Statistical Grouping of Municipalities 24.10. 2011 - 31.12.2012

The statistical grouping of municipalities is a classification developed by Statistics Finland for describing the degree of urbanisation and it has been in use since 1989. It divides municipalities by the proportion of the population living in urban settlements and by the population of the largest urban settlement into urban, semi-urban and rural municipalities. It is used both as the regional division of statistics compilation and in chargeable special surveys.

An urban settlement is not dependent on administrative regional divisions, so it can stretch over the area of several municipalities.

Starting from 24 October 2011, the statistical grouping of municipalities is based on the definition of urban settlements made once a year and on data thus obtained about the population living in urban settlements.

An older statistical grouping of municipalities than this is based on the definition of urban settlements made in connection with population censuses every five years and on data thus obtained about the population living in urban settlements.

The concept of urban settlement:

An urban settlement is a cluster of dwellings with at least 200 inhabitants. The definition of urban settlement is based on the definitions made by the Finnish Environment Institute with geographic information methods utilising the building and population data of Statistics Finland's 250m x 250m grid data. The number of buildings in grids containing buildings and their neighbouring grids, as well as the floor area of buildings are reviewed in the definition. From the uniform clusters of dwellings generated in the defining stage, the ones with at least 200 inhabitants are selected.

Changes on 24 October 2011:

The categories of Haapavesi (071), Kannus (217) and Sodankylä (758) changed from a semi-urban (2) to rural municipality (3). The category of Suomussalmi (777) changed from a rural (3) to urban municipality (2).

Changes on 1 January 2011:

The category of Akaa (020) changed from an urban (1) to semi-urban municipality (2).

Changes on 1 January 2010:

The category of Loviisa (434) changed from an urban (1) to semi-urban municipality (2).

Changes on 1 January 2009:

The category of Alajärvi (005) changed from a semi-urban (2) to rural municipality (3). The category of Naantali (593) changed from an urban (1) to semi-urban municipality (2). The category of Kemiönsaari (322) and Siikalatva (791) is a rural municipality (3). The category of Länsi-Turunmaa (445), Mänttä-Vilppula (508), Raasepori (710) and Sastamala (790) is a semi-urban municipality (2).

Changes on 1 January 2008:

The categories of Ikaalinen (545) and Kokemäki (989) changed from a semi-urban (2) to rural municipality (2). The categories of Hollola (098), Kirkkonummi (257), Lempäälä (418) and Nurmijärvi (543) changed from a semi-urban (2) to urban municipality (1). The categories of Asikkala (016), Ikaalinen (143), Kontiolahti (276), Masku (481) and Sodankylä (758) changed from a rural (3) to semi-urban municipality (2). The category of Pieksämäki (593) changed from an urban (1) to semi-urban municipality (2).

Changes on 1 January 2005:

The category of Loimaa (430) changed from an urban municipality (1) to a semi-urban municipality (2). The category of Ulvila (886) changed from an urban (1) to semi-urban municipality (2).

Changes on 1 January 2001:

The category of Asikkala (016) changed from a semi-urban (2) to rural municipality (3). The categories of Elimäki (044), Halikko (073), Kuhmo (290), Mynämäki (503), Närpiö (545) and Ähtäri (989) changed from a rural (3) to semi-urban municipality (2). The category of Kiiminki (255) changed from a rural (3) to urban municipality (1).

The classification of sub-regional units is a classification compiled for national needs.