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Joensuu (; krl, Jovensuu; ) is a city and municipality in North Karelia, Finland, located on the northern shore of
Lake Pyhäselkä Pyhäselkä is a lake in Finland. It forms the northernmost part of the Saimaa Saimaa ( , ; sv, Saimen) is a lake located in the Finnish Lakeland area in southeastern Finland. At approximately , it is the largest lake in Finland, and the fou ...
(northern part of
Lake Saimaa Saimaa ( , ; sv, Saimen) is a lake located in the Finnish Lakeland area in southeastern Finland. At approximately , it is the largest lake in Finland, and the fourth largest natural freshwater lake in Europe. The name Saimaa likely comes from a ...
) at the mouth of the
Pielinen River Pielisjoki (River Pielinen) is a long river in Eastern Finland. It is the sixth most fast-flowing river in Finland and the largest river draining into Lake Saimaa. The river connects the two largest lakes in North Karelia, Pielinen and Lake Pyh ...
(''Pielisjoki''). It was founded in 1848. The population of Joensuu is (), and the economic region of Joensuu has a population of 115,000. It is the largest city in Finland. The nearest major city,
Kuopio Kuopio (, ) is a Finnish city and municipality located in the region of Northern Savonia. It has a population of , which makes it the most populous municipality in Finland. Along with Joensuu, Kuopio is one of the major urban, economic, and cult ...
in North Savonia, is located to the west. From Joensuu, the distance to Lappeenranta, the capital of South Karelia, is along
Highway 6 Route 6, or Highway 6, may refer to routes in the following countries: International * Asian Highway 6 * European route E6 * European route E006 Albania * National Road SH6 Argentina * Buenos Aires Provincial Route 6 Australia New ...
. 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 The University of Eastern Finland ( fi, Itä-Suomen yliopisto) is a university in Finland founded in 2010 with campuses in Joensuu and Kuopio. History The Finnish Parliament passed the Universities Act on June 16, 2009, which, among other things ...
, which has over 20,000 enrolled students, and a further 4,000 students at the
Karelia University of Applied Sciences Karelia University of Applied Sciences ( fi, Karelia-ammattikorkeakoulu), until 2013 North Karelia University of Applied Sciences, is an institution of higher education and applied research located in Joensuu, Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; ...
.


Heraldry

The explanation of the coat of arms of Joensuu reads: ”shield twice blocked with upper moat and lower corrugated; fields in red, silver and black.” The wave bar of the subject refers to the location of the city along the
Pielinen River Pielisjoki (River Pielinen) is a long river in Eastern Finland. It is the sixth most fast-flowing river in Finland and the largest river draining into Lake Saimaa. The river connects the two largest lakes in North Karelia, Pielinen and Lake Pyh ...
and the position of the moat near the eastern border of Finland, while its colors black and red are considered typical colors of
Karelia Karelia ( Karelian and fi, Karjala, ; rus, Каре́лия, links=y, r=Karélija, p=kɐˈrʲelʲɪjə, historically ''Korjela''; sv, Karelen), the land of the Karelian people, is an area in Northern Europe of historical significance for ...
. The coat of arms was designed by Toivo Vuorela, and it was approved by the Joensuu City Council at its meeting on May 10, 1957. The Ministry of the Interior confirmed the use of the coat of arms on November 19 of the same year. In addition to the coat of arms, the city of Joensuu also uses a
flag A flag is a piece of fabric (most often rectangular or quadrilateral) with a distinctive design and colours. It is used as a symbol, a signalling device, or for decoration. The term ''flag'' is also used to refer to the graphic design empl ...
based on it, in which the silver of the coat of arms has been replaced by white.


