Kuopio ( , ) is a

city A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...

Finland Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, ...

and the regional capital of

North Savo North Savo (or Northern Savonia; ; ) is a Regions of Finland, region in eastern Finland. It borders the regions of South Savo, Central Finland, North Ostrobothnia, Kainuu, and North Karelia. Kuopio is the largest city in the region and Kallavesi, ...

. It is located in the

Finnish Lakeland Finnish Lakeland or the Finnish lake district ( , "Lake Finland", ) is a large landscape region in central eastern Finland. The hilly, forest-covered landscape of Lakeland Finland's lake plateau is dominated by drumlins and by long sinuous es ...

. The population of Kuopio is approximately , while the

sub-region A subregion is a part of a larger geographical region or continent. Cardinal directions are commonly used to define subregions. There are many criteria for creating systems of subregions; this article is focusing on the United Nations geoscheme ...

has a population of approximately . It is the most populous

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...

in Finland, and the seventh most populous

urban area An urban area is a human settlement with a high population density and an infrastructure of built environment. Urban areas originate through urbanization, and researchers categorize them as cities, towns, conurbations or suburbs. In urbani ...

in the country. Kuopio has a total area of , of which is water and half is forest. Although the city's

population Population is a set of humans or other organisms in a given region or area. Governments conduct a census to quantify the resident population size within a given jurisdiction. The term is also applied to non-human animals, microorganisms, and pl ...

is spread over , the city's

s are comparatively densely populated (urban area: 1,618 /km²), making Kuopio the second most densely populated city in Finland. At the end of 2018, its urban area had a population of approximately 90,000. Together with

Joensuu Joensuu (; ; ) is a city in Finland and the regional capital of North Karelia. It is located in the eastern interior of the country and in the Finnish Lakeland. The population of Joensuu is approximately , while the sub-region has a population ...

, Kuopio is one of the major urban, economic and cultural centres of

Eastern Finland Eastern Finland (, ) was a province of Finland from 1997 to 2009. It bordered the provinces of Oulu, Western Finland and Southern Finland. It also bordered Russia to the east. History On September 1, 1997, the Mikkeli Province, the Kuopio Pr ...

. Kuopio is nationally known as one of the most important study cities and centres of attraction and growth. The city's history has been marked by several municipality mergers since 1969, as a result of which Kuopio now encompasses much of the countryside; Kuopio's population surpassed 100,000 when the town of

Nilsiä Nilsiä is a former small town and a municipality of Finland. It joined the city of Kuopio at the beginning of year 2013. It is located in the Northern Savonia region. The town has a population of (31 December 2012) and covers an area of of whic ...

joined the city in early 2013. When

Maaninka Maaninka (, also ) is a former municipality in the region of Northern Savonia, in Finland. It was merged with the city of Kuopio on 1 January 2015. The municipality had a population of 3,747 (30 November 2014) and it covered an area of of which ...

joined Kuopio at the beginning of 2015, Kuopio became the largest

milk Milk is a white liquid food produced by the mammary glands of lactating mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals (including breastfeeding, breastfed human infants) before they are able to digestion, digest solid food. ...

-producing municipality in Finland and the second largest

beef Beef is the culinary name for meat from cattle (''Bos taurus''). Beef can be prepared in various ways; Cut of beef, cuts are often used for steak, which can be cooked to varying degrees of doneness, while trimmings are often Ground beef, grou ...

-producing municipality in Finland. In addition, at the end of the 2010s, Kuopio was characterised by numerous large projects, the largest in the country after the

Helsinki metropolitan area Helsinki metropolitan area (, ) or Greater Helsinki (, ) is the metropolitan area around Helsinki, the capital city of Finland. It also includes the smaller Helsinki capital region, capital region. The terms Helsinki metropolitan area, Greater H ...

. Kuopio has also become a major tourist city with the large tourist centre in

Tahkovuori Tahkovuori, also known as Tahko, is a resort located in the city of Kuopio, Finland. It is about 70 kilometers north of the city centre and is open all year round. Tahko is a small town with restaurants and winter sports facilities. The nearby ...

Kuopio Airport Kuopio Airport is an airport in Rissala, Siilinjärvi, Finland, about north of Kuopio city centre. It is the fifth busiest airport in Finland, as measured by the number of passengers, approximately 235,000 in 2017. History Kuopio Airport w ...

, located in the municipality of Siilinjärvi, is Finland's fifth busiest airport with over 235,000 passengers in 2017. According to the Kuntarating 2017 survey, Kuopio has the most satisfied residents among the 20 largest cities, and according to the 2018 survey, Kuopio is the best city for property investors. In the ''Kuntien imago 2018'' survey, Kuopio ranks second among Finland's large cities after

Seinäjoki Seinäjoki (; "Wall River"; , formerly ) is a city in Finland and the regional capital of South Ostrobothnia. Seinäjoki is located in the western interior of the country and along the Seinäjoki (river), River Seinäjoki. The population of Sein ...

South Ostrobothnia South Ostrobothnia ( ; ) is one of the 19 regions of Finland. It borders the regions of Ostrobothnia, Central Ostrobothnia, Central Finland, Pirkanmaa, and Satakunta. Among the Finnish regions, South Ostrobothnia is the ninth largest in terms ...

. In ''T-media's'' study on the attractiveness and influence of the ten largest cities in 2021, 2022 and 2023, Kuopio is the second most attractive city in Finland, with

Tampere Tampere is a city in Finland and the regional capital of Pirkanmaa. It is located in the Finnish Lakeland. The population of Tampere is approximately , while the metropolitan area has a population of approximately . It is the most populous mu ...

in first place. Kuopio was the European Region of Gastronomy in 2020. It is also known as the home of ''

Kalakukko () is a traditional Finland, Finnish dish from the region of Savonia (historical province), Savonia made from fish (e.g., perch, vendace, loach, smelt, or salmon) baked inside a loaf of bread. is especially popular in Kuopio, capital city o ...

