# Lappeenranta

> city in the region of South Karelia in Finland

**Wikidata**: [Q181854](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q181854)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lappeenranta)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/lappeenranta

## Summary
Lappeenranta is a city and municipality located in the region of South Karelia, Finland. Founded in 1649, it serves as the capital of South Karelia and is situated on the shore of Lake Saimaa. As of February 29, 2024, the city has a population of 72,959 and covers a total area of 1,723.57 square kilometers.

## Key Facts
- **Foundation**: Founded in 1649.
- **Location**: City in the region of South Karelia, Finland; coordinates: 61.058333°N, 28.186111°E.
- **Population**: 72,959 (as of February 29, 2024); 72,988 (Dec 31, 2023); 72,650 (2022 census).
- **Area**: Total 1,723.57 km² (2023); Land 1,433.99 km²; Water 289.58 km².
- **Legal Status**: Municipality of Finland; City.
- **Time Zone**: UTC+02:00 (standard), UTC+03:00 (daylight saving).
- **Official Language**: Finnish.
- **Municipality Number**: 405.
- **Head of Government**: Tuomo Sallinen (City Manager, since 2023).
- **Predecessor**: Replaced the municipalities of Joutseno and Ylämaa on January 1, 2009.
- **Borders**: Imatra, Lemi, Luumäki, Miehikkälä, Ruokolahti, Taipalsaari.
- **Twin Towns**: Schwäbisch Hall, Drammen, Klin, Kolding, Lake Worth Beach, Rakvere, Szombathely, Örebro, Stykkishólmur.
- **Historical Sovereignty**: Sweden (until 1743), Russian Empire (1743–1918), Finland (1918–present).
- **Identifiers**: ISNI 0000000406324903; VIAF 139542019; GND ID 4238107-1.

## FAQs
**Q: What is the population and area of Lappeenranta?**
A: As of late February 2024, Lappeenranta has a population of 72,959. The city covers a total area of 1,723.57 square kilometers, comprising 1,433.99 km² of land and 289.58 km² of water.

**Q: Who is the current city manager?**
A: Tuomo Sallinen has served as the city manager of Lappeenranta since 2023. He succeeded Kimmo Jarva, who held the position from 2011 to 2023.

**Q: What municipalities were merged into Lappeenranta?**
A: On January 1, 2009, the city was expanded through the merger of the municipalities of Joutseno and Ylämaa into Lappeenranta.

**Q: What is the historical significance of the Treaty of Åbo to Lappeenranta?**
A: The Treaty of Åbo, signed in August 1743, was a significant event that resulted in the transfer of the territory, including Lappeenranta, from Sweden to the Russian Empire.

**Q: What are some of the city's twin towns?**
A: Lappeenranta maintains twinning relationships with nine cities, including Örebro (Sweden, since 1940), Drammen (Norway, 1948), Kolding (Denmark, 1948), Lake Worth Beach (USA, 1976), and Rakvere (Estonia, 1994).

## Why It Matters
Lappeenranta serves as the administrative and economic center of the South Karelia region. Its strategic location near the border between Finland and Russia has historically made it a significant point of trade and interaction, a status formalized by the Treaty of Åbo in 1743. The city plays a key role in regional education and tourism, bolstered by its location on the shores of Lake Saimaa. Its municipal consolidation in 2009, absorbing Joutseno and Ylämaa, reflects broader trends in Finnish regional administration to optimize resources and governance.

## Notable For
- **Capital of South Karelia**: Serving as the regional capital since the restructuring of Finnish regions.
- **Border Location**: Situated near the Finnish-Russian border, with a history of changing sovereignty between Sweden and Russia.
- **Lake Saimaa**: Located on the shores of Finland's largest lake, a major draw for tourism and nature activities.
- **Municipal Consolidation**: A significant expansion in 2009 through the merger with two neighboring municipalities.
- **Historical Military Significance**: Documented in the Sytin Military Encyclopedia.
- **Extensive Twin City Network**: Long-standing international relationships dating back to 1940 with Örebro.

## Body

### Governance and Administration
Lappeenranta is a municipality of Finland with a city council serving as its legislative body. The office of the head of government, titled the city manager of Lappeenranta, has seen several changes over the decades. Tuomo Sallinen has held the position since 2023, succeeding Kimmo Jarva (2011–2023). Earlier leaders include Seppo Miettinen (2004–2011), Markku Andersson (1993–2004), Jarmo Kölhi (1965–1992), Esko Peltonen (1959–1965), Martti Viitanen (1954–1959), and Onni Kutvonen (1930–1954). The city is part of the Southeast Finland electoral district and holds the Finnish municipality number 405.

### Geography and Demographics
Located at 61.058333°N 28.186111°E, Lappeenranta is a city in the region of South Karelia. It has a diverse terrain with a total area of 1,723.57 square kilometers, of which 1,433.99 km² is land and 289.58 km² is water (data from Jan 1, 2023). The city is situated on Saimaa, a major body of water. It shares borders with six municipalities: Imatra, Lemi, Luumäki, Miehikkälä, Ruokolahti, and Taipalsaari.

