This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2010)

Rovaniemi
—  Municipality  —
Rovaniemen kaupunki
Rovaniemi from air, October 1999
Coat of arms
Coordinates: 66°30′N 025°44′E / 66.5°N 25.733°E / 66.5; 25.733Coordinates: 66°30′N 025°44′E / 66.5°N 25.733°E / 66.5; 25.733
Country	Finland
Region	Lapland
Sub-region	Rovaniemi sub-region
Charter	1960
Government
• City manager	Mauri Gardin
Area(2011-01-01)[1]
• Total	8,016.72 km2 (3,095.27 sq mi)
• Land	7,581.97 km2 (2,927.41 sq mi)
• Water	434.75 km2 (167.86 sq mi)
Area rank	5th largest in Finland
Population (2012-01-31)[2]
• Total	60,707
• Rank	15th largest in Finland
• Density	8.01/km2 (20.7/sq mi)
Population by native language[3]
• Finnish	97.6% (official)
• Swedish	0.1%
• Sami	0.2%
• Others	2.1%
Population by age[4]
• 0 to 14	17.1%
• 15 to 64	68.1%
• 65 or older	14.8%
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
• Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Municipal tax rate[5]	20%
Website	www.rovaniemi.fi

Rovaniemi ( pronunciation (help·info); Inari Sami: Ruávinjargâ; Northern Sami: Roavenjárga and Roavvenjárga; Skolt Sami: Ruäˊvnjargg) is a city and municipality of Finland. It is the administrative capital and commercial centre of Finland's northernmost province, Lapland. It is situated close to the Arctic Circle and is between the hills of Ounasvaara and Korkalovaara, at the confluence of the Kemijoki River and its tributary, the Ounasjoki. The city and the surrounding Rovaniemen maalaiskunta (Rural municipality of Rovaniemi) were consolidated into a single entity on January 1, 2006. The new municipality has an area of 8,016.72 square kilometres (3,095.27 sq mi) and an approximate population of 61,000.

Name[link]

The rova part in the name Rovaniemi has often been considered to be of Saamic origin, as "roavve" in Saami denotes a forested ridge or hill or the site of an old forest fire. In Southern Saami dialects, however, rova means a heap of stones, a rock or a group of rocks in a stretch of rapids, or even a sauna stove.^{[citation needed]} The niemi part of the name means "cape".

History[link]

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

There has probably been continuous settlement in the Rovaniemi area since the Stone Age. Periodic clearance of new land for agriculture and the practice of slash-and-burn cultivation began around 750–530 B.C. Artifacts found in the area suggest that an increasing number of travelers from Karelia in the east, Häme in the south and the Arctic Ocean coast in the north must have come there from 500 A.D. onwards. The Sami are considered to be Lapland's own indigenous population.

It is first mentioned by name in official documents in 1453, existing effectively as a set of small villages whose inhabitants earned their living mainly in agriculture and animal husbandry - with fishing and hunting the most important offshoots.

The exploitation of Lapland's natural resources in the 1800s boosted Rovaniemi's growth. Extensive logging sites and gold fever attracted thousands of people to Lapland. As the mining of natural resources was increased, Rovaniemi became the business center of the Province of Lapland.

During the Second World War, Finland signed the Moscow Armistice and found itself involved in the Lapland War with its former German ally. Retreating German forces utilized scorched earth tactics, and though initially German General Lothar Rendulic ordered only the public buildings in Rovaniemi to be destroyed, on 13 October 1944 the German army received orders to destroy all the buildings in Rovaniemi, only excluding hospitals and houses where inhabitants were present.^[6] The explosion of a German ammunition train at the railway station further contributed to the complete destruction of the town. During these hostilities 90 percent of all the buildings in Rovaniemi were destroyed.^[7]

Rovaniemi today[link]

Christmas celebration in Rovaniemi, November 2004

Because of the unspoiled nature and numerous recreational opportunities, tourism is an important industry in Rovaniemi. The city has a number of hotels and restaurants located both in the center and on the outskirts of the town.

Since Rovaniemi represents the capital of the Province of Lapland, many government institutions have their offices there. About 10,000 of the inhabitants are students. Rovaniemi is home to not only the University of Lapland but also the Rovaniemi University of Applied Sciences (formerly known as the Rovaniemi Polytechnic), which comprises institutes of information and traditional technology, business, health and social care, culinary studies, forestry, rural studies and sports. Local newspapers include the Lapin Kansa, Uusi Rovaniemi and Lappilainen.

Rovaniemi's most prominent landmarks include the Jätkänkynttilä bridge with its eternal flame over the Kemijoki river, the Arktikum House which rises out of the bank of the Ounasjoki river, the Rovaniemi Town Hall, the Lappia House which serves as a theatre, concert hall and congress centre, and the library. The last three mentioned buildings are by the famous Finnish architect Alvar Aalto. Official home town of Santa Claus,^[8][9][10] Santa Claus Village and Santapark, is located 8 km north of the centre. Rovaniemi is also home to the world's most northern branch of McDonald's. The Arktikum is a very comprehensive museum of Finland's and the world's Arctic regions.

