- Population
- 1,210
- 1.2K
- Elevation
- 135 m
- above sea level
- Local time
- UTC+02:00
- Europe/Helsinki · UTC+02:00
- Places inside
- 1
- listed under Ristijärvi
- Airports
- KAJ Kajaani Airport42 km
- OUL Oulu Airport153 km
About Ristijärvi
Ristijärvi is a municipality. Location: Kajaani, Kainuu. Population: 1,210. Elevation: 135 m.
Ristijärvi (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈristiˌjærʋi]) is a municipality of Finland. It is part of the Kainuu region. The municipality has a population of 1,158 (31 December 2025), which makes it the smallest municipality in Kainuu in terms of population. It covers an area of 897.93 square kilometres (346.69 sq mi) of which 62.31 km2 (24.06 sq mi) is water. The population density is 1.39 inhabitants per square kilometre (3.6/sq mi). The municipality is unilingually Finnish.
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
Travel notes for Ristijärvi
From Wikivoyage
Ristijärvi is a municipality in Kainuu.
Understand+
The municipality is known for its beautiful natural scenery, with several lakes and forests covering much of the area. The name "Ristijärvi" refers to the shape of the municipality's largest lake, which resembles a cross ("risti" meaning cross and "järvi" meaning lake in Finnish).
Forestry is the dominant industry in Ristijärvi. Agriculture is also present, though not to the same extent as forestry. Dairy farming is particularly prominent, with several family-owned farms in operation.
Recreation and tourism are becoming increasingly important sources of income for Ristijärvi. The municipality's lakes and forests offer excellent opportunities for outdoor activities such as hiking, fishing, and berry picking. Cross-country skiing is popular in the winter months, with several maintained trails available for use.
Get in+
The train tracks are nowadays for freight only.
By bus:
Buses between Kajaani and Suomussalmi or all the way to Kuusamo stop at Ristijärvi.
By car:
The centre is next to highway 5 (E63), one of the major north-south highways in Finland.
Source: Wikivoyage · CC BY-SA 4.0 · abridged
Places bordering Ristijärvi
- Kuhmo
- Paltamo
- Puolanka
- Sotkamo
Population of Ristijärvi over time
| 2007 | 1,575 | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 1,548 | |
| 2009 | 1,521 | |
| 2010 | 1,513 | |
| 2011 | 1,489 | |
| 2012 | 1,450 | |
| 2013 | 1,427 | |
| 2014 | 1,423 | |
| 2015 | 1,351 | |
| 2016 | 1,345 | |
| 2017 | 1,317 | |
| 2023 | 1,164 |
Censuses and official estimates; source: Wikidata.
Climate of Ristijärvi
Best months for sightseeingBest months for sightseeing: June–August.
This month · November
A cold month
Day -2° · Night -7° · Rain 55 mm
- Hottest month
- July (day 21°)
- Coldest month
- February (night -14°)
- Wettest month
- August (79 mm)
- Driest month
- February (33 mm)
Bars: average monthly low and high temperature. Below: precipitation. Monthly averages for 1970–2000 at about 18 km resolution, adjusted for elevation. Highlighted months are mild and relatively dry. Source: WorldClim 2.1 (CC BY 4.0).
Show values as a table
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average high (°C) | -7° | -7° | -1° | 5° | 12° | 18° | 21° | 17° | 11° | 4° | -2° | -5° |
| Average low (°C) | -14° | -14° | -9° | -4° | 2° | 8° | 11° | 9° | 4° | -1° | -7° | -11° |
| Precipitation (mm) | 39 | 33 | 34 | 34 | 47 | 65 | 78 | 79 | 65 | 60 | 55 | 44 |
How to get to Ristijärvi
The nearest airport is Kajaani Airport (KAJ), 42 km to the southwest as the crow flies. For international flights: Oulu Airport (OUL) (153 km).
Airports
- Kajaani Airport (KAJ) Kajaani 42 kmsouthwest
- Oulu Airport (OUL) Oulu / Oulunsalo 153 kmwest
- Kuopio Airport (KUO) Kuopio / Siilinjärvi 169 kmsouth
Straight-line distances; road distances are longer. Airport data: OurAirports.
Day trips from Ristijärvi
Within 100 km: 3 natural sites, 30 lakes, rivers and coasts.
25–60 km16 places
- Mulkkusaaret Island 36 kmSW
- Ontojärvi Lake 56 kmSE
- Leskinen Island 36 kmSW
- Vuokkijärvi Lake 52 kmNE
60–100 km17 places
- Puhosjärvi Lake 94 kmN
- Piispajärvi Lake 92 kmN
- Korvuanjärvi Lake 97 kmN
- Kiantajärvi Lake 73 kmNE
Straight-line distances.
Places in Ristijärvi
1 placeBar: population relative to the most populous place in this list.
Sources & licences
Data last updated: · 2 independent sources