
Ostrobothnia (Swedish: Österbotten; Finnish: Pohjanmaa), also referred to as Coastal Ostrobothnia, is a region in western Finland: it borders the regions of Central Ostrobothnia, South Ostrobothnia, and Satakunta, and it is one of four regions considered modern-day Ostrobothnia. It is one of two Finnish regions with a Swedish-speaking majority (the other being Åland): Swedish-speakers make up 51.2% of the total population. The region contains 13 bilingual municipalities and one that is exclusively Finnish-speaking: the capital of Vaasa is predominantly inhabited by Finnish speakers, whereas smaller towns and rural areas are generally dominated by the Swedish language. Geographically, Ostrobothnia has little topographical relief, because it is mostly former seafloor brought to surface by post-glacial rebound and the accumulation of alluvial sediment. Ostrobothnia has vast expanses of cultivated fields (lakeus) as in Southern Ostrobothnia, and the archipelago of Kvarken (Finnish: Merenkurkku). Glacial transport has deposited large quantities of rocks in the area. Rivers like Kyrönjoki, Lapuanjoki and Ähtävänjoki are a prominent part of the landscape and discharge into the Gulf of Bothnia. Kaskinen, a coastal town located in the southern part of the region, is the smallest town in Finland in terms of both area and population. Read more on Obotnia.fi