History

The city of Joensuu, founded by the Czar Nicholas I of Russia in 1848, is the regional centre and the capital of North Karelia. During the 19th century Joensuu was a city of manufacture and commerce. When in 1860 the city received dispensation rights to initiate commerce, former restrictions against industry were removed and the local sawmills began to prosper and expand. Water traffic was improved by the building and opening of the Saimaa Canal in 1856. Consequently, a lively commerce between the regions of North Karelia, St. Petersburg and Central Europe was enabled. At the end of the 19th century Joensuu was one of the largest harbour cities in Finland. Throughout the centuries
Karelia Karelia ( Karelian and fi, Karjala, ; rus, Каре́лия, links=y, r=Karélija, p=kɐˈrʲelʲɪjə, historically ''Korjela''; sv, Karelen), the land of the Karelian people, is an area in Northern Europe of historical significance for ...
n traders have plied the Pielisjoki River. The river has always been the lively heart of the city. Canals – completed by 1870 – increased the river traffic. Thousands of
steamboat A steamboat is a boat that is marine propulsion, propelled primarily by marine steam engine, steam power, typically driving propellers or Paddle steamer, paddlewheels. Steamboats sometimes use the ship prefix, prefix designation SS, S.S. or S/S ...
s, barges and logging boats sailed along the river during the golden age of river traffic. The Pielisjoki River has also been an important
log raft Timber rafting is a method of transporting felled tree trunks by tying them together to make rafts, which are then drifted or pulled downriver, or across a lake or other body of water. It is arguably, after log driving, the second cheapest mean ...
route, providing wood for the sawmills and for the entire lumber industry. During the last few decades, the formerly modest agrarian town has developed into a vital centre of the province. Success in regional annexations, the establishment of the region of North Karelia, and investments in education have been the most decisive actions in this development. The municipality of Pielisensuu was consolidated with Joensuu in 1954. At the beginning of 2005, the municipalities of
Kiihtelysvaara Kiihtelysvaara is a former municipality of Finland. On 1 January 2005 it was consolidated, together with Tuupovaara, with the city of Joensuu. It is located in the province of Eastern Finland and is part of the North Karelia region. The munici ...
and Tuupovaara were consolidated with Joensuu. At the beginning of 2009 the municipalities of
Eno Eno may refer to: Music * English National Opera, London * ''Eno'', an album by Japanese band Polysics * "Eno", a song by X-Wife from '' Rockin' Rio EP'' Organisations and businesses * Eno (company), a Chinese clothing and accessories busine ...
and
Pyhäselkä Pyhäselkä is a former municipality of Finland, now part of Joensuu. It seat was located in ''Hammaslahti''. Pyhäselkä is located in the province of Eastern Finland and is part of the North Karelia region. The municipality had a population ...
were consolidated with Joensuu. After the most recent consolidations, there are approximately 73,000 inhabitants in the Joensuu municipal area. The
University of Joensuu The University of Eastern Finland ( fi, Itä-Suomen yliopisto) is a university in Finland founded in 2010 with campuses in Joensuu and Kuopio. History The Finnish Parliament passed the Universities Act on June 16, 2009, which, among other things ...
(now part of the
University of Eastern Finland The University of Eastern Finland ( fi, Itä-Suomen yliopisto) is a university in Finland founded in 2010 with campuses in Joensuu and Kuopio. History The Finnish Parliament passed the Universities Act on June 16, 2009, which, among other things ...
since January 2010.Steps leading to the establishment of the UEF
) has, in twenty-five years, expanded to eight faculties. The university is one of the mainstays for the vitality of the city and so for all North Karelia. Diversified international cooperation in science, industry and commerce benefits the whole region. The proximity of the eastern border has been an important factor in the history of the city. The
Republic of Karelia The Republic of Karelia (russian: Респу́блика Каре́лия, Respublika Kareliya; ; krl, Karjalan tašavalta; ; fi, Karjalan tasavalta; vep, Karjalan Tazovaldkund, Ludic: ''Kard’alan tazavald''), also known as just Karelia (rus ...
is once again a significant area for cooperation with nearby regions in Russia. Export companies in Joensuu continue the pre-revolutionary traditions in foreign trade. Joensuu offers varied cultural activities. A series of events – Ilosaarirock festival, Joensuu Music Winter, Festival of Visual Culture Viscult, Gospel festivals – and the unspoilt environment increase the attractiveness of the city. Joensuu is sometimes referred to as the Forest Capital of Europe, mainly because the
European Forest Institute The European Forest Institute (EFI) is an international organization established by the European states. It has 30 Member Countries, and c. 130 member organizations from 40 different countries working in diverse research fields. EFI provides fore ...
is based there. Other forestry research and educational facilities are also based in Joensuu.


Geography

The neighboring municipalities of Joensuu are
Liperi Liperi ( sv, Libelits) is a municipality of Finland. It is located in the North Karelia region. Liperi is a community of () with the growth rate of 83 newcomers in 11 months in 2007. The population density is . The municipality covers an area of ...
, Kontiolahti, Lieksa, Ilomantsi, Tohmajärvi and Rääkkylä. In addition, the city is part of the
Joensuu sub-region Joensuu sub-region is a subdivision of North Karelia and one of the Sub-regions of Finland since 2009. Municipalities * Heinävesi * Ilomantsi * Joensuu * Juuka * Kontiolahti * Liperi * Outokumpu * Polvijärvi Politics Results of the 2018 Fin ...
, which currently also includes the municipalities of Heinävesi, Ilomantsi, Juuka, Kontiolahti, Liperi and
Polvijärvi Polvijärvi (; literally "knee lake") is a municipality of Finland. It is located in the North Karelia region. The municipality has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is . Neighbouring municipaliti ...
, as well as the town of Outokumpu.


