Kuopio: Finland

Kuopio is a Finnish city located in the province of Eastern Finland and the region of Northern Savonia. A population of over 90,000 makes it the 8th biggest city in the country. The city has a total area of 1,730 km², of which 805 km² is water and half forest. The population density is only 52 inhabitants/km², but the center of the city is populated densely. If we count the population of the whole Kuopio region, it is about 120,000.
Kuopio was founded in 1653 by Governor Peter Brahe, but the official date is recognized as November 17, 1775, when King Gustav III of Sweden ordered the establishment of the city of Kuopio.
Central Kuopio from the Puijo tower
Kuopio is known as the cultural center of Eastern Finland.
The city is surrounded by lake Kallavesi, and several parts of it are built on islands. Kuopio is known for its association with a national delicacy, Finnish fish pastry (Kalakukko), and the dialect of Savo, as well as the hill of Puijo and the Puijo tower.
The traffic connections of the city are good, and include the Pendolino trains, Finnair and Blue1.
As of 2004, the biggest employers of the city are: Town of Kuopio (5 868 employees), Kuopio University Hospital (KUH; in Finnish KYS) (4 055), University of Kuopio (1 620), Post of Finland PLC (524), Niuvanniemi hospital (518), Peeässä Coop (501), Atria PLC (378), Vocational college of Northern Savonia (306), Fenestra Oy (297) and Kesko PLC (284)
Kuopio has always been a school town. The most important institutions are the Vocational College of Northern Savonia, the Pohjois-Savo Vocational Institute, Savonia polytechnic, the University of Kuopio and the Kuopio department of the Sibelius Academy.
In Finland the inhabitants of Kuopio have a special reputation: they are known as jovial and verbally joking. People of Kuopio region and Eastern Finland have always had many health problems and the mortality has been higher than on an average in Finland. Nowadays Kuopio is known as a strong center of welfare and health profession, as the university is particularly oriented to those areas.
The municipality of Vehmersalmi joined the city of Kuopio on January 1st 2005 like some other municipalities before.