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{{About|the municipality|the village that is its administrative center|Vaala (village)|the district|Vaala, Turku}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name = Vaala
| official_name = {{lang|fi|Vaalan kunta}}<br />{{lang|sv|Vaala kommun}}
| settlement_type = Municipality
| image_skyline = Vaalankurkku railway bridge.jpg
| image_caption = Mist rising from Oulujoki river in Vaala
| image_shield = Vaala.vaakuna.svg
| shield_size = 120x80px
| image_map = Vaala sijainti Suomi.svg
| map_caption = Location of Vaala in Finland
|coordinates = {{coord|64|33|N|026|50|E|display=inline,title}}
|subdivision_type = Country
|subdivision_name = {{flag|Finland}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[Regions of Finland|Region]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[North Ostrobothnia]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[Sub-regions of Finland|Sub-region]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Oulunkaari]]
| seat         = [[Säräisniemi]] <small>(1865–1954)</small><br />[[Vaala (village)|Vaala]] <small>(1954–)</small>
| leader_title = Municipality manager
| leader_name = [[Tytti Seppänen]]
| established_title = [[Charter]]
| established_date = 1954
|area_footnotes = {{Data Finland municipality|area_footnotes|Vaala}}
|area_total_km2 = {{Data Finland municipality|area_total_km2|Vaala}}
|area_land_km2 = {{Data Finland municipality|area_land_km2|Vaala}}
|area_water_km2 = {{Data Finland municipality|area_water_km2|Vaala}}
|area_rank = {{Data Finland municipality|area_rank|Vaala}}
|population_as_of = {{Data Finland municipality|population_as_of|Vaala}}
|population_footnotes = {{Data Finland municipality|population_footnotes|Vaala}}
|population_total = {{Data Finland municipality|population_total|Vaala}}
|population_density_km2 = {{Data Finland municipality|population_density_km2|Vaala}}
|population_rank = {{Data Finland municipality|population_rank|Vaala}}
|demographics_type1 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics_type1|Vaala}}
|demographics1_footnotes = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_footnotes|Vaala}}
|demographics1_title1 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_title1|Vaala}}
|demographics1_info1 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_info1|Vaala}}
|demographics1_title2 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_title2|Vaala}}
|demographics1_info2 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_info2|Vaala}}
|demographics1_title3 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_title3|Vaala}}
|demographics1_info3 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_info3|Vaala}}
|demographics1_title4 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_title4|Vaala}}
|demographics1_info4 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_info4|Vaala}}
|demographics_type2 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics_type2|Vaala}}
|demographics2_footnotes = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_footnotes|Vaala}}
|demographics2_title1 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_title1|Vaala}}
|demographics2_info1 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_info1|Vaala}}
|demographics2_title2 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_title2|Vaala}}
|demographics2_info2 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_info2|Vaala}}
|demographics2_title3 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_title3|Vaala}}
|demographics2_info3 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_info3|Vaala}}
|blank_name = {{Data Finland municipality|blank_name|Vaala}}
|blank_info = {{Data Finland municipality|blank_info|Vaala}}
|timezone = [[Eastern European Time|EET]]
|utc_offset = +02:00
|timezone_DST = [[Eastern European Summer Time|EEST]]
|utc_offset_DST = +03:00
| website = {{Url|https://www.vaala.fi/}}
}}

'''Vaala''' ({{IPA|fi|ˈʋɑːlɑ}}) is a municipality in [[Finland]]. It is located in the [[North Ostrobothnia]]  [[regions of Finland|region]]. Established in 1954 (predecessor municipality ''Säräisniemi'', established in 1867), the municipality has a population of {{formatnum: {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Vaala}}}} ({{#time: j F Y|{{Data Finland municipality/population count|sourcedate}} }})<ref name="population_count" /> and covers an area of {{convert|{{Data Finland municipality/total area|Vaala}}|km2}} of which {{convert|{{Data Finland municipality/waters area|Vaala}}|km2|abbr=on}} is water.<ref name="total_area" /> The [[population density]] is {{convert|{{Data Finland municipality/population density|Vaala|round=2}}|PD/km2}}. Previously Vaala was part of the [[Kainuu]] region but was transferred to Northern Ostrobothnia on 1 January 2016.<ref name="vm_20150205" />

Half of [[Oulujärvi]], the fifth largest lake of Finland is located in Vaala.

The municipality is unilingually [[Finnish language|Finnish]].

Vaala is also an old Finnish word, which means the phase in a river just before rapids.

