Puolanka (; , also ) is a municipality in Finland located in the Kainuu region. The municipality has a population of

()

Puolanka has been called the "most pessimistic municipality in Finland". Pessimism has a long tradition in the Kainuu region, and the residents of Puolanka decided to make it their trademark, which is why the residents organize various events related to the topic every year.

The name Puolanka is of Sámi origin, meaning "burning land" (compare to modern Northern Sámi word buollán "burning land"), with -nka being a Finnish feature.

History

The first permanent settlers in Puolanka came in the 1550s.

At its peak Puolanka had a population of about 7,520 in 1960. Towards the end of the 1960s, however, Puolanka's population began to decline, alike other municipalities within Kainuu.

  • Centre Party 38.0%
  • Finns Party 25.6%
  • Left Alliance 13.3%
  • Social Democratic Party 8.1%
  • National Coalition Party 5.4%
  • Christian Democrats 3.4%
  • Green League 1.9%
  • Power Belongs to the People 1.7%

As of 2021 Finnish municipal elections, Puolanka municipal council is made up of: Centre Party (13 seats), Left Alliance (4), and Finns Party (4).

Notable individuals

  • Juha Sipilä, the Prime Minister of Finland 2015−2019
  • Louis Moilanen, giant
  • Markku Kukkoaho, sprinter
  • Santeri Haapanen, politician
  • Tuulikki Pyykkönen, Olympic cross-country skier

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File:Kalettomanlampi Puolanka.JPG|Lake Kalettomanlampi in Puolanka, seen from the southernmost shore towards northeast.

File:Hepoköngäs.jpg|With its drop of 24 meters, Hepoköngäs is the highest waterfall in Kainuu.

File:Keskijoki Puolanka.JPG|The river Keskijoki in Puolanka.

File:Pirttijärvi Puolanka.JPG| The lake of Pirttijärvi in Puolanka, seen from the beach at the North-Western end of the lake towards southeast.

</gallery>

References

  • Official website of Puolanka municipality