Nurmijärvi

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Nurmijärvi
—  Municipality  —
Nurmijärven kunta
Nurmijärvi from the air

Coat of arms
Location of Nurmijärvi in Finland
Coordinates: 60°28′N 024°48.5′E / 60.467°N 24.8083°E / 60.467; 24.8083Coordinates: 60°28′N 024°48.5′E / 60.467°N 24.8083°E / 60.467; 24.8083
Country Finland
Province Southern Finland
Region Uusimaa
Sub-region Helsinki sub-region
Charter 1605
Government
 - Municipal manager Kimmo Behm
Area (2009-01-01)[1]
 - Total 367.26 km2 (141.8 sq mi)
 - Land 361.85 km2 (139.7 sq mi)
 - Water 5.41 km2 (2.1 sq mi)
Area rank 261st largest in Finland
Population (2009-06-30)[2]
 - Total 39,367
 - Density 108.79/km2 (281.8/sq mi)
Population rank 25th largest in Finland
Population by native language [3]
 - Finnish 97.1% (official)
 - Swedish 1.2%
 - Others 1.7%
Population by age [4]
 - 0 to 14 23.9%
 - 15 to 64 65.3%
 - 65 or older 10.8%
Time zone EET (UTC+2)
 - Summer (DST) EEST (UTC+3)
Municipal tax rate[5] 18.75%
Website www.nurmijarvi.fi

Nurmijärvi (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈnurmiˌjærʋi]) is the most populated rural municipality of Finland, located 37 kilometres (23 mi) north of the capital Helsinki.

The proximity to Helsinki has led to a considerable growth of the major villages such as Klaukkala and Rajamäki, which nowadays are considered dormitory towns of Helsinki. Klaukkala is the biggest built-up area of Nurmijärvi.

Nurmijärvi literally means "lawn lake" although the lake that gave the municipality its name was drained in the early 20th century and is now nothing more than some flat fields near the village centre.

Nurmijärvi is best known as the birthplace of Finland's national author, Aleksis Kivi (1834–1872). His play Nummisuutarit (The Cobblers of the Heath) – with colourful scenes of rural life in the 19th century Nurmijärvi parish – are performed in summer at an outdoor theatre in Palojoki, the village where Kivi was born.

Matti Vanhanen, the current Prime Minister of Finland, lives in Lepsämä in Nurmijärvi.

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