City of Imatra as a place and city organization

GEOLOGICAL HISTORY

Salpausselkä is an extensive ridge system left by the ice age in Southern Finland. It formed 12 000 years ago.

Finland’s largest lake, Saimaa, was formed by glacial melting at the end

of the Ice Age 11 000 years ago.

The river Vuoksi and Imatrankoski rapids were formed 5 700 years ago when the waters of Saimaa carved a

channel through Salpausselkä.

CULTURAL HISTORY

The oldest findings in Imatra region are around 10 000 years old.

During the 13th century, Karelia was still undivided and fought over

between Sweden and the Novgorod Republic. Slowly borders of Finland

began to form…

1323Nöteborg (Pähkinäsaari)

1595Teusina (Täyssinä)

1617Stolbovo (Stolbova)

1721Nystad (Uusikaupunki)

1743Åbo (Turku)

1809Fredrikshamn (Hamina)

1811

1920Tartu (Tarto)

1944Moscow (Moskova)

HISTORY OF TWIN CITY

Svetogorsk was known as Enso during the Finnish era. It was rapidly

growing industrial town before the wars. Enso was lost to the Soviet

Union due the IIWW.

During the years of the Cold War the border between the two cities was closed. During the Finnish-Soviet

construction project of the Svetogorsk paper mill in 1972 transport of goods

started across the border.

Imatra and Svetogorsk are in the unique position as a Twin City which gaze over the border between the European Union and Russia.

• Finn-Stroi Ltd at Svetogorsk in 1972–1988

• The border open for international

traffic from 2001-

INDUSTRIAL HISTORY

Imatra was founded 1948 around three settlements – Tainionkoski,

Vuoksenniska and Imatrankoski.

Completion of the railroad and power generated from Vuoksi's rapids made

the Vuoksi region Finland's industrial center in the late 19th

century.

Imatrankoski was finally dammed in 1929 when the Finland’s largest hydropower plant was build.

Largest employers1. Stora Enso Oyj (1630)

2. Town of Imatra (940)

3. Eksote (680)

4. Ovako Imatra (585)

5. The Finnish Border Guard (400)

6. S Group (240)

7. VR Group (160)

8. South Karelia Municipal Education and Training Consortium (140)

9. Uutisposti (120)

10. Saimaan tukipalvelut (100)

HISTORY OF TOURISM

Imatra is the birthplace of tourism in Finland.

Imatrankoski rapids is Finland’s first tourist destination. It was considered

as a one of the best known known tourist attractions in Europe.

Surrounding Kruununpuisto park is the first nature conservation area in

Finland formed in 1842.

Fishing has been one of the most popular reasons for visiting Imatra.

The first hotel and spa centre, Rauha pensionaat for turister, was

established in 1894.

LIVELY BORDER TOWN

Imatra offers its population a wealth of services and the feeling of being

close to the nature even in the city centre.

You can find architectural gems around Imatra.

Imatra offers lots of intrernational events. The International Road Racing

Competition is the biggest one.

Ukonniemi leisure time centre allows fluent training camps and

tournaments for sport clubs.

NUMBERS & CHARTS

MUNCIPAL TAX %

20,0(2015)

POPULATION

27 991(2015)

TOTAL AREA

191,6km2

WATER

36,3km2

FOUNDED

1948January 1

MUNCIPAL CHARTER

1971January 1

SVETOGORSK

7km

St. PETERSBURG

210km

HELSINKI

257km

LAPPEENRANTA

37km

VYBORG

61km

Population development (2015)

English (32)Swedish (38)Chinese (39)Estonian (75)Others (229)Russian (1007)

Foreign languages in Imatra (2013)

2015

2005

1995

198536 37835 08533 56632 05730 66329 52928 54027 991

Political parties in Imatra city council

Budget figures

Chairman Tiina Wilèn-Jäppinen Social Democratic Party 1. Vice chairman Ismo Pöllänen National Coalition Party2. Vice chairman Erkki Saarimäki Finns Party

PartySeats (43)

Social Democratic Party of Finland 18

National Coalition Party11

Finns Party8Centre Party3Christian Democrats of Finland 1

Green League1Left Alliance1

• Budget (web)

• Budget revenue (web)

Administrative organization

Thank you for your attention.We wish you all the best.

Have a nice time in Imatra!