ABOUT KAUHAVA

The city of Kauhava is no one-hit wonder: it is famous for its entrepreneurs, the independent spirit of its häjy, the volunteers it sent to the struggle for Finnish independence, its agriculture and industries, the sheer number of summer events, and an increasing variety of tourist attractions.

Kauhava has been home to Antti Tuuri, a writer known for his interpretation of the local scenery and culture, and the actor Kalevi Haapoja, who truly embodies the qualities of our region of Ostrobothnia. The boxer Juho "The Gutsy" Haapoja is perhaps the best modern representative of the unrelenting häjy of times past. Kauhava has also often appeared on the big and little screens, with dozens of movies, movie scenes, TV series and documentaries having been filmed in Kauhava and its surroundings.

Kauhava was formed on 1 January 2009 with the merger of four municipalities: Alahärmä, Kauhava, Kortesjärvi and Ylihärmä. With a population of 17,000 people, Kauhava is now the second largest municipality in Southern Ostrobothnia.

Employment prospects have traditionally been good, and unemployment is among the lowest in the region. An amazing 1,400 businesses operate in Kauhava. When combined with the demand for workers from the public sector, there are more jobs on offer than local inhabitants in Kauhava.

Kauhava is a developing commercial and administrative center in the northern part of Southern Ostrobothnia. It is home to an agro-technology business cluster and a significant wood products industry. The service industry has also grown significantly in recent years, particularly in the tourism industry thanks to PowerPark, Finland's fastest growing amusement park.