Valtimo

In 2019, the municipality had a population of 2,140 and covered an area of 838.07 km2, of which 37.75 km2 was water. The population density was sqmi. Neighbouring municipalities were Nurmes, Rautavaara and Sotkamo. The municipality was unilingually Finnish.

• Name — Valtimo • Official Name — Valtimon kunta Valtimo kommun • Type — Former municipality • Subdivision Type — Country • Subdivision Name — Finland • Subdivision Type1 — Region • Subdivision Name1 — North Karelia • Subdivision Type2 — Sub-region • Subdivision Name2 — Pielinen sub-region • Leader Title — Municipal manager • Leader Name — Leena Mustonen • Established Title — Charter • Established Date — 1910 • Established Title2 — Consolidated • Established Date2 — 2020 • Area Total Km2 — 838.07 • Area Land Km2 — 800.35 • Area Water Km2 — 37.75 • Population As Of — 2019-01-31 • Population Total — 2140 • Population Density Km2 — auto • Time Zone — EET • Utc Offset — +2 • Time Zone Dst — EEST • Utc Offset Dst — +3 • Postal Code Type — Postal code • Website — www.valtimo.fi

Valtimo is named after the lake Valtimojärvi. The element Valtimo- is derived from the word fi 'rule, power', likely as multiple small watercourses flow into the lake (compare valtaoja, the main ditch in a drainage system). The word fi is also a medical term meaning 'artery'; however, this word was coined by Elias Lönnrot in 1837, though may have been influenced by the place name. Valtimo was separated from Nurmeksen maalaiskunta in 1908; until then, the central village of Valtimo had been known as Haapajärvi or Haapakylä.

Prior to its consolidation into Nurmes in 2020, Valtimo consisted of the following villages: • urban: Valtimon kirkonkylä • rural: Elomäki, Halmejärvi, Hirsikangas, Kalliojärvi, Karhunpää, Koiravaara, Koppelo (Koppelojärvi), Nuolijärvi, Pajukoski, Puukari, Rasimäki, Rumo, Sivakkajoki, Sivakkavaara, Verkkojoki, Ylä-Valtimo The villages of Karhunpää, Ylä-Valtimo and Rasimäki have been classified as nationally valuable landscape areas (valtakunnallisesti arvokas maisema-alue) since 1995. All three are well-preserved agricultural areas. Karhunpää and Ylä-Valtimo are villages built around multiple lakes and connecting rivers settled between the 17th and 18th centuries. Rasimäki, which was largely settled by refugees from Suojärvi after World War II, is located in a single river valley, which is atypical for the region.

• Aki Karvonen (born 1957) • Jarmo Kärnä (born 1958)