About Kiantajarvi Dam

Kiantajärvi is a regulated lake in the Suomussalmi municipality of Kainuu, in the eastern borderlands of Finland close to Russia. Covering around 220 square kilometres, the lake was regulated in 1964 as part of the Emäjoki and Oulujoki system development. The reservoir holds approximately 430 million cubic metres and discharges via the Emäjoki into the larger Oulujoki basin. Suomussalmi is historically significant as the site of a major battle during the 1939–1940 Winter War, where Finnish forces halted a Soviet invasion — an event commemorated at the nearby Raate Road open-air museum. The Kiantajärvi area is remote and heavily forested, characteristic of the vast Kainuu wilderness. Brown bear, wolf, wolverine, and lynx all inhabit the surrounding forests. The lake is popular for wilderness fishing, canoeing, and hunting, and the composer Jean Sibelius reportedly drew inspiration from the Kainuu landscape during his visits to the region.