It is located in the North Ostrobothniaregion. The name means "Aspen Water". The town has a population of 6,388 (31 October 2024)[2] and covers an area of 1,086.11 square kilometres (419.35 sq mi) of which 36.41 km2 (14.06 sq mi) is water.[1] The population density is 6.08 inhabitants per square kilometre (15.7/sq mi). Neighbour municipalities are Haapajärvi, Kärsämäki, Nivala, Oulainen, Raahe, Siikalatva and Ylivieska.
The town is the Finnish national kantele village. It is also known for the Haapavesi Folk Music Festival[5] which gathers folk musicians together.
At Haapavesi, there is a 327 metres (1,073 ft) tall guyed TV mast, which belongs to Finland's tallest man-made structures.
Haapavesi Folk High School
The Haapavesi Folk High School (Finnish: Haapaveden opisto) is an ideologically independent boarding school. Haapavesi Folk High School is one of the eleven folk high schools cooperating in the HUMAK University of Applied Sciences. HUMAK offers education and training in the fields of Civic and youth work, Cultural management and production as well as Sign language interpreter. In Haapavesi Unit of HUMAK the focus is on civic and youth work.