Hankasalmi

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Hankasalmi
Municipality
Hankasalmen kunta
Hankasalmi kommun
Hankasalmi railway station
Hankasalmi railway station
Coat of arms of Hankasalmi
Coat of arms
Location of Hankasalmi in Finland
Location of Hankasalmi in Finland
Interactive map of Hankasalmi
Coordinates: 62°23′N 026°26′E / 62.383°N 26.433°E / 62.383; 26.433
Country Finland
RegionCentral Finland
Sub-regionJyväskylä
Charter1872
Government
 • Municipal managerMatti Mäkinen
Area
 (2018-01-01)[1]
 • Total
687.75 km2 (265.54 sq mi)
 • Land571.7 km2 (220.7 sq mi)
 • Water115.89 km2 (44.75 sq mi)
 • Rank149th largest in Finland
Population
 (2025-12-31)[2]
 • Total
4,436
 • Rank181st largest in Finland
 • Density7.76/km2 (20.1/sq mi)
Population by native language
[2]
 • Finnish97.1% (official)
 • Swedish0.2%
 • Others2.6%
Population by age
[3]
 • 0 to 1414.5%
 • 15 to 6453.4%
 • 65 or older32.1%
Time zoneUTC+02:00 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+03:00 (EEST)
Websitehankasalmi.fi

Hankasalmi is a municipality of Finland, located in the Central Finland region. The municipality has a population of 4,436 (31 December 2025)[2] and covers an area of 687.75 square kilometres (265.54 sq mi) of which 115.89 km2 (44.75 sq mi) is water.[1] The population density is 7.76 inhabitants per square kilometre (20.1/sq mi).

The municipality is unilingually Finnish.

Hankasalmi is the only authentic rural municipality in Jyväskylä, that offers its inhabitants and guests a wide range of opportunities in the housing, work and leisure sectors. Comprehensive services and good transport links by highway and rail ensure smooth handling. Hankasalmi has several elementary schools, a high school, and a high school where you can take part in high-level navigation training.

Geography

Lake Säkinlampi

Neighbouring municipalities are Kangasniemi, Konnevesi, Laukaa, Pieksämäki, Rautalampi and Toivakka.

There are all together 97 lakes in Hankasalmi. The biggest lakes are Kynsivesi-Leivonvesi, Armisvesi and Kuuhankavesi.[4]

Villages

A view from a birdwatching tower towards pond Keskinen in Hankasalmi.

History

The name Hankasalmi was first mentioned in 1552 when it was a wilderness owned by the Tavastians of Hauho. The settlement has existed at least since 1559. In 1561, it was transferred to the new Rautalampi parish, which was largely settled by Savonians.

Hankasalmi became an independent parish in 1802, but administratively it remained a part of Rautalampi until 1872, when the modern Hankasalmi municipality was formed. Parts of it were also taken from Pieksämäki, Kangasniemi and Laukaa.[6]

Notable individuals

Twin towns and sister cities

Hankasalmi is twinned with:[7]

References

  1. "Area of Finnish Municipalities 1.1.2018" (PDF). National Land Survey of Finland. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  2. "Population growth slowed down in 2025". Population structure. Statistics Finland. 1 April 2026. ISSN 2243-3627. Retrieved 6 April 2026.
  3. "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.
  4. "Hankasalmi". Järviwiki. Finland's Environmental Administration. 2012. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
  5. Unto K. Laine: Muistokirjoitus. Helsingin Sanomat, 29.6.2010, s. B5. Artikkelin verkkoversio Deprecated link archived 2015-01-08 at archive.today.
  6. "SuomalainenPaikannimikirja_e-kirja_kuvallinen.pdf" (PDF). kaino.kotus.fi (in Finnish). p. 69. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  7. "Kansainvälinen toiminta". hankasalmi.fi (in Finnish). Hankasalmi. Archived from the original on 3 April 2019. Retrieved 8 December 2019.

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