Oulu
Encyclopedia
Oulu is a city and municipality of inhabitants in the region of Northern Ostrobothnia
, in Finland
. It is the most populous city in Northern Finland and the sixth most populous city in the country. It is one of the northernmost larger cities in the world.
of Sweden
opposite to the fort built on the island of Linnansaari. This took place after favourable peace settlements with the Russians, which removed the threat of attack via the main east-west waterway, the river Oulu. The surrounding areas were populated much earlier. Oulu is situated by the Gulf of Bothnia
, at the mouth of river Oulujoki
, which is an ancient trading site. One possible source for the name Oulu is a word in the Sami language
meaning 'flood water', but there are other suggestions. Oulu was the capital of the Province of Oulu from 1776 to 2009.
In 1822, a major fire destroyed much of the city. The architect Carl Ludvig Engel
, chiefly known for the neoclassical
(empire style) buildings around Helsinki Senate Square
, was enlisted to provide the plan for the rebuilding of the city. With minor changes, this plan remains the basis for the layout of Oulu's town center. The Oulu Cathedral
was built in 1832 to his designs, with the spire being finished in 1844.
From being a town known for wood tar
and salmon
in the past, Oulu has evolved into a major centre of competence in the field of high technology, particularly IT
and wellness
technology. Other prominent industries include wood refining as well as paper and steel industry. The University of Oulu
is located six kilometres north of the city center. The Oulu Airport
, located in neighbouring municipality of Oulunsalo
, is the second busiest in Finland.
The municipality of Ylikiiminki
was merged to the city of Oulu on January 1, 2009. The city of Oulu, and the municipalities of Haukipudas
, Kiiminki
, Oulunsalo
and Yli-Ii
will be merged together to form a new city of Oulu on January 1, 2013.
of a Uralic
word meaning "floodwater". This would be a loanword
from the Saami language
such as Southern Saami åulo, meaning "melted snow" or åulot meaning "thaw". It has also been speculated that the words väylä ("fairway, channel") and uoma ("river channel, bed") and their Northern Savo dialectic word uula is probably a loan from the Saami word oalli and is connected to the name Oulu. Another theory is that the Finnish word for flood
, vuo, whose reconstructed
form *uva has meant "river bed", is in the name's etymology.
with very cold, long and snowy winters and short, warm summers. Average annual temperature is 2 °C (35.6 °F). The average annual precipitation is 433 mm (17.05 in) falling on 98 days a year, mostly in summer.
, Mieskuoro Huutajat
(also known as Screaming Men), and the now defunct metal band Sentenced.
There are many artists, writers and musicians resident in the city. A variety of concerts, both rock, classical music, and jazz, as well as other cultural events take place each year; for example, Oulu Music Video Festival
– the host of the Air Guitar World Championships and Musixine Music Film Competition – in August, annual rock festival Qstock in July, the Oulu Music Festival in winter, the Oulunsalo Music Festival in summer, The Irish Festival of Oulu
in October and the International Children's Film Festival in November. Kalmah
is a melodic death metal-band from Oulu,Finland that formed in 1998.
and Oulu University of Applied Sciences (formerly Oulu Polytechnic) are located in Oulu.
Oulu is home to the most northerly architecture school in the world. The school is best known for its strong regionalistic ideas for developing architecture. This movement is named "the Oulu school" ("Oulun koulu") of architecture.
, the second biggest airport in Finland by passenger volume. Oulu Airport is located in the neighbouring municipality of Oulunsalo
, 15 kilometres (9 mi) from the city centre.
Port of Oulu
is one of the busiest harbours within the Bothnian Bay
. Port of Oulu includes four separate harbour areas: Vihreäsaari oil and bulk docks, Nuottasaari docks, Oritkari docks and the Toppila docks.
The shortest travel time from Oulu railway station
to Helsinki Central railway station
is 5 h 44 mins, operated by VR
. Other destinations include, for instance, Kolari
, Rovaniemi
, Seinäjoki
and Tampere
.
The most important road in Oulu is highway 4
(E8
/E75
) that runs from Helsinki to Utsjoki
via Lahti
, Jyväskylä
, Oulu, Kemi
and Rovaniemi
. Other highways
running to and from Oulu are highway 20 to Kuusamo
and highway 22 to Kajaani
.
In 2008, the most important employers were:
Ice hockey
is the most popular spectator sport in Oulu. The local club Kärpät
have won the SM-Liiga
championship title five times (1981
, 2004
, 2005
, 2007
, and 2008
). They have also been the runner-up in the IIHF European Champions Cup
twice, in 2005
and 2006
.
