Asukas

Asukas is a Finnish term used to denote a person who lives in a specified place, such as a city, municipality, or country. The focus of the word is on residence rather than citizenship, so a person may be a resident of Finland without being a citizen. The plural form is asukkaat.

In official statistics and planning, asukas is a common unit for describing population. Expressions like asukasluku (resident population), kuntien asukkaat (the residents of the municipalities), and kaupungin asukkaat (the residents of the city) are routinely used. The term can refer to people who have a permanent address in a locality as well as those who reside there for extended periods, though administrative data may distinguish temporary or non-permanent residents in certain contexts.

Asukas is distinct from kansalainen, which means citizen, a legal status that includes rights and duties beyond mere residence. It is also different from muuttaja, which more specifically refers to a person who moves from one place to another, often for longer-term reasons. In social and demographic discussions, asukas provides a neutral, place-based descriptor of who lives in a given area, regardless of nationality or origin.

Etymology-wise, asukas is derived from the verb asua, meaning to reside. The term is widely used in everyday language, media, and government communications when referring to the people living in a particular locality.