Kyyjärvi (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈkyːˌjærʋi]; lit.'adder lake') is a municipality of Finland. It is located in the Central Finland region, about 120 kilometres (75 mi) northwest of Jyväskylä. The municipality has a population of 1,160 (31 October 2024)[4] and covers an area of 469.61 square kilometres (181.32 sq mi) of which 21.39 km2 (8.26 sq mi) is water.[3] The population density is 2.59 inhabitants per square kilometre (6.7/sq mi). The municipality is unilingually Finnish.

Kyyjärvi
Municipality
Kyyjärven kunta
Kyyjärvi kommun
Kyyjärvi church
Kyyjärvi church
Coat of arms of Kyyjärvi
Nickname: 
Kyy York[1][2]
Location of Kyyjärvi in Finland
Location of Kyyjärvi in Finland
Coordinates: 63°03′N 024°33.8′E / 63.050°N 24.5633°E / 63.050; 24.5633
Country Finland
RegionCentral Finland
Sub-regionSaarijärvi–Viitasaari sub-region
Charter1929
Government
 • Municipal managerTiina Pelkonen
Area
 (2018-01-01)[3]
 • Total
469.61 km2 (181.32 sq mi)
 • Land448.22 km2 (173.06 sq mi)
 • Water21.39 km2 (8.26 sq mi)
 • Rank193rd largest in Finland
Population
 (2024-10-31)[4]
 • Total
1,160
 • Rank288th largest in Finland
 • Density2.59/km2 (6.7/sq mi)
Population by native language
 • Finnish97.3% (official)
 • Swedish0.1%
 • Others2.6%
Population by age
 • 0 to 1415.4%
 • 15 to 6450.2%
 • 65 or older34.4%
Time zoneUTC 02:00 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC 03:00 (EEST)
Websitewww.kyyjarvi.fi Edit this at Wikidata

Neighbouring municipalities are Alajärvi, Karstula, Kivijärvi, Perho and Soini. The municipality centre is located on the shores of Lake Kyyjärvi. Little villages Hokkala, Koskimäki-Huhtala, Kumpula, Noposenaho, Hokkasenaho, Nurmijoki, Oikari, Peuralinna, Pölkki, Saunakylä and Vehkaperä are living mostly from primary production (farming and forestry). Due to its location on the crossroads of two main Finnish roads (Valtatie 13 and 16) the municipality has also a remarkable number of services and little companies compared to its size.

Etymology

edit

The origin of the name of Kyyjärvi is unknown but there are few theories of it. The first part of the name, "kyy", is Finnish word for adder (Vipera berus), a venomous snake. Järvi is Finnish word for lake. Adders can be found in Kyyjärvi, as everywhere in Finland. Another theory is that the first citizens moved to the area from the lake Kyyvesi and gave the name Kyyjärvi for their new home area and lake.[citation needed]

Among the locals, the municipality is playfully nicknamed "Kyy York", which is a reference to New York.[1] Because of this, the municipality has adopted the following slogan: Kyy York – pieni kylä, suuri sydän ("small village, big heart").[2]

History

edit

The area of modern Kyyjärvi was originally hunting grounds for Tavastian people. The village of Kyyjärvi was first mentioned in 1565 as Kÿierffuj, when it was a part of the parish of Rautalampi. In 1628, the parish of Laukaa, including Kyyjärvi, was split off from Rautalampi while in 1639, Kyyjärvi became a part of the new Saarijärvi parish established during this year.

In 1775, Kyyjärvi became one of the villages in the new chapel community of Karstula, which became its own parish in 1858. In 1913, it was decided that the territory of the Kyyjärvi school district should become its own municipality and parish. The municipality was established in 1929 while the parish was established in 1944.[7]

Proposed Suomenselkä municipality

edit

Kannonkoski, Karstula, Kivijärvi and Kyyjärvi planned to merge into the Suomenselkä municipality [fi] from January 1, 2022.[8][9] Karstula, Kivijärvi and Kyyjärvi accepted the merger proposal, but Kannonkoski did not.[10] After Kannonkoski left out of the planned merger, Kivijärvi also left out. The merger project of the remaining Karstula and Kyyjärvi failed at the Kyyjärvi municipal council meeting held on May 17, 2021, and the Ministry of Finance does not propose a forced merger either.[11]

Nature

edit

There are all together 46 lakes in Kyyjärvi. Biggest lakes in Kyyjärvi are Lake Kyyjärvi, Heinuanjärvi and Kirvesjärvi.[12]

Transport

edit

Kyyjärvi is served by Onnibus route Helsinki—Jyväskylä—Kokkola.

Notable individuals

edit

Twin towns

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ a b Roope Valdenin tie vei Helsingistä ”Kyy Yorkiin” leirintäalueen isännäksi: "Aivosyöpä muutti arvojärjestyksen"Apu (in Finnish)
  2. ^ a b Kyyjärvellä on monta syytä hymyyn – Nopolanews (in Finnish)
  3. ^ a b "Area of Finnish Municipalities 1.1.2018" (PDF). National Land Survey of Finland. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  4. ^ a b c "Finland's preliminary population figure was 5,635,560 at the end of October 2024". Population structure. Statistics Finland. 19 November 2024. ISSN 1797-5395. Retrieved 22 November 2024.
  5. ^ "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.
  6. ^ a b "Luettelo kuntien ja seurakuntien tuloveroprosenteista vuonna 2023". Tax Administration of Finland. 14 November 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  7. ^ "SuomalainenPaikannimikirja_e-kirja_kuvallinen.pdf" (PDF). kaino.kotus.fi (in Finnish). p. 207. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
  8. ^ Roiha, Marja (4 December 2020). "Pohjoisen Keski-Suomen uuden kunnan nimeksi Suomenselkä". Yle (in Finnish). Retrieved 13 December 2022.
  9. ^ Kotilainen, Virpi (25 January 2021). "Kivijärvi kysyy asukkaiden mielipidettä kuntaliitoksesta". Yle (in Finnish). Retrieved 13 December 2022.
  10. ^ Heikkilä, Eija (15 February 2021). "Neljän kunnan liitos ei toteudu – Kannonkoski hylkäsi kuntaliitoksen". Yle (in Finnish). Retrieved 13 December 2022.
  11. ^ "Valtiovarainministeriö ei esitä Kyyjärven kunnan pakkoliitosta" (in Finnish). Ministry of Finance. 25 May 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
  12. ^ "Kyyjärvi". Järviwiki. Finland's Environmental Administration. 2012. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
  13. ^ "Ystäväkuntalista" (PDF) (in Finnish). Pohjola-Norden. Retrieved 7 May 2012.[permanent dead link]
  14. ^ "Suomen kuntien ystävyyskunnat Virossa" (in Finnish). Suomen suurlähetystö Virossa. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
edit

  Media related to Kyyjärvi at Wikimedia Commons   Kyyjärvi travel guide from Wikivoyage