In football AC Oulu
and OPS are playing in Ykkönen
, the second tier of Finnish league system. Up to date only OPS have claimed Finnish football championship by winning Mestaruussarja
twice in 1979 and 1980.
Oulu has two well known bandy
clubs. OLS
which has become Finnish champions 14 times, and OPS
with their 7 championships. Currently only OLS is playing in Bandyliiga
, the top level in Finnish bandy. In 2001 the city was the main venue for the Bandy World Championships
.
Terwa Marathon & Run is an annual event run in late May (since 1989).
with:
.
Northern Ostrobothnia
Northern Ostrobothnia is a region of Finland. It borders to the regions Lapland, Kainuu, Northern Savonia, Central Finland and Central Ostrobothnia.- Municipalities :Main article: Municipalities of Northern Ostrobothnia...
, in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. It is the most populous city in Northern Finland and the sixth most populous city in the country. It is one of the northernmost larger cities in the world.
History
Oulu was founded on April 8, 1605, by King Charles IXCharles IX of Sweden
Charles IX of Sweden also Carl, was King of Sweden from 1604 until his death. He was the youngest son of King Gustav I of Sweden and his second wife, Margaret Leijonhufvud, brother of Eric XIV and John III of Sweden, and uncle of Sigismund III Vasa king of both Sweden and Poland...
of Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
opposite to the fort built on the island of Linnansaari. This took place after favourable peace settlements with the Russians, which removed the threat of attack via the main east-west waterway, the river Oulu. The surrounding areas were populated much earlier. Oulu is situated by the Gulf of Bothnia
Gulf of Bothnia
The Gulf of Bothnia is the northernmost arm of the Baltic Sea. It is situated between Finland's west coast and Sweden's east coast. In the south of the gulf lie the Åland Islands, between the Sea of Åland and the Archipelago Sea.-Name:...
, at the mouth of river Oulujoki
Oulujoki
Oulujoki is a river in Oulu province, Finland.Its origin is Oulujärvi and, its watershed area covers a significant part of Kainuu region....
, which is an ancient trading site. One possible source for the name Oulu is a word in the Sami language
Sami languages
Sami or Saami is a general name for a group of Uralic languages spoken by the Sami people in parts of northern Finland, Norway, Sweden and extreme northwestern Russia, in Northern Europe. Sami is frequently and erroneously believed to be a single language. Several names are used for the Sami...
meaning 'flood water', but there are other suggestions. Oulu was the capital of the Province of Oulu from 1776 to 2009.
Carl Ludvig Engel
Carl Ludvig Engel, or Johann Carl Ludwig Engel , was a German architect known for his neoclassical style. He had a great impact on the architecture of Finland in the first part of the 19th century....
, chiefly known for the neoclassical
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
(empire style) buildings around Helsinki Senate Square
Helsinki Senate Square
The Senate Square presents Carl Ludvig Engel's architecture as a unique allegory of political, religious, scientific and commercial powers in the centre of Helsinki, Finland.-Construction:...
, was enlisted to provide the plan for the rebuilding of the city. With minor changes, this plan remains the basis for the layout of Oulu's town center. The Oulu Cathedral
Oulu Cathedral
The Oulu Cathedral is an Evangelical Lutheran cathedral and the seat of the Diocese of Oulu, located in the centre of Oulu, Finland. The church was built in 1777 as a tribute to the King of Sweden Gustav III of Sweden and named after his wife as Sofia Magdalena's church.The wooden structures...
was built in 1832 to his designs, with the spire being finished in 1844.
From being a town known for wood tar
Tar
Tar is modified pitch produced primarily from the wood and roots of pine by destructive distillation under pyrolysis. Production and trade in tar was a major contributor in the economies of Northern Europe and Colonial America. Its main use was in preserving wooden vessels against rot. The largest...
and salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
in the past, Oulu has evolved into a major centre of competence in the field of high technology, particularly IT
Information technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
and wellness
Wellness (alternative medicine)
Wellness is generally used to mean a healthy balance of the mind, body and spirit that results in an overall feeling of well-being. It has been used in the context of alternative medicine since Halbert L. Dunn, M.D., began using the phrase high level wellness in the 1950s...
technology. Other prominent industries include wood refining as well as paper and steel industry. The University of Oulu
University of Oulu
The University of Oulu is one of the largest universities in Finland, located in the city of Oulu. It was founded on July 8, 1958. The university has around 16,000 students and 3,000 staff...
is located six kilometres north of the city center. The Oulu Airport
Oulu Airport
Oulu Airport is located in the municipality of Oulunsalo, Finland, south-west of Oulu city centre. The airport is the second busiest in Finland after Helsinki-Vantaa airport, as measured by the number of passengers and the amount of freight transported. There are around twenty daily flights to...
