 | You can helpexpand this article with text translated fromthe corresponding article in Finnish. (March 2009)Click [show] for important translation instructions.
|
Äänekoski | |
|---|---|
Town | |
| Äänekosken kaupunki Äänekoski stad | |
 Äänekoski town hall and library | |
 Coat of arms | |
 Location of Äänekoski in Finland | |
| Coordinates:62°36′N025°43.5′E / 62.600°N 25.7250°E /62.600; 25.7250 | |
| Country |  Finland |
| Region | Central Finland |
| Sub-region | Äänekoski |
| Charter | 1932 |
| City rights | 1973 |
| Government | |
| • Town manager | Matti Tuononen |
| Area (2018-01-01)[1] | |
• Total | 1,138.39 km2 (439.53 sq mi) |
| • Land | 884.61 km2 (341.55 sq mi) |
| • Water | 253.84 km2 (98.01 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 87th largest in Finland |
| Population (2025-06-30)[2] | |
• Total | 17,614 |
| • Rank | 65th largest in Finland |
| • Density | 19.91/km2 (51.6/sq mi) |
| Population by native language | |
| • Finnish | 96.5% (official) |
| • Swedish | 0.1% |
| • Others | 3.4% |
| Population by age | |
| • 0 to 14 | 15.2% |
| • 15 to 64 | 56.8% |
| • 65 or older | 27.9% |
| Time zone | UTC+02:00 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+03:00 (EEST) |
| Website | www |
Äänekoski (Finnish pronunciation:[ˈæːneˌkːoski]) is a town in Finland, located in theCentral Finlandregion, about 45 kilometres (28 mi) north ofJyväskylä, the region's capital city. Äänekoski has a population of 17,614, as of 30 June 2025,[6] and covers an area of 1,138.39 square kilometres (439.53 sq mi) of which 253.84 km2 (98.01 sq mi), or 22%, is water.[1] Thepopulation density is 19.91 inhabitants per square kilometre (51.6/sq mi).
Neighbouring municipalities areKannonkoski,Konnevesi,Laukaa,Saarijärvi,Uurainen,Vesanto andViitasaari.
The municipality is unilinguallyFinnish.[3]
The municipality ofÄänekosken maalaiskunta was consolidated to Äänekoski in 1969 and the municipality ofKonginkangas in 1993. The municipalities ofSumiainen andSuolahti were consolidated to Äänekoski in 2007.
Äänekoski is named after the nearby rapids. Folk etymology connects the name to the wordääni "sound", but Terho Itkonen has suggested another origin: aSámi term meaning "big, large" (compareNorthern Sámieanas, "most").
Swedish sources mention a salmon fishery by the rapids around 1455,Ænækoski laxefiskeri. At the time, it was not a proper settlement and was located in the hunting grounds of the people ofSysmä. TheRautalampi parish was established in 1561, at the time it was a large parish covering most of Central Finland north of thePäijänne. TheLaukaa parish, including the area of Äänekoski, was separated from Rautalampi in 1628.
A settlement named Äänekoski has existed at least since 1752. It remained a part of Laukaa until the parish was established in 1907 and the municipalityÄänekosken maalaiskunta was established in 1911. At the time, Äänekosken maalaiskunta was called simplyÄänekoski. The municipality was divided in 1932: the actual settlement of Äänekoski became thekauppala of Äänekoski,Suolahti became anotherkauppala while the old Äänekoski municipality was renamedÄänekosken maalaiskunta and its administrative seat was moved to the village of Honkola. Äänekoski and Äänekosken maalaiskunta still shared a parish.[7]
The first industrial enterprises appeared in 1896–1900.
Four municipalities have been consolidated with Äänekoski: Äänekosken maalaiskunta in 1969,Konginkangas in 1993 andSumiainen andSuolahti in 2007. Äänekoski adopted the coat of arms of Suolahti in 2007.
Äänekoski is located alongFinnish national road 4 approximately 40 km north ofJyväskylä.Finnish national road 69 toSuonenjoki begins in Hirvaskangas, 12 km south of Äänekoski center.Finnish national road 13 betweenKokkola andLappeenranta passes through Honkola, 6 km south of Äänekoski center. Äänekoski center is located between the Ääneselkä open water part of Lake Keitele and Lake Kuhnamo.
Modern Äänekoski is a product of a merger of multiple former municipalities, where the following villages were officially named:
Besides these official divisions, the following villages or neighborhoods are also informally recognized: Hietama, Hirvaskangas, Laajaranta, Liimattala, Mämme, Parantala and Rannankylä.
The area is heavily forested. It is also defined by the fracturedLake Keitele, which stretches generally in the southwest-northeast direction from Äänekoski center to the open waters of Keitele proper in Havusalmi, but which has multiple bays in the perpendicular, southeast-northwest direction.
There are 13Natura 2000 protected areas in Äänekoski. These includeesker areas, waters rich in bird life and part of the Hitonhauta-Kylmähauta-Hirvasjoki ravine area, which extends from Äänekoski toLaukaa.[11][12]
There are altogether 170 lakes in Äänekoski. The biggest lakes areKeitele,Kuhnamo andNiinivesi.[13]
One of the world's smallest rivers, theKuokanjoki (just 3.5 meters long), is within the area.[14]Aatunselkä lake is also located in this area.[15]
In 2021, there were 18,318 inhabitants, of which 75.8% lived inurban areas. There are three urban areas: Äänekoski center (12,899 inhabitants), Konginkangas (445) and Sumiaisten kirkonkylä (church village of Sumiainen, 406). Suolahden keskustaajama (the center of Suolahti), Kierälahti and Paatela used to categorized as a separate urban areas, but they are now counted as a part of Äänekoski center.
Äänekoski is a major industrial center. The largest corporate tax payer isValtra, a manufacturer of tractors and agricultural machinery, which is a part ofAGCO Corporation, followed by Kurikka Timber, a manufacturer of window components.Aura cheese is manufactured in theValio's Äänekoski dairy. The forest, pulp and paper industry is a major employer. In 1891, a groundwood pulp mill and a cardboard factory was founded in Äänekoski. Currently, sites in Äänekoski include aMetsä Boardfolding boxboard factory,Metsä Fibrekraft pulp and bioproduct mill,Metsä Woodplywood factory (former Finnforest) and aNouryon plant (former CP Kelco), which manufactures chemical derivatives of cellulose.
The following cities or municipalities are twinned with Äänekoski:[16]
Örnsköldsvik Municipality, Sweden
Brande,Brande Municipality, Denmark
Sigdal, Norway
Alushta,Alushta municipality, Ukraine
Borovichi,Novgorod Oblast, Russia (status unknown)Sestroretsk, Russia
Niamey, Niger
Media related toÄänekoski at Wikimedia Commons
Places adjacent to Äänekoski | |
|---|---|
| Municipalities |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Former municipalities | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Geographic | |