'', a traditional Savonian food, which is why Kuopio is also known as the "Promised Land of Kalakukko".

Etymology

Several explanations are behind the name ''Kuopio''. The first is that in the 16th century, a certain influential person named Kauhanen in Tavinsalmi changed his name to Skopa and the people's pronunciation was ''Coopia'' and finally ''Cuopio''. The second explanation is that it comes from the verb ''kuopia'', meaning "paw", as when a

horse The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 mi ...

paws the ground with its

hoof The hoof (: hooves) is the tip of a toe of an ungulate mammal, which is covered and strengthened with a thick and horny keratin covering. Artiodactyls are even-toed ungulates, species whose feet have an even number of digits; the ruminants with ...

. A third explanation is that it came from a certain Karelian man's name ''Prokopij'', from

Ruokolahti Ruokolahti (; ; literally translated the " Reed Bay") is a municipality of Finland, situated in south-eastern Finland, in the region of South Karelia. Neighbouring municipalities are Imatra, Lappeenranta, Taipalsaari, Puumala, Sulkava, Punkaharju, ...

in the Middle Ages. This explanation is the most likely, and is supported by the

Research Institute for the Languages of Finland The Institute for the Languages of Finland, better known as Kotus, is a governmental linguistic research institute of Finland geared to studies of Finnish, Swedish (cf. Finland Swedish), the Sami languages, Romani language, as well as Finnish S ...

Heraldry

The

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon f ...

of Kuopio was designed in 1823 based on a drawing by the town councilor Karl Hårdh or possibly his artist son, Adolf Hårdh. The coat of arms was approved for use in 1823 by the Kuopio Magistrate in accordance with the order of

Alexander I of Russia Alexander I (, ; – ), nicknamed "the Blessed", was Emperor of Russia from 1801, the first king of Congress Poland from 1815, and the grand duke of Finland from 1809 to his death in 1825. He ruled Russian Empire, Russia during the chaotic perio ...

. The coat of arms building, which represents

Kuopio Cathedral Kuopio Cathedral (, ) is a stone Neoclassical-style Evangelical Lutheran church in Kuopio, Finland, and the seat of the Diocese of Kuopio. The cathedral was built between 1806 and 1815.Kuopio City Hall Kuopio City Hall is a town hall in center of the Kuopio, Finland, near the Kuopio Market Square. It was designed by Finnish architects F. A. Sjöström and Josef Stenbäck, and was completed in 1886. Stylistically, the city hall is of the Neo-Rena ...

, completed in 1886. The current design of the coat of arms is the work of architect Seppo Ruotsalainen. The coat of arms in its current form was approved at a meeting of Kuopio City Council on 25 November 1957, and the

Ministry of the Interior An interior ministry or ministry of the interior (also called ministry of home affairs or ministry of internal affairs) is a government department that is responsible for domestic policy, public security and law enforcement. In some states, the ...

confirmed the coat of arms and its explanation on 12 June 1958.

History

In the 1550s, under the influence of

Mikael Agricola Mikael Agricola (; c. 1510 – 9 April 1557) was a Finnish Lutheran clergyman who became the de facto founder of literary Finnish and a prominent proponent of the Protestant Reformation in Sweden, including Finland, which was a Swedish territo ...

, a church and a parish were founded in Kuopionniemi. Governor

Per Brahe the Younger Count Per Brahe the Younger (18 February 1602 – 12 September 1680) was a Swedish soldier, statesman, and author. He served as Privy Councillor from 1630, Lord High Steward from 1640, as well as Governor-General of Finland in 1637–1640 and ...

founded the city of Kuopio in 1653, but the official date is recognized as 17 November 1775, when King

Gustav III of Sweden Gustav III (29 March 1792), also called ''Gustavus III'', was King of Sweden from 1771 until his assassination in 1792. He was the eldest son of King Adolf Frederick and Queen Louisa Ulrika of Sweden. Gustav was a vocal opponent of what he s ...

ordered the formal establishment of the city. The period of Grand Duchy (1809–1917) brought notable transportation development within Eastern Finland. The

Saimaa Canal The Saimaa Canal (; ; ) is a transportation canal that connects lake Saimaa with the Gulf of Finland near Vyborg, Russia. The canal was built from 1845 to 1856 and opened on 7 September 1856 (Old Style: 26 August 1856). It was overhauled and wi ...

(1856) opened up a summer route towards the Baltic Sea, and the

Savonia railway The Savo railway (; ) is a five-foot-gauge (1,524 mm) railway in Finland. Beginning at Kouvola, it connects southern Finland with the eastern regions of South Savo and North Savo via the cities of Pieksämäki, Kuopio and Iisalmi. History P ...

(1889) improved transport in winter. Kuopion asema

After

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, the city's population grew significantly, due in part to the settlement of Karelian evacuees and the high birth rate. The rapid growth of the population forced the expansion of schools; at the end of the 1940s, support was also provided for

school transport Student transport is the transporting of children and teenagers to and from schools and school events. School transport can be undertaken by school students themselves (on foot, bicycle or perhaps Equestrianism, horseback; or for older students ...

s and the provision of free

school meal A school meal (whether it is a breakfast, lunch, or evening meal) is a meal provided to students and sometimes teachers at a school, typically in the middle or beginning of the school day. Countries around the world offer various kinds of schoo ...

s (the poor people had received it in Kuopio since 1902). In the 1960s, the first construction of the actual suburb,

Puijonlaakso Puijonlaakso is a district in the city of Kuopio, Finland. As the name implies, it is located right next to Puijo Hill and is a very green area. The area has about 6,400 inhabitants, many of whom are students. The area includes the Puijonlaakso ...

