View source for Asikkala

{{Infobox settlement
|name = Asikkala
| official_name = {{lang|fi|Asikkalan kunta}}<br />{{lang|sv|Asikkala kommun}}
| settlement_type = Municipality
| image_skyline = Vaaksynkanava.jpg
| image_caption = Vääksy Canal
| image_shield = Asikkala.vaakuna.svg
| shield_size = 120x80px
| image_map = Asikkala sijainti Suomi.svg
| map_caption = Location of Asikkala in [[Finland]]
|coordinates = {{coord|61|10|20|N|025|32|50|E|display=inline,title}}
|subdivision_type = Country
|subdivision_name = {{flag|Finland}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[Regions of Finland|Region]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Päijät-Häme]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[Sub-regions of Finland|Sub-region]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Lahti sub-region|Lahti]]
| seat = [[Vääksy]]
| leader_title = Municipal manager
| leader_name = Rinna Ikola-Norrbacka
| established_title = [[Charter]]
| established_date = 1848
|area_footnotes = {{Data Finland municipality|area_footnotes|Asikkala}}
|area_total_km2 = {{Data Finland municipality|area_total_km2|Asikkala}}
|area_land_km2 = {{Data Finland municipality|area_land_km2|Asikkala}}
|area_water_km2 = {{Data Finland municipality|area_water_km2|Asikkala}}
|area_rank = {{Data Finland municipality|area_rank|Asikkala}}
|population_as_of = {{Data Finland municipality|population_as_of|Asikkala}}
|population_footnotes = {{Data Finland municipality|population_footnotes|Asikkala}}
|population_total = {{Data Finland municipality|population_total|Asikkala}}
|population_density_km2 = {{Data Finland municipality|population_density_km2|Asikkala}}
|population_rank = {{Data Finland municipality|population_rank|Asikkala}}
|demographics_type1 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics_type1|Asikkala}}
|demographics1_footnotes = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_footnotes|Asikkala}}
|demographics1_title1 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_title1|Asikkala}}
|demographics1_info1 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_info1|Asikkala}}
|demographics1_title2 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_title2|Asikkala}}
|demographics1_info2 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_info2|Asikkala}}
|demographics1_title3 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_title3|Asikkala}}
|demographics1_info3 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_info3|Asikkala}}
|demographics1_title4 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_title4|Asikkala}}
|demographics1_info4 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_info4|Asikkala}}
|demographics_type2 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics_type2|Asikkala}}
|demographics2_footnotes = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_footnotes|Asikkala}}
|demographics2_title1 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_title1|Asikkala}}
|demographics2_info1 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_info1|Asikkala}}
|demographics2_title2 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_title2|Asikkala}}
|demographics2_info2 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_info2|Asikkala}}
|demographics2_title3 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_title3|Asikkala}}
|demographics2_info3 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_info3|Asikkala}}
|blank_name = {{Data Finland municipality|blank_name|Asikkala}}
|blank_info = {{Data Finland municipality|blank_info|Asikkala}}
|timezone = [[Eastern European Time|EET]]
|utc_offset = +02:00
|timezone_DST = [[Eastern European Summer Time|EEST]]
|utc_offset_DST = +03:00
| website = {{Url|https://asikkala.fi/}}
}}

'''Asikkala''' ({{IPA|fi|ˈɑsikːɑlɑ}}) is a [[municipalities of Finland|municipality]] of [[Finland]]. Its seat is in [[Vääksy]], at the shores of the [[Lake Päijänne]]. It is located in the [[provinces of Finland|province]] of [[Southern Finland]] and is part of the [[Päijät-Häme|Päijät-Häme region]]. Asikkala's neighboring municipalities are [[Hämeenlinna]], [[Heinola]], [[Hollola]], [[Lahti]], [[Padasjoki]] and [[Sysmä]].

The municipality has a population of {{formatnum: {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Asikkala}}}} ({{#time: j F Y|{{Data Finland municipality/population count|sourcedate}} }})<ref name="population_count-2">{{Cite web|url=http://vrk.fi/vrk/files.nsf/files/23DA04F43C88102AC22577D9002D2295/$file/20101031.htm |title=Population by municipality as of {{#time: j F Y|2010-10-31}} |access-date={{#time: j F Y|2010-12-16}} |work=Population Information System |publisher=Population Register Center of Finland |language=fi, sv |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101227023822/http://vrk.fi/vrk/files.nsf/files/23DA04F43C88102AC22577D9002D2295/%24file/20101031.htm |archive-date=2010-12-27 }}</ref> and covers an area of {{convert|{{Data Finland municipality/total area|Asikkala}}|km2}} of which {{convert|{{Data Finland municipality/waters area|Asikkala}}|km2|abbr=on}} is water.<ref name="total_area" /> The [[population density]] is {{convert|{{Data Finland municipality/population density|Asikkala|round=2}}|PD/km2}}.

