Kalajoki

{{about|the town in Finland|the river|Kalajoki River}} {{expand Finnish|date=June 2023|topic=geo}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}} {{Infobox settlement |name = Kalajoki | official_name = {{lang|fi|Kalajoen kaupunki}}<br />{{lang|sv|Kalajoki stad}} | settlement_type = Town | image_skyline = Kalajoki kaupungintalo.jpg | image_caption = Kalajoki Town Hall | image_shield = Himanka.vaakuna.svg | shield_size = 120x80px | image_map = Kalajoki_sijainti_Suomi.svg | map_caption = Location of Kalajoki in Finland | coordinates = {{coord|64|16|N|023|57|E|display=inline,title}} | mapframe = yes | mapframe-marker = town | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = {{flag|Finland}} | subdivision_type1 = [[Regions of Finland|Region]] | subdivision_name1 = [[North Ostrobothnia]] | subdivision_type2 = [[Sub-regions of Finland|Sub-region]] | subdivision_name2 = [[Ylivieska sub-region|Ylivieska]] | leader_title = [[Town manager]] | leader_name = Jukka Puoskari | established_title = [[Charter]] | established_date = 1865 | established_title2 = [[Town privileges]] | established_date2 = 2002 |area_footnotes = {{Data Finland municipality|area_footnotes|Kalajoki}} |area_total_km2 = {{Data Finland municipality|area_total_km2|Kalajoki}} |area_land_km2 = {{Data Finland municipality|area_land_km2|Kalajoki}} |area_water_km2 = {{Data Finland municipality|area_water_km2|Kalajoki}} |area_rank = {{Data Finland municipality|area_rank|Kalajoki}} |population_as_of = {{Data Finland municipality|population_as_of|Kalajoki}} |population_footnotes = {{Data Finland municipality|population_footnotes|Kalajoki}} |population_total = {{Data Finland municipality|population_total|Kalajoki}} |population_density_km2 = {{Data Finland municipality|population_density_km2|Kalajoki}} |population_rank = {{Data Finland municipality|population_rank|Kalajoki}} |demographics_type1 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics_type1|Kalajoki}} |demographics1_footnotes = {{Data Finland municipality|population_footnotes|Kalajoki}} |demographics1_title1 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_title1|Kalajoki}} |demographics1_info1 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_info1|Kalajoki}} |demographics1_title2 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_title2|Kalajoki}} |demographics1_info2 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_info2|Kalajoki}} |demographics1_title3 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_title3|Kalajoki}} |demographics1_info3 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_info3|Kalajoki}} |demographics1_title4 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_title4|Kalajoki}} |demographics1_info4 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_info4|Kalajoki}} |demographics_type2 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics_type2|Kalajoki}} |demographics2_footnotes = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_footnotes|Kalajoki}} |demographics2_title1 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_title1|Kalajoki}} |demographics2_info1 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_info1|Kalajoki}} |demographics2_title2 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_title2|Kalajoki}} |demographics2_info2 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_info2|Kalajoki}} |demographics2_title3 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_title3|Kalajoki}} |demographics2_info3 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_info3|Kalajoki}} |blank_name = {{Data Finland municipality|blank_name|Kalajoki}} |blank_info = {{Data Finland municipality|blank_info|Kalajoki}} |timezone = [[Eastern European Time|EET]] |utc_offset = +02:00 |timezone_DST = [[Eastern European Summer Time|EEST]] |utc_offset_DST = +03:00 | website = {{Official URL}} }} '''Kalajoki''' ({{IPA|fi|ˈkɑlɑˌjoki}}; literally translated the "fish river") is a coastal [[List of cities and towns in Finland|town]] and [[municipalities of Finland|municipality]] of [[Finland]]. It is located in the immediate vicinity of the [[Gulf of Bothnia]] in the [[provinces of Finland|province]] of [[Oulu (province)|Oulu]] and is part of the [[Northern Ostrobothnia]] [[regions of Finland|region]].

The town has a population of {{formatnum: {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Kalajoki}}}} ({{#time: j F Y|{{Data Finland municipality/population count|sourcedate}} }})<ref name="population_count"/> and covers an area of {{convert|{{Data Finland municipality/total area|Kalajoki}}|km2}} of which {{convert|{{Data Finland municipality/waters area|Kalajoki}}|km2|abbr=on}} is water.<ref name="total_area" /> The [[population density]] is {{convert|{{Data Finland municipality/population density|Kalajoki|round=2}}|PD/km2}}.

The municipality is unilingually [[Finnish language|Finnish]].

== History ==

The first reference to Kalajoki can be found from the beginning of 16th century and it got the status of a parish in 1525, it was designated as a regional parish in 1545. This status ended with the abolishment of the parish form of organization in the early 1860s. Kalajoki was a significant market place and controlled the whole region's [[tar]] trading. By the end of 19th century the meaning of tar was diminishing as a good and the importance of Kalajoki was reduced thereafter.{{citation needed|date=May 2024}}

The tar trade was a derivative of the [[Forest industry in Finland|forestry industry]], and Kalajoki has long been the location of forestry activities.{{citation needed|date=May 2024}} There are still sawmills in operation in the city today.

