Kauhava

Kauhava is a town and municipality of Finland.

It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Southern Ostrobothnia region, 400 kilometres (250 mi) northwest of Helsinki and by the main railway from Helsinki to Oulu. The town has a population of 16,943 (30 June 2015) and covers an area of 1,328.37 square kilometres (512.89 sq mi) of which 14.63 km² (5.65 sq mi) is water. The population density is 12.9 inhabitants per square kilometre (33/sq mi).

Knife making is a traditional industry in Kauhava, and many Finns recognize the name of this small town because of knives made there. At one time, as many as five different knife-making enterprises were underway in the town, but today there is only one – Iisakki Järvenpää Oy, which has been making knives in Kauhava since 1879.

Puukko (one of the styles of Finnish knife) made in Kauhava are sometimes referred to as being in the Ostrobothnian style.

Each June sees the Kauhava International Knife Festival, lasting a couple of days and including knife exhibitions, knife making and knife throwing.