Muonio

Muonio [ muɔniɔ ] is a municipality in the Finnish part of Lapland. It is located approximately 200 km north of the Arctic Circle.

Geography

Muonio belongs geographically to Fell Lapland. Muonio has an area of ​​2038 km ², of which 134 km ² inland water surfaces. The population density is 1.26 inhabitants per square kilometer of territory.

The most important natural attractions in the area include the Pallas- Yllästunturi National Park and the Muonionjoki, which is also the border river with Sweden. The Pallas- Yllästunturi National Park also been heard in parts to the communities Enontekiö. The previously belonged to the municipality of Kittila area of the National Park was the district Muonios slammed 2006, bringing the total area of ​​the municipality increased by around 7.5%.

In Muonio the polar night lasts from early December until almost the middle of January (about January 13 ), during the polar day lasts from early June to early August.

Policy

In Muonio the three Finnish political parties dominate the political process. As generally in the rural areas of northern Finland is also the Centre Party, the strongest political force. In the local elections 2008, she received 35.2 % of the vote and gained 8 of 21 seats in the municipal council, the highest decision-making body in local affairs. The Social Democrats and the conservative National Coalition Party were almost equal to 28 % and make each 6 delegates. The other very strong in the rest of Lapland Left Alliance hardly plays in Muonio, however, with a single-digit election results and only one seat on the council a role.

Coat of arms

Description: red with a silver Winkelschildfuß over the floats a six-pointed silver star.

Economy

Unemployment in Muonio is lower than in the other municipalities in northern Lapland. The reason for this is the here (situated in largely undisclosed locations ) test routes in the European car and tire manufacturers that have been in recent years the largest employers in the region.

For years now, the "Audi Driving Experience " on several lakes in the winter training for customers and enthusiasts driving by. Meanwhile, the former secret has blossomed into the largest winter sports event of all automotive manufacturers worldwide.

Sports

Due to the quasi subarctic location, the winter sports season starts very early in Muonio. Finding the first international competitions every year in late November in biathlon at Olostunturi instead. The most important sporting event in Muonio is the " Laponian " cross-country skiing, which goes annually in March by the Pallas- Ounastunturi National Park.

The German national biathlon team uses Muonio for some time as the last training camp in preparation for the World Cup season. Traditionally, there is in November, a few weeks before the first competitions and in almost complete darkness of the Finnish winter, works hard on the endurance of athletes.