== History ==
The original center of the area was [[Manamansalo]], the largest island in the [[Oulujärvi]] with a village by the same name. Both it and Säräisniemi were first mentioned in 1555 when they were parts of the large [[Liminka]] parish.<ref>{{Cite web|title=SuomalainenPaikannimikirja_e-kirja_kuvallinen.pdf|url=https://kaino.kotus.fi/www/verkkojulkaisut/julk63/SuomalainenPaikannimikirja_e-kirja_kuvallinen.pdf|page=436+485|access-date=December 27, 2022|website=kaino.kotus.fi|language=fi|archive-date=August 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210825125113/https://kaino.kotus.fi/www/verkkojulkaisut/julk63/SuomalainenPaikannimikirja_e-kirja_kuvallinen.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> The parish of Oulujärvi, covering all of [[Kainuu]] with its center in Manamansalo, was separated from Liminka in 1559, but merged back into Liminka in the 1580s after Russians raided the island. In 1599, the area became a parish again, this time with its center in [[Paltaniemi]], due to which the parish was now known as [[Paltamo]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Suomen Sukututkimusseura|url=https://hiski.genealogia.fi/seurakunnat/srk?CMD=SRK&ID=380&TYPE=HTML&LANG=FI|access-date=December 27, 2022|website=hiski.genealogia.fi|language=fi}}</ref>

[[Säräisniemi]] acquired its own church under Paltamo in 1779 and became a separate parish and municipality in 1864. [[Vuolijoki]] was separated from Säräisniemi as a parish in 1896 and as a municipality in 1915. Some parts of [[Kajaanin maalaiskunta]] were also used in the municipality's formation. The [[Vaala (village)|village of Vaala]] was transferred from [[Utajärvi]] to Säräisniemi in 1954, becoming the new administrative center of the municipality. The municipality itself was also renamed Vaala in the process.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Suomen Sukututkimusseura|url=https://hiski.genealogia.fi/seurakunnat/srk?CMD=SRK&ID=529&TYPE=HTML&LANG=FI|access-date=December 27, 2022|website=hiski.genealogia.fi|language=fi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Suomen Sukututkimusseura|url=https://hiski.genealogia.fi/seurakunnat/srk?CMD=SRK&ID=638&TYPE=HTML&LANG=FI|access-date=December 27, 2022|website=hiski.genealogia.fi|language=fi}}</ref>

Vaala was transferred from Kainuu to [[North Ostrobothnia]] in 2016.

== Climate ==
{{Weatherbox
| single line = Y
| location = Vaala Pelso (normals 1991-2020, extremes 1959-present)
| source = 
| metric first = Y
| collapsed = Y
| width = auto
| Jan mean C = -9.2
| Jan low C = -13.5
| Jan high C = -5.8
| Feb mean C = -9.4
| Feb low C = -14.0
| Feb high C = -5.4
| Dec mean C = -6.1
| Dec low C = -9.8
| Dec high C = -3.4
| Mar mean C = -5.1
| Mar low C = -10.1
| Mar high C = -0.3
| Nov mean C = -2.3
| Nov low C = -5.2
| Nov high C = -0.2
| Apr mean C = 1.2
| Apr low C = -3.6
| Apr high C = 6.1
| Oct mean C = 2.4
| Oct low C = -0.6
| Oct high C = 5.2
| May mean C = 7.8
| May high C = 13.5
| May low C = 1.8
| Jun mean C = 13.0
| Jun low C = 6.8
| Jun high C = 18.4
| Jul mean C = 15.7
| Jul low C = 9.9
| Jul high C = 21.2
| Aug mean C = 13.5
| Aug low C = 8.0
| Aug high C = 18.8
| Sep mean C = 8.3
| Sep low C = 3.8
| Sep high C = 13.0
| Jan record low C = -41.7
| Feb record low C = -42.1
| Mar record low C = -36.8
| Apr record low C = -23.4
| May record low C = -11.3
| Jun record low C = -4.3
| Jul record low C = -1.2
| Aug record low C = -4.1
| Sep record low C = -11.4
| Oct record low C = -26.1
| Nov record low C = -36.5
| Dec record low C = -35.0
| Jul avg record low C = 2.1
| Aug avg record low C = -0.3
| Jun avg record low C = -0.8
| Sep avg record low C = -4.6
| May avg record low C = -5.4
| Oct avg record low C = -12.0
| Apr avg record low C = -14.8
| Nov avg record low C = -18.3
| Mar avg record low C = -24.6
| Dec avg record low C = -25.1
| Jan avg record low C = -29.8
| Feb avg record low C = -29.5
| year avg record low C = -32.4
| Jan record high C = 8.3
| Feb record high C = 8.4
| Mar record high C = 13.4
| Apr record high C = 22.3
| May record high C = 28.4
| Jun record high C = 30.9
| Jul record high C = 33.0
| Aug record high C = 30.5
| Sep record high C = 25.0
| Oct record high C = 19.9
| Nov record high C = 10.5
| Dec record high C = 7.2
| Jan precipitation mm = 36
| Feb precipitation mm = 30
| Mar precipitation mm = 30
| Apr precipitation mm = 27
| May precipitation mm = 51
| Jun precipitation mm = 69
| Jul precipitation mm = 89
| Aug precipitation mm = 69
| Sep precipitation mm = 60
| Oct precipitation mm = 59
| Nov precipitation mm = 51
| Dec precipitation mm = 44
| year precipitation mm = 614
| precipitation color = green
| Jan precipitation days = 10
| Feb precipitation days = 8
| unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
| Mar precipitation days = 8
| Apr precipitation days = 7
| May precipitation days = 9
| Jun precipitation days = 11
| Jul precipitation days = 12
| Aug precipitation days = 10
| Sep precipitation days = 10
| Oct precipitation days = 12
| Nov precipitation days = 12
| Dec precipitation days = 11
| Jan avg record high C = 2.4
| Feb avg record high C = 3.0
| Dec avg record high C = 3.2
| Mar avg record high C = 7.0
| Apr avg record high C = 15.1
| May avg record high C = 23.5
| Jun avg record high C = 25.9
| Jul avg record high C = 27.5
| Aug avg record high C = 25.6
| Sep avg record high C = 19.8
| Oct avg record high C = 11.9
| Nov avg record high C = 6.7
| year avg record high C = 28.4
| source 1 = FMI normals 1991-2020<ref name = "FMI">{{cite web
|url = https://helda.helsinki.fi/items/d7ce3a4f-bf47-4453-be76-2a0de738c59a
|title = FMI normals 1991-2020
|publisher = FMI
|access-date = 1 June 2025}}</ref>
| source 2 = Record highs and lows 1959- present<ref name="FMI open data">{{cite web
| url = https://kilotavu.com/asema-taulukko.php?asema=101800
| title = FMI open data
| publisher = FMI
| access-date = 1 June 2025}}</ref>
}}