Climate

Joensuu has a
subarctic climate The subarctic climate (also called subpolar climate, or boreal climate) is a 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 an ocean, ge ...
( Köppen: ''Dfc'') due to its high latitude and inland position. Being quite far inland, Joensuu has a more continental climate than most of Finland. As a result, Joensuu can be prone to temperature extremes both in winter and summer. For example, Joensuu is on average warmer than Dublin or Manchester in July, and colder than Moscow in January. Winters are long, cold and snowy. Summers however, bring frequent temperatures above and thunderstorms occur typically on 10–15 days per year. An all-time record of on July 29, 2010, is the Finnish nationwide heat record and the second highest ever registered temperature in the Nordics, only behind Sweden's all time record at 38.0 °C (100.4 °F). The coldest temperature ever recorded in Joensuu was on December 10, 1955. In winter, the snowcover is reliable and on average 50–70 cm deep. Annually, Joensuu experiences on average 24 days with temperatures or colder while temperature below is observed about once per year. Annual total precipitation averages at 589 mm, with about 225 mm of it falling in the form of snow.


Economy

Joensuu is a growing provincial center with a service-oriented business life. The concentration of information and communication technology companies has taken place in the premises offered by the Joensuu Science Park. Major industrial companies include lock manufacturer
Abloy Oy Assa Abloy AB is a Swedish conglomerate whose offerings include products and services related to locks, doors, gates, and entrance automation. Related products and services include controlling access and confirming identities with keys, cards, ...
and forest machine manufacturer
John Deere Deere & Company, doing business as John Deere (), is an American corporation that manufactures agricultural machinery, heavy equipment, forestry machinery, diesel engines, drivetrains (axles, transmissions, gearboxes) used in heavy equipment, ...
. Research and product development in Joensuu is held at the university, science park, METLA and a few companies in areas such as color research and diffractive optics. The companies that paid the most
corporate tax A corporate tax, also called corporation tax or company tax, is a direct tax imposed on the income or capital of corporations or analogous legal entities. Many countries impose such taxes at the national level, and a similar tax may be imposed at ...
in 2015 were Broman Group Oy, which sells car spare parts and accessories, the key company Assa Abloy Oy, the North Karelia Cooperative, E. Hartikainen Oy, which operates in the construction and car business areas, and Autokiinteistöt Laakkonen Oy. The unemployment rate in Joensuu on December 31, 2018 was 14.7%. Largest employers in 2006: City of Joensuu (4,409 employees), North Karelia Hospital District Consortium (2,220),
University of Joensuu The University of Eastern Finland ( fi, Itä-Suomen yliopisto) is a university in Finland founded in 2010 with campuses in Joensuu and Kuopio. History The Finnish Parliament passed the Universities Act on June 16, 2009, which, among other things ...
(1,244), Abloy Oy (800), North Karelia Education Consortium (537), Pohjois-Karjalan Osuuskauppa or PKO (512), VR companies (430), Pohjois-Karjalan Kirjapaino Oyj or PunaMusta Media (317) and Schauman Wood Oy (292). In the 2010s, the Palkeet Agency and the
Finnish Defense Forces The Finnish Defence Forces ( fi, Puolustusvoimat, sv, Försvarsmakten) are the military of Finland. The Finnish Defence Forces consist of the Finnish Army, the Finnish Navy and the Finnish Air Force. In wartime the Finnish Border Guard (which i ...
Service Center were established in Joensuu. There are four shopping centers in Joensuu: Iso Myy, Metropol, Plaza Centrum and one department store belonging to the Sokos chain.


Transport

Joensuu has a railway station and a bus station, which offers intercity connections to Helsinki and local connections to several other places. Numbered bus service is available to all parts of Joensuu
Route mapsTimetables
. Joensuu also has an airport (located in nearby
Liperi Liperi ( sv, Libelits) is a municipality of Finland. It is located in the North Karelia region. Liperi is a community of () with the growth rate of 83 newcomers in 11 months in 2007. The population density is . The municipality covers an area of ...
), with flights to Helsinki. Joensuu is located along the Blue Highway, which is an international tourist route from Mo i Rana, Norway to Pudozh, Russia via
Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
.


