Finnish forest reindeer. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has set Kuhmo as a part of Eastern Finland´s stable bear population area. According to the plan, the population density of bears in this area will be maintained higher than in the rest of the country. The wolf population is also dense by comparison to the rest of the country. In consequence, the number of reindeer has decreased lately. The topography is made up of low hills, of which the most significant are near the Russian frontier on the eastern side. To the south, Kuhmo is bordered by North Karelia. Several nature reserves have been founded in Kuhmo for the protection of the frontier wilderness. Forest administration maintains several hiking routes on the reserves and almost all are accessible to the public. Districts and villages Districts: Akonlahti Hankaranta Jaurakko Kalevala Kanninlampi Kantola Keitaala Kontio Korkeamäki Kuhmoniemi Levälahti Pajakka Piilola Saarikoski Sormula Suvanto Villages: Haukela Hietaperä Härmänkylä Hukkajärvi Iivantiira Jonkeri Juonto Juttua Jyrkkä Jämäs Kalliojoki Katerma Kattilakoski Kiekinkoski Kivikiekki Korpisalmi Kuumu Kuusamonkylä Lammasperä Lauvuskylä Lentiira Lentua Niemiskylä Niva Saunajärvi Timoniemi Rasti Seilonen Sylväjä Vartius Vepsä Vieksi Viiksimo Vuosanka Ypykkävaara Rimpi Rimpi is a former village near the Russian border, nowadays officially a part of Vartius. Traditionally inhabited by Karelian Orthodox Christians, Rimpi was one of three Karelian-speaking villages in Kainuu, the other two being Kuivajärvi and Hietajärvi in Suomussalmi. The village was destroyed in the Winter War and later rebuilt, however Finnish authorities did not allow the inhabitants to build Karelian-type houses. By the early 1980s, it no longer had permanent inhabitants. New people moved there permanently in 1991. Rimpi was home to Eljas Ahtonen, who was the model for Väinämöinen in Akseli Gallen-Kallela's painting Aino-taru. Culture Kuhmo is well known for its Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival which is held annually. The festival was founded in 1970 by cellist Seppo Kimanen and a small group of friends. A book on this subject was published in 2006. Sights Kuhmo Arts Centre Kalevala Village Juminkeko – The Information Center for the Kalevala and Karelian Culture. Petola Visitor Centre Notable people Johan Gabriel Ståhlberg (1832–1873), Finnish priest and father of President K. J. Ståhlberg International relations Twin towns — Sister cities Kuhmo is twinned with: Kostamus, Russia Oroszlány, Hungary Robertsfors, Sweden Šaľa, Slovakia See also Lieksa Reboly References External links Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival Many links and much information about Kuhmo's services. Cities and towns