Suolahti was a former town and municipality of Finland

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...

. It is located next to Lake Keitele

Lake Keitele

Keitele is a lake located in central Finland. With the area of 493.59 km² it is the 9th largest lake in the country. The lake is divided into three regions, Ylä-, Keski-, and Ala-Keitele, of which Keski-Keitele is the largest. Water in the lake is clear and in an excellent condition...

 in the province

Provinces of Finland

The state of Finland consisted of six provinces between the years 1997 and 2009. The provincial authority was part of the central government's executive branch, not directly elected. The system was created in 1634, and its makeup was changed drastically in 1997, when the number of the provinces...

 of Western Finland

Western Finland

Western Finland was a province of Finland from 1997 to 2010. It bordered the provinces of Oulu, Eastern Finland and Southern Finland. It also bordered the Gulf of Bothnia towards Åland.- History :...

 and is part of the Central Finland

Central Finland

Central Finland is a region in Finland. It borders to the regions Päijänne Tavastia, Pirkanmaa, Southern Ostrobothnia, Central Ostrobothnia, Northern Ostrobothnia, Northern Savonia and Southern Savonia....

 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,...

. Suolahti consolidated to Äänekoski

Äänekoski

Äänekoski is a town and municipality of Finland.-Geography:It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Central Finland region. It is neighboured by Kannonkoski, Konnevesi, Laukaa, Saarijärvi, Uurainen, Vesanto and Viitasaari. The town has a population of and covers an area...

 together with Sumiainen

Sumiainen

Sumiainen is a former municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Central Finland region. The municipality had a population of 1,293 and covered an area of 307.93 km² of which 77.34 km² is water...

 in 2007.

History

The first mentions of Suolahti are from the 16th century but the name became stable describing a population of 100-150 village residents in the end of the 19th century. The village before that was known as Paadentaipale. The opening of the railroad in 1898 industrialized the Suolahti and increased the waterborne traffic on Keitele

Keitele

Keitele is a municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Eastern Finland and is part of the Northern Savonia region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is ....

, for which Suolahti provided a railway harbour at its south end. The same year, a steam-mill started operating which was soon followed by other industrial facilities. This speeded up population growth and urban development. In the first three decades of the 20th century, the population increased to two thousand. It gained town status in 1977.

Important people from Suolathi

Jack Smack

Jack Smack

Jack Smack is Finnish rock musician. He is the guitarist/background vocalist/composer in the Helsinki based hard-rock band called Private Line and also in the "party band" groups Evil Boys, Thunderbombs and Trabant...

, guitarist and backing vocalist of the Finnish rock band Private Line

Private Line

Private Line are a hard rock band from Helsinki, Finland, formed during the mid-1990s and continuing today.-Origins:...

.

Sister cities

Prior to a 2007 consolidation with Sumiainen

Sumiainen

Sumiainen is a former municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Central Finland region. The municipality had a population of 1,293 and covered an area of 307.93 km² of which 77.34 km² is water...

 to make Äänekoski

Äänekoski

Äänekoski is a town and municipality of Finland.-Geography:It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Central Finland region. It is neighboured by Kannonkoski, Konnevesi, Laukaa, Saarijärvi, Uurainen, Vesanto and Viitasaari. The town has a population of and covers an area...

, Suolahti

Suolahti

Suolahti was a former town and municipality of Finland. It is located next to Lake Keitele in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Central Finland region...

 was twinned

Town twinning

Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...

 with: Borovichi

Borovichi

Borovichi is the second largest town in Novgorod Oblast, Russia. Population: -Geography:The town is located in the northern spurs of the Valdai Hills, east of Veliky Novgorod. It stands upon the Msta River. Just upstream Borovichi there are the famous rapids of Msta popular among...

, Novgorod Oblast

Novgorod Oblast

Novgorod Oblast is a federal subject of Russia , located between Moscow and Saint Petersburg. Its administrative center is the city of Veliky Novgorod. Some of the oldest Russian cities, including Veliky Novgorod and Staraya Russa, are located there...

, Russia (status unknown)

External links

• Suolahti – Official site
• Suolahti webcam – A Webcam view of a square