Sports

The city is known for its basketball club
Kataja Kataja is an islet south of Haparanda in Norrbotten. It is the easternmost point of Sweden and it is part of the Haparanda archipelago. The islet has an area of . It is about long and wide. The name "Kataja" is Finnish for juniper. The island i ...
, which plays in the Finnish first-tier league Korisliiga. Other championship level clubs of Joensuu include Josba (
floorball Floorball is a type of floor hockey with five players and a goalkeeper in each team. Men and women play indoors with sticks and a plastic ball with holes. Matches are played in three twenty-minute periods. The sport of bandy also played a role ...
), Mutalan Riento ( volleyball), the world leading orienteering club
Kalevan Rasti Kalevan Rasti is an orienteering club based in Finland. Recently it has been one of the most successful clubs in world orienteering, winning the Jukola Relay, Jukola and Tiomila relays multiple times. The club won the Tiomila relay in 1983 with ...
(
orienteering Orienteering is a group of sports that require navigational skills using a map and compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain whilst moving at speed. Participants are given a topographical map, usually a s ...
) and Joensuun Prihat (women's volleyball). The ice hockey team
Jokipojat Joensunn Kiekko-Pojat is a Finnish semi-professional ice hockey team that plays in the Mestis. The full name of the club is ''Joensuun Kiekko ry''. It has spent three seasons in the top flight of Finnish hockey, season 1971–72 in SM-sarja and ...
plays in the Finnish second-tier league Mestis, and their home arena is the
Mehtimäki Ice Hall Mehtimäen jäähalli is an indoor arena located in Joensuu, Finland. It is the home arena for Jokipojat of the Mestis and Joensuun Kataja's synchronized skaters. See also * Joensuu Arena The Joensuu Arena is a large multi-purpose hall and a ...
. The local
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
club
Jippo JIPPO is a Finnish football club, based in Joensuu. It plays in the Kakkonen, the third highest level of Finnish football. Jippo plays its home matches at Mehtimäki, Joensuu. JIPPO was formed in 2001 after the merger of JiiPee and Ratanat&nb ...
plays in the Finnish second Division.
Finnish baseball Finnish may refer to: * Something or someone from, or related to Finland * Culture of Finland * Finnish people or Finns, the primary ethnic group in Finland * Finnish language, the national language of the Finnish people * Finnish cuisine See also ...
enjoys popularity as well and the local team, Joensuun Maila, plays in the top division
Superpesis The Superpesis, known as SM-sarja from 1955 to 1989, is the top professional pesäpallo league in Finland. It was created in 1990 to replace the SM-sarja which was fundamentally an amateur league. The Superpesis is directly overseen by the Finnis ...
. Notable sportspeople from Joensuu include
Jukka Keskisalo Jukka Pekka Sakari Keskisalo (born 27 March 1981) is a Finnish athlete competing in 3000 m steeplechase and 1500 m. He won the 3000 m steeplechase at the 2006 European Championships in Athletics in Gothenburg and was also an Olympian in 2012. B ...
, the European champion in 2006 at the 3000m
steeplechase Steeplechase may refer to: * Steeplechase (horse racing), a type of horse race in which participants are required to jump over obstacles * Steeplechase (athletics), an event in athletics that derives its name from the steeplechase in horse racing ...
; Aki Parviainen, the world champion of javelin throwing in 1999; biathlete Kaisa Mäkäräinen, who won three overall World Cup titles in the
2010–11 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. I ...
, 2013–14 and 2017–18 seasons;
1983 The year 1983 saw both the official beginning of the Internet and the first mobile cellular telephone call. Events January * January 1 – The migration of the ARPANET to Internet protocol suite, TCP/IP is officially completed (this is consid ...
World Rally Championship winner Hannu Mikkola;
2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...
Global RallyCross Championship champion and current World RX driver Toomas Heikkinen; and National Hockey League ice hockey players
Urho Vaakanainen Urho Vaakanainen (born 1 January 1999) is a Finnish professional ice hockey defenceman for the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected 18th overall by the Bruins in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. Playing career Vaakanainen ...
and
Juuso Riikola Juuso Riikola (born 9 November 1993) is a Finnish professional ice hockey defenseman currently playing with IK Oskarshamn of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). His brother, Simo-Pekka also played professionally. Playing career Riikola made his S ...
.


