Kemi

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Kemi is a town and municipality of Finland.

Image:Kemi Suomen maakuntakartalla.png Image:Meripuistokatu Kemi 2006 03 05.JPG It is located in the province of Lapland. The municipality has a population of 23,424 and covers an area of 91.96 km² of which 1.25 km² is water. The population density is 256.2 inhabitants per km².

Kemi is often mentioned as the gateway to Lapland. Kemi was founded in 1869 by Royal decree, because of its proximity to a deep water harbour. Ajos-Harbour in Kemi is in use 365 days every year with help of Icebrakers. Icebraker called "Sampo" is located in Kemi as well. It is the only icebraker in world making tours to the icecovered sea.

The main economic activity in Kemi is centred on two large paper and woodpulp mills and on the only chromium mine in Europe (which supplies the Outokumpu ferrochrome plant in Tornio). A polytechnic university is also situated in Kemi.

Kemi also has a claim to fame as the home of the world's largest snow castle (constructed every year with a different architecture). The snowcastle is usually located at the inner harbour of Kemi.

The municipality is unilingually Finnish.