Information about Tervola

The emblem of the municipality of Tervola is a striking letter T, which was introduced during the rebranding in 2021. The emblem is used in the municipality’s communication and marketing. It is used in all five brand colors.

The coat of arms of the municipality of Tervola dates back to 1957 and was designed by the artist Ahti Hammar. The coat of arms features a completely silver walking crane on a red field, holding a golden bulb in its beak. It is used as part of the municipality’s official communications.

The parish flag of Tervola is available from Tervola Youth Association.

The municipality of Tervola is located in the industrialized Kemi-Tornio economic area, which has a strong export industry. The municipality’s administrative connections are directed towards the cities of Kemi, Tornio, and Rovaniemi, where the services of state regional authorities are located.

The municipality borders the municipalities of Keminmaa and Simo to the south, the city of Tornio to the west, the city of Rovaniemi to the north, the municipality of Ranua to the east, and the municipality of Ylitornio to the northwest. The total area of the municipality is 1,592 square kilometers.

Along the Kemijoki River, which flows through the municipality, and also along its tributaries, there are low-lying agricultural areas, which gently rise into hills at the municipality’s borders.

Tervola’s location in the midst of Lapland’s main cities has resulted in good transportation connections. Running through the municipality in a south-north direction are the railway west of the Kemijoki River from Kemi to Rovaniemi, Highway 4 (E4), and on the east side, road 926 between Kemi and Rovaniemi. There are also good road connections from the municipality in an east-west direction to Simo and Ranua, as well as to the western border in Tornio and Ylitornio. The nearest airport is in Kemi, 41 km from the municipal center.

Agriculture and forestry are significant industries in Tervola. In addition to traditional production sectors such as dairy farming, beef production, sheep farming, and forestry, the development is focused on food processing, rural tourism, greencare services, bioenergy and wind power production, as well as entirely new production sectors, exemplified by companies processing herbs and natural products that have been established or are moving to the municipality. Encouraging generational changes in entrepreneurship ensures the continuation of business operations and the retention of jobs. Production-related jobs are increasing in mechanical wood processing, metal industry, and food processing.

At Loue, the operational Vocational College Lappia’s Rural Expertise Center, functions as a business incubator for companies that utilize the by-products of the bioeconomy. For this reason, businesses that process food and utilize natural products, as well as research activities that enable the creation of new companies, have emerged in the area. It is hoped that the growth of tourism, commercial activity, and the mining industry in the surrounding areas, along with the large-scale projects planned for the region, will also positively impact employment opportunities for the residents of Tervola.

The measures implemented in recent years in business policy, land use planning, and improving the quality of living environments are believed to turn population development in a positive direction. With the rezoning along the Kemijoki River, hundreds of new building plots are emerging in Tervola along the riverbanks. Renewable energy production, in particular, is seen as an important field for the future. There are zoned areas for additional wind power construction in Hevosselkä and Löylyvaara. In addition, zoning plans for new wind power areas are underway in Kuorinki, Pitkämaa, Vitsakangas, Valkiavaara, and Outojänkä. Large facilities for producing bioproducts starting up in nearby municipalities will increase demand for local raw materials and also boost employment in Tervola.

The largest private employers in Tervola are in the engineering industry and mechanical wood processing. A significant obstacle to business growth is the availability of skilled labor, and efforts are being made to address this problem in collaboration with educational organizations and through a planned development project. The wood processing facilities operating in the area have made significant investments in recent years, and the willingness to develop and grow appears to continue, which will be reflected in the growth of companies in the future. The municipality of Tervola has supported business conditions by zoning industrial areas and constructing basic infrastructure that serves business activities. In addition, Tervola municipality should also offer methods and models to support the financing of investments. In recent years, a record number of new companies have emerged in Tervola, and the rate of new business formation relative to the population has been the most active in the entire economic area.

The soil in Tervola is rich, and promising ore deposits are being surveyed throughout the municipality. Mining projects in neighboring municipalities, such as Suhanko in Ranua and Rompas in Ylitornio-Rovaniemi, which are right on the borders of Tervola, will, if realized, also create jobs for companies in Tervola.