Rauma (; ) is a town in Finland, on the western coast of the country. Rauma is in the Satakunta region, by the Gulf of Bothnia. The population of Rauma is approximately , while the sub-region has a population of approximately . It is the most populous municipality in Finland.
Rauma lies north of Turku and south of Pori. Its neighbouring municipalities are Eura, Eurajoki, Laitila and Pyhäranta. Granted town privileges on 17 April 1442 (then under the rule of Sweden), Rauma is known for its paper and maritime industry, high quality lace (since the 18th century) and the old wooden architecture of the city centre (Old Rauma, Vanha Rauma), which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Rauma also has a second UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Bronze Age burial site of Sammallahdenmäki.
History
In the 14th century, before it was declared a town, Rauma had a Franciscan monastery and a Catholic church. In 1550, the townsmen of Rauma were ordered to relocate to Helsinki, but this was unsuccessful and Rauma continued to grow.
thumb|left|Illustration in [[Finland framstäldt i teckningar, edited by Zacharias Topelius and published 1845–1852.]]
Practically the whole wooden part of the town of Rauma was devastated in the fires of 1640 and 1682. The city centre, which mostly comprised the entire town until 1809, has approximately 600 wooden buildings. The Neo-Renaissance style of many of the houses is a result of prosperity brought on by seafaring. In 1897 Rauma had the largest fleet of sailing ships in Finland, totalling 57 vessels. Goods were mainly exported to Germany, Stockholm and the Baltic states. As the Crimean War broke out in 1853, Rauma was attacked by the French and British navies in 1855 during the Åland War. In the 1890s, Rauma got a teacher's college (a 'seminar'), which was later annexed to the University of Turku. A part of the department of education still exists in Rauma.
The name Rauma comes from the Germanic word strauma, meaning "stream".
Geography
Neighbourhoods and suburbs
Part of the centre (Vanha Rauma, Old Rauma) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, due to its well-preserve old wooden architecture.
Neighborhoods and suburbs of Rauma include:
- Tarvonsaari
- Merirauma
- Uusi-Lahti
- Kappelinluhta
- Paloahde
- Haapasaari
- Syvärauma
- Kinno
- Kaaro
- Luostarinkylä
- Impivaara
- Äyhö
- Uotila
- Lajo
- Nikulanmäki
- Lensunkallio
- Nummi
- Pyynpää
- Otanlahti
- Pidesluoto
- Komppi
- Lonsi
- Polari
- Sampaanala
- Paroalho
- Kourujärvi
- Kortela
- Monna
- Kourujärvi
- Kodisjoki
- Lappi
Climate
Rauma has a humid continental climate with cold winters and warm summers. The marine affect from the Gulf of Bothnia brings both warmth in the winter and cooler temperatures in the summer. And similar to other coastal cities of Finland in the south, the average annual temperature in Rauma is about 6 °C (42.8 °F). On February 3 1966, the lowest ever recorded temperature in central Rauma hit -33.6 °C (-28.5 °F), and the highest temperature record being around 33 °C (91.4 °F) with no clear data, due to the weather station's data having been taken into use only in late 2010's.
Economy
After World War II, Rauma developed into an industrial city, the main industries being shipbuilding, paper and pulp mills, and metal industry. Rauma is also the fifth largest port in Finland with almost six million tonnes of shipping per year. Olkiluoto Nuclear Power Plant is located next to Rauma, in Eurajoki. Near Rauma, there is the static-inverter plant of Fenno-Skan.
In 2019 the biggest tax payers in Rauma were Raumaster, Forchem, Länsi-Suomen Osuuspankki, Oras, Alfa Laval Aalborg and LähiTapiola Lännen.
Demographics
Population
The city of Rauma has inhabitants, making it the most populous municipality in Finland. The Rauma region has inhabitants.