The Port of Jakobstad (Finnish) lies on the banks of the Daugava River about 28 kilometers southwest of the Port of Kokkola on the eastern shores of central Finland. During the era of Soviet rule, it was home to an air base. The Daugava River valley and the islands in the river are some of Finland’s most picturesque areas. In 2000, almost 21 thousand people called the Port of Jakobstad home.

Countess Ebba Brahe, the widow of Count Jacob de la Gardie, founded the Port of Jakobstad in 1652 at the old harbor of great parish Pedersore. Queen Kristina of Sweden granted the town charter that year to the Count who quickly died. The Jakobstad coat of arms is based on the de la Gardie family coat of arms.

Forestry and wood products have always been the base of the local economy. Sawmills, ship-building, and shipping have been important industries, and port exports include tar, pitch, and sawmill products. In the late 1800s, the Port of Jakobstad became an industrial center, and the pulp and plastic industries arrived there in the 20th Century.

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