Kuusamo

Kuusamo is located in the north-east of Finland, and is in the province of Oulu. Kuusamo is 796 km to Helsinki, and 215 km to Oulu.
Population: 17 000 inhabitants
Area: 5808.94 km², 830.34 - water.

The community of Kuusamo was founded in 1868, and the Town Charter was received in 2000. Archeological resources prove that there was a settlement in Kuusamo dating back to the Stone Ages. Saami groups lived on the territory of Kuusamo in the 16th century. By the 17th-18th century, people came to Kuusamo from Kainu.

The eastern part of Kuusamo (1700 km²) belonged to Soviet Union until 1940, in 1941 was occupied by Finnish troops, and in 1944 was given back to Soviet Union. In autumn 1944 German troops burned a region of the city, Kirkonkylä. Then the Soviet Union ´s troops rebuilt the city.

The modern city of Kuusamo is popular for its nature. There are more than 6000 cottages around the city. Many kind of entertainment is offered to tourists: fishing, hunting, safaris, skiing etc.25 km from Kuusamo is the ski resort Ruka. It is a modern, well equipped ski centre, and is a very popular place for winter holidays.