, located in neighbouring municipality of Oulunsalo
Oulunsalo
Oulunsalo is a municipality in the region of Northern Ostrobothnia, in Finland. The municipality is located in Northern Finland just south-west of the city of Oulu. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is...
, is the second busiest in Finland.
The municipality of Ylikiiminki
Ylikiiminki
Ylikiiminki is a former municipality of Finland. It was consolidated with the city of Oulu on 1 January 2009.It was located in the province of Oulu and is part of the Northern Ostrobothnia region. The municipality had a population of 3,512 and covered a land area of . The population density was...
was merged to the city of Oulu on January 1, 2009. The city of Oulu, and the municipalities of Haukipudas
Haukipudas
Haukipudas is a municipality of Finland. It is located in the province of Oulu and is part of the Northern Ostrobothnia region. Its shore runs along the Gulf of Bothnia, with the river Kiiminkijoki running through the province....
, Kiiminki
Kiiminki
Kiiminki is a municipality of Finland.It is located about north-east from the Oulu city centre, in the province of Oulu and is part of the Northern Ostrobothnia region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is .The municipality is...
, Oulunsalo
Oulunsalo
Oulunsalo is a municipality in the region of Northern Ostrobothnia, in Finland. The municipality is located in Northern Finland just south-west of the city of Oulu. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is...
and Yli-Ii
Yli-Ii
Yli-Ii is a municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Oulu and is part of the Northern Ostrobothnia region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water...
will be merged together to form a new city of Oulu on January 1, 2013.
Name
There have been a number of theories for the origin of the name Oulu. One theory, and most probable, is that it would be a derivationDerivation
Derivation may refer to:* Derivation , a function on an algebra which generalizes certain features of the derivative operator* Derivation * Derivation in differential algebra, a unary function satisfying the Leibniz product law...
of a Uralic
Uralic languages
The Uralic languages constitute a language family of some three dozen languages spoken by approximately 25 million people. The healthiest Uralic languages in terms of the number of native speakers are Hungarian, Finnish, Estonian, Mari and Udmurt...
word meaning "floodwater". This would be a loanword
Loanword
A loanword is a word borrowed from a donor language and incorporated into a recipient language. By contrast, a calque or loan translation is a related concept where the meaning or idiom is borrowed rather than the lexical item itself. The word loanword is itself a calque of the German Lehnwort,...
from the Saami language
Sami languages
Sami or Saami is a general name for a group of Uralic languages spoken by the Sami people in parts of northern Finland, Norway, Sweden and extreme northwestern Russia, in Northern Europe. Sami is frequently and erroneously believed to be a single language. Several names are used for the Sami...
such as Southern Saami åulo, meaning "melted snow" or åulot meaning "thaw". It has also been speculated that the words väylä ("fairway, channel") and uoma ("river channel, bed") and their Northern Savo dialectic word uula is probably a loan from the Saami word oalli and is connected to the name Oulu. Another theory is that the Finnish word for flood
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
, vuo, whose reconstructed
Linguistic reconstruction
Linguistic reconstruction is the practice of establishing the features of the unattested ancestor of one or more given languages. There are two kinds of reconstruction. Internal reconstruction uses irregularities in a single language to make inferences about an earlier stage of that language...
form *uva has meant "river bed", is in the name's etymology.
Climate
Oulu has a subarctic climateSubarctic climate
The subarctic climate is a climate characterized by long, usually very cold winters, and short, cool to mild summers. It is found on large landmasses, away from the moderating effects of an ocean, generally at latitudes from 50° to 70°N poleward of the humid continental climates...
with very cold, long and snowy winters and short, warm summers. Average annual temperature is 2 °C (35.6 °F). The average annual precipitation is 433 mm (17.05 in) falling on 98 days a year, mostly in summer.
Culture
The best known cultural exports of the city of Oulu are Air Guitar World ChampionshipsAir guitar
Playing air guitar is a form of dance and movement in which the performer pretends to play rock or heavy metal-style electric guitar, including riffs, solos, etc. Playing an air guitar usually consists of exaggerated strumming and picking motions and is often coupled with loud singing or lip-synching...
, Mieskuoro Huutajat
Mieskuoro Huutajat
Mieskuoro Huutajat is an internationally famous shouting choir from Oulu, Finland. They were established in 1987 and originally comprised 20 shouting men, since expanded to 30....
