Sotkamo
Encyclopedia
Sotkamo is a municipality of Finland
, located in the Kainuu
region
. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of km2 of which km2 is water. The population density
is PD/km2.
Vuokatti, west of Sotkamo, is a popular skiing resort. The Hiidenportti National Park
is located in the municipality.
In sports, Sotkamo is known for its Finnish baseball
team, Sotkamon Jymy.
One of the major landmarks of Sotkamo is the sandy beach of Hiukka, which locates by the lake Iso Sapsojärvi, just beside the Sotkamo center.
and the other half to the Baltic Sea
. The so called "Sotkamo route" was one of the most important commercial water routes in the past. It made it possible for the Russians to navigate their commercial vessels through a curly and labyrinth-like water route deep from the Russian inland all the way to the Baltic Sea. The same water route has been used by soldiers of Russia, Sweden and Denmark to rob and ravage this remote countryside for centuries. The name Sotkamo comes either from the Finnish word "sotku" which means a mess and refers to the obscure water route or from the word "sotka" which was a general name for water birds in ancient Finnish
.
During the 19th century Sotkamo was visited by notable Finnish artists such as Akseli Gallen-Kallela
and Hugo Simberg
.
On November 17, 2007 first pictures of the Kern arc
were made in the town of Sotkamo by Marko Mikkilä.
, Riekinranta, Sipinen, Sipola, Soidinvaara, Sumsa, Suovaara, Tipasoja, Torinkylä, Tuhkakylä, Vuokatti, Ylisotkamo, Ärväänkylä, Maanselkä.
in Lahnaslampi and the biggest unutilized nickel
deposit in Europe is in Talvivaara. Talvivaara Mining Company
was formed to utilize the reserves and metals production started in late 2008.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, located in the Kainuu
Kainuu
Kainuu is a region of Finland. It borders the regions of Northern Ostrobothnia, North Karelia and Northern Savonia. In the east it also borders Russia. Kainuu is known in the ancient Norse sagas as Kvenland....
region
Regions of Finland
Finland consists of 19 regions called in Finnish and in Swedish. The regions are governed by regional councils, which serve as forums of cooperation for the municipalities of a region. The main tasks of the regions are regional planning and development of enterprise and education. In addition,...
. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of km2 of which km2 is water. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
is PD/km2.
Vuokatti, west of Sotkamo, is a popular skiing resort. The Hiidenportti National Park
Hiidenportti National Park
Hiidenportti National Park is a national park in Sotkamo in the Kainuu region of Finland. Hiidenportti National Park was established in 1982 to preserve the region's wilderness. A mosaic mix of mires and dry forests is typical landscape in this national park. The park covers .Two thirds of the...
is located in the municipality.
In sports, Sotkamo is known for its Finnish baseball
Pesäpallo
Pesäpallo is a fast-moving ball sport that is quite often referred to as the national sport of Finland and has some presence in other countries, such as Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Australia, and Northern Ontario in Canada...
team, Sotkamon Jymy.
One of the major landmarks of Sotkamo is the sandy beach of Hiukka, which locates by the lake Iso Sapsojärvi, just beside the Sotkamo center.
History
Sotkamo has grown beside a water route formed by a continuous band of lakes and rivers. Half of the water runs to the White SeaWhite Sea
The White Sea is a southern inlet of the Barents Sea located on the northwest coast of Russia. It is surrounded by Karelia to the west, the Kola Peninsula to the north, and the Kanin Peninsula to the northeast. The whole of the White Sea is under Russian sovereignty and considered to be part of...
and the other half to the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
. The so called "Sotkamo route" was one of the most important commercial water routes in the past. It made it possible for the Russians to navigate their commercial vessels through a curly and labyrinth-like water route deep from the Russian inland all the way to the Baltic Sea. The same water route has been used by soldiers of Russia, Sweden and Denmark to rob and ravage this remote countryside for centuries. The name Sotkamo comes either from the Finnish word "sotku" which means a mess and refers to the obscure water route or from the word "sotka" which was a general name for water birds in ancient Finnish
Finnish language
Finnish is the language spoken by the majority of the population in Finland Primarily for use by restaurant menus and by ethnic Finns outside Finland. It is one of the two official languages of Finland and an official minority language in Sweden. In Sweden, both standard Finnish and Meänkieli, a...
.
During the 19th century Sotkamo was visited by notable Finnish artists such as Akseli Gallen-Kallela
Akseli Gallen-Kallela
Akseli Gallen-Kallela was a Finnish painter who is best known for his illustrations of the Kalevala, the Finnish national epic . His work was considered very important for the Finnish national identity...
and Hugo Simberg
Hugo Simberg
Hugo Gerhard Simberg was a Finnish symbolist painter and graphic artist.-Life:Simberg was born at Hamina in Finland, the son of Colonel Nicolai Simberg and Ebba Matilda Simberg ....
.
On November 17, 2007 first pictures of the Kern arc
Kern arc
The Kern arc is the extremely rare atmospheric optical phenomenon related to the circumzenithal arc. It is a complete and faint circle around the zenith. In contrast, the related and much more common circumzenithal arc is only ever a partial circle....
were made in the town of Sotkamo by Marko Mikkilä.
Villages
Alasotkamo, Heinämäki, Halmetvaara, Jormaskylä, Juholankylä, Korholanmäki, Kontinjoki, Laakajärvi, Losovaara, Naapurinvaara, Nuasjärvi, Ontojoki, Paakinmäki, PohjavaaraPohjavaara
Pohjavaara is a village in the municipality of Sotkamo in Kainuu, Finland. There are many organic farmers in village and the village is particularly known its potatoes. Pohjavaara's postal code is 88490....
, Riekinranta, Sipinen, Sipola, Soidinvaara, Sumsa, Suovaara, Tipasoja, Torinkylä, Tuhkakylä, Vuokatti, Ylisotkamo, Ärväänkylä, Maanselkä.
Economy
Beside tourism, mining is important for the economy of Sotkamo. Mondo Minerals BV mines talcTalc
Talc is a mineral composed of hydrated magnesium silicate with the chemical formula H2Mg34 or Mg3Si4O102. In loose form, it is the widely-used substance known as talcum powder. It occurs as foliated to fibrous masses, its crystals being so rare as to be almost unknown...
in Lahnaslampi and the biggest unutilized nickel
Nickel
Nickel is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel belongs to the transition metals and is hard and ductile...
deposit in Europe is in Talvivaara. Talvivaara Mining Company
Talvivaara Mining Company
Talvivaara Mining Company plc is a Finnish-based nickel mining business operating in Finland. Listed on the London and Helsinki Stock Exchanges, the company is a constituent of the FTSE 250 and OMXH25 indices.-History:...
was formed to utilize the reserves and metals production started in late 2008.
External links
- Municipality of Sotkamo – Official website