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    North Ostrobothnia (Norra Österbotten)

    • 🏛️ Administrative centre: Oulu
    • 🌍 Region: northern Finland,
      Bothnian Bay coast
    • 📍 Location: borders Central Ostrobothnia, Central Finland, North Savo, Kainuu and Lapland;
      the Bothnian Bay to the west, the Russian border to the east
    • 📐 Area: 36,834 km² (land area)
    • 👥 Population: 417,939 (Dec 31, 2025)
    • ⛰️ Relief: coastal plains, extensive bogs, the Koillismaa hills in the east (Kuusamo)
    • 🗣️ Official language: Finnish
    • ⏰ Time zone: EET (UTC +2, DST EEST +3)
    • 💰 Currency: Euro (EUR)
    • 🌧️ Climate: subarctic (Dfc), long snowy winters

    Cities and municipalities in the region

    Answers to frequently asked questions

    What is the population of North Ostrobothnia?
    The population of North Ostrobothnia was 417,939 on Dec 31, 2025 (Statistics Finland), a change of +1.0% since 2020.
    What is the largest city in North Ostrobothnia?
    The largest municipality is Oulu with 217,469 residents (Dec 31, 2025), followed by Raahe (23,413) and Kempele (19,702).
    How many municipalities are there in North Ostrobothnia?
    North Ostrobothnia has 30 municipalities (as of Jan 1, 2026), 11 of which have city status: Oulu, Raahe, Ylivieska, Kuusamo, Kalajoki, Nivala, Pudasjärvi, Oulainen, Haapajärvi, Haapavesi, Pyhäjärvi.
    What is the administrative centre of North Ostrobothnia?
    The regional centre is Oulu.
    How many businesses are there in North Ostrobothnia?
    North Ostrobothnia had 40,555 business establishments in 2024 (Statistics Finland), including 2,369 retail outlets.
    How large is North Ostrobothnia?
    The land area is 36,834 km² and the population density 11.3 residents per km² (Dec 31, 2025).
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