Kymenlaakso (; ; "Kymi/Kymmene Valley") is a region in Finland. It borders the regions of Uusimaa, Päijät-Häme, South Savo and South Karelia and Russia (Leningrad Oblast). Its name means literally The Valley of River Kymi. Kymijoki is one of the biggest rivers in Finland with a drainage basin with 11% of the area of Finland. The city of Kotka with 51,000 inhabitants is located at the delta of River Kymi and has the most important import harbour in Finland. Other cities are Kouvola further in the inland which has after a municipal merger 81,000 inhabitants and the old bastion town Hamina.

Kymenlaakso was one of the first industrialised regions of Finland. It became the most important region for paper and pulp industry in Finland. Since the late 1900s many plants have closed, which has caused some deindustrialisation, unemployment and population decline in Kymenlaakso, especially in those communities that were built around plants in Kouvola.

Historical provinces

thumb|left|The [[Kymijoki|Kymi River in Kouvola]]

For history, geography and culture see: Uusimaa, Karelia and Tavastia

Municipalities

The region of Kymenlaakso consists of two sub-regions and six municipalities, three of which have city status (marked in bold).

Municipalities on the map

Sub-regions

Kotka-Hamina sub-region

  • 15px|link=Kotka Kotka
  • 15px|link=Hamina Hamina (Fredrikshamn)
  • 15px|link=Pyhtää Pyhtää (Pyttis)
  • 15px|link=Virolahti Virolahti (Vederlax)
  • 15px|link=Miehikkälä Miehikkälä

Kouvola sub-region

  • 15px|link=Kouvola Kouvola

Municipalities listed

thumb|[[Läskisoosi]]

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 90%; text-align: right; line-height: normal;"

|-

! class="unsortable" |Coat of<br/>arms

! Municipality

! Population

! Land area<br/>(km<sup>2</sup>)

! Density<br/>(/km<sup>2</sup>)

! Finnish<br/>speakers

! Swedish<br/>speakers

! Other<br/>speakers

|-

|50px|border|Coat of arms of Hamina|| Hamina || || ||

|| &nbsp;% || &nbsp;% || &nbsp;%

|-

|50px|border|Coat of arms of Kotka|| Kotka || || ||

|| &nbsp;% || &nbsp;% || &nbsp;%

|-

|50px|border|Coat of arms of Kouvola|| Kouvola || || ||

|| &nbsp;% || &nbsp;% || &nbsp;%

|-

|50px|border|Coat of arms of Miehikkälä|| Miehikkälä || || ||

|| &nbsp;% || &nbsp;% || &nbsp;%

|-

|50px|border|Coat of arms of Pyhtää|| Pyhtää || || ||

|| &nbsp;% || &nbsp;% || &nbsp;%

|-

|50px|border|Coat of arms of Virolahti|| Virolahti || || ||

|| &nbsp;% || &nbsp;% || &nbsp;%

|-

!!!+ style=text-align:right | Total !!+ style=text-align:right | !!+ style=text-align:right | !!+ style=text-align:right |

!!+ style=text-align:right | &nbsp;%

!!+ style=text-align:right | &nbsp;%

!!+ style=text-align:right | &nbsp;%

|}

Former municipalities

thumb|Municipalities of Kymenlaakso in 1965

  • 15px|link=Haapasaari (Kotka) Haapasaari (to Kotka in 1974)
  • 15px|link=Anjala Anjala (formed Anjalankoski with Sippola in 1975)
  • 15px|link=Sippola Sippola (formed Anjalankoski with Anjala in 1975)
  • 15px|link=Karhula Karhula (to Kotka in 1977)
  • 15px|link=Kymi, Finland Kymi (to Kotka in 1977)
  • 15px|link=Vehkalahti Vehkalahti (to Hamina in 2003)
  • 15px|link=Anjalankoski Anjalankoski (to Kouvola in 2009)
  • 15px|link=Elimäki Elimäki (to Kouvola in 2009)
  • 15px|link=Jaala Jaala (to Kouvola in 2009)
  • 15px|link=Kuusankoski Kuusankoski (to Kouvola in 2009)
  • 15px|link=Valkeala Valkeala (to Kouvola in 2009)
  • 15px|link=Iitti Iitti was transferred to Päijät-Häme Region in 2021

Demographics

Politics

For parliamentary elections, Kymenlaakso, together with the regions of South Karelia and South Savo, is part of the Southeast Finland constituency. The constituency elects 15 of the 200 members of the Parliament of Finland.

References

  • Regional Council of Kymenlaakso