Joensuu

Joensuu is a city and municipality in North Karelia, Finland, located on the northern shore of Lake Pyhäselkä at the mouth of the Pielinen River. It was founded in 1848 by Russian Emperor Nicholas I. The population of Joensuu is 77,480, 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 to the west. From Joensuu, the distance to Lappeenranta, the capital of South Karelia, is 233 kilometres along Highway 6.

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.