Pargas
Pargas (Finnish: Parainen) is a town and municipality of Finland, in the Archipelago Sea, the biggest archipelago in the world by the number of islands, 50,000. The big limestone mine in Pargas is the base of the main industry and except for the central parts, the municipality is still mostly rural.
Pargas
Pargas – Parainen | |
|---|---|
Town | |
| Pargas stad Paraisten kaupunki | |
The city centre of Pargas | |
|
Coat of arms | |
Location of Pargas in Finland | |
| Coordinates: 60°18′N 022°18′E | |
| Country | Finland |
| Region | Southwest Finland |
| Sub-region | Åboland–Turunmaa sub-region |
| Charter | 2009 |
| Seat | Pargas |
| Government | |
| • Town manager | Patrik Nygrén |
| Area (2018-01-01) | |
| • Total | 5,548.17 km2 (2,142.16 sq mi) |
| • Land | 883.98 km2 (341.31 sq mi) |
| • Water | 4,666.46 km2 (1,801.73 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 88th largest in Finland |
| Population (2023-12-31) | |
| • Total | 14,993 |
| • Rank | 76th largest in Finland |
| • Density | 16.96/km2 (43.9/sq mi) |
| Population by native language | |
| • Swedish | 54.6% (official) |
| • Finnish | 41.5% |
| • Others | 3.9% |
| Population by age | |
| • 0 to 14 | 15.1% |
| • 15 to 64 | 56.7% |
| • 65 or older | 28.1% |
| Time zone | UTC+02:00 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+03:00 (EEST) |
| Website | www.pargas.fi |
Pargas is located in Åboland in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Southwest Finland region. It was created as Väståboland on 1 January 2009 in Southwest Finland, when the municipalities of Pargas, Nagu, Korpo, Houtskär and Iniö were merged into a single municipality.
The municipality has a population of 14,993 (31 December 2023) and covers an area of 5,548.17 square kilometres (2,142.16 sq mi) of which 4,666.46 km2 (1,801.73 sq mi) is water. The population density is 16.96 inhabitants per square kilometre (43.9/sq mi).
The town is bilingual with a majority (54.6%) speaking Swedish as their native language.