Utsjoki
Utsjoki [ utsjɔki ] ( Northern Sami Ohcejohka ) is a municipality in the Finnish part of Lapland. It is located in the extreme north of the country and has 1286 inhabitants ( 31 December 2012) on an area of 5372 km ². The majority of the population of Utsjoki belongs to the Sami people.
- 3.1 Population development and structure
- 3.2 seeds
- 4.1 Administrative
- 4.2 Coat of Arms
- 4.3 Town twinning
- 5.1 Economics
- 5.2 traffic
- 8.1 External links
- 8.2 Notes and references
Geography
Location and extent
Utsjoki located in the far north of Finland in the countryside Lapland at the border to Norway. At the village Nuorgam is the northernmost point of Finland and the European Union. The district of Utsjoki is quite extensive: With 5372 km ² in area Utsjoki is more than twice as large as the Saarland and Luxembourg. A large part of the municipal territory consists of uninhabited wilderness. In 1286 residents, this results in a population density of 0.25 inhabitants per square kilometer land area.
Neighboring municipalities of Inari Utsjoki are in the south and on the Norwegian side Karasjok in the West, Tana in the north and Nesseby in the Northeast. The distance to Rovaniemi, the capital of Lapland, is 453 km, to Helsinki, there are 1267 km.
Landscape
The topography is dominated by Utsjokis two major rivers: the River Teno, together with its tributary Inarijoki the border to Norway. The eponymous river Utsjoki flows in a north-south direction through the municipality, before it flows into the River Teno. The settlement Utsjokis entirely focused on the valleys of these two rivers. The areas of the community away from the two rivers are entirely wegelos and uninhabited. Nature is very sparse here due to the extreme north facing position. Pines grow only very occasionally in sheltered areas, otherwise the only occurring in Utsjoki tree is the birch. The tree line is reached at an altitude of 300 meters above sea level, at higher altitudes, there is a tundra -like vegetation before.
Much of the area Utsjokis is under protection. In the area of the municipality are the wilderness areas Kaldoaivi, Muotkatunturi and Paistunturi and 712 km ² large Kevo Nature Park. The river flows through Kevojoki here for a distance of 40 km an up to 80 m deep canyon.
202.93 km ², or less than 4% of the municipal area is covered by water. The share of inland waters is thus as common in Lapland, well below the national average in Finland. The number of lakes is relatively high at around 600 lakes with a size of about five hectares and some 300 smaller ponds, but they are all rather small. The largest lakes are the Pulmankijärvi (12 km ² ) south of Nuorgam on the border to Norway and Luomusjärvi in the Kevo Nature Park.
Villages
The community center is the Kirchdorf Utsjoki at the mouth of Utsjoki in the River Teno. The two other major towns are Karigasniemi ( Sami Gáregasnjárga ) 102 km south-west and Nuorgam ( Njuorggán ) 43 km northeast of Utsjoki. Both are located on the banks of the River Teno. In addition, belong to the municipality a number of small scattered settlements as Kaamasmukka, Outakoski ( Vuovdaguoika ) Rovisuvanto, Dalvadas or Nuvvus. The population is distributed as follows on the statistical areas of the municipality:
- Utsjoki - Mieraslompolo: 642 inhabitants
- Karigasniemi: 315 inhabitants
- Nuorgam: 214 inhabitants
- Outakoski: 182 inhabitants
History
Utsjoki was founded in 1876.
Population
Population development and structure
Utsjoki currently has about 1,350 inhabitants. Mid-1990s had amounted to almost 1,600 the number of inhabitants. But because the structurally weak Lapland was hit by the Finnish economic crisis heavier than the south of the country, set down the middle of the decade, a wave of migration in the growth centers of the south one. Also in Utsjoki, the population decreased rapidly at first, but has now consolidated at a low level. As generally in Lapland is a tendency to over- aging determine: Between 1990 and 2001 the proportion of pensioners rose from 17 % to 22 %, while in the same period the proportion of under-15s fell from 22% to 14%. Striking is the majority of the men who make up 56 % of the population.
Seed
Utsjoki part of the settlement area of the indigenous people of seeds. 70 % of the inhabitants are ethnic seeds. This Utsjoki is the only municipality in Finland, in which the seeds are the majority. However, only 46% speak Sami as their mother tongue. The municipality is part of the statutory Sami " home area " ( kotiseutualue ), in which the seeds of special minority rights are held. Thus, the variant used in Utsjoki of the Sami, the nordsamische language in the community next to the Finnish official status and may be used in dealing with the authorities. The Samenrat, a transnational non-governmental organization of the seeds from Finland, Sweden, Norway and Russia, has its headquarters in Utsjoki
Policy
Management
As generally in the rural areas of Finland, the Centre Party is also in Utsjoki the strongest political force. In the local elections 2008 almost half of the votes received. In council, the highest decision-making body for local affairs, it represents eight out of 15 deputies. The other two major parties in the country play in Utsjoki contrast, a subordinate role: The National Coalition Party is represented by only two, the Social Democratic Party with a deputy in the city council. The second strongest power in the council, however, is the local Sami electoral list Ohcejoga Samit ( seeds of Utsjoki ) with four seats.