(also known as Screaming Men), and the now defunct metal band Sentenced.
There are many artists, writers and musicians resident in the city. A variety of concerts, both rock, classical music, and jazz, as well as other cultural events take place each year; for example, Oulu Music Video Festival
Oulu Music Video Festival
Founded in 1994, Oulu Music Video Festival is an annual festival of music video, cinema, live music, and air guitar world championships, held in Oulu, Finland.- External links :* *...
– the host of the Air Guitar World Championships and Musixine Music Film Competition – in August, annual rock festival Qstock in July, the Oulu Music Festival in winter, the Oulunsalo Music Festival in summer, The Irish Festival of Oulu
The Irish Festival of Oulu
The City of Oulu, Finland, the northern frontier of Irish music, is the proud host of the annual Irish Festival of Oulu, which was first held in 2006. The festival brings the hooley to Oulu with world class bands and Irish culture. The event took place for the fifth time from September 30 to...
in October and the International Children's Film Festival in November. Kalmah
Kalmah
Kalmah is a melodic death metal band from Oulu, Finland that formed in 1998. In less than a year after its formation, Kalmah was signed by Spinefarm Records. The word "kalmah" is Karelian and could be translated as "to the grave" or "to the death."-History:...
is a melodic death metal-band from Oulu,Finland that formed in 1998.
Notable people from Oulu
- Leevi MadetojaLeevi MadetojaLeevi Antti Madetoja was a Finnish composer.-Life and career:Born in Oulu, he was the son of Antti Madetoja and Anna Hyttinen...
composer - Three former Presidents of the country, Kaarlo Juho StåhlbergKaarlo Juho StåhlbergKaarlo Juho Ståhlberg was a Finnish jurist and academic, who played a central role in the drafting of the Constitution of Finland in 1919. He was the first President of Finland and a nationalist liberal.-Early life:...
, Kyösti KallioKyösti KallioKyösti Kallio was the fourth President of Finland . He was a prominent leader of the Agrarian League, and served as Prime Minister four times and Speaker of the Parliament six times.-Early life:...
and Martti AhtisaariMartti AhtisaariMartti Oiva Kalevi Ahtisaari is a Finnish politician, the tenth President of Finland , Nobel Peace Prize laureate and United Nations diplomat and mediator, noted for his international peace work.... - Black metalBlack metalBlack metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
band, Impaled NazareneImpaled NazareneImpaled Nazarene is a Finnish black metal band that incorporates elements of grindcore in their sound and punk rock in their aesthetics. The band is currently signed to Osmose Productions of France....
. - Joni PitkänenJoni PitkänenJoni Pitkänen is a Finnish professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
, Reijo RuotsalainenReijo RuotsalainenReijo Ruotsalainen is a Finnish retired ice hockey defenceman. He was twice named Finland's top defenceman, and won two Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers, in 1987 and 1990.-Kärpät :...
, Mikael GranlundMikael GranlundMikael Antero Granlund is a Finnish professional ice hockey centre who currently plays for HIFK of the Finnish SM-Liiga...
, NHL Ice hockey players - Juho MäkeläJuho MäkeläJuho Mäkelä is a Finnish footballer who plays for Sydney FC in A-League. He is a striker especially known for his pace.-Early career:...
Footballer
Sights
- Tietomaa, a science center with over 150 exhibits
- Ainola Park, formerly a university botanical garden before the university was moved to Linnanmaa
- The Rapids Center, the area in the estuary of the Oulu river consisting of small islands connected with bridges, fountains in the middle of the river, and including a housing area of building blocks planned by Alvar AaltoAlvar AaltoHugo Alvar Henrik Aalto was a Finnish architect and designer. His work includes architecture, furniture, textiles and glassware...
- The RotuaariRotuaariThe Rotuaari is a pedestrian zone in Oulu, Finland. The area, together with the Oulu Market Square, is being managed by the city centre shopkeeper association Oulun Liikekeskus ry....
pedestrian street - The Market SquareMarket Square, OuluThe Oulu Market Square is the main market square of the city of Oulu, Finland.The market square is located in the city centre on the waterfront of the Oulujoki river. The Rotuaari pedestrian zone starts from the square behind the Toripolliisi statue....
with the City Library, the City Theatre and old salt and tar storehouses - Mannerheim ParkMannerheim ParkThe Mannerheim Park is a small urban park in Oulu, Finland. With a fountain made from rough granite blocks and plenty of benches, the park is a favorite hangout for many...
