Närpes
| |
---|---|
Town | |
Närpes stad Närpiön kaupunki | |
![]() Närpes Church | |
![]() Coat of arms | |
![]() Location of Närpes in Finland | |
Coordinates: 62°28′N 021°20′E / 62.467°N 21.333°E | |
Country | ![]() |
Region | Ostrobothnia |
Sub-region | Sydösterbotten sub-region |
Charter | 1867 |
City rights | 1993 |
Government | |
• City manager | Hans-Erik Lindqvist |
Area (2018-01-01)[1] | |
• Total | 2,334.14 km2 (901.22 sq mi) |
• Land | 977.82 km2 (377.54 sq mi) |
• Water | 1,357 km2 (524 sq mi) |
• Rank | 80th largest in Finland |
Population (2023-09-30)[2] | |
• Total | 9,587 |
• Rank | 102nd largest in Finland |
• Density | 9.8/km2 (25/sq mi) |
Population by native language | |
• Swedish | 75.3% (official) |
• Finnish | 5.2% |
• Others | 19.5% |
Population by age | |
• 0 to 14 | 15.8% |
• 15 to 64 | 55.5% |
• 65 or older | 28.7% |
Time zone | UTC+02:00 (EET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+03:00 (EEST) |
Website | www.narpes.fi |
Närpes (Finland Swedish: [ˈnærpːes]; Finnish: Närpiö [ˈnærpiø]) is a town and municipality of Finland. It is located in Western Finland and is part of the Ostrobothnia region. The town has a population of 9,587 (30 September 2023)[2] and covers an area of 2,334.14 square kilometres (901.22 sq mi) of which 1,357 km2 (524 sq mi) is water.[1] The population density is 9.8 inhabitants per square kilometre (25/sq mi). Economically, the municipality is known for extensive greenhouse farming of tomatoes and manufacture of trailers for trucks.
Närpes has been a bilingual municipality since 2016. Before that, Närpes was the last unilingually Swedish-speaking municipality in continental Finland.[5] Most locals speak a divergent variety of Ostrobothnian Swedish. The bands who sing in that dialect include 1G3B and Nektor.
The most significant main roads in Närpes are Highway 8 between Turku and Vaasa, and Highway 67 between Kaskinen and Seinäjoki.
History
Närpes has a history that can be dated back to 1331, when Klas Bengtsson in "Nærpes" pawned goods to bishop Bengt in Turku.[6]
In 1348 king Magnus IV of Sweden declared "all who live in Nerpis socken, Mustasaari socken and Pedersöre socken" the right to buy and sell "all eatables".[7] Thus creating the first official marketplaces in Ostrobothnia.
Demographics
![](../I/Spr%C3%A5k_i_N%C3%A4rpes%252C_2013.jpg.webp)
Blue: Swedish;
Brown: Finnish
Yellow: All other languages
Närpes has attracted many immigrants, and has also welcomed refugees.[8]
Largest immigrant groups:[9]
Vietnam (403)
Bosnia and Herzegovina (388)
Sweden (254)
Yugoslavia (254)
Thailand (58)
Russia (54)
Ukraine (51)
Estonia (42)
Croatia (32)
Lithuania (30)
United States (28)
Ecuador (25)
International relations
Twin towns — Sister cities
Närpes is twinned with:
Akranes, Iceland
Bamble, Norway
Tønder, Denmark
Västervik Municipality, Sweden
See also
References
- 1 2 "Area of Finnish Municipalities 1.1.2018" (PDF). National Land Survey of Finland. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
- 1 2 "Preliminary population statistics 2023, September". StatFin. Statistics Finland. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
- ↑ "Demographic Structure by area as of 31 December 2022". Statistics Finland's PX-Web databases. Statistics Finland. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
- ↑ "Population according to age (1-year) and sex by area and the regional division of each statistical reference year, 2003–2020". StatFin. Statistics Finland. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
- ↑ Kunnan kaksikielisyys vaatii aikaa, työtä ja kompromisseja Yle.fi 25 April 2016, accessed 25 April 2016
- ↑ "DF 386".
- ↑ "Kumo 13.2.1348". Archived from the original on 18 September 2016.
- ↑ "Närpiö Becomes Magnet for Immigrants".
- ↑ "PX-Web - Valitse muuttuja ja arvot". Archived from the original on 2019-02-12. Retrieved 2018-08-26.
External links
Media related to Närpes at Wikimedia Commons
- Town of Närpes – Official website
Närpes travel guide from Wikivoyage