, began. Since then, the new areas have each grown in turn: in the 1960s, Puijonlaakso and Tiihotar (as part of Saarijärvi); In the 1970s Saarijärvi, Kelloniemi and Levänen; In the 1980s, Jynkkä and Neulamäki. The municipality of

joined the city of Kuopio in 2015, the town of

in 2013, and

Karttula Karttula is a former municipality of Finland. It was consolidated with the city of Kuopio on 1 January 2011. The municipality was located in the Northern Savonia region. It had a population of 3,483 (31 October 2010) and covered a land area of ...

in 2011, as did

Vehmersalmi Vehmersalmi is a former municipality of Finland. It has been a part of the city of Kuopio since January 1, 2005. It is located in the province of Eastern Finland and is part of the Northern Savonia region. The municipality had a population of ...

in 2005,

Riistavesi Riistavesi is a medium-sized lake in the Vuoksi main catchment area. It is located in the Northern Savonia region in Finland Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the ...

in 1973, and

Kuopion maalaiskunta Kuopion maalaiskunta was a municipality in eastern Finland in Kuopio Province. The municipality was disbanded in early 1969. Most of the area of Kuopion maalaiskunta was connected to the city of Kuopio, but two villages of Kuopion maalaiskunta, K ...

in 1969.

Geography

The city is surrounded by Lake

Kallavesi Kallavesi is a medium-sized lake in Northern Savonia, eastern Finland located around the town of Kuopio. Combined with the lakes Suvasvesi, Juurusvesi–Akonvesi, Muuruvesi, Melavesi, and Riistavesi Kallavesi forms an lake system named ...

, and several parts of it are built on islands. With an area of Lake Kallavesi is the tenth largest lake in Finland. In the wake of the

Yoldia Sea Yoldia Sea is a name given by geologists to a variable brackish water stage in the Baltic Sea basin that prevailed after the Baltic Ice Lake was drained to sea level during the Weichselian glaciation. Dates for the Yoldia sea are obtained mainly ...

, which followed the Weichselian glaciation and preceded the

Baltic Sea The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by the countries of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the North European Plain, North and Central European Plain regions. It is the ...

, there are ancient beaches up to 140 m above the current sea level, of which the current Lake Kallavesi is 82 m above sea level. Kuopio's ample waterfronts and islands are also used in the ''Saaristokaupunki'' (lit. ''Archipelago city'') -project, the biggest residential area currently being built in Finland. Saaristokaupunki will accommodate a total of 14,000 inhabitants in 2015. All houses will be situated no more than from the nearest lakeshore.

Kuopio Market Square Kuopio Market Square () is the market square in the Multimäki district in Kuopio, North Savonia, Finland. The market is located about one hundred meters above sea level and the size of the area is 130×174 meters. The cover is made of dice and ...

is the undisputed center of the city and the city center follows a densely built grid pattern with several parks and narrow gutter streets. The environment of the city is quite distinctive; the surface shapes of the waterfront-lined center are so variable that a flat property is a desired rarity.Kuopion kaupungin tekninen virasto: Kuopio 2009 suunnittelee ja rakentaa (2009) The settlement has spread outside the center of Kuopio according to a dense and sparse finger model that is affordable for

public transport Public transport (also known as public transit, mass transit, or simply transit) are forms of transport available to the general public. It typically uses a fixed schedule, route and charges a fixed fare. There is no rigid definition of whic ...

, and the new districts have been built in a municipal drive at once; for example, the Saaristokaupunki was banned for building for the previous 25 years,
and this Kuopio zoning tradition has a long history. Due to the above-mentioned factors, the

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

of the Kuopio city center is the highest in Finland. With the surrounding lakes, the

shoreline A coast (coastline, shoreline, seashore) is the land next to the sea or the line that forms the boundary between the land and the ocean or a lake. Coasts are influenced by the topography of the surrounding landscape and by aquatic erosion, su ...

in Kuopio is 4,760 kilometers. The terrain is also characterized by rich forests, and the clear center of the Kuopio's lund forest is mainly located in the area between Kuopio,

and

Siilinjärvi Siilinjärvi () is a municipality of Finland. It is located in Northern Savonia, north of the city of Kuopio, which largely surrounds Siilinjärvi. Another neighbour municipality with Kuopio is Lapinlahti. The name, in Finnish, apparently tra ...

. Of the Finnish municipalities, Kuopio has the second largest number of

summer cottage A cottage, during Feudalism in England, England's feudal period, was the holding by a cottager (known as a cotter or ''bordar'') of a small house with enough garden to feed a family and in return for the cottage, the cottager had to provide ...

s and

holiday home A holiday is a day or other period of time set aside for festivals or recreation. ''Public holidays'' are set by public authorities and vary by state or region. Religious holidays are set by religious organisations for their members and are oft ...

s. In 2013, the number of summer cottages was 8,684. The number of summer homes in Kuopio has increased in recent years due to municipal associations. Due to the abundance of water bodies, Kuopio also has a remarkably favorable climate compared to the latitude. The annual sum of the effective temperature is about as high in Kuopio as in places further south than it, for example,

and

Lahti Lahti (; ) is a city in Finland and the regional capital of Päijät-Häme. It is located in the Finnish Lakeland. The population of Lahti is approximately , while the Lahti sub-region, sub-region has a population of approximately . It is the mo ...

Subdivisions

There are more than 50 districts and villages in Kuopio. #

Väinölänniemi Väinölänniemi is a district in the city of Kuopio, Finland. It is more commonly known for the Väinölänniemi Peninsula (nicknamed Vänäri), located in this district and surrounded by Kallavesi, with its beaches, sports fields and park area ...

Vahtivuori Vahtivuori is a district in the city of Kuopio, Finland, located between the city center and Lake Kallavesi. The southern boundary of Vahtivuori is Minna Canthin katu, the western boundary is Vuorikatu, the northern boundary is Suokatu and the eas ...

Maljalahti Maljalahti (; literally translated "Crater (constellation), crater bay") is a district in the central part of the city of Kuopio, Finland. The northern boundary of the district is the Savonia railway (with the exception that the Kuopio bus statio ...

