Suomussalmi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Suomussalmi
Municipality
Suomussalmen kunta Suomussalmi kommun
An aerial view of Ämmänsaari, an administrative center of Suomussalmi
Coat of arms
Location of Suomussalmi in Finland
Country	Finland
Region	Kainuu
Sub-region	Kehys-Kainuu
Charter	1867
Seat	Ämmänsaari
Area  (2018-01-01)
• Total	5,857.60 km2 (2,261.63 sq mi)
• Land	5,270.33 km2 (2,034.89 sq mi)
• Water	587.03 km2 (226.65 sq mi)
Area rank	9th largest in Finland
Population  (2023-12-31)
• Total	7,172
• Rank	130th largest in Finland
• Density	1.36/km2 (3.5/sq mi)
Population by native language
• Finnish	96.7% (official)
• Swedish	0.1%
• Others	3.2%
Population by age
• 0 to 14	10.1%
• 15 to 64	52%
• 65 or older	37.9%
Time zone	UTC+02:00 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+03:00 (EEST)

Suomussalmi is a municipality, which is like a local government area, in Finland. It is located in the Kainuu region. You can find it about 90 kilometers northeast of Kajaani, which is the capital of Kainuu. It's also about 120 kilometers south of Kuusamo.

As of 31 December 2023, Suomussalmi has a population of 7,172 people. The total area of the municipality is 5,857.60 square kilometres (2,261.63 sq mi). A big part of this area, 587.03 km² (226.65 sq mi), is covered by water. This means there are many lakes and rivers!

The population density is 1.36 inhabitants per square kilometre (3.5/sq mi). This tells us how many people live in each square kilometer. The main language spoken here is Finnish. The largest town in the municipality is called Ämmänsaari.

Suomussalmi is also known for being one of the southernmost places in Finland where reindeer are herded. This means you might see reindeer roaming around!

History of Suomussalmi

Battles and Berry Picking

Suomussalmi has an important place in history, especially because of events during the Winter War (1939–1940). This was a conflict between Finland and the Soviet Union.

• The Battle of Suomussalmi: During this battle, Finnish soldiers bravely fought against a much larger Soviet army.
• The Battle of Raate Road: This was another key battle where the Finnish forces managed to defeat the Soviet troops.

These battles showed the strength and determination of the Finnish people.

More recently, Suomussalmi hosted the World Berry Picking Championship in 2016. This fun event brought people together to celebrate the region's rich natural resources.

Villages in Suomussalmi

Suomussalmi is made up of many smaller communities and villages. Here are some of them:

Two villages, Kuivajärvi and Hietajärvi, are very close to the Russian border. These villages have a special history. They are known as "poetic villages" of White Karelia. The Karelian language, specifically Viena Karelian, has been spoken there for a long time.

Getting Around Suomussalmi

Roads and Routes

Getting to and from Suomussalmi is easy thanks to its road network.

• Highway 5 (E63): This important road connects Suomussalmi to Hyrynsalmi and continues all the way to Kuusamo.
• Regional Roads: There are also smaller regional roads that help people travel within the municipality and to nearby areas.
  • Regional road 912 comes from Kuhmo to Suomussalmi.
  • Regional road 843 goes from Palovaara through Suomussalmi to Poussuu in Kuusamo.
  • Regional road 892 runs from Suomussalmi through Korpikylä and Kytömäki to Hyrynsalmi.
  • Regional road 897 takes you from Alajärvi from Suomussalmi via Hattuvaara to Yli-Näljänkä.
• Raatteentie (Connecting Road 9125): This road is famous because it was named after the Battle of Raate in 1940. It connects Raatteenportti to Raate.

Famous People from Suomussalmi

Many notable individuals have come from Suomussalmi. Here are a few:

President K. J. Ståhlberg

• K. J. Ståhlberg (1865–1952): He was a very important person in Finland's history. He became the first president of Finland!
• Hannes Tauriainen (1909–1971): A politician who worked to serve the community.
• Alho Alhoniemi (born 1933): A linguist, someone who studies languages.
• Toini Gustafsson (born 1938): A talented former cross-country skier.
• Matti Makkonen (1952–2015): An engineer, known for his work in technology.
• Osmo Tapio Räihälä (born 1964): A composer who creates music.
• Tero Penttilä (born 1975): A former professional footballer.
• Merja Kyllönen (born 1977): A politician.
• Heikki Kovalainen (born 1981): A racing driver, known for his speed on the track.
• Janne Pesonen (born 1982): A former professional ice hockey player.

International Connections

Sister Cities

Suomussalmi has special connections with other towns around the world. These are called "twin towns" or "sister cities." They often share cultural exchanges and friendly relationships.

Suomussalmi is twinned with:

• Kalevala, Russia
• Nordmaling Municipality, Sweden

See also

In Spanish: Suomussalmi para niños