In addition to tar trading, Kalajoki has long been a [[farming]] community, producing a variety of agricultural products, including wheat and rye. There are many farms still operating in the city, and there is a weekly market during the spring and summer months where local farmers and merchants sell their products.{{citation needed|date=May 2024}}

== Government ==

There were many attempts to reorganize Kalajoki as a city, which would confer additional authorities on the municipality. The first attempt was in 1865, and there were several subsequent attempts throughout the 20th century. Kalajoki was finally reorganized as a city in 2002.

Just like any [[municipality]] in [[Finland]], the city of Kalajoki is composed of several sub-units, called a [[kylä]]. The following compose the city of Kalajoki: Vasankari, Plassi, Mehtäkylä, Pohjankylä, Pitkäsenkylä, Etelänkylä, Kääntä, Tynkä, Rahja, Kurikkala, Kärkinen, Typpö, [[Rautio]].

Every four years, the voters of Kalajoki elect a city council of 35 members which meets monthly. The Council then elects a governing council of nine members that meets more regularly to transact the business of the city. As of the most recent municipal election in 2004, 19 members of the city council are from the Centre Party, 6 are from the local Pro Kalajoki Party, 4 are from the centre-right National Coalition Party, 3 are from the Left Alliance, 2 are from the centre-left Social Democratic Party, and one member is from the Christian Democrats Party.

The next municipal elections will be held throughout Finland in 2012.

The municipality of [[Rautio]] was consolidated with Kalajoki in 1973. The neighboring municipality of [[Himanka]] was consolidated with Kalajoki on January 1, 2010.<ref name="kaleva20080429">{{Cite news |first= Heikki |last= Uusitalo |title= Kalajoki ja Himanka virallistivat liittonsa |url= http://www.kaleva.fi/plus/juttu726019_page0.htm |agency= STT |work= Kaleva.plus |publisher= Kaleva Kustannus Oy |date= 29 April 2008 |access-date= 13 March 2009 |language= fi }}{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

== Tourism == [[File:KalajokiBeaches1.jpg|thumb|Sandy beaches of Kalajoki]] Kalajoki is a well known tourist attraction place in Finland due to long [[Sand beach|sandy beaches]] at shores of the [[Bothnian Bay]], and related activities.<ref>[https://kalajokicamping.fi/en Camp at the sand dunes.] – Kalajoki Camping (in English)</ref><ref>[https://www.hiekkasarkat.com/in-english Accommodation services of Hiekkasärkät: Cottage or holiday apartment] (in English)</ref><ref>[https://visitkalajoki.fi/en/events/ Experience the best events in Kalajoki] – Visit Kalajoki (in English)</ref>

==People born in Kalajoki== {{Unreferenced section|date=May 2024}} *[[Kalle Myllylä]] (1844 – 1923) *[[Tuomas Pohjanpalo]] (1861 – 1933) *[[Leonard Typpö]] (1868 – 1922; born in [[Rautio]]) *[[Sakari Ainali]] (1874 – 1938; born in [[Himanka]]) *[[Wäinö Palmqvist]] (1882 — 1964) *[[Vilho Kivioja]] (1896 – 1977) *[[Elias Simojoki]] (1899 – 1940; born in Rautio) *[[Kauko Tuupainen]] (1940 – ) *[[Antti Haapakoski]] (1971 – ) *[[Rainer Nygård]] (1972 – ) *[[Jussi Jokinen]] (1983 – ) *[[Juho Jokinen]] (1986 – ) *[[Benedek Oláh]] table tennis player (1992 – ) *{{ill|Jaakko Rahja|fi}} (1872 – 1926)

==International relations== {{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Finland}}

===Twin towns — Sister cities=== Kalajoki is [[Twin towns and sister cities|twinned]] with:

* {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Izumo, Shimane]], Japan (2003) * {{flagicon|JPN}} Taki, Japan * {{flagicon|SWE}} [[Vansbro]], Sweden<ref>[[List of twin towns and sister cities in Sweden]]</ref>{{Circular reference|date=April 2022}}

==See also== * [[Kallankari Islands]]

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{commons category|Kalajoki}} *{{wikivoyage-inline|Kalajoki}} *[https://www.kalajoki.fi/ Town of Kalajoki] – Official website *[https://visitkalajoki.fi/en/ Kalajoki Tourism Information]

{{Geographic location | Centre = Kalajoki | N = [[Pyhäjoki]] | NE = [[Merijärvi]] | E = [[Alavieska]]<br/>[[Ylivieska]] | SE = [[Sievi]] | S = [[Kannus]] ([[Central Ostrobothnia]]) | SW = [[Kokkola]] ([[Central Ostrobothnia]]) | W = ''[[Bothnian Bay]]'' }} {{NorthernOstrobothnia}}

[[Category:Kalajoki| ]] [[Category:Seaside resorts in Finland]] [[Category:Cities and towns in Finland]]