Kainuu is a
regionFinland is divided into 20 regions . The regions are governed by regional councils, which serve as forums of cooperation for the municipalities of a region. The main tasks of the regions are regional planning and development of enterprise and education. In addition, the public health services are...
(
maakunta /
landskap) of
FinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland
, is a Nordic country and democracy situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. It borders Sweden on the west, Russia on the east, and Norway on the north, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland...
. It is located in the Oulu province and it borders the regions of
Northern OstrobothniaNorthern Ostrobothnia is a region of Finland.- Municipalities :Main article: Municipalities of Northern OstrobothniaThere are 34 municipalities in Northern Ostrobothnia.- External links :* – Official site...
,
North KareliaNorth Karelia is a region in eastern Finland. It borders to the regions of Kainuu, Northern Savonia, Southern Savonia, South Karelia and to Russia.The city of Joensuu is the centre of the North Karelia region.- Municipalities :...
and
Northern SavoniaNorthern Savonia is a region in eastern Finland. Kuopio is the largest city in the region.- Historical provinces :For history, geography and culture see: Savonia- Municipalities :North Savo includes 23 municipalities.- Tertiary education :...
. In the east it also borders
RussiaRussia , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia . It is a semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. Kainuu is known in the ancient Norse sagas as Kvenland.
The administrative capital is
KajaaniKajaani is a town and municipality in Finland.It is located in the province of Oulu and is the capital of the Kainuu region. It is located southeast of Oulujärvi , which drains to the Gulf of Bothnia along the Oulujoki . There are inhabitants and city surface area is of which is water. The...
. Kainuu has around 85,000 inhabitants (2006) and the population is in decline. The nature of Kainuu features forested hills, lakes and vast expanses of uninhabited woods at its most typical — 95% of the land area is forest.
Kainuu is a
regionFinland is divided into 20 regions . The regions are governed by regional councils, which serve as forums of cooperation for the municipalities of a region. The main tasks of the regions are regional planning and development of enterprise and education. In addition, the public health services are...
(
maakunta /
landskap) of
FinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland
, is a Nordic country and democracy situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. It borders Sweden on the west, Russia on the east, and Norway on the north, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland...
. It is located in the Oulu province and it borders the regions of
Northern OstrobothniaNorthern Ostrobothnia is a region of Finland.- Municipalities :Main article: Municipalities of Northern OstrobothniaThere are 34 municipalities in Northern Ostrobothnia.- External links :* – Official site...
,
North KareliaNorth Karelia is a region in eastern Finland. It borders to the regions of Kainuu, Northern Savonia, Southern Savonia, South Karelia and to Russia.The city of Joensuu is the centre of the North Karelia region.- Municipalities :...
and
Northern SavoniaNorthern Savonia is a region in eastern Finland. Kuopio is the largest city in the region.- Historical provinces :For history, geography and culture see: Savonia- Municipalities :North Savo includes 23 municipalities.- Tertiary education :...
. In the east it also borders
RussiaRussia , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia . It is a semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. Kainuu is known in the ancient Norse sagas as Kvenland.
The administrative capital is
KajaaniKajaani is a town and municipality in Finland.It is located in the province of Oulu and is the capital of the Kainuu region. It is located southeast of Oulujärvi , which drains to the Gulf of Bothnia along the Oulujoki . There are inhabitants and city surface area is of which is water. The...
. Kainuu has around 85,000 inhabitants (2006) and the population is in decline. The nature of Kainuu features forested hills, lakes and vast expanses of uninhabited woods at its most typical — 95% of the land area is forest. The climate is
continentalContinental climate is a climate that is characterized by winter temperatures cold enough to support a fixed period of snow cover each year, and relatively moderate precipitation occurring mostly in summer, although east coast areas may show an even distribution of precipitation.Regions containing...
.
Original inhabitants of Kainuu were
SamiThe Sami people, also spelled Sámi, or Saami, are one of the indigenous people of northern Europe inhabiting Sápmi, which today encompasses parts of northern Sweden, Norway, Finland and the Kola Peninsula of Russia but also in the border area between south and middle Sweden...
hunter-fisherers. In the 1600s, the Governor General of Finland
Per BrahePer Brahe may refer to:*Count Per Brahe the Elder , Swedish statesman*Count Per Brahe the Younger , Swedish soldier and statesman...
fostered the population growth of Kainuu by giving a ten year
tax exemptionA tax exemption is an exemption from all or certain taxes of a state or nation in which part of the taxes that would normally be collected from an individual or an organization are instead foregone....
to settlers. It was necessary to populate Kainuu with Finnish farmers because the area was threatened from the east by the Russians. The immigrants to Kainuu were mainly from
SavoSavo may refer to:* Savo Island near Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands* Battle of Savo Island, 9 August 1942* Savonian dialects of the Finnish language* Savonia or , a historical province of Finland...
and because of that the Kainuu dialect is very close to the Savo dialect.
Currently the population is in decline mainly because the traditional livelihood is agriculture which is not very profitable any more in that region.
The economy of Kainuu is also driven by the lumber industry, which employs 8% of the workforce in the region. In addition,
Kainuu BrigadeKainuu Brigade is a Finnish Army unit situated in Kajaani. The brigade trains most conscripts, approximately 4000 annually...
, a base of the Finnish Defence Forces, is located near Kajaani.
Historical province
For history, geography and culture see: OstrobothniaOstrobothnia may refer to:* Ostrobothnia, an area on the eastern side of the Gulf of Bothnia, in west central Finland, with no specific boundaries...
For origin of the name Kainuu see: Origin of the name KainuuOrigin of the name Kainuu has been a disputed subject among Finnish historians and linguistics. The reason for the controversy is the speculated connection between areas known as Kainuu and Kvenland, both historical lands in Fennoscandia....
Municipalities
Kainuu has nine municipalities. A new, democratically elected organ, the regional council (
maakuntavaltuusto), is being tested in Kainuu. The municipalities are independent, but this independence has been questioned as health care, among other responsibilities of the municipalities, is difficult to govern on such a small scale. The municipalities in Kainuu are testing a model, where health care and some other services are produced on the regional level.
- Hyrynsalmi
Hyrynsalmi is a municipality in Finland and is located in the province of Oulu and is part of the Kainuu region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water...
- Kuhmo
Kuhmo is a town and a municipality in Finland and is located in the province of Oulu and is part of the Kainuu region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is...
- Puolanka
Puolanka is a municipality in Finland and is located in the province of Oulu and is part of the Kainuu region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of ofwhich is water. The population density is....
- Suomussalmi
Suomussalmi is a municipality in Finland and is located in the province of Oulu and is part of the Kainuu region. The municipality has a population of...
- Kajaani
Kajaani is a town and municipality in Finland.It is located in the province of Oulu and is the capital of the Kainuu region. It is located southeast of Oulujärvi , which drains to the Gulf of Bothnia along the Oulujoki . There are inhabitants and city surface area is of which is water. The...
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Paltamo Paltamo is a municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Oulu and is part of the Kainuu region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of ofwhich is water. The population density is...
RistijärviRistijärvi is a municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Oulu and is part of the Kainuu region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of ofwhich is water. The population density is....
SotkamoSotkamo is a municipality of Finland, located in the province of Oulu and the Kainuu region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is ....
VaalaVaala is a municipality in Finland. It is located in the province of Oulu, Kainuu region. Established in 1954 , the municipality has a population of and covers an area of ofwhich is water...
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External links