Seinäjoki, Finland (NC)


 * +Seinäjoen kaupunki
 * Country State Province Region Sub-region || Ugrian Union Finland Vaasa Southwest Sudobothnia Seinäjokivarsi
 * Founded || 1868 AD
 * Area || 177.42 km²
 * Population as of Density || 196,326 2005 1,106.6/km²
 * Mayor || Jorma Rasinmäki
 * }
 * Population as of Density || 196,326 2005 1,106.6/km²
 * Mayor || Jorma Rasinmäki
 * }
 * Mayor || Jorma Rasinmäki
 * }

Seinäjoki is a town and municipality in the province of Vaasa, state of Finland, Ugrian Union. The vicinity of modern downtown was originally a scarcely inhabited agricultural area at the border of parishes Törnävä and Nurmo. The town was founded at the route of Finnish Main Railway in anticipation of the local railway station becoming a junction (which happened in 1870).

The surrounding municipalities are Ilmajoki, Nurmo, Veneskoski and Väliseinäjoki.

History
For centuries, the modern town center was largely agricultural fields of villages Uppa (of Törnävä) and Itikka (of Nurmo). Distance to churches of both parishes was approximately 5 km, and a road between Kihniö (generally, whole Upper Satakunta) and Uusikaarlepyy (generally, whole Lapuanjoki river basin) had gone through the area from antiquity.

These factors were the reason to build the original Helsinki-Vaasa -railway through Seinäjoki. The location for a station was a compromise between the interests of Nurmo and Törnävä, while road connections were excellent.

Originally the town encompassed only less than 2 km², while most of the modern municipal area was part of Törnävä or Seinäjoki Rural Municipality. Districts of Uppa and Huhtala were added from the rural municipality in 1925. District of Hallila, as well as the whole remaining Törnävä municipality were added in 1953. The town got its modern form in 1965, when most of the rural municipality was added to the town. Southern parts of the municipality, including its administrative center, became municipality of Väliseinäjoki.