Jämsä facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jämsä
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Town
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| Jämsän kaupunki Jämsä stad |
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Montage of Jämsä
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Location of Jämsä in Finland
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| Country |  Finland |
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| Region | Central Finland | |
| Sub-region | Jämsä sub-region | |
| Charter | 1866 | |
| Area
(2018-01-01)
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| • Total | 1,823.90 km2 (704.21 sq mi) | |
| • Land | 1,571.41 km2 (606.72 sq mi) | |
| • Water | 252.57 km2 (97.52 sq mi) | |
| Area rank | 39th largest in Finland | |
| Population
(2023-12-31)
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| • Total | 19,182 | |
| • Rank | 62nd largest in Finland | |
| • Density | 12.21/km2 (31.6/sq mi) | |
| Population by native language | ||
| • Finnish | 96.6% (official) | |
| • Swedish | 0.1% | |
| • Others | 3.3% | |
| Population by age | ||
| • 0 to 14 | 12.6% | |
| • 15 to 64 | 55.1% | |
| • 65 or older | 32.3% | |
| Time zone | UTC+02:00 (EET) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+03:00 (EEST) | |
Jämsä is a town and municipality (which is like a local government area) in Finland. It's located in the Central Finland region, about 58 kilometers southwest of Jyväskylä. Around 19,182 people live there as of 31 December 2023. This makes Jämsä the second biggest town in Central Finland, after Jyväskylä.
The total area of Jämsä is about 1,823.90 square kilometres (704.21 sq mi). A significant part of this area, 252.57 km2 (97.52 sq mi), is covered by water. The official language spoken in the municipality is Finnish.
Over the years, some smaller municipalities have joined with Jämsä. Kuorevesi became part of Jämsä in 2001. A part of Längelmäki joined in 2007, and Jämsänkoski was added at the start of 2009.
Jämsä is important for Finland's aircraft industry. The aircraft factory and engineering offices of a company called Patria are located at Halli Airport in Jämsä. Since 1994, the ski slopes at Himos have been used for a special stage in the Rally Finland, which is a famous car rally event.
Contents
Exploring Jämsä's Geography
Jämsä is a place with lots of water! There are about 465 lakes in the area. The biggest ones are Päijänne, Koljonselkä, and Lake Kuorevesi. Jämsä is located on a "watershed," which means it's where water flows in different directions to different major river systems.
The eastern and central parts of Jämsä send their water towards the Kymi River. The western parts send their water towards the Kokemäki River. For example, the water from Koskenpää, Jämsänkoski, and central Jämsä flows into the Kymi River system.
Jämsä's Unique Landscape
The rocks under Jämsä are mostly very old, coarse-grained rocks like granodiorites and granites. Sometimes these rocks look like they have larger crystals in them, which is called "porphyry."
A special geological feature runs through Jämsä. It's similar to the famous Salpausselkä formations but is younger. This feature was formed by meltwater from the Weichselian glaciation (a huge ice age). This meltwater carved out many of the valleys you see in Jämsä today.
Culture and Fun in Jämsä
Jämsä has its own unique traditions, especially when it comes to food and sports.
Traditional Jämsä Food
In the 1980s, Jämsä was known for a few traditional dishes. One was called liponen, which was meat cooked with turnip chips and barley groats. Another was piimätalkkuna, a type of thick drink or porridge made with buttermilk and a special flour. And, of course, there were always grandma's delicious buns!
Sports and Activities
Jämsä is home to a sports club called Jämsänkosken Ilves. They offer different sports for people in the area.
One of the most exciting places in Jämsä is the Himos Skiresort. It's a popular spot for skiing and snowboarding, attracting visitors from all over.
See also
In Spanish: Jämsä para niños