The municipality is unilingually [[Finnish language|Finnish]], by law since 1996.

== History ==
The oldest prehistoric objects discovered in Asikkala, primarily tools, are presumed to date back to approximately 3000 BCE. The island of Kotasaari in the village of [[Kalkkinen]] has been a significant source of finds as well; the settlement on the island dates back to the [[Stone Age]]. In the [[Middle Age]], the hunters populating the area of Asikkala made excursions towards the north on the Päijänne. The oldest villages in the municipality are presumed to be Kalkkinen as well as [[Anianpelto]], the former of which also housed the largest estate in the area, known as Iisakkila or Kalkkinen.<ref name="finlandia">{{Cite book|last=Huovinen|first=Pentti|last2=Rikkinen|first2=Kalevi|last3=Sihvo|first3=Hannes|title=Finlandia: Otavan iso maammekirja, osa 3: Häme ja Pirkanmaa|publisher=[[Otava (publisher)|Otava]]|year=1984|isbn=951-1-07914-X|location=[[Helsinki]]|pages=50–53|language=fi}}</ref>

Asikkala is mentioned in writing for the first time in a document concerning a border dispute with [[Sysmä]] in 1443. It is mentioned in 1445 as an administrative parish, whose subordinates in taxation included the villages of Viitaila, Asikkala and [[Urajärvi]], and later [[Ruuhijärvi]] in modern-day [[Nastola]]. In the early 1600s, Asikkala became an independent chapel parish from the mother parish of [[Hollola]].<ref name="finlandia"/>

==Geography==
===Villages===
[[File:Urajärvi manor museum, Asikkala, Finland.jpg|thumb|The Urajärvi Manor Museum]]
In 1967, Asikkala had 24 legally recognized villages ''(henkikirjakylät)'':<ref name="suomenmaa">{{Cite book |last=Fogelberg |first=Paul |last2=Rautava |first2=Erkki |last3=Papunen |first3=Pentti |last4=Mäkinen |first4=Vesa |title=Suomenmaa: maantieteellis-yhteiskunnallinen tieto- ja hakuteos. 1: Ahlainen–Hausjärvi|publisher=[[Werner Söderström Osakeyhtiö|WSOY]]|year=1967|location=[[Helsinki]]|chapter=Asikkala}}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=12em}}
* [[Anianpelto]]
* [[Asikkala (village)|Asikkala]]
* Hillilä
* Iso-Äiniö
* Joenniemi
* [[Kalkkinen]]
* Keltaniemi
* Kopsuo
* Kurhila
* Muikkula
* Myllykselä
* Paakkola
* Pulkkila
* Pätiälä
* Reivilä
* Riihilahti
* Salo
* Särkijärvi
* Urajärvi
* Vehkoo
* [[Vesivehmaa]]
* Viitaila
* Vähimaa
* Vähä-Äiniö
{{div col end}}
===Climate===
Asikkala has a [[humid continental climate]] (''Dfb'') with cold winters and mild to warm summers. The climate is slightly milder than the nearby city of [[Lahti]] due to influence from [[Lake Päijänne]]. {{Weather box
| location = Asikkala Pulkkilanharju (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1967- present)
| collapsed = 
| metric first = Yes
| single line = Yes
| Jan record high C = 8.0
| Feb record high C = 8.1
| Mar record high C = 14.6
| Apr record high C = 22.2
| May record high C = 27.6
| Jun record high C = 30.5
| Jul record high C = 31.8
| Aug record high C = 30.1
| Sep record high C = 25.2
| Oct record high C = 18.6
| Nov record high C = 13.2
| Dec record high C = 10.4
| year record high C = 31.8
| Jan high C = -3.0
| Feb high C = -3.5
| Mar high C = 1.0
| Apr high C = 7.1
| May high C = 14.1
| Jun high C = 18.6
| Jul high C = 21.2
| Aug high C = 19.7
| Sep high C = 14.2
| Oct high C = 7.9
| Nov high C = 2.7
| Dec high C = -0.6
| year high C = 8.3
| Jan mean C = -5.5
| Feb mean C = -6.2
| Mar mean C = -2.5
| Apr mean C = 2.8
| May mean C = 9.5
| Jun mean C = 14.6
| Jul mean C = 17.6
| Aug mean C = 16.1
| Sep mean C = 11.4
| Oct mean C = 5.6
| Nov mean C = 1.0
| Dec mean C = -2.6
| year mean C = 5.2
| Jan low C = -8.7
| Feb low C = -9.9
| Mar low C = -6.5
| Apr low C = -0.9
| May low C = 5.3
| Jun low C = 11.0
| Jul low C = 14.1
| Aug low C = 13.2
| Sep low C = 8.8
| Oct low C = 3.8
| Nov low C = -0.8
| Dec low C = -4.9
| year low C = 2.0
| Jan record low C = -37.2
| Feb record low C = -36.8
| Mar record low C = -29.1
| Apr record low C = -18.3
| May record low C = -5.7
| Jun record low C = -0.6
| Jul record low C = 4.9
| Aug record low C = 2.3
| Sep record low C = -2.6
| Oct record low C = -10.6
| Nov record low C = -18.6
| Dec record low C = -34.5
| year record low C = -37.2 
| source 1 = 
| source 2 = Record highs and lows 1967- present<ref name="FMI open data">{{cite web
| url = https://kilotavu.com/fmi-tilastot.php?taulukkomoodi=true
| title = FMI open data
| publisher = FMI
| access-date = 6 July 2025}}</ref>
| source = FMI climatological normals for Finland 1991-2020<ref name="FMI">{{cite web|url=https://www.ilmatieteenlaitos.fi/1991-2020-lampotilatilastot |title=FMI normals 1991-2020|publisher=fmi.fi |access-date=23 April 2023}}</ref>
}}