Multimäki Multimäki is a central district in the heart of Kuopio, Finland. Many of Kuopio's most significant attractions, including the Kuopio's Kuopio Market Square, Market Square and Kuopio Market Hall, Market Hall, (also known as Hatsala Cemetery)

# Kuopionlahti #

Hatsala Hatsala is a district located west of the center of Kuopio, Finland. The eastern boundary of the area is Puistokatu, the southern boundary is Minna Canthin katu and the northern is the Kuopio motorway. The western border first runs along Sairaala ...

# Niirala #

Haapaniemi Haapaniemi is a district in the city of Kuopio, Finland. It is located south of downtown, about a mile from the market square. The district has a population of about 4,000. The northern end of Saaristokatu, which runs to the archipelago city, l ...

# Itkonniemi #

Männistö Männistö is a district in the city of Kuopio, Finland It is part of the Itkonniemi–Männistö– Linnanpelto division area, which has a population of just over 5,800. Most of the services are located in the Männistö shopping center, which ...

Linnanpelto Linnanpelto is a district in the city of Kuopio, Finland, about a kilometer north of the Kuopio Market Square. It is part of the Itkonniemi–Männistö–Linnanpelto division area, which has a population of just over 5,800. Linnanpelto starts im ...

Saarijärvi Saarijärvi () is a List of cities and towns in Finland, town and municipalities of Finland, municipality of Finland located in the Central Finland regions of Finland, region. The municipality has a population of , as of , and covers an area of ...

Savilahti Savilahti is a Finnish surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Eero Savilahti (born 1992), Finnish ice hockey player * Mika Savilahti (born 1963), Finnish sprint canoer *Per Savilahti-Nagander, Finnish ice hockey player See also *Savi ...

# Peipposenrinne # Inkilänmäki # Särkiniemi # Kettulanlahti # Rahusenkangas #

Rönö Rönö () is an island in Lake Kallavesi and also a district in the city of Kuopio, Finland. It is located about 2,5 kilometers southeast of Kuopio Market Square, measured along the street network. Since 1988, the island has been connected to V ...

# Rypysuo # Päiväranta # Julkula # Sorsasalo # Kelloniemi # Levänen # Jynkkä # Neulamäki #

Puijo Puijo is a hill, the famous landmark of city of Kuopio in Finland and a tourist attraction. It is located near the Puijonlaakso district. Puijo Ridge The ridge of Puijo is a well-known and popular recreation area. A observation tower, Puijo ...

Niuva Niuva is a district in the western part of the city of Kuopio, Finland. It is well known as the historic Niuvanniemi mental hospital. In terms of land use, Niuva is mainly a field area around the hospital. The district has few settlements and serv ...

# Neulaniemi # Kolmisoppi # Neulalampi # Petonen # Litmanen # Pirtti # Pitkälahti # Saaristokaupunki # Lehtoniemi # Rautaniemi # Hiltulanlahti # Kiviharju # Vanuvuori # Melalahti #

Kurkimäki Kurkimäki ( Finnish), Tranbacka ( Swedish) is an eastern neighborhood of Helsinki, Finland. Politics Results of the 2011 Finnish parliamentary election in Kurkimäki: * Social Democratic Party 26.4% * True Finns 22.7% * Left Alliance 13. ...

# Tahko #

Keskisaari Keskisaari (in Finnish ‘keski’ means middle and ‘saari’ means island) is a place name and family name in Finland. There are a number of places called Keskisaari around Finland, including Lappee (Lapvesi) and Koivisto (Björkö) in Karelia ...

Juankoski Juankoski is a former list of towns in Finland, town and List of former municipalities of Finland, municipality of Finland. In March 2014, the Juankoski city council decided that the town would merge with Kuopio in the beginning of 2017. Juanko ...

Säyneinen Säyneinen is a village and a List of former municipalities of Finland, former municipality of Finland at the time of its existence in the Kuopio Province, now in Northern Savonia. Together with Muuruvesi, it was consolidated with Juankoski in 197 ...

# Puutossalmi # Pellesmäki

Climate

Kuopio falls in the

continental climate Continental climates often have a significant annual variation in temperature (warm to hot summers and cold winters). They tend to occur in central and eastern parts of the three northern-tier continents (North America, Europe, and Asia), typi ...

zone (Köppen climate classification Dfb), bordering on

subarctic climate The subarctic climate (also called subpolar climate, or boreal climate) is a continental climate with long, cold (often very cold) winters, and short, warm to cool summers. It is found on large landmasses, often away from the moderating effects of ...

zone (

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...

"Dfc"). Winters are long and cold, with average highs staying below freezing from November until March, and summers are short and relatively mild. Most precipitation occurs in the late summer and early fall. The summers are relatively warm for its latitude, especially the lows. This is due to influence from the lake, making it much warmer on summer nights than in areas away from water. In winter, maritime moderation is eliminated as the lake freezes over. Average temperatures for all seasons have warmed in recent decades.

Demographics

Population

The city of Kuopio has inhabitants, making it the most populous municipality in Finland. The region of Kuopio is the 7th largest in Finland, after the regions of

Helsinki Helsinki () is the Capital city, capital and most populous List of cities and towns in Finland, city in Finland. It is on the shore of the Gulf of Finland and is the seat of southern Finland's Uusimaa region. About people live in the municipali ...

Turku Turku ( ; ; , ) is a city in Finland and the regional capital of Southwest Finland. It is located on the southwestern coast of the country at the mouth of the Aura River (Finland), River Aura. The population of Turku is approximately , while t ...

Oulu Oulu ( , ; ) is a city in Finland and the regional capital of North Ostrobothnia. It is located on the northwestern coast of the country at the mouth of the Oulujoki, River Oulu. The population of Oulu is approximately , while the Oulu sub-regio ...

