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Oulainen

Coordinates: 64°16′N 024°49′E / 64.267°N 24.817°E / 64.267; 24.817
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Oulainen
Town
Oulaisten kaupunki
Oulainens stad
The town center of Oulainen in 2017.
The town center of Oulainen in 2017.
Coat of arms of Oulainen
Motto: 
Syntyy ja tapahtuu.
Location of Oulainen in Finland
Location of Oulainen in Finland
Coordinates: 64°16′N 024°49′E / 64.267°N 24.817°E / 64.267; 24.817
Country Finland
RegionNorth Ostrobothnia
Sub-regionYlivieska
Charter1865
City rights1977
Government
 • Town managerRiikka Moilanen
Area
 (2018-01-01)[1]
 • Total597.53 km2 (230.71 sq mi)
 • Land587.84 km2 (226.97 sq mi)
 • Water10.01 km2 (3.86 sq mi)
 • Rank143rd largest in Finland
Population
 (2024-08-31)[2]
 • Total6,922
 • Rank133rd largest in Finland
 • Density11.78/km2 (30.5/sq mi)
Population by native language
 • Finnish97.6% (official)
 • Swedish0.1%
 • Others2.3%
Population by age
 • 0 to 1417.5%
 • 15 to 6454.9%
 • 65 or older27.6%
Time zoneUTC+02:00 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+03:00 (EEST)
Websitewww.oulainen.fi

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 6,922 (31 August 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 11.78 inhabitants per square kilometre (30.5/sq mi). Oulainen is founded in 1865, and it received township rights in 1977.

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

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Neighbouring 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

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Oulainen
VR Group station
General information
LocationRautatienkatu 8,
83600 Oulainen
Coordinates64°16′10″N 24°49′17″E / 64.26953°N 24.82128°E / 64.26953; 24.82128
Owned byFinnish Transport Agency
Platforms3
Construction
Structure typeground station
History
Opened1886

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

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Oulainen 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

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Notable 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

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Area of Finnish Municipalities 1.1.2018" (PDF). National Land Survey of Finland. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  2. ^ a b c "Finland's preliminary population figure was 5,625,011 at the end of August 2024". Population structure. Statistics Finland. 24 September 2024. ISSN 1797-5395. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
  3. ^ "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.
  4. ^ a b "Luettelo kuntien ja seurakuntien tuloveroprosenteista vuonna 2023". Tax Administration of Finland. 14 November 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  5. ^ Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus :: Kuntien nimet Archived 2011-12-23 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ "Oulainen railway station". www.vr.fi. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  7. ^ "Oulainen (station plan)" (pdf). Väylävirasto - Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  8. ^ "SuomalainenPaikannimikirja_e-kirja_kuvallinen.pdf" (PDF). kaino.kotus.fi (in Finnish). p. 309+310. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
  9. ^ Waltakunnalliset Weteraanikonepäivät
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