- The Oulu CathedralOulu CathedralThe Oulu Cathedral is an Evangelical Lutheran cathedral and the seat of the Diocese of Oulu, located in the centre of Oulu, Finland. The church was built in 1777 as a tribute to the King of Sweden Gustav III of Sweden and named after his wife as Sofia Magdalena's church.The wooden structures...
- Hupisaaret, a large park area located in the estuary of the Oulu river
- The F. M. Franzen memorial
- The Northern Ostrobothnia museumNorthern Ostrobothnia museumThe Northern Ostrobothnia museum is a museum of cultural history. This provincial museum focuses on the city of Oulu and its the surrounding province Northern Ostrobothnia...
- The Pateniemi Sawmill Museum
- The Vehicle Museum
- The University of Oulu Botanical GardensUniversity of Oulu Botanical GardensUniversity of Oulu Botanical Gardens are located in the main campus of University of Oulu in Linnanmaa district in Oulu, Finland on the shore of Lake Kuivasjärvi. Botanical gardens were moved to Linnanmaa from the Hupisaaret Islands park near the city centre in summer 1983. Gardens are part of the...
(situated in Linnanmaa) - The Oulu Art Museum
- The Arctic Gallery
- Technopolis, the technology village
- TurkansaariTurkansaariTurkansaari is an island in Oulujoki river an an open air museum in Madekoski neighbourhood in Oulu, Finland. Museum is run by Northern Ostrobothnia museum.Turkansaari island has been an ancient market place for Russian traders in Oulujoki river...
(historical open-air museum)
Other points of interest
- Oulu Music Video FestivalOulu Music Video FestivalFounded in 1994, Oulu Music Video Festival is an annual festival of music video, cinema, live music, and air guitar world championships, held in Oulu, Finland.- External links :* *...
- Air Guitar World Championships
- Qstock Rock Festival (website)
- Jalometalli Metal Music FestivalJalometalli Metal Music FestivalJalometalli Metal Music Festival is a heavy metal festival held annually in Finland since 2002. The festival has mainly old school thrash metal and death and black metal bands.-2004:Held on August 20 and August 21 at Kuusisaari in Oulu.August 20:...
- Jalometalli WinterfestJalometalli WinterfestJalometalli Winterfest is a heavy metal festival held annually in Finland. It was created in 2005 as an offshoot of Jalometalli Metal Music Festival.-2007:Held on February 24 at Club Teatria in Oulu.*Moonsorrow*MyGRAIN*Wrathage*Impish*Hebosagil...
- Madetoja Hall, housing the Oulu Music Centre (website) the residence of the Oulu Symphony Orchestra
- Oulu Hall (a large indoor sports facility consisting of a low dome, which looks somewhat like a landed flying saucerFlying saucerA flying saucer is a type of unidentified flying object sometimes believed to be of alien origin with a disc or saucer-shaped body, usually described as silver or metallic, occasionally reported as covered with running lights or surrounded with a glowing light, hovering or moving rapidly either...
) - Terwa Marathon & Run event in late May (since 1989)
- The Terva-skiing event in early March (since 1889)
- The Winter Swimming World Championship
Education
The University of OuluUniversity of Oulu
The University of Oulu is one of the largest universities in Finland, located in the city of Oulu. It was founded on July 8, 1958. The university has around 16,000 students and 3,000 staff...
and Oulu University of Applied Sciences (formerly Oulu Polytechnic) are located in Oulu.
Oulu is home to the most northerly architecture school in the world. The school is best known for its strong regionalistic ideas for developing architecture. This movement is named "the Oulu school" ("Oulun koulu") of architecture.
Transportation
Oulu is served by Oulu AirportOulu Airport
Oulu Airport is located in the municipality of Oulunsalo, Finland, south-west of Oulu city centre. The airport is the second busiest in Finland after Helsinki-Vantaa airport, as measured by the number of passengers and the amount of freight transported. There are around twenty daily flights to...
, the second biggest airport in Finland by passenger volume. Oulu Airport is located in the neighbouring municipality of Oulunsalo
Oulunsalo
Oulunsalo is a municipality in the region of Northern Ostrobothnia, in Finland. The municipality is located in Northern Finland just south-west of the city of Oulu. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is...
, 15 kilometres (9 mi) from the city centre.
Port of Oulu
Port of Oulu
Port of Oulu is a complex of four separate harbours located at the mouth of Oulujoki river in Oulu, Finland. Port of Oulu is a corporation owned by the City of Oulu. Annual average of 3 million tons of cargo is shipped on 500 vessels...
is one of the busiest harbours within the Bothnian Bay
Bothnian Bay
The Bothnian Bay or Bay of Bothnia is the most northern part of the Gulf of Bothnia, the northern part of the Baltic Sea. Its northernmost point is situated in Töre...