Jyväskylä Jyväskylä () is a city in Finland and the regional capital of Central Finland. It is located in the Finnish Lakeland. The population of Jyväskylä is approximately , while the Jyväskylä sub-region, sub-region has a population of approximately ...

and

. Kuopio is home to 2% of Finland's population. 7% of the population has a foreign background, which is below the national average.

Languages

Kuopio is a monolingual Finnish-speaking municipality. , the majority of the population, persons (), spoke Finnish as their first language. In addition, the number of Swedish speakers was persons () of the population. Foreign languages were spoken by of the population. As

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...

and

Swedish Swedish or ' may refer to: Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically: * Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland ** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...

are compulsory school subjects, functional bilingualism or trilingualism acquired through language studies is not uncommon. At least 100 different languages are spoken in Kuopio. The most common foreign languages are

Russian Russian(s) may refer to: *Russians (), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *A citizen of Russia *Russian language, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages *''The Russians'', a b ...

(1.5%),

Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...

(0.7%), Ukrainian (0.6%),

(0.5%) and

Bengali Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to: *something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia * Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region * Bengali language, the language they speak ** Bengali alphabet, the w ...

(0.3%).

Immigration

, 8,517 people with a foreign background lived in Kuopio, representing 7% of the population. There are 8,269 residents who were born abroad, which makes up 7% of the population. The number of foreign citizens in Kuopio is 5,980. Most foreign-born citizens come from the former

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...

Niger Niger, officially the Republic of the Niger, is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is a unitary state Geography of Niger#Political geography, bordered by Libya to the Libya–Niger border, north-east, Chad to the Chad–Niger border, east ...

and

Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...

. The relative proportion of immigrants in Kuopio's population is below the national average. It is lower than in the major Finnish cities of

Espoo Espoo (, ; ) is a city in Finland. It is located to the west of the capital, Helsinki, in southern Uusimaa. The population is approximately . It is the most populous Municipalities of Finland, municipality in Finland. Espoo is part of the Helsi ...

Vantaa Vantaa (; , ) is a city in Finland. It is located to the north of the capital, Helsinki, in southern Uusimaa. The population of Vantaa is approximately . It is the most populous municipality in Finland. Vantaa is part of the Helsinki Metropoli ...

. Nevertheless, Kuopio's new residents are increasingly of foreign origin. This will increase the proportion of foreign residents in the coming years.

Religion

In 2023, the Evangelical Lutheran Church was the largest religious group with 65.6% of the population of Kuopio. Other religious groups accounted for 3.8% of the population. 30.6% of the population had no religious affiliation. The largest church denomination in Finland, Lutheran Church has a diocese in Kuopio, which is shepherded by bishop

Jari Jolkkonen Jari Juhani Jolkkonen (born 5 March 1970) is a Finnish prelate who has been bishop of the Diocese of Kuopio since May 2012. Biography Born in Ilomantsi, Jolkkonen graduated as an undergraduate in 1989 and later gained a Master of Science in The ...

. One of the most significant Lutheran churches in the city is the

Kuopio Cathedral Kuopio Cathedral (, ) is a stone Neoclassical-style Evangelical Lutheran church in Kuopio, Finland, and the seat of the Diocese of Kuopio. The cathedral was built between 1806 and 1815.Finnish Orthodox Church The Orthodox Church in Finland (; ) is an Autonomy (Eastern Orthodoxy), autonomous Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Orthodox archdiocese of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. The church has a legal position as a national church in th ...

, the called Archbishop of Karelia and all Finland. Since 2018, the primate is seated in Helsinki and Kuopio became the seat of the Diocese of Kuopio and Karelia. The late Archbishop Paul had been successful in producing literature of popular Orthodox theology. The city is also the location of RIISA- Orthodox Church Museum of Finland. Kuopio also has an Islamic mosque. Muslims from various parts of the world and certain Finnish Muslims live in Kuopio. The town is also home to the first

Burmese Burmese may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Myanmar, a country in Southeast Asia * Burmese people * Burmese language * Burmese alphabet * Burmese cuisine * Burmese culture Animals * Burmese cat * Burmese chicken * Burmese (horse), a ...

Buddhist monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which may ...

in Finland, named the Buddha Dhamma Ramsi Monastery.

Economy

Kuopio's economic structure is very diverse. In 2008, there were about 4,200 enterprises in Kuopio, of which approximately 180 were export companies. These provided about 45,000 jobs. In 2016, this grew to a total of about 5,050 companies, of which more than 190 also trade abroad. There are a total of 50,877 jobs. The business service of the City of Kuopio plays a significant role in the development of Kuopio's business life. The business service promotes the development of companies operating in Kuopio and improves the operating environments of companies. The most important thing in developing operating environments is to improve the supply of estate and business premises. The

Kuopio University Hospital Kuopio University Hospital (KUH; , ) is a teaching hospital of the University of Eastern Finland along Puijonlaaksontie at the Puijonlaakso district in Kuopio, Finland. It serves as one of the main hospitals in the country and operates in the fa ...

(KUH) is Kuopio's second largest employer after the City of Kuopio; in 2011, KUH employed a total of 4,113 people.

Tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure, and the Commerce, commercial activity of providing and supporting such travel. World Tourism Organization, UN Tourism defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the common perception of tourism as ...

is of great importance to Kuopio's business life; the Rauhalahti

camping site Campsite, campground, and camping pitch are all related terms regarding a place used for camping (an overnight stay in an outdoor area). The usage differs between British English and American English. In British English, a ''campsite'' is an ...

is one indication of Kuopio's expertise, as it is the only five-star camping site in Finland. The city has also a comprehensive hotel offer for tourism, one of the most notable is Hotel Savonia, part of the

Best Western Best Western International, Inc. owns the Best Western Hotels & Resorts brand, which it licenses to over 4,700 hotels worldwide. The franchise, with its corporate headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona, includes more than 2,000 hotels in North America. ...

hotel chain, in the Puijonlaakso district. Arranging accommodation and program services gives many jobs. Kuopio's Entrepreneurs (''Kuopion Yrittäjät''), the local association of Savonia Entrepreneurs (''Savon Yrittäjät''), operates in Kuopio. Technology Centre Teknia Ltd Microteknia area

Technology Centre Teknia Ltd Microteknia area

The most significant recent business projects are the centralization of

Honeywell Honeywell International Inc. is an American publicly traded, multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. It primarily operates in four areas of business: aerospace, building automation, industrial automa ...

