Värnamo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Värnamo
Wernamo (historic)
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Town
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Clockwise from top: Värnamo railway station, IFK Värnamo, Värnamo kyrka, Vandalorum, a runestone, Apladalen, and Scandic hotel and statues of Per and Kersti.
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| Etymology: from old Swedish värn (sconce) and mo (sandy flat land) | |
 Värnamo
Location in Sweden
Värnamo
Location in Jönköping
Värnamo
Location in Europe
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| Country | Sweden |
| Province | Småland |
| County | Jönköping County |
| Municipality | Värnamo Municipality |
| Lydköping | 1620 |
| Friköping | 1860 |
| Charter | 1920 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipal council |
| • Body | Värnamo Municipality |
| Area | |
| • Land | 12.14 km2 (4.69 sq mi) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 19,822 |
| • Rank | 65th in Sweden |
| Demonym(s) | Värnamobo (sv) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| Postal codes |
List
331 01-331 02
331 20-331 27 331 29-331 37 331 40-331 44 331 50-331 56 331 82-331 85 331 91-331 98 |
| Area code(s) | 0370 |
Värnamo is a town in the south of Sweden, located in Jönköping County. It sits by the Lagan River, just north of Lake Vidöstern. Värnamo is the main town of Värnamo Municipality and had about 19,822 people living there at the end of 2020. The town's name comes from old Swedish words: värn (meaning "safeguard" or "sconce") and mo (meaning "sandy flat land").
Contents
History of Värnamo
Värnamo has a long history, going back to a village in the Middle Ages. It was first written about in the 1200s. The village grew up on the eastern side of a place where people could cross the Lagan River, which was hard to travel on in most other places. Because there were also smaller streams nearby, the area felt like a safe spot. This is why its name combines värn (safeguard) and mo (sandy land).
| Historical population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1892 | 708 | — |
| 1910 | 1,141 | +61.2% |
| 1920 | 3,664 | +221.1% |
| 1930 | 4,054 | +10.6% |
| 1940 | 5,608 | +38.3% |
| 1950 | 11,377 | +102.9% |
| 1960 | 10,916 | −4.1% |
| 1970 | 14,962 | +37.1% |
| 1980 | 15,838 | +5.9% |
| 1990 | 16,535 | +4.4% |
| 2000 | 17,629 | +6.6% |
| 2010 | 18,696 | +6.1% |
| 2020 | 19,778 | +5.8% |
| Source: 1892: 1910: 1920-1950: From 1960: | ||
Värnamo became an important trading center. In 1659, it was given official rights to hold markets. For a long time, Värnamo stayed a small town. But in the 1800s, as Sweden's population grew and industries started, Värnamo expanded. It became an independent market town in 1859.
The area had thick forests and strong water power, which helped the furniture industry and metal factories grow. When the Swedish railway system expanded, it boosted Värnamo's industries even more. The number of people living in Värnamo jumped from 1,141 in 1910 to 3,664 in 1920. This growth was so big that Värnamo officially became a city on November 1, 1920. The city's symbol shows its traditional location by the Lagan River.
Geography and Climate
Where is Värnamo Located?
In Värnamo Municipality, about 14% of the total area is water. Forests cover 70% of the land, and most of these forests are used for wood production. About 7% of the land is used for farming, and 3% is for grazing animals. Around 5% of the land is built up with buildings and roads.
| Climate data for Hagshult 1961-1990 (13 km northeast of Värnamo) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −0.4 (31.3) |
−0.1 (31.8) |
4.7 (40.5) |
10.3 (50.5) |
16.8 (62.2) |
20.5 (68.9) |
21.3 (70.3) |
20.1 (68.2) |
15.9 (60.6) |
10.5 (50.9) |
4.7 (40.5) |
1.0 (33.8) |
10.4 (50.8) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −3.5 (25.7) |
−3.6 (25.5) |
−0.5 (31.1) |
3.8 (38.8) |
9.8 (49.6) |
13.8 (56.8) |
14.9 (58.8) |
13.9 (57.0) |
10.3 (50.5) |
6.4 (43.5) |
1.7 (35.1) |
−1.9 (28.6) |
5.4 (41.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −6.5 (20.3) |
−7.1 (19.2) |
−5.7 (21.7) |
−2.7 (27.1) |
2.7 (36.9) |
7.1 (44.8) |
8.5 (47.3) |
7.7 (45.9) |
4.7 (40.5) |
2.3 (36.1) |
−1.3 (29.7) |
−4.8 (23.4) |
0.4 (32.7) |
| Source 1: SMHI Open Data | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: SMHI Monthly Data 2002–2018 | |||||||||||||
People of Värnamo
Värnamo is the biggest town in Värnamo Municipality. More than half of the municipality's population lives here. The town has many different people, including a notable population from the Balkans region.
Economy and Jobs
Who are the Biggest Employers?
The largest private employer in Värnamo is 3M, with 225 employees. The biggest public employer is Värnamo Municipality itself, which had 2,774 employees in November 2020. Some of the largest companies based in Värnamo include Liljedahl Group AB, Bufab AB, Sandahlsbolagen Sweden AB, and DS Smith Packaging Sweden AB.
