Merikarvia (Finnish: [ˈmeriˌkɑrʋiɑ]; Swedish: Sastmola) is a municipality in Finland. It is located in the Satakunta region. The neighboring municipalities are Isojoki, Kristinestad, Pomarkku, Pori and Siikainen.
Merikarvia
Sastmola | |
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Municipality | |
Merikarvian kunta Sastmola kommun | |
![]() The town center along the Kauppatie street | |
![]() Coat of arms | |
![]() Location of Merikarvia in Finland | |
Coordinates: 61°51.5′N 021°30′E | |
Country | ![]() |
Region | Satakunta |
Sub-region | Pori sub-region |
Charter | 1639 |
Government | |
• Municipal manager | Pentti Ala-Luopa |
Area (2018-01-01)[1] | |
• Total | 1,246.22 km2 (481.17 sq mi) |
• Land | 446.04 km2 (172.22 sq mi) |
• Water | 800.2 km2 (309.0 sq mi) |
• Rank | 194th largest in Finland |
Population (2021-12-31)[2] | |
• Total | 3,054 |
• Rank | 216th largest in Finland |
• Density | 6.85/km2 (17.7/sq mi) |
Population by native language | |
• Finnish | 99.1% (official) |
• Swedish | 0.3% |
• Others | 0.6% |
Population by age | |
• 0 to 14 | 13.9% |
• 15 to 64 | 50.6% |
• 65 or older | 35.5% |
Time zone | UTC+02:00 (EET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+03:00 (EEST) |
Municipal tax rate[5] | 20.5% |
Climate | Dfc |
Website | www.merikarvia.fi |
The municipality has a population of 3,054 (31 December 2021)[2] and it covers an area of 1,246.22 square kilometres (481.17 sq mi), of which 800.2 km2 (309.0 sq mi) is water.[1] The population density is 6.85 inhabitants per square kilometre (17.7/sq mi).
The municipality is unilingually Finnish. The coastline was formerly Swedish-speaking. Merikarvia is known by the Oura Archipelago, which is part of the Bothnian Sea National Park.
The area has been inhabited since as early as 1800 BC. There are grave sites from the Bronze and Iron Ages within the municipality. Most of the cairns are located in Tuorila village located east of the municipal center.
The birth of the earliest villages in Merikarvia - Kasala, Riispyy, Ala- and Yli-Kylä, and Köörtilä - is dated to between the 13th and 14th centuries. As a separate municipality, Merikarvia has existed since 1865.
The first church in Merikarvia was built in 1776 and was named after the queen consort of Sweden at the time, Sofia Magdalena. The church, still in use today, was finished in 1899.
As a coastal municipality, Merikarvia largely lived from the sea until modern times. Fishing, sawmills and shipyards were common businesses until the end of the 19th century.
Results of the 2011 Finnish parliamentary election in Merikarvia:
Media related to Merikarvia at Wikimedia Commons
Places adjacent to Merikarvia | ||||||||||||||||
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Municipalities of Satakunta | ||
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Municipalities |
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Former municipalities |
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