Coat of arms
The coat of arms of Utsjoki was designed by Gustaf of Numers. It shows in the black box, aurora, about a four-beam star, both in silver. The aurora and the star symbolize the winter in Lapland.
Twinning
Utsjoki maintains since 1970 a city partnership with the Norwegian neighboring municipality Tana.
Economy and infrastructure
Economy
The Teno is one of the richest salmon rivers in Europe and therefore attracts many tourists fishing in the area. Also the day tourism by Norwegians who shop cheaper neighboring country Finland, is of great importance. Besides tourism, the reindeer herding of semi-nomadic living seeds often one of the main industries.
Traffic
Due to the extremely low population density large areas Utsjokis are wegelos, but since the 1970s all settlements are accessible by road. The largest artery is the state road 4, the main north -south connection of Finland, by the Utsjoki leads coming over from Southern Finland Inari in north-south direction to the Norwegian border at Kirchdorf Utsjoki. The main road 92 branches in Kaamanen from the Inari municipality of the state road 4 and leads to the village Karigasniemi in Utsjoki. The regional road 970 follows the right bank of the River Teno and leads from Nuorgam about Utsjoki after Karigasniemi. It continues as an unpaved road to the village of Angeli 9704 in the municipality of Inari. From Nuorgam shall also undertake the minor road to Pulmankijärvi 19999 Lake. In Utsjoki there are three border crossings to Norway: In Utsjoki Built in 1993, the seed - silta Bridge crosses the River Teno on the opposite shore of Norway, where the European Route 75 continues. Karigasniemi is also connected via a bridge over the River Teno with the Norwegian Karasjok. In Nuorgam there is a border crossing to Polmak in Norway.
Utsjoki was tied up very late to the road network. Previously, the settlements were only accessible by boat across the River Teno, the boats had to be partially transported past rapids. In winter, the frozen Tenjoki could be traveled by car. The first road connecting Kaamanen after Karigasniemi originated during the Second World War, the road Kaamanen to Utsjoki was opened in 1957. Originally the section Kaamanen after Karigasniemi bildere the final piece of the state road 4, only after completion of the Saami - silta Bridge 1993 State Road 4 was diverted to Utsjoki and the route Kaamanen - Karigasniemi converted into the main road 92. As a final settlement Nuorgam was only in 1971 connected to the road network. In 1983 came the cross connection of Karigasniemi to Utsjoki.
From Ivalo There are bus services on Utsjoki Nuorgam and after Karigasniemi. After Norway buses from Karigasniemi to Karasjok and of Nuorgam to Tana. At the railway network Utsjoki is not connected, the nearest railway stations are 386 km southwest Kolari and Rovaniemi south 453 km. The nearest airports are in Lakselv, Vadsø and Kirkenes in Norway or on the Finnish side in Ivalo.
Culture and sights
The valley of the River Utsjoki officially belonging to the Finnish " National Landscapes ". This owes the river valley next to its scenic beauty a culturally and historically valuable ensemble that has received six kilometers south of the community center on the banks of the River Utsjoki carrying Mantojärvi Lake. The Church of Utsjoki stands on a small hill above the lake. The granite was built in 1850-1853, designed by Ernst Lohrmann. The wooden predecessor was removed after completion of the new church, he is only the timbered sacristy obtained from the year 1776. Opposite the church, on the banks of Mantojärvi are 14 historic church parlors. The wooden buildings date from the early 19th century and were used until the 1930s to accommodate far had traveled churchgoers. Also near the church is the representative rectory, which was designed by Carl Ludwig Engel in Classicist style in 1843. Attached are some Falun red painted farm buildings, the oldest of which date from the 18th century.
In addition to the cultural landscape of Mantojärvi has in Utsjoki also in some other places old buildings preserved. These include old fishermen's cabins from the 19th century on the river island Lohisaari in Teno, the former Sami winter village on the banks of the River Teno Talvadas and the building ensembles of Mieraslompolo on Utsjoki River and Välimaa on the River Teno.
On the banks of the River Teno between Nuorgam Utsjoki and there is an old gravel road from Nivajoki after Alajalve. It was originally used vorbeizutransportieren boats at Alaköngäs impassable rapids of the River Teno. 1928 of the six -kilometer road to the public road network has been integrated, although he had no connection to the rest of the road network. After the completion of the road link to Nuorgam the parallel old road was converted into a museum street. A second museum road can be found on the banks of Utsjoki River. It is also a six-kilometer long section of the historic Post path to Utsjoki.
Sons and daughters of the town
- Rauni Magga Lukkari (* 1943), writer
- Jovnna -Ande Vest ( * 1948 ), writer