Kuusamo

Kuusamo is a municipality and town in Finland, located in the Northern Ostrobothnia region within the Oulu sub-region. It lies in the northeastern part of the country, extending into boreal forests and making use of the Oulanka River and surrounding wilderness. The area is known for its outdoor recreation, nature conservation areas, and seasonal tourism.

The town is best known for the Ruka ski resort, a major winter destination that attracts visitors from Finland and abroad. Ruka offers extensive skiing and snowboarding opportunities, cross-country trails, and a resort village with accommodations and services. In summer, the nearby Oulanka National Park provides hiking, paddling, and wildlife viewing. The Kiutaköngäs rapids on the Oulanka River are a popular sight and a hallmark of the park's landscape.

Economy and demographics: Tourism is the main economic activity in Kuusamo. The municipality has a population of around 17,000 and is unilingually Finnish, with Finnish as the predominant language used in public life.

Transportation: Kuusamo is served by Kuusamo Airport (KUO), which offers domestic flights and limited international services. The town is connected by road, but there is no passenger rail service to Kuusamo; the nearest railway connections are in larger cities such as Oulu. Regional and tourist buses link Kuusamo with surrounding municipalities and the Ruka area.

Kuusamo serves as a gateway to northern Finnish wilderness, combining a well-known winter resort with access to extensive national park landscape and outdoor activities year-round.