's Finnish operations in Kuopio, the completion of Ark Therapeutics' gene medicine plant, the marine industry concentration built by Bella Boats at the Marine Park in

's Siikaniemi and the construction of Junttan's EUR 15 million assembly plant at Kylmämäki at the end of 2008. The site of Junttan's current factory in Särkilahti will have space for a large shopping center. The 9.7-hectare plot purchased by Savocon and TKD Finland for EUR 11 million has a building right for 58,500 square meters. The two companies plan to invest a total of about 40 million euros in the project. A significant industrial player is also Savon Sello company in Sorsasalo, which is currently owned by Powerflute Oyj. One of the biggest projects and investments of recent years is the preparation of the construction of Finnpulp's largest and most modern

softwood Scots pine, a typical and well-known softwood Softwood is wood from gymnosperm trees such as conifers. The term is opposed to hardwood, which is the wood from angiosperm trees. The main differences between hardwoods and softwoods is that the sof ...

pulp mill A pulp mill is a manufacturing facility that converts wood chips or other plant fiber sources into a thick fiber board which can be shipped to a paper mill for further processing. Pulp can be manufactured using mechanical, semi-chemical, or ...

in Kuopio. The most significant retail investments are the

Prisma Prisma or PRISMA may refer to: Media * ''Prisma'', 2019 album by Beret * ''Prisma'', 2013 album by Motel * ''Prisma'' (magazine), 1930s Catalan magazine * Prisma (typeface), a typeface designed by Rudolf Koch * Prisma (app), a photo editing soft ...

hypermarket A hypermarket or superstore is a big-box store combining a supermarket and a department store. The result is an expansive retail facility carrying a wide range of products under one roof, including full grocery lines and general merchandise. In ...

completed in December 2007 and the Päiväranta's

K-Citymarket K-Citymarket is a Finnish hypermarket chain owned by Kesko. The chain has about 80 stores in Finland. The first K-Citymarket store was opened in Lahti year 1971. The size of the stores are between 7,000 m² (75,347 sq ft) to 10,000 m² (107,639 s ...

completed in August 2008. A hardware store Kodin Terra was opened in Pitkälahti, as well as the Ikano Group's Matkus Shopping Center in the Hiltulanlahti area in November 2012 and an

IKEA IKEA ( , ) is a Multinational corporation, multinational conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded in Sweden that designs and sells , household goods, and various related services. IKEA is owned and operated by a series of not-for-profit an ...

department store A department store is a retail establishment offering a wide range of consumer goods in different areas of the store under one roof, each area ("department") specializing in a product category. In modern major cities, the department store mad ...

in May 2013.

Culture

Kuopio is known as the cultural center of Eastern Finland. One of Kuopio's most important cultural venues are the

Kuopio Museum The Kuopio Museum is an Art Nouveau-style museum building completed in 1907 on the edge of Snellman Park in Vahtivuori, Kuopio, Finland. The Kuopio Museum is the third oldest specially built museum building in Finland after the Helsinki's Ateneum ...

, the Kuopio Art Museum and the

Kuopio City Theatre Kuopio ( , ) is a city in Finland and the regional capital of North Savo. It is located in the Finnish Lakeland. The population of Kuopio is approximately , while the sub-region has a population of approximately . It is the most populous municipa ...

in the city center. A wide range of musical (from kindergarten to doctorate-level studies) and dance education is available and the cultural life is active. Notable events include

ANTI – Contemporary Art Festival ANTI – Contemporary Art Festival is an art festival that presents site-specific contemporary art which covers all artistic forms from sculpture and environmental art to dance, live art and performance. The annual festival is held in Kuopio, Finl ...

, Kuopio Dance Festival,

Kuopio Rockcock Kuopiorock (also Kuopio Rockcock or simply Rockcock) is a Finnish two- to three-day rock music festival held annually in Väinölänniemi, Kuopio, at the turn of July and August. The first event was held in 2003. In 2012, the event celebrated i ...

, Kuopio Wine Festival, Kuopio Marathon and Finland Ice Marathon in winter. A notable place, however, to enjoy the local flavor of Kuopio life and food is Sampo, a fish restaurant loved by locals and tourists as well. Kuopio is known for its association with a national delicacy, Finnish fish pastry (

), and the dialect of

Savo Savo may refer to: Languages * Savo dialect, forms of the Finnish language spoken in Savo, Finland * Savo language, an endangered language spoken on Savo People * Savo (given name), a masculine given name from southern Europe (includes a list of ...

, as well as the hill of

and the

Puijo tower The Puijo tower is an observation tower at the top of Puijo hill in Kuopio, Eastern Finland. Opened in 1963, the tower is tall and has a revolving restaurant with 100 seats. It was the first tower with a revolving restaurant in the Nordic count ...

. Besides being a very popular outdoor recreation area, Puijo serves also as a stage for a yearly World Cup

ski jumping Ski jumping is a winter sport in which competitors aim to achieve the farthest jump after sliding down on their skis from a specially designed curved ramp. Along with jump length, competitor's aerial style and other factors also affect the final ...

competition. In inhabitants of Kuopio have a special reputation: they are known as jovial and verbally joking. Within the Savo culture, the

onus Onus, from Latin, indicates accountability/responsibility Onus may also refer to: * Blame * Burden (disambiguation) * Legal burden of proof In a legal dispute, one party has the burden of proof to show that they are correct, while the other ...

is placed on the listener to interpret the story. People of the Kuopio region and Eastern Finland have always had many health problems and the mortality has been higher than on an average in Finland. Because of this, Eastern Finland has been a hotspot for Public Health studies. The

North Karelia Project The North Karelia Project was worldwide the first public health project for the prevention of cardiovascular disease mortality. It was first conducted from 1972 to 1977 in North Karelia and due to the success from 1977 to 1997 in all of Finland. I ...

by the

University of Kuopio The University of Eastern Finland () is a university in Finland, which was founded in 2010 and has campuses in Joensuu and Kuopio. History The Finnish Parliament passed the Universities Act on June 16, 2009, which, among other things, extended ...

in coordination with the National Public Health Institute and the

World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) is a list of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations which coordinates responses to international public health issues and emergencies. It is headquartered in Gen ...

