Editing Parikkala (section)

==History==
[[Image:Parikkalan kirkko vanha.jpg|left|thumb|Lutheran church of Parikkala early 20th century]]
Settlements and artifacts dated to the [[Stone Age]] and [[Bronze Age]] have been found in Parikkala. A permanent settlement was established around the 15th century.

Many demarcations had a significant impact to Parikkala's development from the [[Treaty of Nöteborg]] on August 12, 1323, to peace treaties signed in 1947 with the [[Soviet Union]]; for example, in the [[Treaty of Nystad]] from 1721, which in practice defined roughly Finland's [[Finland–Russia border|current border]] with Russia, Parikkala remained the only current Finnish municipality on the Russian side before the formation of the [[Grand Duchy of Finland]].<ref>[https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-12095022 YLE: Rajakivestä löytyi "hymiö", jonka alkuperää ei tiedetä – kyseessä voi olla 300 vuotta vanha ruotsalaisvitsi] (in Finnish)</ref> After [[World War II]], one third (199.3&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) of Parikkala's area was handed over to the Soviet Union. The [[Orthodox Church of Finland|Orthodox Church]] has been very influential in this area since the [[Middle Ages]]. Later, Parikkala has become known for its many [[dairy|dairies]].  Parikkala became independent in 1617.

In 2004, three municipalities (Parikkala, [[Saari, Finland|Saari]] and [[Uukuniemi]]) merged to form one municipality called Parikkala.