Foto: Arto Mäkinen

City of Salo

Salo is a coastal city of about 55,000 inhabitants in the prosperous south-west of Finland. The characteristic features of its natural environment are the sea, fertile river valleys and high hills. The centre of the city is close to the estuaries of the Uskela and Halikko rivers, the Halikko bay coast and the Turku-Helsinki motorway and railway. Nowadays the city is mainly known worldwide for Nokia´s mobile phone industry and its subcontractors. It is a green city with good services, varied commercial life and high levels of skill, and it operates responsibly and courageously in the best interests of people and the environment.

Communications	High Tech
People	and Nature

Municipal merger in Salo Region 1.1.2009

The largest consolidation of several municipalities in Finland realizes in the Salo region on January 1, 2009. The ten municipalities in the region, Halikko, Kiikala, Kisko, Kuusjoki, Muurla, Perniö, Pertteli, Salo, Suomusjärvi and Särkisalo decided on June 11, 2007 to accept the proposal of the consolidation of the municipalities by the rapporteur in municipal divisions Arto Koski. The name of the new municipality with 55,000 inhabitants is going to be Salo and it will be called a city.The current coat of arms of Halikko is going to be used for the new city.

On the background of the consolidation of municipalities is the Paras Project initiated by the state of Finland in the spring of 2005.The aim of the project is to guarantee the inhabitants the welfare services which the municipalities are responsible for also in the future.The aim of the reform is a vital, viable and solid municipal structure.

The new Salo aims to ensure good services and offer quality housing both in the city and in the countryside. Salo guarantees a favourable operating environment for the business life.

The vision of the new Salo is:

In the 2010´s, the ten municipalities are skilfully consolidated and Salo is a dynamic green city where creative technology, rich culture and lively countryside meet and where people of different ages can happily live, study, work and take part in leisure activities.

Basic information on the new Salo

• population about 55,000
• surface-area slightly less than 2,000 square kilometres
• personnel about 3,800
• councillors on the first electoral period 75
• companies about 3,100
• registered associations and organisations 1,140
• the city of Salo and the city of Somero constitute the Salo subregion

Information for immigrants