Kokkola Swedish: Karleby (http://www.kokkola.fi) is a small town situated in Ostrobothnia, Finland, with a population of approximately 36000. Official bi-lingual town with most people understanding and speaking Finnish and Swedish. It is the biggest town in the region, between Oulu and Vaasa. It was founded in 1620 and during the 18th century it had one of the largest merchant fleets in Finland, and was a major producer of tar and ships. Presently Kokkola is a fairly peaceful city. It has also a sizeable district of wooden homes.