. Port of Oulu includes four separate harbour areas: Vihreäsaari oil and bulk docks, Nuottasaari docks, Oritkari docks and the Toppila docks.
The shortest travel time from Oulu railway station
Oulu railway station
The Oulu Railway Station is located in the centre of Oulu, Finland, in the city district of Vaara. All trains are operated by VR. Nearby is the bus station for long-distance buses....
to Helsinki Central railway station
Helsinki Central railway station
Helsinki Central railway station is a widely recognised landmark in central Helsinki, Finland, and the focal point of public transport in the Greater Helsinki area. The station is used by approximately 200,000 passengers per day, making it Finland's most-visited building...
is 5 h 44 mins, operated by VR
VR Group
VR or VR Group is a state-owned railway company in Finland. Formerly known as Suomen Valtion Rautatiet until 1922 and Valtionrautatiet / Statsjärnvägarna until 1995...
. Other destinations include, for instance, Kolari
Kolari
Kolari is a municipality of Finland at the Swedish border, which follows the Torne River, the longest free-flowing river in Europe.It is located in the province of Lapland. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is...
, Rovaniemi
Rovaniemi
Rovaniemi is a city and municipality of Finland. It is the administrative capital and commercial centre of Finland's northernmost province, Lapland. It is situated close to the Arctic Circle and is between the hills of Ounasvaara and Korkalovaara, at the confluence of the Kemijoki River and its...
, Seinäjoki
Seinäjoki
Seinäjoki is a city located in Southern Ostrobothnia, Finland. Seinäjoki originated around the Östermyra bruk iron and gunpowder factories founded in 1798. Seinäjoki became a municipality in 1868, market town in 1931 and town in 1960...
and Tampere
Tampere
Tampere is a city in southern Finland. It is the most populous inland city in any of the Nordic countries. The city has a population of , growing to approximately 300,000 people in the conurbation and over 340,000 in the metropolitan area. Tampere is the third most-populous municipality in...
.
The most important road in Oulu is highway 4
Finnish national road 4
Finnish national road 4 is a highway in Finland. It is the main route from Helsinki to Northern Finland and a major road link in the country. It runs from Erottaja in Helsinki to Sami Bridge in Utsjoki. The road is long...
(E8
European route E8
The European route E 8 is a European route that goes from Tromsø, Norway to Turku, Finland. The length of the route is .* E 8: Tromsø – Nordkjosbotn – Skibotn – Kilpisjärvi – Kaaresuvanto – Muonio – Tornio – Keminmaa – Kemi – Oulu – Liminka – Raahe – Kalajoki – Kokkola – Vaasa – Pori –...
/E75
European route E75
European route E 75 is part of the International E-road network, which is a series of main roads in Europe.The E 75 starts from Vardø, Norway in the Barents Sea and runs south through Finland, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia and Republic of Macedonia to Sitia, Greece on...
) that runs from Helsinki to Utsjoki
Utsjoki
Utsjoki is a municipality in Finland. It is located in Lapland and borders Norway as well as the municipality of Inari. The municipality was founded in 1876. It has a population of and covers an area of ofwhich is water. The population density is....
via Lahti
Lahti
Lahti is a city and municipality in Finland.Lahti is the capital of the Päijänne Tavastia region. It is situated on a bay at the southern end of lake Vesijärvi about north-east of the capital Helsinki...
, Jyväskylä
Jyväskylä
Jyväskylä is the capital of Central Finland and the largest city on the Finnish Lakeland, north-east of Tampere and north of Helsinki, on northern coast of lake Päijänne. The city has been continuously one of the most rapidly growing cities in Finland since World War II. The city is surrounded...
, Oulu, Kemi
Kemi
Kemi is a town and municipality of Finland. It is located very near the city of Tornio. It was founded in 1869 by royal decree, because of its proximity to a deep water harbour....
and Rovaniemi
Rovaniemi
Rovaniemi is a city and municipality of Finland. It is the administrative capital and commercial centre of Finland's northernmost province, Lapland. It is situated close to the Arctic Circle and is between the hills of Ounasvaara and Korkalovaara, at the confluence of the Kemijoki River and its...
