Outokumpu, Finland

Outokumpu [ ɔu̯tɔkumpu ] is a city in eastern Finland with 7345 inhabitants ( 31 December 2012). It is located in the countryside of North Karelia on the border with Savo around 40 km north- west of Joensuu.

Beginning of the 20th century was Outokumpu a small village with the name Kuusjärvi. 1913 a major copper deposit was discovered and the place became the largest mining town in Finland. In 1968 the community was renamed after the mine in Outokumpu, in 1977 it was a town. The mining was discontinued in 1989, the mine is now converted into a museum. To cope with the structural changes, we had ten years earlier begun to settle in Outokumpu industry. Today, there are 50 industrial enterprises in the city with about 900 employees. In Outokumpu and the metal Outokumpu Group was founded, but now has its headquarters in Espoo and no longer produced in Outokumpu since the closure of the mine.

Coat of arms

Description of coat of arms: In a red shield with the golden sign of copper a golden head of the shield is divided by the average fir.

Sons and daughters

• Kari Haakana (born 1973 ), ice hockey player
• Anna Puu (* 1982 ), pop singer