Varkaus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Varkaus
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Town
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| Varkauden kaupunki Varkaus stad |
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Varkaus in July 2006
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Location of Varkaus in Finland
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| Country |  Finland |
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| Region | Northern Savonia | |
| Sub-region | Varkaus | |
| Market town | 1929 | |
| City rights | 1961 | |
| Area
(2018-01-01)
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| • Total | 524.48 km2 (202.50 sq mi) | |
| • Land | 385.62 km2 (148.89 sq mi) | |
| • Water | 138.45 km2 (53.46 sq mi) | |
| Area rank | 206th largest in Finland | |
| Population
(2023-12-31)
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| • Total | 19,727 | |
| • Rank | 57th largest in Finland | |
| • Density | 51.16/km2 (132.5/sq mi) | |
| Population by native language | ||
| • Finnish | 95% (official) | |
| • Swedish | 0.2% | |
| • Others | 4.9% | |
| Population by age | ||
| • 0 to 14 | 12% | |
| • 15 to 64 | 56.4% | |
| • 65 or older | 31.6% | |
| Time zone | UTC+02:00 (EET) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+03:00 (EEST) | |
Varkaus is a town and municipality in Finland. Before 1929, its name was Warkaus. It is known as an industrial town in the Northern Savonia region. Varkaus is located in Eastern Finland, between the cities of Kuopio and Savonlinna.
The town has about 19,727 people (as of 31 December 2023). It covers an area of about 524.48 square kilometres (202.50 sq mi). A large part of this area, 138.45 km2 (53.46 sq mi), is water. This means Varkaus is a town with many lakes and waterways.
Most people in Varkaus speak Finnish. The name 'Varkaus' means 'strait' in old Finnish. This is because the town is in a lake area, built on narrow waterways. These waterways connect different parts of Lake Saimaa. The Saimaa Canal, which is a waterway for boats, also goes through the town.
Contents
History of Varkaus
Varkaus started as a community for factories in the late 1800s. It grew around the paper mills owned by A. Ahlström. Before 1929, Varkaus was part of the nearby areas of Leppävirta and Joroinen. In 1929, Varkaus became a market town.
During the Finnish Civil War in 1918, the town was taken by the Reds. However, because it was in a quiet, rural area, the Whites soon took it back. This happened during the Battle of Varkaus from February 19 to 21.
On January 1, 2005, the municipality of Kangaslampi joined with Varkaus.
Sports in Varkaus
Varkaus is home to a successful bandy team called Warkauden Pallo-35, or WP-35. They play in the top league, Bandyliiga. This team has won the Finnish championship 16 times!
The Varkaus Speedway Stadion is a place where motorcycle speedway races happen. It is on the north side of town, near the Tykkitie road. This track is one of the oldest in Finland. It has hosted the final race of the Finnish Individual Speedway Championship three times.
Famous People from Varkaus
Many interesting people have come from Varkaus. Here are a few:
- Onni Hiltunen (1895–1971), a politician who helped lead the country.
- Jukka Keskisalo (born 1981), a fast runner who competes in steeplechase races.
- Antti Kupiainen (born 1954), a scientist who studies math and physics.
- Esa Pakarinen (1911–1989), a famous Finnish actor and musician.
- Esa Pakarinen Junior (born 1947), also an actor, following in his father's footsteps.
- Piia Pantsu (born 1971), an amazing equestrian rider who competes with horses.
- Lassi Parkkinen (1917–1994), a talented speed skater.
- Erkki Pulliainen (born 1938), a biologist and politician.
- Pekka Siitoin (1944–2003), an occultist.
- Petri Varis (born 1969), a professional ice hockey player.
Twin Towns and Sister Cities
Varkaus has special friendships with other towns around the world. These are called twin towns or sister cities. They work together to share culture and ideas.
Lu'an, China
Nakskov, Denmark
Rjukan, Norway
Sandviken, Sweden
Petrozavodsk, Russia
Rüsselsheim, Germany- Pirna, Germany
Zalaegerszeg, Hungary
See also
In Spanish: Varkaus para niños
