Kauhajoki

Infobox Settlement
official_name = City of Kauhajoki
native_name = Kauhajoen kaupunki
nickname =
motto =


imagesize =
image_caption = Kauhajoki church


image_shield = Kauhajoki.vaakuna.svg


mapsize =
map_caption = Location of Kauhajoki in Finland
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = Finland
subdivision_type1 = Province
subdivision_name1 = Western Finland
subdivision_type2 = Region
subdivision_name2 = Southern Ostrobothnia
subdivision_type3 = Sub-region
subdivision_name3 = Suupohja sub-region
leader_title = City manager
leader_name = Antti Rantakokko
leader_title1 =
leader_name1 =
leader_title2 =
leader_name2 =
leader_title3 =
leader_name3 =
established_title = Charter
established_date = 1868 (2001)
established_title2 =
established_date2 =
established_title3 =
established_date3 =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 1315.72
area_total_sq_mi =
area_land_km2 = 1299.27
area_land_sq_mi =
area_water_km2 = 16.45
area_water_sq_mi =
area_water_percent =
area_urban_km2 =
area_urban_sq_mi =
area_metro_km2 =
area_metro_sq_mi =
population_as_of = 2008-08-31
population_note =
population_total = 14411
population_density_km2 =
population_density_sq_mi =
population_metro =
population_density_metro_km2 = 11.09
population_density_metro_sq_mi =
population_urban =
population_density_urban_km2 =
population_density_urban_mi2 =
blank_name =Official languages |blank_info =Finnish [Swedish]
timezone = EET
utc_offset = +2
timezone_DST = EEST
utc_offset_DST = +3
latd=62 |latm=25 |lats= |latNS=N
longd=22 |longm=11 |longs= |longEW=E
elevation_m =
elevation_ft =
postal_code_type =
postal_code =
website = [http://www.kauhajoki.fi/ www.kauhajoki.fi]
footnotes =

Kauhajoki (literally “Scoop River”) is a city and municipality of Finland. The city is unilingually Finnish.

It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Southern Ostrobothnia region. The city has a population of 14,411 (as of 31 August 2008)cite web |url= http://www.vrk.fi/vrk/files.nsf/files/1C92E8D75C216E23C22574BB004DD580/$file/080831.html |title= Läänien, maistraattien, kihlakuntien ja kuntien asukaslukutiedot kuukausittain |accessdate= 2008-09-23 |date= 2008-08-31 |work= Väestötietojärjestelmä |publisher= Väestörekisterikeskus (Population Register Center of Finland) |language= Finnish and Swedish ] and covers an area of convert|1315.46|km2|abbr=on of which convert|16.45|km2|abbr=on is water.cite web |url= http://www.maanmittauslaitos.fi/Pintaalat_kunnittain_2008.pdf |title= Suomen pinta-alat kunnittain 1.1.2008 |accessdate= 2008-09-23 |date= 2008-01-01 |format= PDF |publisher= Maanmittauslaitos (National Land Survey of Finland) |language= Finnish and Swedish] The population density is 11.09 inhabitants per km².

History

Permanent settlement in the Kauhajoki area began in the 16th century and in 1584 chapel was built in Kauhajoki.

During the Winter War between 1939–1940, Kauhajoki hosted the Finnish parliament.

2008 vocational college shooting

"Main article: Kauhajoki school shooting"

On 23 September 2008, a school shooting at a vocational college in the city left 11 dead, including the gunman, and another woman wounded.

ports

Some internationally successful Kauhajokian sports figures include:

* Jouko Salomäki, the 1984 Olympic Champion in Greco-Roman wrestling, was born in Kauhajoki.
* Kaarlo Maaninka, the 1980 Olympic silver and bronze medalist in long distance running, lives in Kauhajoki. He also represented the town's sports club Kauhajoen Karhu during his career.
* Vesa Hietalahti, the 2003 World Championships silver medalist in biathlon, was born and lives in Kauhajoki. He also represented the town's sports club Kauhajoen Karhu throughout his career.
* Heli Koivula-Kruger, the 2002 European Championships silver medalist in triple jump, was born in Kauhajoki. She also represented the town's sports club Kauhajoen Karhu throughout her career.

References

External links

* [http://www.kauhajoki.fi/ City of Kauhajoki] – official site fi