== Demographics ==
In 2020, 13.3% of the population of Asikkala was under the age of 15, 52.7% were aged 15 to 64, and 34.0% were over the age of 64. The average age was 49.9, above the national average of 43.4 and regional average of 46.1. Speakers of [[Finnish language|Finnish]] made up 97.4% of the population and speakers of [[Swedish language|Swedish]] made up 0.2%, while the share of speakers of foreign languages was 2.4%. Foreign nationals made up 1.8% of the total population.<ref name="population key figures">{{Cite web|title=Key figures on population by region, 1990-2020|url=https://pxnet2.stat.fi/PXWeb/pxweb/en/StatFin/StatFin__vrm__vaerak/statfin_vaerak_pxt_11ra.px/|url-status=live|access-date=29 April 2021|website=StatFin|publisher=[[Statistics Finland]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190406192005/http://pxnet2.stat.fi:80/PXWeb/pxweb/en/StatFin/StatFin__vrm__vaerak/statfin_vaerak_pxt_11ra.px/ |archive-date=2019-04-06 }}</ref> 

The chart below, describing the development of the total population of Asikkala from 1975-2020, encompasses the municipality's area as of 2021.

{{Historical populations
| align = none
| cols = 2
| percentages = pagr
| 1975 |7,798
| 1980 |8,251
| 1985 |8,564
| 1990 |8,822
| 1995 |8,782
| 2000 |8,644
| 2005 |8,560
| 2010 |8,552
| 2015 |8,287
| 2020 |8,059
|source=[[Statistics Finland]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Population according to age (1-year) and sex by area, 1972-2020|url=https://pxnet2.stat.fi/PXWeb/pxweb/en/StatFin/StatFin__vrm__vaerak/statfin_vaerak_pxt_11re.px/|url-status=live|access-date=29 April 2021|website=StatFin|publisher=[[Statistics Finland]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190525152634/http://pxnet2.stat.fi:80/PXWeb/pxweb/en/StatFin/StatFin__vrm__vaerak/statfin_vaerak_pxt_11re.px/ |archive-date=2019-05-25 }}</ref>
}}

=== Urban areas ===
In 2019, out of the total population of 8,083, 5,188 people lived in [[Urban areas in Finland|urban areas]] and 2,814 in sparsely populated areas, while the coordinates of 81 people were unknown. This made Asikkala's degree of urbanization 64.8%.<ref name="urbanization">{{Cite web|title=Degree of urbanisation by area, 2019|url=https://pxnet2.stat.fi/PXWeb/pxweb/en/StatFin/StatFin__vrm__vaerak/statfin_vaerak_pxt_11s7.px/|url-status=live|access-date=29 April 2021|website=StatFin|publisher=[[Statistics Finland]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191126094642/http://pxnet2.stat.fi:80/PXWeb/pxweb/en/StatFin/StatFin__vrm__vaerak/statfin_vaerak_pxt_11s7.px/ |archive-date=2019-11-26 }}</ref> The urban population in the municipality was divided between two urban areas as follows:<ref name="urban population">{{Cite web|title=Population in urban settlements and sparsely populated areas by age, sex and municipality, 2019|url=https://pxnet2.stat.fi/PXWeb/pxweb/en/StatFin/StatFin__vrm__vaerak/statfin_vaerak_pxt_11s6.px/|url-status=live|access-date=29 April 2021|website=StatFin|publisher=[[Statistics Finland]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191126094635/http://pxnet2.stat.fi:80/PXWeb/pxweb/en/StatFin/StatFin__vrm__vaerak/statfin_vaerak_pxt_11s6.px/ |archive-date=2019-11-26 }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
! # !! Urban area !! Population
|-
| align="center" | 1 || '''[[Vääksy]]''' || align="right" | 4,810
|-
| align="center" | 2 || [[Lahti]] central locality ||align="right"| 378{{efn|The Lahti central locality has a total population of 119,469, and in addition to Asikkala, reaches the municipalities of [[Lahti]] (103,990 residents) and [[Hollola]] (15,101 residents).<ref name="urban population"/>}}
|}

