Kainuu (Kajanaland)
- 🏛️ Administrative centre: Kajaani
- 🌍 Region: eastern Finland,
inland - 📍 Location: borders North Ostrobothnia, North Savo and North Karelia;
the Russian border to the east - 📐 Area: 20,200 km² (land area)
- 👥 Population: 69,193 (Dec 31, 2025)
- ⛰️ Relief: hills, vast forests and lakes; Lake Oulujärvi and Vuokatti
- 🗣️ Official language: Finnish
- ⏰ Time zone: EET (UTC +2, DST EEST +3)
- 💰 Currency: Euro (EUR)
- 🌧️ Climate: subarctic (Dfc)
Cities and municipalities in the region
Answers to frequently asked questions
What is the population of Kainuu?
The population of Kainuu was 69,193 on Dec 31, 2025 (Statistics Finland), a change of -3.4% since 2020.
What is the largest city in Kainuu?
The largest municipality is Kajaani with 36,370 residents (Dec 31, 2025), followed by Sotkamo (10,161) and Kuhmo (7,300).
How many municipalities are there in Kainuu?
Kainuu has 8 municipalities (as of Jan 1, 2026), 2 of which have city status: Kajaani, Kuhmo.
What is the administrative centre of Kainuu?
The regional centre is Kajaani.
How many businesses are there in Kainuu?
Kainuu had 7,427 business establishments in 2024 (Statistics Finland), including 417 retail outlets.
How large is Kainuu?
The land area is 20,200 km² and the population density 3.4 residents per km² (Dec 31, 2025).