Education

Joensuu is a city of students. The
University of Eastern Finland The University of Eastern Finland ( fi, Itä-Suomen yliopisto) is a university in Finland founded in 2010 with campuses in Joensuu and Kuopio. History The Finnish Parliament passed the Universities Act on June 16, 2009, which, among other things ...
(UEF) has one of its two main campuses in Joensuu and the University of Applied Sciences Karelia has two Joensuu campuses. There are also five high schools in Joensuu: Lyceum High School, Upper Secondary Normal School, Joensuu Coeducational High School, Finnish-Russian Upper Secondary School of the Eastern Finland, and Pyhäselkä High School. There is also the Joensuu Sports Academy, which is a co-operation network of educational institutions that offers
athlete An athlete (also sportsman or sportswoman) is a person who competes in one or more sports that involve physical strength, speed, or endurance. Athletes may be professionals or amateurs. Most professional athletes have particularly well-devel ...
s training and coaching.


Notable people

* Ismo Alanko (born 1960), musician *
Aku Korhonen August ”Aku” Aleksander Korhonen (29 December 1892 in Käkisalmi − 5 September 1960 in Helsinki) was a Finnish theatre and film actor. During his career, he appeared in 76 films and received three Jussi Awards. He is buried in the Hietanie ...
(1892−1960), actor *
Suvi Lindén Suvi Lindén Suvi Helmi Tellervo Lindén (born 19 April 1962 in Helsinki) is a Finnish politician. A member of the National Coalition Party, she represented the electoral district of Oulu in the Parliament of Finland from 1995 to 2011 and served ...
(born 1962), politician and former Minister of Culture * Kaisa Mäkäräinen (born 1983), 3-time world-cup-winning biathlete * Sini Manninen (1944–2012), painter * Taneli Mustonen (born 1978), film director and screenwriter *
Esa Pakarinen Feeliks Esaias "Esa" Pakarinen (9 February 1911 – 28 April 1989) was a Finnish actor, singer, accordionist and comedian, best known for the role of Pekka Puupää in the ''Pekka and Pätkä'' films from 1953–1960. He was also a skilled, self- ...
(1911–1989), actor, singer and accordionist *
Pentti Saarikoski Pentti Saarikoski ( Impilahti, now in the Republic of Karelia September 2, 1937 – Joensuu August 24, 1983) was one of the most important poets in the literary scene of Finland during the 1960s and 1970s. His body of work comprises poetry and ...
(1937–1983), poet and translator * Jouko Turkka (1942–2016), theatrical director and controversialist *
Mari Turunen Mari Turunen (born 1970 in Joensuu) is a Finnish actress. She has become known for the Kummeli comedy series from 1994 to 2000, and films '' Kummeli: Kultakuume'' from 1997 and ''Kummelin Jackpot'' from 2006. She also starred in the 2021 crime dr ...
(born 1970), actress * Floor Jansen, Dutch singer and the lead vocalist of
Nightwish Nightwish is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Kitee. The band was formed in 1996 by lead songwriter and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, and former lead singer Tarja Turunen. The band soon picked up drummer Jukka Neva ...
, lived in Joensuu between 2014 and 2015.


Friendship cities

Joensuu is twinned with: * Linköping,
Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
(since 1940) *
Ísafjörður Ísafjörður (pronounced , meaning ''ice fjord'', literally ''fjord of ices'') is a town in the northwest of Iceland. The oldest part of Ísafjörður with the town centre is located on a spit of sand, or ''eyri'', in Skutulsfjörður, a fjord ...
, Iceland (since 1948) * Tønsberg, Norway (1948) * Hof, Germany (since 1970) * Vilnius,
Lithuania Lithuania (; lt, Lietuva ), officially the Republic of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos Respublika, links=no ), is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. Lithuania ...
(since 1970) * Petrozavodsk, Russia (cooperation agreement) (since 1994)


See also

*
Eno, Finland Eno is a former municipality of Finland, now part of Joensuu. It is located in the province of Eastern Finland and is part of the North Karelia region. The municipality had a population of 6,764 (as of January 1, 2006) and covered an area of 1,08 ...
* Finnish Lake Road * Ilosaarirock * Öllölä *
Pielisjoki Castle Pielisjoki Castle (Finnish: ''Pielisjoen linna'') is a 19th-century public building in the city of Joensuu, in eastern Finland. It is located in the city centre, situated on a small island in River Pielisjoki. Built in 1852 originally as a Crow ...


References


External links


City of Joensuu

City of Joensuu

Pielis.ru – Travel information about North Karelia region and City of Joensuu

Joensuu Marketplace webcam
{{authority control 1848 establishments in Finland Cities and towns in Finland Grand Duchy of Finland Populated places established in 1848 Populated lakeshore places in Finland