city, western Finland, on the Gulf of Bothnia (Bothnia, Gulf of). Founded in 1606 by the Swedish king Charles IX, it was chartered in 1611 and named for the reigning house of Vasa. Finland's second Court of Appeal was instituted there in 1776. Devastated by fire in 1852, the town was soon rebuilt in a more strategic location some 5 mi (8 km) closer to the sea, and its name was officially changed to Nikolainkaupunki until 1917 (although its traditional name was always used locally). Vaasa was the provisional capital of (White) Finland during the Finnish Civil War (1918).

Vaasa is now an important port, exporting timber and importing other raw materials. Its industries include flour and textile mills, a sugar refinery, large bakeries, and machinery and soap factories. Pop. (2005 est.) 57,241.