soini.

There are all together 159 lakes in Karstula. Biggest lakes are Pääjärvi, Enonjärvi and Vahanka.[6]

Architecture

• A number of historical buildings (from the beginning of the 20th century) has been preserved in the village centre, representing the original countryside buildings of the region.
• There's also a cottage designed by Alvar Aalto, though it is not listed in most Aalto's biographies.

Transport

Highway 13 between Kokkola and Lappeenranta, main road 58 between Kangasala and Kärsämäki and main road 77 between Kyyjärvi and Siilinjärvi pass through the Karstula municipality.

People

• Artturi Koskinen (1904–1981), Member of Parliament
• Jarmo Mäkinen (born 1958), actor
• Nätti-Jussi (1890–1964), legendary lumberjack
• Harri Koskinen (born 1970), designer

Culture

• The International Shooting Week

Twin cities

• Broby Municipality, Denmark[7]
• Ragunda, Sweden[8]
• Stjørdal, Norway[9]

Gallery

• 
  Pääjärvi is the largest lake in Karstula.
• 
  Kirkkovuori observation tower.

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]. Heinäkuu 2020" (in Finnish). Statistics Finland. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
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. "Karstula". Järviwiki. Finland's Environmental Administration. 2012. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
7. "Kolme vuosikymmentä pohjoismaisia ystäväkuntasuhteita Karstulassa" (PDF) (in Finnish). Karstulan Pohjola-Norden ry. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
8. "Kolme vuosikymmentä pohjoismaisia ystäväkuntasuhteita Karstulassa" (PDF) (in Finnish). Karstulan Pohjola-Norden ry. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
9. "Kolme vuosikymmentä pohjoismaisia ystäväkuntasuhteita Karstulassa" (PDF) (in Finnish). Karstulan Pohjola-Norden ry. Retrieved 7 May 2012.

External links

Media related to Karstula at Wikimedia Commons

• Municipality of Karstula – Official website (in Finnish)
• Karstula official tourism site
• The International Shooting Week