Vaasa is a city located on the west coast of Finland along the Gulf of Bothnia. It serves as the regional capital of Ostrobothnia. Historically, the city was known by the name Nikolaistad from 1855 until 1917.
The city has a population of approximately 71,000 inhabitants, while the broader Vaasa sub-region holds about 112,000 people. It ranks as the 14th-most populous municipality in Finland and is the tenth-most populous urban area in the country.