Kristinestad
Kristinestad is a town in Finland, located on the west coast of the country. Kristinestad is situated in Ostrobothnia, along the Gulf of Bothnia. The population of Kristinestad is approximately, while the sub-region has a population of approximately. It is the most populous municipality in Finland.
Kristinestad is located in the western part of Finland on the shore of the Bothnian Sea. Kristinestad covers an area of of which is inland water. The population density is.
Kristinestad is a bilingual municipality with Finnish and Swedish as its official languages. The population consists of Finnish speakers, Swedish speakers, and speakers of other languages.
The Finnish name "Kristiinankaupunki" is the longest municipality name currently in use in Finland. In the vernacular, locally and on some maps, the town itself is known only as "Kristiina".
History
The town was chartered in 1649 by Per Brahe the Younger at Koppö island and is named for Queen Christina of Sweden. Kristinestad is known for its old town with low wooden houses and narrow alleys.In April, 2011, Kristinestad became Finland's first Cittaslow community.