, beginning in the 1970s was one of its first steps towards world class research.

Niuvanniemi Niuvanniemi hospital is a state psychiatric hospital in the Niuva district of Kuopio, Finland. Along with the other state mental hospital, Vanha Vaasa hospital, it provides Forensic psychiatry, forensic psychiatric services for the entire country. ...

a historical

psychiatric hospital A psychiatric hospital, also known as a mental health hospital, a behavioral health hospital, or an asylum is a specialized medical facility that focuses on the treatment of severe Mental disorder, mental disorders. These institutions cater t ...

is also located in the western part of the city in the Niuva district. During the 2000s, Kuopio has placed very well in a number of image, popularity and city-attractiveness surveys. In 2007 it was placed third, behind

and

Sports

Kuopio bid for the

2012 Winter Youth Olympics The 2012 Winter Youth Olympic Games (), officially known as the I Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG), were an international multi-sport event for youths that took place in Innsbruck, Austria, on 13–22 January 2012. They were the inaugural Wint ...

, a youth sports festival in the tradition of the Olympics. It became a finalist in November 2008, but ultimately lost to

Innsbruck, Austria Innsbruck (; ) is the capital of Tyrol and the fifth-largest city in Austria. On the River Inn, at its junction with the Wipp Valley, which provides access to the Brenner Pass to the south, it had a population of 132,493 in 2018. In the ...

. Kuopio's image as a small city with a large University and many active young people was considered a model of what the

International Olympic Committee The International Olympic Committee (IOC; , CIO) is the international, non-governmental, sports governing body of the modern Olympic Games. Founded in 1894 by Pierre de Coubertin and Demetrios Vikelas, it is based i ...

seeks for the Games. *

KalPa Kalevan Pallo (KalPa) is a professional ice hockey team which competes in the Finnish Liiga. They play in Kuopio, Finland at the Niiralan monttu, Olvi Areena. Team history Established in 1929 as ''Sortavalan Palloseura'' in Sortavala, the club r ...

(

ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...

) *

KuPS Kuopion Palloseura, commonly referred to as KuPS, is a Finnish professional football club based in Kuopio. KuPS competes in Veikkausliiga, the top flight of Finnish football. The team plays its home matches at Kuopio Football Stadium. KuPS ha ...

(

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

) * Kuopion Taitoluistelijat (

figure skating Figure skating is a sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform on figure skates on ice. It was the first winter sport to be included in the Olympic Games, with its introduction occurring at the Figure skating at the 1908 Summer Olympi ...

) * Puijon Hiihtoseura (

skiing Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow for basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the International S ...

nordic combined Nordic combined is a winter sport in which athletes compete in cross-country skiing (sport), cross-country skiing and ski jumping. The Nordic combined at the Winter Olympics has been held since the first 1924 Winter Olympics, Winter Olympics in ...

biathlon The biathlon is a winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. It is treated as a race, with contestants skiing through a cross-country trail whose distance is divided into shooting rounds. The shooting rounds are not ti ...

) *Puijon Pesis (

pesäpallo Pesäpallo (; ; , colloquially known in Finnish as pesis and also referred to as Finnish baseball) is a fast-moving bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport that is often referred to as the national sport of Finland and has some presence in other ...

) * Kuopion Reippaan voimistelijat (

gymnastics Gymnastics is a group of sport that includes physical exercises requiring Balance (ability), balance, Strength training, strength, Flexibility (anatomy), flexibility, agility, Motor coordination, coordination, artistry and endurance. The movem ...

) *Finland Ice Marathon (

ice skating Ice skating is the Human-powered transport, self-propulsion and gliding of a person across an ice surface, using metal-bladed ice skates. People skate for various reasons, including recreation (fun), exercise, competitive sports, and commuting. ...

event) *

Kuopio Steelers The Kuopio Steelers (formerly known as Varkaus Steelers) are an American football team originally from Varkaus, Finland in years 1991-2005,american football American football, referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular American football field, field with goalposts at e ...

) *Kuopio Skating club, Kuopion Luisteluseura KuLs (figure skating) * Welhot (

floorball Floorball (also known by other names) is a sport played with five players and a goalkeeper in each team. It is played indoors with sticks and a hollow plastic ball with holes. Matches are played in three periods. The sport of bandy also playe ...

) * Linkki (

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

)

Transport

The city has a nationally unique feature in its street network, where every other street is reserved for pedestrian and cycle traffic, so-called "rännikatu" (derived from the Swedish ''gränd'', alley). These streets provide pedestrians a calm environment away from vehicular traffic. This setup dates back to Kuopio's first town plan by Pehr Kjellman in 1776. Originally, rännikadut were created as a fire barrier to prevent a possible fire escalating in a mainly wood-constructed city. Two Finnish highways cross Kuopio:

Finnish national road 5 Finnish national road 5 ( Finnish:''Valtatie 5'' or ''Viitostie'', Swedish: ''Riksväg 5'') is a main route connecting Lusi (Heinola) in the south of the country to Sodankylä in the north. It is 905 kilometres long. National road 5 forms p ...

(Vt 5; part of E63 in the northern side of city), which extends south to

and north to

Sodankylä Sodankylä (; ; ; ) is a municipality of Finland. It is located in the region of Lapland, and lies at the northern end of Highway 5 ( E63) and along Highway 4 ( E75). The Kitinen River flows near the center of Sodankylä. Its neighbouring mun ...

