Suomussalmi is a municipality in Finland and is located in the province of Oulu and is part of the Kainuu region. The municipality has a population of 10,248 (2004) and covers an area of 5,856.90 km² of which 581.66 km² is water. The population density is 1.9 inhabitants per km². The municipality is unilingually Finnish. Ämmänsaari is the biggest built-up area in the municipality. During the Winter War of 1939-40, several battles were fought in the area around Suomussalmi, the most important ones being the Battle of Suomussalmi and the Battle of Raate. In these battles small Finnish forces defeated numerically superior Soviet forces. Formula 1 racing driver Heikki Kovalainen is from Suomussalmi, as well as the author Ilmari Kianto and the composer Osmo Tapio Räihälä.