. Other highways
Highways in Finland
Roads in Finland comprise of highways, paved and gravel roads which are divided in four to five classes according to their local importance...
running to and from Oulu are highway 20 to Kuusamo
Kuusamo
Kuusamo is a town and municipality in Finland. It is located in the Oulu province and is part of the Northern Ostrobothnia region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is ....
and highway 22 to Kajaani
Kajaani
Kajaani is a town and municipality in Finland.It is the capital of the Kainuu region. It is located southeast of Oulujärvi , which drains to the Gulf of Bothnia along the Oulujoki . There are inhabitants and city surface area is of which is water. The population density is . The town is...
.
Employment
As of December 31, 2005, the active working population was employed as follows:| Industries | Working population |
|---|---|
| Services | 36,616 |
| Industry | 11,439 |
| Commerce | 9,394 |
| Construction | 4,659 |
| Transport | 4,469 |
| Farming and forestry | 471 |
| Unknown | 1,200 |
| Total | 68,248 |
In 2008, the most important employers were:
| Employer | No. of employees |
|---|---|
| City of Oulu | 9,760 |
| Northern Ostrobothnia Hospital District | 5,546 |
| Nokia Group Nokia Nokia Corporation is a Finnish multinational communications corporation that is headquartered in Keilaniemi, Espoo, a city neighbouring Finland's capital Helsinki... |
4,700 |
| University of Oulu University of Oulu The University of Oulu is one of the largest universities in Finland, located in the city of Oulu. It was founded on July 8, 1958. The university has around 16,000 students and 3,000 staff... |
3,050 |
| The Oulu Region Joint Authority for Education | 1,651 |
| Stora Enso Group Stora Enso Stora Enso Oyj is a Finnish pulp and paper manufacturer, formed by the merger of Swedish mining and forestry products company Stora and Finnish forestry products company Enso-Gutzeit Oy in 1998. It is headquartered in Helsinki, and it has approximately 29,000 employees... |
1,155 |
| Kesko Group Kesko Kesko is a Finnish retailing conglomerate. It is engaged in the food trade, the home and specialty goods trade, the building and home improvement trade, and the car and machinery trade... |
1,054 |
| Itella Corporation | 920 |
| Cooperative Arina Group (S Group) | 830 |
| Deaconesses' Institution | 694 |
Sports
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
is the most popular spectator sport in Oulu. The local club Kärpät
Kärpät
Oulun Kärpät is an ice hockey team in the SM-liiga based in Oulu, Finland. Their logo features a stoat ; "kärpät" is Finnish for stoats or ermines. The team has won five league championships .-History:...
have won the SM-Liiga
SM-liiga
The SM-liiga is the top professional ice hockey league in Finland. As of March 2008, it is ranked by the IIHF as the second strongest league in Europe. It was created in 1975 to replace the SM-sarja, which was fundamentally an amateur league. The SM-liiga is not directly overseen by the Finnish Ice...
championship title five times (1981
1980–81 SM-liiga season
-Standings:-Quarterfinal:* Kärpät - Ilves 2:0 * Ässät - HIFK 0:2 -Semifinal:* Tappara Tampere - HIFK 3:0 * TPS - Kärpät 2:3 -Relegation:...
, 2004
2003–04 SM-liiga season
-Standings:-Preliminary round:* Jokerit - JYP 2:0 * Tappara Tampere - Espoo Blues 1:2 -Quarterfinals:* TPS - Espoo Blues 4:2 * Kärpät - Jokerit 4:2...
, 2005
2004–05 SM-liiga season
-Standings:-Preliminary round:* Ilves - Ässät 2:0 * JYP - Tappara Tampere 1:2 -Quarterfinals:* Kärpät - Tappara Tampere 4:1 * Jokerit - Ilves 4:1...
, 2007
2006–07 SM-liiga season
-Standings:-Preliminary round:* TPS - Pelicans 0:2 * Lukko - Ilves 1:2 -Quarterfinalss:* Kärpät - Pelicans 4:0 * Jokerit - Ilves 4:0...
, and 2008
2007–08 SM-liiga season
-Standings:- Preliminary round :* HIFK - TPS 2:0 * Ilves - Lukko 2:1 - Quarterfinalss :* Kärpät - Ilves 4:2 * Espoo Blues - HIFK 4:1...
). They have also been the runner-up in the IIHF European Champions Cup
IIHF European Champions Cup
The IIHF European Champions Cup was an annual event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation , which took place during a long weekend in early January. The winner was considered the official club champion of Europe by the IIHF...
twice, in 2005
2005 IIHF European Champions Cup
-Standings:-Results:All times local -Standings:-Gold medal game:-External links:*...
and 2006
2006 IIHF European Champions Cup
-Standings:-Results:All times local -Standings:-Gold medal game:-External links:*...