=== Notable people ===
{{columns-list|colwidth=35em|
*[[James Hirvisaari]] (born 1960), politician
*[[J. R. Danielson-Kalmari]] (1853–1933), senator, professor and ''[[valtioneuvos]]''
*[[Minna Kauppi]] (born 1982), orienteer
*[[Toni Nieminen]] (born 1975), ski jumper
*[[Aaro Pajari]] (1897–1949), Major General
*[[Karri Rämö]] (born 1986), ice hockey player
*[[Joel Rinne]] (1897–1981), actor
*[[Eetu Salin]] (1866–1919), politician, journalist and shoemaker
}}

==Politics==
Results of the [[2011 Finnish parliamentary election]] in Asikkala:

*[[True Finns]]   26.8%
*[[Centre Party (Finland)|Centre Party]]   20.8%
*[[National Coalition Party]]   20.5%
*[[Social Democratic Party of Finland|Social Democratic Party]]   15.2%
*[[Christian Democrats (Finland)|Christian Democrats]]   8.1%
*[[Left Alliance (Finland)|Left Alliance]]   4.0%
*[[Green League]]   3.7%
 
== Economy ==
In 2018, 9.6% of the workforce of Asikkala worked in primary production ([[agriculture]], [[forestry]] and [[fishing]]), 28.7% in secondary production (e.g. [[manufacturing]], [[construction]] and [[infrastructure]]), and 58.6% in [[Service (economics)|services]]. In 2019, the unemployment rate was 9.2%, and the share of pensioners in the population was 37.4%.<ref name="municipal key figures">{{Cite web|title=Municipal key figures 1987-2020 (with the 2021 regional division)|url=https://pxnet2.stat.fi/PXWeb/pxweb/en/Kuntien_avainluvut/Kuntien_avainluvut__2021/kuntien_avainluvut_2021_aikasarja.px|url-status=live|access-date=29 April 2021|website=StatFin|publisher=[[Statistics Finland]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210426165318/https://pxnet2.stat.fi/PXWeb/pxweb/en/Kuntien_avainluvut/Kuntien_avainluvut__2021/kuntien_avainluvut_2021_aikasarja.px |archive-date=2021-04-26 }} (2018 and 2019)</ref> 

The ten largest employers in Asikkala in 2019 were as follows:<ref>{{Cite web|title=Kunnittainen toimipaikkatilasto|url=https://www.stat.fi/tup/yritystietopalvelu/kunnittainen-toimipaikkatilasto|url-status=live|access-date=29 April 2021|publisher=[[Statistics Finland]]|language=fi|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161114133314/http://www.stat.fi/tup/yritystietopalvelu/kunnittainen-toimipaikkatilasto |archive-date=2016-11-14 }}</ref>
{{columns-list|colwidth=25em|style=max-width:70em;|
# Municipality of Asikkala, 303 employees
# [[Päijät-Häme]] Health Care Municipal Consortium, 187 employees
# JELD-WEN Suomi Oy, 95 employees
# [[Rapala]] VMC Oyj, 77 employees
# [[Salpaus Further Education]], 37 employees
# Regional Council of Päijät-Häme, 34 employees
# Viipurilainen Kotileipomo Oy, 32 employees
# Urajärven Metalli Oy, 30 employees
# Parish of Asikkala, 22 employees
# [[S Group|Osuuskauppa Hämeenmaa]], 22 employees
}}

== Culture ==
=== Food ===
In the 1980s, Asikkala's traditional parish dishes were [[salmon]] [[Fish soup|soup]], ''[[rieska]]s'' made [[barley]], and [[potato]] [[egg butter]], as well as [[berry]] [[milk]] and ''[[sahti]]''.<ref>{{cite book | author=Jaakko Kolmonen | title=Kotomaamme ruoka-aitta: Suomen, Karjalan ja Petsamon pitäjäruoat | page = 82 | location=Helsinki | publisher=Patakolmonen | year=1988 | isbn= 951-96047-3-1 | language= fi}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Päijänne Tavastia Aviation Museum]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Commons category-inline}}
* [https://asikkala.fi/ Municipality of Asikkala] &ndash; Official site in Finnish

{{Geographic location
 | Centre = Asikkala
 | N  = [[Sysmä]]
 | E  = [[Heinola]]
 | SE = [[Lahti]]
 | S  = [[Hollola]]
 | W  = [[Hämeenlinna]] ([[Kanta-Häme]])
 | NW = [[Padasjoki]]
}}
{{PäijänneTavastia}}
{{Douzelage}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Asikkala| ]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1848]]