The city's population has shown growth and consolidation over time. In 1999, the population was 57,583. A major jump occurred after the 2009 merger, with the population rising from 59,286 in 2007 to 70,313 in 2008. The population was 72,875 at the end of 2015 and reached 72,959 by February 29, 2024.

### History
Lappeenranta was founded in 1649. Its political geography has shifted over centuries. From 1650 to 1721, it was part of the County of Viborg and Nyslott. Following the Treaty of Åbo in August 1743, it became part of the Vyborg Governorate under the Russian Empire, having previously been under Swedish rule. This status lasted until 1918, after which it became part of Finland. From 1945 to the end of 1993, it was located in the Kymi Province. It was part of the Lappeenranta sub-region from 1994 to 2013 and has been formally located in South Karelia since January 1, 2014.

### Infrastructure and Assets
The city owns and operates several significant facilities, including Lappeenranta Airport, Kisapuiston jäähalli (an ice hall), the Kimpinen Sports Centre, and a facility known as Vanha kenttä. The city's digital presence is maintained through an official website (lappeenranta.fi) available in Finnish and English, and social media profiles on platforms like Twitter (LappeenrantaFi), Instagram (lappeenrantafi), and Facebook (lappeenranta).

### International Relations
Lappeenranta maintains a robust network of twin city relationships. These include Örebro Municipality in Sweden (since 1940), Drammen in Norway (1948), Kolding in Denmark (1948), Klin in Russia (1966), Lake Worth Beach in the USA (1976), Stykkishólmur in Iceland (1980), Szombathely in Hungary (1983), Schwäbisch Hall in Germany (1985), and Rakvere in Estonia (1994).

### Names and Identifiers
The city's official name is Lappeenrannan kaupunki in Finnish and Villmanstrand stad in Swedish. Native labels include Lappeenranta and Villmanstrand. Historically, it was also known as Вильманстранд (Vilyamstrand) during periods of Russian influence. It has a unique coat of arms and is classified as having a warm-summer humid continental climate (Köppen classification). The city is cataloged in numerous international authority files, including VIAF (ID 139542019), GND (ID 4238107-1), and the Library of Congress (ID n79061137).

## References

1. [Source](https://kuntalehti.fi/tyopaikat/tyopaikkauutiset/luottamuspulaa-nyt-lappeenrannassa-kimmo-jarva-jattaa-kaupunginjohtajan-viran/)
2. [Source](https://yle.fi/a/74-20082607)
3. [Source](https://yle.fi/a/3-5339508)
4. archINFORM
5. [Source](http://www.stat.fi/meta/luokitukset/kunta/001-2012/luokitusavain_ks.html)
6. The correspondence table between municipalities and language distribution in 2024
7. [Source](https://www.stat.fi/org/avoindata/paikkatietoaineistot/kuntapohjaiset_tilastointialueet.html)
8. Source
9. [Source](https://www.lappeenranta.fi/fi/Kaupunkimme/Kansainvalisyys/Ystavyyskaupungit)
10. [Source](https://www.kolding.dk/om-kommunen/internationalt-samarbejde/)
11. [Source](https://www.lappeenranta.fi/en/Our-City/Twin-Cities)
12. [Source](https://rakvere.kovtp.ee/lappeenranta)
13. Open ISNI for Organizations
14. Virtual International Authority File
15. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
16. Czech National Authority Database
17. MusicBrainz
18. [Source](http://vrk.fi/default.aspx?docid=8517&site=3&id=0)
19. Population structure
20. [Kaupunkien ja kuntien lukumäärät ja väestötiedot. Association of Finnish Municipalities](https://www.kuntaliitto.fi/tilastot-ja-julkaisut/kaupunkien-ja-kuntien-lukumaarat)
21. [Source](https://pxdata.stat.fi/PxWebPxWeb/pxweb/en/StatFin/StatFin__vaerak/statfin_vaerak_pxt_11ra.px)
22. [Finland's preliminary population figure was 5,608,218 at the end of February 2024. Statistics Finland](https://www.stat.fi/en/publication/clmj0tpyw5zwb0bw6j2adrg4f)
23. [Population growth biggest in nearly 70 years. Statistics Finland](https://stat.fi/en/publication/cln1i2dtgwknt0cut9yem67se)
24. Global LEI Index
25. BBC Things
26. Area of Finland's municipalities 2023-01-01
27. Aligned ISNI and Ringgold identifiers for institutions
28. [Source](https://www.govdirectory.org/finland/)
29. YouTube API
30. [archINFORM](https://www.archinform.net/service/wd_aiort.php)
31. [Kuntien ja seutukuntien vuoden 2024 välinen luokitusavain. Statistics Finland](https://www.tilastokeskus.fi/fi/luokitukset/corrmaps/kunta_1_20240101%23seutukunta_1_20240101/)
32. kuntalaisaloite.fi