Oulu
- 📍 Location: North Ostrobothnia region,
Oulu sub-region - 🌊 Sea or lake: Kiiminkijoki; Bothnian Bay; Oulujoki
- 👥 Population (municipality): 217,469 (Dec 31, 2025)
- 🏛️ Founded:
- 📏 Area: 2,972.4 km² (land area)
- ⛰️ Elevation: 8 m a.s.l.
- ⏰ Time zone: EET (UTC +2, DST EEST +3)
- 💰 Currency: Euro (EUR)
- 🧑🤝🧑 Demonym: oululainen
Answers to frequently asked questions
What is the population of Oulu?
The population of Oulu was 217,469 on Dec 31, 2025 (Statistics Finland), a change of +4.9% since 2020.
Which region is Oulu in?
Oulu is in the North Ostrobothnia region, Oulu sub-region.
Is Oulu a city?
Yes, Oulu has city status.
What are the official languages of Oulu?
Official language: Finnish (a monolingual Finnish-speaking municipality). Swedish speakers make up 0.2% and speakers of other languages 6.9% of residents (Dec 31, 2025).
How many businesses are there in Oulu?
Oulu had 17,372 business establishments in 2024, including 1,090 retail outlets (Statistics Finland).
How large is Oulu?
The land area is 2,972.4 km² and the population density 73.2 residents per km² (Dec 31, 2025).
How many people in Oulu live in built-up areas?
97.0% of residents lived in built-up areas (taajama) in 2024; there are 7 such areas (Statistics Finland).