, and

Finnish national road 9 The Finnish national road 9 (, ) is a main route. It runs from Turku through Loimaa, Tampere, Jämsä, Jyväskylä, Kuopio, Outokumpu and Joensuu to the Niirala border guard station in Tohmajärvi, right next to the Russian border. The length o ...

(Vt 9; part of E63 in the western side of city), which extends west to

and east to the

Niirala checkpoint Niirala is a district in the city of Kuopio, Finland, and it has a population of about 3,500. Niirala is now a popular residential area due to its good location between the Kuopio University and the city center. Niirala's main street is Niiralank ...

on the Finnish-Russian border. The

Blue Highway Blue Highway is an American contemporary bluegrass band formed in 1994 and based in Tennessee. The band's albums include ''Wondrous Love'' (2003), ''Marbletown'' (2005), and ''Original Traditional'' (2016). Background After helping found the ...

passes through Kuopio. It is an international tourist route from

Mo i Rana (Norwegian language, Norwegian; ) or (and unofficially , ) is a List of towns and cities in Norway, city, and the administrative centre of Rana Municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is located in the Helgeland region of Nordland, just sou ...

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form part of the Kingdom of ...

Pudozh Pudozh (; ; ; or ') is a town and the administrative center of Pudozhsky District of the Republic of Karelia, Russia, located on the Vodla River east of Petrozavodsk, but traveling by the road around Lake Onega. Population: 8,000 (1970). ...

via

and

. Long-distance transport connections from Kuopio include

Pendolino Pendolino (from Italian language, Italian "pendulum", and ''-ino,'' a diminutive suffix) is an Italian family of high-speed tilting trains (and non-tilting) used in Italy, Spain, Germany, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Finland, the Czech Republic, ...

and

InterCity InterCity (commonly abbreviated ''IC'' on timetables and tickets) is the train categories in Europe, classification applied to certain long-distance passenger train services in Europe. Such trains (in contrast to InterRegio, regional train, r ...

trains from Kuopio railway station to several destinations around Finland, operated by VR, as well as multiple daily departures from

Finnair Finnair Plc (, ) is the flag carrier and largest full-service legacy airline of Finland, with headquarters in Vantaa on the grounds of Helsinki Airport, its airline hub, hub. Finnair and its subsidiaries dominate both domestic and international ...

. The passenger harbour of the

port of Kuopio The Port of Kuopio ( Finnish: ''Kuopion satama'') is an inland harbour in the city of Kuopio, Finland, on the shore of Lake Kallavesi. The passenger harbour of the port is located in the Vahtivuori district on the ''Maljalahti'' bay. The cargo h ...

, located on the shore of Lake Kallavesi, is the busiest port for passenger traffic in the

Vuoksi The Vuoksi (, historically: "Uzerva"; ; ; ) is a river running through the northernmost part of the Karelian Isthmus from Lake Saimaa in southeastern Finland to Lake Ladoga in northwestern Russia. The river enters Lake Ladoga in three branches, ...

drainage basin A drainage basin is an area of land in which all flowing surface water converges to a single point, such as a river mouth, or flows into another body of water, such as a lake or ocean. A basin is separated from adjacent basins by a perimeter, ...

and the

Education

Kuopio has always been a city of education. Some of the first schools offering education in Finnish (such as the School for the Blind in 1871, and the Trade School in 1887) were established in Kuopio. Currently the most important institutions are the

University of Eastern Finland The University of Eastern Finland () is a university in Finland, which was founded in 2010 and has campuses in Joensuu and Kuopio. History The Finnish Parliament passed the Universities Act on June 16, 2009, which, among other things, extende ...

, the

Savonia University of Applied Sciences Savonia University of Applied Sciences (Savonia UAS) () is a local municipality-owned Finnish institution of higher education based in the cities of Kuopio, Iisalmi and Varkaus. Savonia offers bachelor's and master's degree programmes. It is t ...

, Vocational College of Northern Savonia and the Kuopio department of the

Sibelius Academy The Sibelius Academy (, ) is part of the University of the Arts Helsinki and a university-level music school which operates in Helsinki and Kuopio, Finland. It also has an adult education centre in Järvenpää and a training centre in Seinäjoki ...

. One of the oldest schools in the city is

Kuopio Lyceum High School Kuopio Lyceum High School is an upper secondary school (''lukio'') for students aged 15–19. Kuopion Lyseon lukio is located in Kuopio, Finland. Originally established as a boys' school in 1872, Kuopion Lyseo opened its doors to both sexes in 197 ...

, which was officially established in 1872, but was originally built in 1826 and designed by

Carl Ludvig Engel Carl Ludvig Engel or Johann Carl Ludwig Engel (3 July 1778 – 14 May 1840) was a German architect whose most noted work can be found in Helsinki, which he helped rebuild. His works include most of the buildings around the capital's monumental ce ...

. Kuopio is known as a strong center of health (e.g. it has the biggest yearly enrollment rate of medical students in Finland), pharmacy, environment, food & nutrition (all legalized Clinical and Public Health Nutritionists in Finland graduate from the University of Eastern Finland), safety (education in Emergency Services is centered in Kuopio) and welfare professions, as the major organisations University of Kuopio (now part of the

since January 2010.), Savonia University of Applied Sciences and Technopolis Kuopio are particularly oriented to those areas.

Notable people

International relations

Kuopio is twinned with 15 cities around the world. It also has one twin county,

Lääne-Viru County Lääne-Viru County ( or ''Lääne-Virumaa'') is one of 15 counties of Estonia. It is in northern Estonia, on the south coast of the Gulf of Finland. In Estonian, ''lääne'' means western and ''ida'' means east or eastern. Lääne-Viru borders Id ...

Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by Ru ...

Twin towns – Sister cities

Kuopio is twinned with: