Ruokolahti

Ruokolahti
Ruokolax
Municipality
Ruokolahden kunta
Ruokolax kommun
Church in Ruokolahti
Church in Ruokolahti
Coat of arms of Ruokolahti
Coat of arms
Location of Ruokolahti in Finland
Location of Ruokolahti in Finland
Coordinates: 61°17.5′N 028°49′E / 61.2917°N 28.817°E / 61.2917; 28.817
Country Finland
RegionSouth Karelia
Sub-regionImatra
Charter1868
Government
 • Municipal managerJukka-Pekka Bergman
Area
 (2018-01-01)[1]
 • Total
1,219.85 km2 (470.99 sq mi)
 • Land942.09 km2 (363.74 sq mi)
 • Water276.4 km2 (106.7 sq mi)
 • Rank81st largest in Finland
Population
 (2025-06-30)[2]
 • Total
4,721
 • Rank171st largest in Finland
 • Density5.01/km2 (13.0/sq mi)
Population by native language
[3]
 • Finnish95.6% (official)
 • Swedish0.2%
 • Others4.2%
Population by age
[4]
 • 0 to 1412.2%
 • 15 to 6452.7%
 • 65 or older35.1%
Time zoneUTC+02:00 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+03:00 (EEST)
ClimateDfc
Websitewww.ruokolahti.fi

Ruokolahti (Finnish: [ˈruo̯koˌlɑhti]; Swedish: Ruokolax;[6] literally translated the "Reed Bay") is a municipality of Finland, situated in south-eastern Finland, in the region of South Karelia. Neighbouring municipalities are Imatra, Lappeenranta, Taipalsaari, Puumala, Sulkava, Punkaharju, Parikkala and Rautjärvi. Ruokolahti covers an area of 1,219.85 square kilometres (470.99 sq mi) of which 23% is water.[1]

The municipality has 4,721 inhabitants (30 June 2025),[2] but the population doubles in summer as holidaymakers occupy the 3,000 summer cottages in the region.[7]

Ruokolahti is known for its natural environment, for example Kummakivi is a balancing rock located at 61° 29' 36.4596" N, 28° 25' 45.5016" E in Ruokolahti[8] and is protected.[9] In the west there is the Lake Saimaa and in the east there are hundreds of smaller lakes. The Salpausselkä ridges run through the area.[7] In 2025, The Times highlights the Huuhanranta beach on the shores of Lake Saimaa among the attractions of Ruokolahti, referring it as the "Saimaa Riviera".[10]

The famous sniper Simo Häyhä, also knows as nickname the "White Death", lived in Ruokolahti for 57 years after the 1939–40 Winter War.[11] He is buried there in the graveyard of Ruokolahti Church.

The municipal coat of arms of Ruokolahti is a canting arms that directly refers to the name of the municipality, including reeds appearing in it. Wave line is usually used to describe a local body of water. The coat of arms was designed by Gustaf von Numers and was confirmed for use on September 11, 1951.[12]

References

  1. ^ a b "Area of Finnish Municipalities 1.1.2018" (PDF). National Land Survey of Finland. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Population increased most in Uusimaa in January to June 2025". Population structure. Statistics Finland. 2025-07-24. ISSN 1797-5395. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
  3. ^ "Number of foreign-language speakers exceeded 600,000 during 2024". Population structure. Statistics Finland. 2025-04-04. ISSN 1797-5395. Retrieved 2025-04-05.
  4. ^ "Population according to age (1-year) and sex by area and the regional division of each statistical reference year, 2003–2020". StatFin. Statistics Finland. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Luettelo kuntien ja seurakuntien tuloveroprosenteista vuonna 2023". Tax Administration of Finland. 14 November 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  6. ^ Namn på kommuner från finska till svenska; Kotimaisten kielten keskus
  7. ^ a b Hupponen, Paula (14 December 2003). "General Information". Discover Ruokolahti. Ruokolahti: Municipality of Ruokolahti. Archived from the original on 11 February 2010. Retrieved 15 February 2009. (Text from Discover Ruokolahti web site with a permission.)
  8. ^ "Karrta Paikka" (in Finnish). National Land Survey of Finland. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  9. ^ Lehteinen, Markus. "Ruokolahden Kummakivi" (in Finnish). Retkipaikka. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  10. ^ Newsom, Sean (5 July 2025). "Avoid the heatwaves with these 15 great ideas for a coolcation". The Times. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
  11. ^ "Tappouhkaukset ja pelko varjostivat sotalegenda Simo Häyhän elämää". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). 2017-06-18. Retrieved 2020-05-09.
  12. ^ Suomen kunnallisvaakunat (in Finnish). Suomen Kunnallisliitto. 1982. ISBN 951-773-085-3.

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