Kainuu (Swedish: Kajanaland) is one of the 19 regions of Finland (maakunta / landskap) . There are 18 regions in mainland Finland, and the autonomous Åland Islands. Kainuu borders the regions of Northern Ostrobothnia, North Karelia and Northern Savonia. In the east it also borders Russia.

Boreal forest makes up most of the biome in Kainuu. The forest in Kainuu mostly consists of birches, pines and spruces. The atypical regional geography and landscape consist of lakes, hills and vast uninhabited forest areas.

The largest lake in the region is the Oulujärvi (928.09 km²), one of the largest lakes in Finland. Its shorelines, open waters and islands in Kainuu belong to the municipalities of Vaala, Paltamo and Kajaani.

The highest point in Kainuu is the Iso Tuomivaara (385 m), located in the municipality of Hyrynsalmi. The regional climate is continental.

Culturally Kainuu is part of larger Eastern-Finnish cultural heritage. The dialect of Kainuu is based on Savonian and Karelian dialects.

The region of Kainuu is made up of eight municipalities, of which three have city status (marked in bold).

Kajaani sub-region:

Kehys-Kainuu sub-region:

The administrative capital of Kainuu is Kajaani.

Vaala, formerly one of the nine municipal members of the Kainuu region became part of the Northern Ostrobothnia in the beginning of the year 2016.

Statistics Finland & Population Register Center

The municipality of Vaala is still counted as part of the region in the end of 2015.

In 2012 Kainuu region had a total of 29 722 jobs. The largest sector in the employment market of Kainuu is the service sector with (21 915) 73,7 % share of the regions entire employed workforce. The industrial and construction sector follow as the 2nd largest actor with (5 243) 17,6 % of the employed working under these fields. Third largest sector is the forest industry and agriculture with a (2 228) 7,5 % workforce. The smallest uncounted factor in these statistics are the miscellaneous jobs that don’t fit easily under any of three general terms mentioned above. The miscellaneous jobs form 336 1,2 % of the region’s workforce.

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Wikipedia