Oulainen (Swedish: Oulainen, also Oulais) is a town and a municipality of Finland. It is located in the Northern Ostrobothnia region, 101 kilometres (63 mi) south of the city of Oulu. The municipality has a population of 6,934 (31 October 2024)[2] and covers an area of 597.53 square kilometres (230.71 sq mi) of which 10.01 km2 (3.86 sq mi) is water.[1] The population density is 11.8 inhabitants per square kilometre (31/sq mi). Oulainen is founded in 1865, and it received township rights in 1977.
Oulainen | |
|---|---|
Town | |
| Oulaisten kaupunki Oulainens stad | |
 The town center of Oulainen in 2017. | |
 Coat of arms | |
| Motto: Syntyy ja tapahtuu. | |
 Location of Oulainen in Finland | |
| Coordinates: 64°16′N 024°49′E / 64.267°N 24.817°E | |
| Country |  Finland |
| Region | North Ostrobothnia |
| Sub-region | Ylivieska |
| Charter | 1865 |
| City rights | 1977 |
| Government | |
| • Town manager | Riikka Moilanen |
| Area (2018-01-01)[1] | |
• Total | 597.53 km2 (230.71 sq mi) |
| • Land | 587.84 km2 (226.97 sq mi) |
| • Water | 10.01 km2 (3.86 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 143rd largest in Finland |
| Population (2024-10-31)[2] | |
• Total | 6,934 |
| • Rank | 133rd largest in Finland |
| • Density | 11.8/km2 (31/sq mi) |
| Population by native language | |
| • Finnish | 97.6% (official) |
| • Swedish | 0.1% |
| • Others | 2.3% |
| Population by age | |
| • 0 to 14 | 17.5% |
| • 15 to 64 | 54.9% |
| • 65 or older | 27.6% |
| Time zone | UTC 02:00 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC 03:00 (EEST) |
| Website | www |
The municipality is unilingually Finnish. The municipality has previously also been known as "Oulais" in Swedish documents, but is today referred to as "Oulainen" also in Swedish.[5]
Geography
editNeighbouring municipalities are Alavieska, Haapavesi, Merijärvi, Pyhäjoki, Raahe and Ylivieska. In addition to the town center, the municipality includes the villages of Kilpua, Lehtopää, Matkaniva, Petäjäskoski, Piipsjärvi and Honkaranta.
Railway station
editOulainen | |
|---|---|
| VR Group station | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Location | Rautatienkatu 8, 83600 Oulainen |
| Coordinates | 64°16′10″N 24°49′17″E / 64.26953°N 24.82128°E |
| Owned by | Finnish Transport Agency |
| Platforms | 3 |
| Construction | |
| Structure type | ground station |
| History | |
| Opened | 1886 |
Oulainen railway station is located in the center of the town.[6] The station has three platforms each with designated boarding areas, a ticket vending machine, car parking and a bicycle stand.[7] It was opened in 1886.[citation needed]
History
editOulainen was first mentioned in 1572 as Oulahais and as a part of the Pyhäjoki parish. A farm named Oulahainen was established earlier. The name comes from a dialectal word oulu meaning "flooding waters" (see also Oulu) and seems to suggest a Tavastian origin. Alpo Räisänen suggests that the name could be of Savonian or Karelian origin.
Oulainen became a chapel community in 1682, a parish in 1870, a kauppala in 1967 and a town in 1977.[8]
Events
editNotable annual events include the National Veteran Machines Fair (Waltakunnalliset Weteraanikonepäivät)[9] and Oulainen Music Weeks (Oulaisten Musiikkiviikot). Oulainen Music Weeks were organized for the twentieth time in 2006. The Oulainen Youth Choir (Oulaisten Nuorisokuoro) has received international acclaim.
Notable people
edit- Eeli Erkkilä, Minister and Member of Parliament
- Elsi Hetemäki-Olander, Member of Parliament
- Katja Hänninen, Member of Parliament
- Merja Kiviranta, triathlonist
- Rosa-Maria Ryyti, model and Miss Finland 2015 beauty pageant titleholder
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Area of Finnish Municipalities 1.1.2018" (PDF). National Land Survey of Finland. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
- ^ a b c "Finland's preliminary population figure was 5,635,560 at the end of October 2024". Population structure. Statistics Finland. 19 November 2024. ISSN 1797-5395. Retrieved 22 November 2024.
- ^ "Population according to age (1-year) and sex by area and the regional division of each statistical reference year, 2003–2020". StatFin. Statistics Finland. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
- ^ a b "Luettelo kuntien ja seurakuntien tuloveroprosenteista vuonna 2023". Tax Administration of Finland. 14 November 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
- ^ Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus :: Kuntien nimet Archived 2011-12-23 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Oulainen railway station". www.vr.fi. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
- ^ "Oulainen (station plan)" (pdf). Väylävirasto - Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
- ^ "SuomalainenPaikannimikirja_e-kirja_kuvallinen.pdf" (PDF). kaino.kotus.fi (in Finnish). p. 309 310. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
- ^ Waltakunnalliset Weteraanikonepäivät
External links
edit
Media related to Oulainen at Wikimedia Commons- Town of Oulainen – Official website (in Finnish)
- Oulainen Music Weeks
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