Directly across the river from the town is the Ounasvaara ski center. The top of the Ounasvaara hill bears the site of some of the earliest known human settlements in the area.

A phenomenon also attracting numerous tourists is the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights. In Finnish Lapland the number of auroral displays can be as high as 200 a year whereas in southern Finland the number is usually fewer than 20.

The educational department takes part in Lifelong Learning Programme 2007–2013 in Finland.

Transport[link]

Jätkänkynttilä bridge in sunset

Rovaniemi is the northernmost point of the electric railway system managed by the Finnish Rail Administration. VR Group operates direct daytime and overnight passenger trains from Rovaniemi Station to Oulu, Tampere, Helsinki and Turku. Diesel-powered passenger trains operate north-east of Rovaniemi to Kemijärvi. Rovaniemi Airport is located about 10 kilometres (6 mi) north of the Rovaniemi city centre.

Twin cities[link]

• Ajka, Hungary
• Alanya, Turkey
• Cadillac, Michigan, United States
• Drvar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Grindavík, Iceland
• Harbin, China
• St. Johann in Tirol, Austria
• Kassel, Germany
• Kiruna, Sweden
• Murmansk, Russia
• Narvik, Norway
• Neustrelitz, Germany
• Olsztyn, Poland
• Veszprém, Hungary

Climate[link]

Due to its location almost on the Arctic Circle, Rovaniemi has a subarctic climate (Köppen Dfc) with short, mild summers and very cold and snowy winters. The city lies just south of the 0°C (32°F) mean annual isotherm, but freezing in the soil is very limited even during the winter by heavy snow cover.

City scenery of Rovaniemi in January 2004

• average annual temperature: 0.2 °C (32.4 °F)
• annual precipitation: 535 mm/annum (21 inches)
• snow stays on the grounds 183 days a year on average
• lowest temperature ever recorded: −47.5 °C (−54 °F), recorded on January 28, 1999
• highest temperature ever recorded: 30.7 °C (87 °F), recorded on June 10, 2011
• the midnight sun can be seen from June 6 to July 7

Demographics[link]

(figures December 31, 2005)

• female: 29,813
• male: 28,022
• Finnish: 57,037
• foreigners: 798
• total: 57,835

Famous inhabitants[link]

• Jari Tervo, author
• Harri Olli, ski jumper
• writer Timo K. Mukka died in Rovaniemi in 1974.
• Snowboarder and 2005 Winter X Games gold medalist Antti Autti is a Rovaniemi native, and in April 2005 he received his own piece of land in the city for being named to the 2006 Finnish Olympic team.
• Tanja Poutiainen Alpine skier
• World champion snowcross winner Janne Tapio is a Rovaniemi native.
• Tomi Putaansuu, better known as Mr. Lordi lead singer of the Hard rock band and 2006 Eurovision Song Contest winner Lordi.
• Progressive rock band Absoluuttinen Nollapiste
• Antti Tuisku, singer.
• Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi is said to be the residence of Father Christmas.^[8][9][10]
• The Black Metal band Beherit came from Rovaniemi.

Popular Culture[link]

1998 Spanish romantic film Lovers of the Arctic Circle (Los amantes del Círculo Polar), by director Julio Medem, partly takes place in Rovaniemi.

Rovaniemi appears in the video game Tom Clancy's EndWar as a possible battlefield. In the game, Rovaniemi houses military facilities critical to a missile shield for a European Federation.^[12]

Rovaniemi is a central scene in a documentary film Reindeerspotting.

TV-Star Bam Margera and his friends travelled to Rovaniemi in their movie Bam Margera Presents: Where the ♯$&% Is Santa? in order to find Santa Claus who is assumed to live in Rovaniemi.

References[link]

• Rikkinen, K. A Geography of Finland. Lahti: University of Helsinki (1992)
• Rovaniemi: Arctic Circle – Finland. Helsinki: Oy Sevenprint Ltd (1998)

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Rovaniemi

• City of Rovaniemi – official website
• Information about Finnish Lapland
• Satellite view of Rovaniemi

See also[link]

• Battle of Rovaniemi (Second World War)

v t e Municipalities of Lapland Municipalities Enontekiö Inari Kemi Kemijärvi Keminmaa Kittilä Kolari Muonio Pelkosenniemi Pello Posio Ranua Rovaniemi Salla Savukoski Simo Sodankylä Tervola Tornio Utsjoki Ylitornio Former municipalities Alatornio Karunki Kemijärven maalaiskunta Petsamo Rovaniemen maalaiskunta Lapland Finland