Jyväskylä
Jyväskylä (Finnish: [ˈjyʋæsˌkylæ] ⓘ) is a city in Finland and the regional capital of Central Finland. It is located in the Finnish Lakeland. The population of Jyväskylä is approximately 148,000, while the sub-region has a population of approximately 191,000. It is the 7th most populous municipality in Finland, and the fifth most populous urban area in the country.
Jyväskylä | |
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City | |
| Jyväskylän kaupunki Jyväskylä stad City of Jyväskylä | |
Clockwise from top-left: Lutakko Square, Äijälänsalmi Strait, apartments in Lutakko, old power station of Vaajakoski, the Jyväskylä City Church, and a courtyard in downtown Jyväskylä | |
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Coat of arms | |
| Nickname(s): | |
Location of Jyväskylä in Finland | |
| Coordinates: 62°14.5′N 025°44.5′E | |
| Country | Finland |
| Region | Central Finland |
| Sub-region | Jyväskylä sub-region |
| Charter | 1837 |
| Government | |
| • City manager | Timo Koivisto |
| Area (2018-01-01) | |
| • City | 1,466.35 km2 (566.16 sq mi) |
| • Land | 1,171.03 km2 (452.14 sq mi) |
| • Water | 295.35 km2 (114.04 sq mi) |
| • Urban | 99.25 km2 (38.32 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 61st largest in Finland |
| Population (2023-12-31) | |
| • City | 147,821 |
| • Rank | 7th largest in Finland |
| • Density | 126.23/km2 (326.9/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 117,974 |
| • Urban density | 1,188.7/km2 (3,079/sq mi) |
| Population by native language | |
| • Finnish | 93.8% (official) |
| • Swedish | 0.2% |
| • Others | 6% |
| Population by age | |
| • 0 to 14 | 15.2% |
| • 15 to 64 | 66.2% |
| • 65 or older | 18.6% |
| Time zone | UTC+02:00 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+03:00 (EEST) |
| Unemployment rate | 11.8% |
| Website | www |
Jyväskylä is located about 150 km (100 miles) north-east from Tampere, the third largest city in Finland; and about 270 km (170 miles) north from Helsinki, the capital of Finland. The Jyväskylä sub-region includes Jyväskylä, Hankasalmi, Laukaa, Petäjävesi, Toivakka, and Uurainen. Other border municipalities of Jyväskylä are Joutsa, Jämsä and Luhanka.
Jyväskylä is the largest city in the Central Finland and Finnish Lakeland region. Jyväskylä has been one of the fastest-growing cities in Finland during the 20th century; in 1940, there were only 8,000 inhabitants in Jyväskylä.
Elias Lönnrot, the compiler of the Finnish national epic, the Kalevala, gave the city the nickname "Athens of Finland". This nickname refers to the major role of Jyväskylä as an educational centre. The works of the notable Finnish architect Alvar Aalto can be seen throughout the city. The city hosts the Rally Finland, which is part of the World Rally Championship. It is also home of the annual Jyväskylä Arts Festival.