Alavus facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alavus Alavo
Town
Alavuden kaupunki Alavo stad
Former Alavus city hall, demolished in 2021
Coat of arms
Location of Alavus in Finland
Country	Finland
Region	Southern Ostrobothnia
Sub-region	Kuusiokunnat sub-region
Charter	1865
Market town	1974
Town privileges	1977
Area  (2018-01-01)
• Total	1,151.46 km2 (444.58 sq mi)
• Land	1,087.23 km2 (419.78 sq mi)
• Water	52.31 km2 (20.20 sq mi)
Area rank	71st largest in Finland
Population  (2023-12-31)
• Total	10,933
• Rank	90th largest in Finland
• Density	10.06/km2 (26.1/sq mi)
Population by native language
• Finnish	97.4% (official)
• Swedish	0.1%
• Others	2.5%
Population by age
• 0 to 14	16.7%
• 15 to 64	54.6%
• 65 or older	28.7%
Time zone	UTC+02:00 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+03:00 (EEST)

Alavus (also called Alavo in Swedish) is a town and municipality in Finland. It is located in the Southern Ostrobothnia region. Alavus is about 52 kilometers southeast of Seinäjoki. It is also 138 kilometers north of Tampere and 319 kilometers north of Helsinki.

The town has a population of about 10,933 people. It covers an area of 1,151.46 square kilometres (444.58 sq mi). A big part of this area, 52.31 km² (20.20 sq mi), is water. This means Alavus has many lakes! There are 60 lakes with 324 kilometers of shoreline.

Most people in Alavus work in farming and forestry. Many jobs are also in construction, like making building materials or designing buildings. The town speaks only Finnish.

Discover Alavus: Its Land and People

Alavus is a town with a rich history and a unique landscape. Let's explore its geography and how its population has changed over time.

Alavus's Villages

In 1967, Alavus had five main villages. These were official areas where people lived and worked. They included:

• Alavus
• Rantatöysä
• Sapsalampi
• Sulkava
• Sydänmaa

Who Lives in Alavus?

In 2020, we can see how the people of Alavus were divided by age:

• About 16.7% of the population was under 15 years old.
• Around 54.6% were between 15 and 64 years old.
• About 28.7% were over 64 years old.

The average age in Alavus was 46.1 years. This is a bit older than the average age for all of Finland. Most people (98.3%) speak Finnish. Only a small number speak Swedish (0.1%) or other languages (1.6%).

Population Changes Over Time

The chart below shows how the total number of people living in Alavus has changed from 1975 to 2020. This includes the entire area of the municipality as it is today.

Urban Areas in Alavus

In 2019, most people in Alavus lived in urban areas. These are places where buildings are closer together. About 60.7% of the population lived in these areas. The main urban areas were:

• Alavus central locality: This is the biggest urban area with about 4,004 people.
• Alavus railway station area: Around 1,240 people live here.
• Töysä parish village: This area has about 898 people.
• Tuuri: About 777 people live in Tuuri.

Alavus's Economy: How People Make a Living

The economy of Alavus focuses on different types of work. In 2018, here's how people were employed:

• About 9.1% worked in primary production. This includes jobs like farming, logging, and fishing.
• Around 24.0% worked in secondary production. This means jobs in factories, construction, and building things like roads.
• The largest group, 65.6%, worked in services. These jobs include things like retail, healthcare, and education.

In 2019, the unemployment rate was 8.5%. This means 8.5% of people looking for work could not find a job. Also, 33.0% of the population were pensioners, meaning they had retired from work.

Top Employers in Alavus

Here are some of the biggest employers in Alavus in 2019:

• Kuusiolinna Terveys Oy: A healthcare company.
• Town of Alavus: The local government.
• Veljekset Keskinen Oy: A large department store, famous for its shopping village in Tuuri.
• Alavus Ikkunat Oy: A company that makes windows.
• Riikku Group Oy: A company involved in construction.
• Mattiovi Oy: A company that makes doors.
• Etelä-Pohjanmaan Osuuskauppa: A cooperative group with many different businesses.
• Kuusiokuntien sosiaali -ja terveyskuntayhtymä: A joint municipal authority for social and health services.
• Normek Oy: A company that works with steel structures.
• Alavuden Betoni Oy: A company that makes concrete products.

Famous People from Alavus

Alavus has been home to some notable individuals:

• Mimmi Bähr (1844–1923): A Finnish inventor. She developed a special way of writing called calligraphy.
• Erkki Huttunen (1901–1956): A well-known architect. Architects design buildings.
• Rauha S. Virtanen (1931–2019): A respected author, meaning she wrote books.

See Also

In Spanish: Alavus para niños