Haapavesi
Haapavesi is a town and a municipality of Finland.
It is located in the North Ostrobothnia region. The town has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is. Neighbour municipalities are Haapajärvi, Kärsämäki, Nivala, Oulainen, Raahe, Siikalatva and Ylivieska.
The municipality is unilingually Finnish.
The town is the Finnish national kantele village. It is also known for the Haapavesi Folk Music Festival which gathers folkmusicians together.
At Haapavesi, there is a tall guyed TV mast, which belongs to Finland's tallest man-made structures.The Haapavesi Folk High School is an ideologically independent boarding school. Haapavesi Folk High School is one of the eleven folk high schools cooperating in the HUMAK University of Applied Sciences. HUMAK offers education and training in the fields of Civic and youth work, Cultural management and production as well as Sign language interpreter. In Haapavesi Unit of HUMAK the focus is on civic and youth work.Notable individuals
- Aappo Luomajoki, cross-country skier
- Aapo Heikkilä, investor
- Aarne Ehojoki, architect
- Ahti Pekkala, politician
- Aki Kangasharju, Nordea's chief economist
- Antti Rantonen, traditional kantele musician, father of mixed playing style
- Ari Nurkkala, Mayor of Hyrynsalmi
- Arvo Ojalehto, weightlifter
- Edvard Vähäsarja, Jäger lieutenant
- Eeva Tojkander, poet
- Fanny Friman, poet
- Hannu Karjalainen, artist
- Hans Perttula, minister
- Juha Junno, ice hockey coach
- Juho Ritola, skier
- K.E. Sonck, translator, schoolteacher and writer
- Leevi Karsikas, writer
- Liisa Rentola, teacher and writer
- Marko Ritola, sprinter
- Martti Pokela, folk musician and composer
- Matti Koskenkorva, cross-country skier
- Matti Luttinen, politician
- Matti Viinamaa, poet
- Nora Pöyhönen, hortoculturist and school director
- Pasi Jääskeläinen, playwright, actor, singer and Kantele-player
- Pauliina Turakka Purhonen, artist
- Sami Niku, ice hockey player
- Sauli Rytky, cross-country skier
- Taavi Törmälehto, Mannerheim Cross knight
- Tapani Niku, cross-country skier
- Tuukka Veikkola, musician alias "Xtrullor"
- Teuvo Hatunen, skier
- Teuvo Karsikas, schoolteacher and writer
- Ville Mattila, cross-country skier and Olympic medalist
- Väinö Karihtala, writer
- Yrjö Komu, politician and Member of Parliament
