Ruokolahti facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ruokolahti
Ruokolax
|
||
|---|---|---|
|
Municipality
|
||
| Ruokolahden kunta Ruokolax kommun |
||
Church in Ruokolahti
|
||
|
||
Location of Ruokolahti in Finland
|
||
| Country |  Finland |
|
| Region | South Karelia | |
| Sub-region | Imatra sub-region | |
| Charter | 1868 | |
| Area
(2018-01-01)
|
||
| • Total | 1,219.85 km2 (470.99 sq mi) | |
| • Land | 942.09 km2 (363.74 sq mi) | |
| • Water | 276.4 km2 (106.7 sq mi) | |
| Area rank | 81st largest in Finland | |
| Population
(2023-12-31)
|
||
| • Total | 4,758 | |
| • Rank | 171st largest in Finland | |
| • Density | 5.05/km2 (13.1/sq mi) | |
| Population by native language | ||
| • Finnish | 96.1% (official) | |
| • Swedish | 0.2% | |
| • Others | 3.6% | |
| Population by age | ||
| • 0 to 14 | 12.2% | |
| • 15 to 64 | 52.7% | |
| • 65 or older | 35.1% | |
| Time zone | UTC+02:00 (EET) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+03:00 (EEST) | |
| Climate | Dfc | |
Ruokolahti (which means "Reed Bay") is a small town in southeastern Finland. It's part of the South Karelia region. Ruokolahti is surrounded by beautiful nature, including many lakes and forests.
The town is located near other places like Imatra and Lappeenranta. Ruokolahti covers a total area of about 1,219 square kilometers. A big part of this area, about 23%, is water, mostly lakes.
Around 4,700 people live in Ruokolahti normally. But during the summer, the number of people almost doubles! This is because many families have holiday cottages here. There are about 3,000 summer cottages in the area, making it a popular spot for vacations.
Contents
Exploring Ruokolahti's Nature
Ruokolahti is famous for its amazing natural environment. It's a great place for outdoor activities.
Unique Rock Formations
One special natural spot is Kummakivi. This is a very unusual balancing rock. It looks like a huge rock is sitting on top of a much smaller one, but it stays perfectly balanced! Kummakivi is a protected natural site.
Lakes and Ridges
To the west of Ruokolahti, you'll find the huge Lake Saimaa. It's the fourth largest lake in Europe! To the east, there are hundreds of smaller lakes, perfect for fishing or boating. The Salpausselkä ridges also run through the area. These are long, narrow hills formed during the Ice Age.
Famous People from Ruokolahti
Ruokolahti has been home to some interesting people.
Simo Häyhä: The White Death
A very famous person who lived in Ruokolahti was Simo Häyhä. He was a legendary Finnish sniper. He was known as "The White Death" because of his incredible skills during the 1939–40 Winter War. After the war, Simo Häyhä lived in Ruokolahti for 57 years. He is buried in the graveyard of the Ruokolahti Church.
The Town's Symbol: Coat of Arms
Every town has a special symbol called a coat of arms. Ruokolahti's coat of arms is very clever because it directly shows what the town's name means.
What the Coat of Arms Shows
The coat of arms features reeds. These are tall, grass-like plants that grow in wet areas, like bays. The name "Ruokolahti" literally means "Reed Bay," so the reeds on the symbol are a direct reference to the town's name. It also has a wavy line, which usually represents water. This shows that Ruokolahti has many lakes and is close to water.
The coat of arms was designed by a person named Gustaf von Numers. It was officially approved for use on September 11, 1951.
Gallery
See also
In Spanish: Ruokolahti para niños
