kids encyclopedia robot

Kárášjohka/Karasjok facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Coat of arms of
Coat of arms
Capital Karasjok
69°28′55″N 25°06′18″E / 69.48194°N 25.10500°E / 69.48194; 25.10500
Demonym(s) Karasjoking
Establishment 1 Jan 1866
Quick facts for kids
Area
• Total
5,209.46 km2 (2,011.38 sq mi) (2)

Kárášjohka (Norwegian: Karasjok) is a Norwegian urban area in the municipality, Kárášjohka/Karasjok.

The municipality (of which the urban area is a part,) has Sami and Norwegian as official languages.

The municipality is one of two in Norway where the majority of inhabitants speak Sami and have it as their main language.

History

Before the beginning of the 1700s, there might not have been a permanent population there. However the area was used by nomads.

World War II

During World War II a Nazi concentration camp was built in Karasjok: Lager IV Karasjok (German for "Karasjok Camp No.4", Norwegian: Karasjok fangeleir). The camp was run by SS, and it was among the first four Nazi concentration camps in Northern Norway.

In July 1943, 374 political prisoners and POWs prisoners [mostly Yugoslav,] were brought to the concentration camp. They were tasked with widening the road to Karigasniemi, Finland. After four or five months, only 111 of these prisoners were still alive. At the end of the prisoners' stay in Karasjok, before transportation out of Karasjok, 45 prisoners were massacred by the firing of small arms. At least one former prisoner is (as of 2013) still alive.

After World War II

In 2015 the second edition of Sapmi Pride, the LGBT pride festival, was held in Karasjok. To protest homosexuals attending the Karasjok Church, and to protest that a female priest held the services, Norges Samemisjon cancelled one of their radio broadcasts.

Education

Main language of students at secondary school

The Sami secondary school, is one of two in Norway (as of 2014); 73% of the schools students say that Sami is their main language; 27% say that Sami is their second language (as of the school year that started in [August] 2009 and ended in [June] 2010); That school is run by the government.

kids search engine
Kárášjohka/Karasjok Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.