Oulainen

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 6,911 (31 March 2025)^[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 11.76 inhabitants per square kilometre (30.5/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
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  (2025-03-31)[2]
• Total	6,911
• Rank	134th largest in Finland
• Density	11.76/km2 (30.5/sq mi)
Population by native language [2]
• Finnish	97.3% (official)
• Others	2.7%
Population by age [3]
• 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.oulainen.fi

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.^[4]

Geography

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

Oulainen
VR Group station
General information
Location	Rautatienkatu 8, 83600 Oulainen
Coordinates	64.26953°N 24.82128°E / 64.26953; 24.82128
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.^[5] The station has three platforms each with designated boarding areas, a ticket vending machine, car parking and a bicycle stand.^[6] It was opened in 1886.^{[citation needed]}

History

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.^[7]

Events

Notable annual events include the National Veteran Machines Fair (Waltakunnalliset Weteraanikonepäivät)^[8] 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

• 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

• Oulainen railway station