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The natural landscape of South Ostrobothnia is mainly expanses, which is Finland's largest plain area. South Ostrobothnia is connected to the coastal region of theGulf of Bothnia in the west, to the river country of Central Ostrobothnia in the north, and toSuomenselkä in the east and south, which is the watershed between the regions of Ostrobothnia andFinnish Lakeland. The land surface rises gently from the coast inland, and the 100-meter height level is reached about 100 kilometers from the coast.[6][7]
The river valleys of South Ostrobothnia have traditionally beenflood-prone areas.[8]
South Ostrobothnia had its first permanent settlements during theIron Age.Swedish control began in the 12th century, leaving a lasting impact on the region's cultural identity.Swedish remains a spoken language alongsideFinnish. In 1809, Finland, including South Ostrobothnia, became part of theRussian Empire as theGrand Duchy of Finland. The region endured hardships during the tumultuous 19th century, including theCrimean War (1853–1856) and the throes ofindustrialization. The early 19th century also saw the rise of religiousrevival movements likePietism, shaping the region's social fabric. Finlandgained independence in 1917, and South Ostrobothnia played a role in the nation-building process. The 20th century witnessed significant industrial development, with metalworking, machinery, and electronics becoming major contributors to the economy. Despite the devastation of theWinter War (1939–1945) against theSoviet Union, the region persevered. Since the mid-20th century, the economy has diversified, with the service sector playing an increasingly important role.
One of the biggestrock festivals in Finland,Provinssirock, and the world's oldesttango festivalTangomarkkinat are both held inSeinäjoki.[4] The folk music festival Eteläpohjalaiset Spelit is held annually in different South Ostrobothnian locations[12] and the opera and music festival Ilmajoen Musiikkijuhlat is held inIlmajoki.[13] Many of the cultural events in South Ostrobothnia are rooted in local folk festivals and communal work.[14]
There are several localfolk costumes.[15]Jussipaita is a traditional sweater that has become a symbol for South Ostrobothnian identity.[16]
Notable architecture in South Ostrobothnia include theLakeuden Risti Church and other buildings in theAalto Centre in Seinäjoki designed by the South Ostrobothnian-born architectAlvar Aalto.[17] A traditional peasant house, ”pohjalaistalo” (Ostrobothnian house), is a part of the local folk culture.[18]
South Ostrobothnia is the most homogenous region in Finland, with the highest share of the population speakingFinnish (97.1%) and the lowest share of people with a foreign-background (2.7%).Swedish is spoken by 637 people (0.3%). The highest shares of Swedish-speakers are in Evijärvi (2%) and Karijoki (1.6%), both of which border majority Swedish-speaking municipalities in the region of Ostrobothnia. The most spoken immigrant languages areRussian (0.5%),Estonian (0.4%),Ukrainian (0.2%),Hungarian (0.2%) andThai (0.1%).[20]
South Ostrobothnia has the highest proportion of people who belong to theEvangelical Lutheran Church of Finland out of any region, at 82.8%. It also has the fourth highestdependency ratio at 74.3, higher than the national average of 62.4. The region has a higher proportion of people aged 0-14 and those aged 65 and over than the national average. The proportion of people in the working age (aged 15-64) is one of the lowest in the country.[21] Kauhajoki in South Ostrobothnia is estimated to have the highest proportion ofFinnish Kale in Finland, at 5%.[22] In 2019, the city of Seinäjoki became one of the first in the country to fly theRomani flag duringInternational Romani Day.[23]
Population by background country as of 31 December 2021:[24]
^"Väestö".Etelä-Pohjanmaan liitto (in Finnish). Retrieved2022-03-25.
^Rikkinen, Kalevi; Sihvo, Hannes (1986).Finlandia: Otavan iso maammekirja 7. Etelä-Pohjanmaa (in Finnish). Keuruu: Viiskunta Oy. pp. 22–24.ISBN951-1-08930-7.
^Hyvärinen, Pekka (1987).Näe ja koe Suomi: matka kauneimpiin maisemiin (in Finnish). Helsinki: Yhtyneet Kuvalehdet. p. 176.