== Dialect ==
[[File:Vaala murrealueet.svg|200x200px|thumb|right|Ostrobothnian in red/orange, Savonian in green.]]
Vaala is located on the border between the [[Central and Northern Ostrobothnian dialects|Northern Ostrobothnian]] and [[Savonian dialects|Savonian]] ([[Kainuu dialect|Kainuu]]) dialects.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Keski- ja pohjoispohjalaismurteiden pitäjät|url=http://sokl.uef.fi/aineistot/aidinkieli/murteet/keskipoh.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210526150831/http://sokl.uef.fi/aineistot/aidinkieli/murteet/keskipoh.html|archive-date=May 26, 2021|access-date=December 27, 2022|website=sokl.uef.fi|language=fi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Savolaismurteiden alue|url=http://sokl.uef.fi/aineistot/aidinkieli/murteet/savolais.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211217170312/http://sokl.uef.fi/aineistot/aidinkieli/murteet/savolais.html|archive-date=December 17, 2021|access-date=December 27, 2022|website=sokl.uef.fi|language=fi}}</ref>

==Notable people==
* [[Anne Huotari]] (born 1959)
* [[Maustetytöt]], band
* [[Tytti Seppänen]] (born 1980)


==See also==
* [[Vaala Airfield]]
* [[Finnish national road 22]]

==References==
{{Reflist|refs=

<ref name="vm_20150205">{{cite web|title=Vaala siirtyy Kainuusta Pohjois-Pohjanmaahan vuoden 2016 alusta|url=http://vm.fi/en/article/-/asset_publisher/vaala-siirtyy-kainuusta-pohjois-pohjanmaahan-vuoden-2016-alusta|publisher=Ministry of Finance|access-date=3 January 2016|location=Helsinki|language=fi|date=5 February 2015|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304071049/http://vm.fi/en/article/-/asset_publisher/vaala-siirtyy-kainuusta-pohjois-pohjanmaahan-vuoden-2016-alusta|url-status=dead}}</ref>

}}

== External links ==
* {{commons category-inline|Vaala}}
* {{wikivoyage-inline|Vaala}}
* [https://www.vaala.fi/ Municipality of Vaala] – Official website

{{Geographic location
 | Centre = Vaala
 | N  = [[Utajärvi]]
 | NE = [[Puolanka]] ([[Kainuu]])
 | E  = [[Paltamo]] ([[Kainuu]])
 | SE = [[Kajaani]] ([[Kainuu]])
 | SW = [[Siikalatva]]
 | W  = [[Liminka]]
 | NW = [[Muhos]]
}}
{{NorthernOstrobothnia}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Vaala| ]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1954]]
[[Category:1954 establishments in Finland]]
[[Category:Populated lakeshore places in Finland]]