Welcome to Kainuu!
Kainuu is a region in Northern Finland. For practical purposes, the easternmost parts of Northern Ostrobothnia are also included in this article. Natural landscapes are omnipresent, this is the region where people go to see the wildlife of the deep forests. But there are also historical and cultural attractions, the Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival draws a big audience from all over Finland and from abroad.
Kainuu (Swedish: Kajanaland) is one of the 19 regions of Finland (maakunta / landskap). Kainuu borders the regions of North Ostrobothnia, North Savo, and North Karelia. In the east, it also borders Russia (Republic of Karelia).
Boreal forest makes up most of the biome in Kainuu. The forest in Kainuu mostly consists of birches, pines, and spruces. The atypical regional geography and landscape consist of lakes, hills, and vast uninhabited forest areas.
The largest lake in the region is the Oulujärvi (928.09 km²), one of the largest lakes in Finland. Its shorelines, open waters, and islands in Kainuu belong to the municipalities of Vaala, Paltamo, and Kajaani.
The highest point in Kainuu is the Iso Tuomivaara (385 m), located in the municipality of Hyrynsalmi. The regional climate is continental. The three most populous urban areas in Kainuu (December 31, 2017) are Kajaani town center (30,028), Vuokatti village (6,207) in Sotkamo municipality, and Kuhmo town center (5,349). Culturally Kainuu is part of a larger Eastern-Finnish cultural heritage. The dialect of Kainuu resembles Savonian and Karelian dialects.