Suomussalmi

Suomussalmi (ˈsuo̯muˌsːɑlmi) is a municipality in Finland and is located in the Kainuu region about northeast of Kajaani, the capital of Kainuu and south of Kuusamo. The municipality has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is . The municipality is unilingually Finnish. Ämmänsaari is the biggest built-up area in the municipality. Suomussalmi is the second southernmost part of the reindeer-herding area in Finland. During the Winter War of 1939–40, several battles were fought in the area around Suomussalmi, the most important ones being the Battle of Suomussalmi and the Battle of Raate. In these battles Finnish forces defeated numerically superior Soviet forces. Formula One racing driver Heikki Kovalainen is from Suomussalmi, as well as the author Ilmari Kianto and the composer Osmo Tapio Räihälä, in addition to the ice hockey player, Janne Pesonen. Also, the first President of the Republic of Finland, K. J. Ståhlberg, was born in the Karhula rectory (Karhulan pappila) in Suomussalmi. Suomussalmi hosted the 2016 World Berry Picking Championship. Alajärvi Ala-Vuokki Hossa Jumaliskylä Juntusranta Kaljuskylä Kerälä Kiannanniemi Korpela Korvua Kuivajärvi Kurimo Lomakylä Myllylahti Näljänkä Näätälä Peranka Pesiökylä Pesiönlahti Piispajärvi Pisto Pitämä Pyhäkylä Raate Ruhtinansalmi Sakara Selkoskylä Siikaranta Suomussalmi (Kirkonkylä) Tervakangas Vaaranniva Vasara Vuokki Yli-Vuokki Ämmänsaari (administrative center) Kuivajärvi and Hietajärvi, located close to the Russian border, have long belonged to the poetic villages of White Karelia, and the Karelian language, Viena Karelian, has traditionally been spoken in the area. Highway 5 (E63) comes from Hyrynsalmi via Suomussalmi to Kuusamo.