Nowadays, approximately 80 people live in Köklot and Värlax. Approximately 40 people live in Köklot village, almost 30 in Norrskat and 8 people live in Värlax. In addition, there are almost 20 people who live in their summer houses all year round. Köklot is an island, which is approximately 8 km long and 2 km wide.

Köklot and Värlax have originally been inhabited by fishermen and hunters. Slowly the farmers from the mainland started to use the island as pastureland in the summers. Köklot was probably permanently inhabited in the 1600s.

During the years 1956-57, the 5 km long road between Köklot village and Norrskat was built with state funding. The next big event in Köklot was when electricity came to the village, which meant a big change in living conditions for the people on the island. However, the largest event for the island was the road to the mainland, which was completed in 1975. At that time, the building of this road was the largest road-building project in Finland. The road signified an end to isolation. All trips to and from Köklot was earlier made by boat in the summer and by horse and sleigh, skiing or by kick-sledge in the winter. The road means that it is easier to stay on the island, although most people get their livelihood from the mainland. The road has also lead to the fact that more summer houses have been built on the island. The road connection also meant that Köklot-Värlax lost some of its island character. Within a few year after the road had been built, Köklot lost the post office and the shop. Köklot also lost the primary school in the year 2000, due to too few pupils. The school had only three pupils, at its smallest.