Kuopio
Kuopio (/kuˈoʊpioʊ/ KUO-pi-ou, Finnish: [ˈkuo̯pio] ⓘ) 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 124,000, while the sub-region has a population of approximately 145,000. It is the 8th most populous municipality in Finland, and the seventh most populous urban area in the country.
Kuopio | |
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City | |
| Kuopion kaupunki Kuopio stad City of Kuopio | |
Clockwise from top-left: the cityscape of the center, the Puijo Tower, the Kuopio Market Hall, the Kuopio Marina, the Governor Palace, the Väinölänniemi Beach, the Technopolis MicroTower, and the Kuopio City Hall. | |
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Coat of arms | |
| Nickname: Promised Land of Kalakukko | |
| Coordinates: 62°53′33″N 27°40′42″E | |
| Country | Finland |
| Region | Northern Savonia |
| Sub-region | Kuopio |
| Settled | 1653 |
| Charter | 17 November 1775 |
| Government | |
| • City manager | Soile Lahti |
| Area (2018-01-01) | |
| • Total | 4,326.35 km2 (1,670.41 sq mi) |
| • Land | 3,241.74 km2 (1,251.64 sq mi) |
| • Water | 719.85 km2 (277.94 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 18th largest in Finland |
| Population (2023-12-31) | |
| • Total | 124,011 |
| • Rank | 8th largest in Finland |
| • Density | 38.25/km2 (99.1/sq mi) |
| Population by native language | |
| • Finnish | 95% (official) |
| • Swedish | 0.1% |
| • Others | 4.9% |
| Population by age | |
| • 0 to 14 | 14.5% |
| • 15 to 64 | 63.8% |
| • 65 or older | 21.7% |
| Time zone | UTC+02:00 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+03:00 (EEST) |
| Postal code | FI-70101 |
| Website | www |
Kuopio has a total area of 4,326.35 square kilometres (1,670.41 sq mi), of which 719.85 km2 (277.94 sq mi) is water and half is forest. Though the city's population is spread out 38/km2 (98/sq mi), the city's urban areas are populated comparably densely (urban area: 1,618 /km²), making Kuopio Finland's second-most densely populated city. At the end of 2018, its urban area had a population of approximately 90,000. Along with Joensuu, Kuopio is one of the major urban, economic, and cultural hubs of Eastern Finland.
Kuopio is known nationwide as one of the most important study cities and centers of attraction and growth. The city's history has been characterized by several municipality mergers since 1969, as a result of which Kuopio now includes much countryside; Kuopio's population surpassed 100,000 when the town of Nilsiä joined the city at the beginning of 2013. When Maaninka joined Kuopio at the beginning of 2015, Kuopio became Finland's largest milk producing community and Finland's second largest beef producing community. In addition, at the end of the 2010s, Kuopio was noted for numerous large projects, which are the largest nationwide after the Helsinki metropolitan area. With the large tourist center in Tahkovuori, Kuopio has also grown into a major tourist city. Kuopio Airport, located in the Siilinjärvi municipality, is Finland's fifth-busiest airport, with over 235,000 passengers in 2017.
According to 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 real estate investors. In the Kuntien imago 2018 survey, Kuopio ranks second among large cities of Finland after Seinäjoki of South Ostrobothnia. In T-media's attraction and influence of the ten biggest cities study in 2021, 2022 and 2023, Kuopio is the second most attractive city in Finland, with Tampere holding the first place.
Kuopio was the European Region of Gastronomy in 2020. It is also known as home of Kalakukko, a traditional food of Savonia, which is why Kuopio is also known by the nickname the "Promised Land of Kalakukko".