Joensuu
Joensuu (Finnish: [ˈjoensuː] ⓘ; Karelian: Jovensuu; lit. 'river's mouth') is a city and municipality in North Karelia, Finland, located on the northern shore of Lake Pyhäselkä (northern part of Lake Saimaa) at the mouth of the Pielinen River (Pielisjoki). It was founded in 1848 by Russian Emperor Nicholas I. The population of Joensuu is 78,060 (December 31, 2023), and the economic region of Joensuu has a population of 115,000. It is the 12th largest city in Finland. The nearest major city, Kuopio in North Savonia, is located 136 kilometres (85 mi) to the west. From Joensuu, the distance to Lappeenranta, the capital of South Karelia, is 233 kilometres (145 mi) along Highway 6.
Joensuu
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City | |
| Joensuun kaupunki Joensuu stad City of Joensuu | |
Clockwise from top-left: the Joensuu Arena, the North Karelia Central Hospital, the Joensuu Airport, the Joensuu Railway Station, and the fountain in the park; in the middle from top to bottom: the Joensuu City Hall, The Gate of Joensuu (Joensuun portti) near the market square, and the Statue of Liberty in the Park of Liberty | |
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Flag Coat of arms | |
| Nickname(s): Jönssi, Jenssi | |
Location of Joensuu in Finland | |
| Coordinates: 62°36′N 029°45′E | |
| Country | Finland |
| Region | North Karelia |
| Sub-region | Joensuu |
| Charter | 1848 |
| Government | |
| • City manager | Kari Karjalainen |
| Area (2018-01-01) | |
| • Total | 2,751.07 km2 (1,062.19 sq mi) |
| • Land | 2,381.79 km2 (919.61 sq mi) |
| • Water | 369.31 km2 (142.59 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 26th largest in Finland |
| Population (2023-12-31) | |
| • Total | 78,060 |
| • Rank | 12th largest in Finland |
| • Density | 32.77/km2 (84.9/sq mi) |
| Population by native language | |
| • Finnish | 93.6% (official) |
| • Swedish | 0.1% |
| • Others | 6.2% |
| Population by age | |
| • 0 to 14 | 13.5% |
| • 15 to 64 | 64.1% |
| • 65 or older | 22.5% |
| Time zone | UTC+02:00 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+03:00 (EEST) |
| Unemployment rate | 14.5% |
| Website | www.joensuu.fi |
As is typical of cities in Eastern Finland, Joensuu is monolingually Finnish. Along with Kuopio, Joensuu is one of major urban, economic, and cultural hubs of Eastern Finland. Joensuu is a student city with a subsidiary of the University of Eastern Finland, which has over 20,000 enrolled students, and a further 4,000 students at the Karelia University of Applied Sciences.