Kainuu

Kainuu
Kainuu; Kainuun maakunta; Kajanalands landskap
	— Region —
	; Coat of arms
	; Coat of arms
	Kainuu on a map of Finland
Country	Finland
Historical province	Ostrobothnia
	Area
• Total	24,452.85 km2 (9,441.30 sq mi)
	Population (2009)
• Total	83,400
• Density	3.4/km2 (8.8/sq mi)
NUTS	134
Regional bird	Siberian Jay (Perisoreus infaustus)
Regional fish	European smelt (Osmerus eperlanus)
Regional flower	Heather (Calluna vulgaris)
Website	kainuu.fi

Kainuu (Swedish: Kajanaland) is a region (maakunta / landskap) of Finland. It borders the regions of Northern Ostrobothnia, North Karelia and Northern Savonia. In the east it also borders Russia. Kainuu is known in the ancient Norse sagas as Kvenland.

The administrative capital is Kajaani. 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 continental.

Original inhabitants of Kainuu were Sami hunter-fisherers. In the 17th century, the Governor General of Finland Per Brahe fostered the population growth of Kainuu by giving a ten year tax exemption 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 Savo 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.^[1] In addition, Kainuu Brigade, a base of the Finnish Defence Forces, is located near Kajaani.

[edit] Historical province

For history, geography and culture see: Ostrobothnia

For origin of the name Kainuu see: Origin of the name Kainuu

[edit] Municipalities

Main article: Municipalities of Kainuu

The municipalities of Kainuu:
1. Kajaani
2. Vaala
3. Paltamo
4. Ristijärvi
5. Sotkamo
6. Kuhmo
7. Suomussalmi
8. Hyrynsalmi
9. Puolanka

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.

[edit] Gallery

The ruins of Kajaani Castle
River Oulujoki is the largest river in the region
The traditional Lamminaho estate, Vaala
Lake Nuasjärvi from Vuokatti, Sotkamo
Lake Oulujärvi is the largest lake in the region
Typical forest landscape, Paltamo
Vuolijoki Church in Jugendstil; the only rock church in Kainuu
Kontiomäki Railway Station, Paltamo
Old Town House in Kajaani
Hepoköngäs waterfall, Puolanka
Kajaani Church
An old windmill at River Oulujoki in Vaala
Ceiling paintings of the wooden church in Paltaniemi, Kajaani
Rural landscape in Puolanka
A brown bear in Kuhmo
Housivirta creek in Suomussalmi
Säräisniemi Church, Vaala
Kuhmo Arts Centre; a big annual chamber music festival is held in Kuhmo
Nuojua power plant in River Oulujoki, Vaala
Hyrynsalmi Church
A marsh lake in Puolanka
Tar boats in Paltamo coats of arms; tar production used to be an important occupation