.
In football AC Oulu
AC Oulu
AC Oulu is a Finnish football club, based in Oulu. The club's coach is Juha Malinen, and it plays its home matches at Raatin Stadion.-History :...
and OPS are playing in Ykkönen
Ykkönen
Ykkönen is the second highest level of the Finnish football league system , although it is the highest league managed by the Football Association of Finland.-Competition:...
, the second tier of Finnish league system. Up to date only OPS have claimed Finnish football championship by winning Mestaruussarja
Mestaruussarja
Mestaruussarja was the top division of Finnish football from 1930 to 1989. It was replaced by Veikkausliiga in 1990.In 1930 league format was used for the first time to decide Finnish champion. Before that from 1908 to 1929 the championship was decided with cup competition. The league was...
twice in 1979 and 1980.
Oulu has two well known bandy
Bandy
Bandy is a team winter sport played on ice, in which skaters use sticks to direct a ball into the opposing team's goal.The rules of the game have many similarities to those of association football: the game is played on a rectangle of ice the same size as a football field. Each team has 11 players,...
clubs. OLS
Oulun Luistinseura
Oulun Luistinseura is a Finnish multi-sports club, based in Oulu. The club has football, bandy, bowling and floorball sections. Men's football team which played in Kakkonen was disbanded in 2009...
which has become Finnish champions 14 times, and OPS
Oulun Palloseura
Oulun Palloseura, OPS for short, is a Finnish football club based in Oulu.The football team is currently playing in the Finnish second tier, Ykkönen.-Season to season:-Current Squad 2011:-External links:*...
with their 7 championships. Currently only OLS is playing in Bandyliiga
Bandyliiga
The Bandyliiga is the top level of bandy in Finland. The league was founded in 1908, and has been played every year except 1918, 1940, and 1942.-Teams:-Champions:...
, the top level in Finnish bandy. In 2001 the city was the main venue for the Bandy World Championships
Bandy World Championships
The Bandy World Championships are a competition between bandy-playing nations. The tournament is administrated by the Federation of International Bandy....
.
Terwa Marathon & Run is an annual event run in late May (since 1989).
Twin towns — Sister cities
Oulu is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with:
| Alta Alta, Norway -Birdlife:For those interested in bird watching, the river outlet, known locally as Altaosen is well worth a visit. This tidal area is used as a stopover for many wetland species.-Transportation:... , Norway Norway Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million... (since 1948) Arkhangelsk Arkhangelsk Arkhangelsk , formerly known as Archangel in English, is a city and the administrative center of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. It lies on both banks of the Northern Dvina River near its exit into the White Sea in the north of European Russia. The city spreads for over along the banks of the river... , Russia Russia Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects... (since 1993) Boden Boden Municipality Boden Municipality is a municipality in Norrbotten County in northern Sweden. Its seat is located in Boden.In 1919 the evolving garrison town of Boden was detached from Överluleå and instituted as a city municipality of its own. In 1967 the rest of Överluleå was merged into the city together with... , Sweden Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund.... (since 1948) Bursa Bursa, Turkey Bursa is a city in northwestern Turkey and the seat of Bursa Province. The metropolitan area in the entire Bursa province had a population of 2.6 million as of 2010, making the city fourth most populous in Turkey. The city is equally one of the most industrialized metropolitan centers in the... , Turkey Turkey Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe... (since 1978) |
Halle Halle, Saxony-Anhalt Halle is the largest city in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. It is also called Halle an der Saale in order to distinguish it from the town of Halle in North Rhine-Westphalia... , Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... (since 1968) Leverkusen Leverkusen Leverkusen is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany on the eastern bank of the Rhine. To the South, Leverkusen borders the city of Cologne and to the North is the state capital Düsseldorf.... , Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... (since 1968) Odessa Odessa Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,... , Ukraine Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia... (since 1957) Siófok Siófok Siófok is a city in Hungary on the southern bank of Lake Balaton in Somogy County. The city is one of Hungary's most popular holiday destinations, famous for its beaches and nightlife. Siófok is one of the richest municipalities of Hungary due to tourism... , Hungary Hungary Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The... (since 1978) |
International municipal projects
The educational department takes part in Lifelong Learning Programme 2007–2013 in FinlandLifelong Learning Programme 2007–2013 in Finland
Lifelong Learning Programme 2007–2013 in Finland has been implemented in several ways. The programmes are coordinated by an unit of the ministry of the education of Finland, Centre for International Mobility – CIMO. Finland has been a member of the European union beginning with 1st January, 1995...
.