Kainuu people (Finnish: kainuulaiset) are Eastern Finnish inhabitants of the Kainuu region. Kainuu was settled by Savonians in the 16th century but historically belonged to Ostrobothnia County and Oulu Province. This allowed for a separate Kainuu identity to emerge in the late 19th century. Kainuu people speak the Kainuu dialect, which is a part of the Savonian dialects of Finnish. Kainuu people are sometimes considered to be Savonians. However, Kainuu people themselves do not think so but have a separate Kainuu identity. Most Kainuu people are Lutherans.