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Kemi

Kemi
Town
Kemin kaupunki
Kemi stad
Clockwise, from top: Kemi Railway Station, Kemi City Hall, Karihaara School, Café at the inner harbour, Kemi Church.
Clockwise, from top: Kemi Railway Station, Kemi City Hall, Karihaara School, Café at the inner harbour, Kemi Church.
Coat of arms of Kemi
Coat of arms
Location of Kemi in Finland
Location of Kemi in Finland
Coordinates: 65°44′10″N 024°33′49″E / 65.73611°N 24.56361°E / 65.73611; 24.56361Coordinates: 65°44′10″N 024°33′49″E / 65.73611°N 24.56361°E / 65.73611; 24.56361
Country  Finland
Region Lapland
Sub-region Kemi–Tornio sub-region
Charter 1869
Government
 • Town manager Tero Nissinen
Area (2016-01-01)
 • Total 95.38 km2 (36.83 sq mi)
 • Land 95.34 km2 (36.81 sq mi)
 • Water 652.1 km2 (251.8 sq mi)
Area rank 300th largest in Finland
Elevation 4 m (13 ft)
Population (2016-03-31)
 • Total 21,766
 • Rank 49th largest in Finland
 • Density 228.3/km2 (591/sq mi)
Population by native language
 • Finnish 98% (official)
 • Swedish 0.1%
 • Others 1.9%
Population by age
 • 0 to 14 14.2%
 • 15 to 64 66.5%
 • 65 or older 19.3%
Time zone EET (UTC+2)
 • Summer (DST) EEST (UTC+3)
Postal code 94100
Municipal tax rate 20.75%
Website www.kemi.fi

Kemi (Northern Sami: Giepma) is a town and municipality of Finland. It is located very near the city of Tornio. It was founded in 1869 by decree of Russian Emperor Alexander II because of its proximity to a deep water harbour.

Kemi is situated by the Bothnian Bay, at the mouth of river Kemijoki, and it is part of Lapland region. The town has a population of 21,766 (31 March 2016) and covers an area of 95.38 square kilometres (36.83 sq mi) of which 652.1 km2 (251.8 sq mi) is water. The population density is 228.3 inhabitants per square kilometre (591/sq mi).

The main economic activity in Kemi is centred on two large paper and woodpulp mills and on the only chromium mine in Europe (which supplies the Outokumpu ferrochrome plant in Tornio). A polytechnic university of applied sciences is also situated in Kemi.

Kemi also has a claim to fame as the home of the world's largest snow castle (reconstructed every year to a different design). The snowcastle is usually located at the inner harbour of Kemi.

A model of The Crown of Finland (the original was never made for the King of Finland) is kept in the town's gemstone gallery. It also houses replicas of the Imperial State Crown of Great Britain, the Sceptre of the Czar of Russia, the Orbs of Denmark and the diamond necklace of Marie Antoinette, among other items.

Kemi is also the hometown of the power metal band Sonata Arctica.


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