Local Government
Värnamo is managed by the Värnamo Municipality. The local government makes decisions about the town and its services.
Culture and Fun Places
What to See and Do?
- Apladalen: This is a beautiful nature park and open-air museum right in the middle of Värnamo. You can see old buildings from the 1700s and 1800s, visit a craft shop, or grab a snack at the café. There's also a big playground and live animals like sheep, goats, rabbits, and hens. In Apladalen, you'll find a statue of Per and Kersti, a fictional couple who fell in love at the Värnamo market.
- Gummifabriken (The Rubber Factory): This used to be a rubber factory but has been completely updated. Now it's a cool place with the local library, a café, a large auditorium for shows, a cinema with three screens, and a business center. It's also home to Campus Värnamo, which offers higher education.
- Pizzeria Chaplin: This was the first pizzeria in Värnamo, opened in 1979 by Zivan and Zorka Tomic. Zivan designed and built all the unique furniture and garden areas. In 2004, Tanja Tomic, a member of the family, won the European Pizza Championship with her special "Santa Lucia" pizza!
Sports in Värnamo
The main football (soccer) club in Värnamo is IFK Värnamo, started in 1912. The team has played in Sweden's second-highest league, Superettan, and even reached the top league, Allsvenskan, in 2021. Their home stadium is called Finnvedsvallen.
Getting Around and Healthcare
How to Travel?
- Airports: The closest airport is Hagshult Airbase, about 13 kilometers north of Värnamo. It's mainly used by the Swedish Air Force for training. For public flights, the closest airports are Växjö-Kronoberg Airport (51 km away) and Jönköping Airport (63 km away).
- Trains: Värnamo is an important spot for trains, as two railway lines meet there: the Halmstad–Nässjö line and the Coast-to-Coast Line (which goes between Gothenburg and Kalmar).
- Buses and Roads: Buses run within the city and to other parts of Jönköping County. Värnamo is also located near where two major roads meet: the European route E4 and national road 27.
Healthcare Services
Värnamo sjukhus is one of three hospitals in Jönköping County. It's a big employer in the town, with about 1,300 staff. There are also three clinics in Värnamo where people can go for medical care.
Education in Värnamo
Schools for All Ages
Värnamo has seven schools for younger students, from preschool to ninth grade. These include Rörstorpsskolan, Enehagens skola (the oldest, active since 1907), Mossleskolan, Trälleborgsskolan, Exposkolan (the newest, opened in 2019), Apladalsskolan, and Gröndalsskolan.
For older students, there is one school for upper secondary education called Finnvedens gymnasium. It offers many different programs, including Social Science, Business Management and Economics, Technology, and Natural Science.
When Finnvedens gymnasium opened in 1969, students and teachers were not allowed to attend the official ceremony. The student council thought this was unfair and too expensive. So, they organized their own, cheaper ceremony outside. This event even got national news attention, and Olof Palme, who was then the Minister for Education (and later became Prime Minister), spoke to the students.
Värnamo also has a Folk high school called Värnamo Folkhögskola, which has been around since 1876. It offers different courses, including those for youth workers and social educators. It also has boarding options and exchange programs with schools in Zambia and the UK.
Higher Education and Technology
Campus Värnamo provides higher education courses. It offers technical and engineering programs in areas like 3D computer graphics, 3D printing, and web development. Campus Värnamo also runs Teknikcenter (Technical Center), which creates fun technology activities for kids and teenagers. It also trains teachers in technology, all to help more people get interested in technology in the region.
News and Media
Värnamo has three newspapers: Värnamo Nu, Finnveden Nu, and Värnamo Nyheter.
- Värnamo Nu is an online-only newspaper that started in 2010.
- Finnveden Nu is a free newspaper that comes out every Friday, and you can also read it online.
- Värnamo Nyheter is a paid newspaper, available online and in print on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. It was founded in 1930.
Both Finnveden Nu and Värnamo Nyheter are owned by Hall Media.
Local TV news for Jönköping County, which includes Värnamo, is broadcast by Sveriges Television. Local radio news is covered by Sveriges Radio. There is also a local community radio station that broadcasts music, local council meetings, and Christian worship programs.
Famous People from Värnamo
Many notable people come from Värnamo, including:
- Anna Anvegård, a footballer
- Alice Bah Kuhnke, a Member of the European Parliament
- Viktor Claesson, a footballer
- Annie Lööf, a former leader of the Centre Party
- Bruno Mathsson, a furniture designer
- Felix Rosenqvist, a racing driver
- Elize Ryd, a singer-songwriter and member of the band Amaranthe
- Jonas Thern, a football manager and former professional player
Images for kids
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Alice Bah Kuhnke in 2014
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Annie Lööf during the Almedalen Week in 2018
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Felix Rosenqvist during the Macau Grand Prix in 2015
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Elize Ryd during Wacken Open Air in 2018
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