Rauma, Finland
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| Rauma | |||
| — Town — | |||
| Rauman kaupunki | |||
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| Motto: Kyl Raum o ain Raum | |||
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| Coordinates: 61°08′N 021°30′E / 61.133°N 21.5°ECoordinates: 61°08′N 021°30′E / 61.133°N 21.5°E | |||
| Country |  Finland |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Province | Western Finland | ||
| Region | Satakunta | ||
| Sub-region | Rauma sub-region | ||
| Charter | 1442-05-17 | ||
| Government | |||
| - Town manager | Arno Miettinen | ||
| Area (2009-01-01)[1] | |||
| - Total | 1,110.14 km2 (428.6 sq mi) | ||
| - Land | 495.51 km2 (191.3 sq mi) | ||
| - Water | 614.63 km2 (237.3 sq mi) | ||
| Population (2009-03-31)[2] | |||
| - Total | 39,745 | ||
| - Density | 80.21/km2 (207.7/sq mi) | ||
| - Demonym | Raumalainen (Finnish), Raumlaine (Dialect) | ||
| Population by native language [3] | |||
| - Finnish | 98.2% (official) | ||
| - Swedish | 0.4% | ||
| - Others | 1.4% | ||
| Population by age [4] | |||
| - 0 to 14 | 15.2% | ||
| - 15 to 64 | 65.8% | ||
| - 65 or older | 18.9% | ||
| Time zone | EET (UTC+2) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+3) | ||
| Municipal tax rate[5] | 18% | ||
| Website | www.rauma.fi | ||
Rauma (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈrɑumɑ], Swedish: Raumo) is a town and municipality of ca. 39,700 (31 March 2009 )[2] inhabitants on the west coast of Finland, 92 kilometres (57 mi) north of Turku, and 50 kilometres (31 mi) south of Pori. Granted town privileges on May 17, 1442 (then under the rule of Sweden), Rauma is known of its high quality lace (since the 18th century), and of the old wooden architecture of its centre (Old Rauma, Vanha Rauma), which is a Unesco world heritage site.
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[edit] History
In the 14th century, before being declared as 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 successfully countered and Rauma could continue its growth.
Practically the whole wooden town of Rauma was devastated in the fires of 1640 and 1682. The wooden city centre, which is how large the town was 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 boats in Finland, totalling 57 vessels. Goods were mainly exported to Germany, Stockholm and the Baltic states. 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.
[edit] Industry
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.
[edit] Transport
Rauma is located between Turku and Pori by the national road 8 (E8). Finnish national road 12 starts from Rauma and it is was extended to the port of Rauma by the fall 2008.
A railroad connection from Kokemäki is in active freight use, as there is a straight connection to the heavy industry areas and to the port of Rauma. The rail passenger traffic ended in 1988.
Oras Liikenne Oy runs the local bus traffic and it has 3 lines. The hub for the local buses is located in Savila. Long distance buses take passengers directly to Helsinki, Tampere, Turku, for example.
The nearest airport is located in Pori. The port of Rauma serves only freight ships on frequent basis.
[edit] Culture
Rauma has its own dialect of Finnish, "Rauman giäl". The dialect inherits words from languages such as Swedish, English and German due to the seafaring past. The dialect has been diluted into mainstream Finnish in day-to-day use, but it is fairly well studied (mainly by Hj. Nortamo) and practiced as a hobby.
[edit] Lace Week
Annual Lace Week has been arranged in Rauma since year 1971. During the Lace week local craftspeople arrange small exhibitions in the Old Rauma area. The Lace week culminates to the Black Lace Night, when the small boutiques are open late night, various shows and concerts are held and people dress in black lace.
[edit] Sports
Rauman Lukko is an ice hockey team that hails from Rauma, playing in SM-liiga. Their home arena is Äijänsuo Arena. Local football teams are Pallo-Iirot and FC Rauma. These two teams share the same home field at Äijänsuo sports centre. Sea City Storm is an american football team playing in the Finnish American Football Association's 2nd division. Fera is a women's Finnish baseball team, whose home field is the Länsi-Suomi Arena at Otanlahti sports centre. Rauma also has an own orienteering club, Rasti-Lukko, two Basketball teams known as Kaaron Roima and Rauma Basket, a rinkball team called UKP and a floorball team named SalBa.
[edit] Recreation
One popular saying goes that every family in Rauma owns a boat – this is not true, though the city has room for ca. 2,800[6] boats at its docks. People can use their own boats or water buses to get to the Kylmäpihlaja lighthouse that doubles as a hotel and recreation site. Water buses take people to Reksaari island and former garrison island of Kuuskajaskari. The both islands are in recreational use.
[edit] Consolidation of municipalities
Rauma and the surrounding municipality of Rauman maalaiskunta ("rural municipality of Rauma") were consolidated in 1993, continued in 2007 with the consolidation of municipality of Kodisjoki. The municipality of Lappi was consolidated to Rauma in 2009.
[edit] Twin Cities
[edit] References
- ^ "Area by municipality as of 1 January 2009" (in Finnish and Swedish) (PDF). Land Survey of Finland. http://www.maanmittauslaitos.fi/Pintaalat_kunnittain_1.1.2009.pdf. Retrieved on 20 February 2009.
- ^ a b "Population by municipality as of 31 March 2009" (in Finnish and Swedish). Population Information System. Population Register Center of Finland. http://www.vrk.fi/vrk/files.nsf/files/5D795199C7CAC193C22575A000324AE2/$file/20090331.htm. Retrieved on 28 April 2009.
- ^ "Population according to language and the number of foreigners and land area km2 by area as of 31 December 2008". Statistics Finland's PX-Web databases. Statistics Finland. http://pxweb2.stat.fi/Dialog/varval.asp?ma=060_vaerak_tau_107_fi&ti=V%E4est%F6+kielen+mukaan+sek%E4+ulkomaan+kansalaisten+m%E4%E4r%E4+ja+maa%2Dpinta%2Dala+alueittain++1980+%2D+2008&path=../Database/StatFin/vrm/vaerak/&lang=3&multilang=fi. Retrieved on 29 March 2009.
- ^ "Population according to age and gender by area as of 31 December 2008". Statistics Finland's PX-Web databases. Statistics Finland. http://pxweb2.stat.fi/Dialog/varval.asp?ma=050_vaerak_tau_104_fi&ti=V%E4est%F6+i%E4n+%281%2Dv%2E%29+ja+sukupuolen+mukaan+alueittain+1980+%2D+2008&path=../Database/StatFin/vrm/vaerak/&lang=3&multilang=fi. Retrieved on 28 April 2009.
- ^ "List of municipal and parish tax rates in 2009". Tax Administration of Finland. 1 December 2008. http://www.vero.fi/nc/doc/download.asp?id=6425;167571. Retrieved on 8 March 2009.
- ^ Finnish Maritime Administration August 19, 2008 – Boating in Finland and its economic impacts
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Rauma |
- Town of Rauma – Official site
- Rauma travel guide from Wikitravel
- Länsi-Suomi – The city's most widely read newspaper
- Uusi Rauma – Local free paper that annually prints a newspaper in local dialect.
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