North Savo (or Northern Savonia; ; ) is a region in eastern Finland. It borders the regions of South Savo, Central Finland, North Ostrobothnia, Kainuu, and North Karelia. Kuopio is the largest city in the region and Lake Kallavesi is the largest lake in the region.

The region's traditional food is a fish and bacon filling pie called Kalakukko.

Historical provinces

For history, geography and culture see: Savo

Municipalities

The region of North Savo consists of 19 municipalities, five of which have city status (marked in bold).

Municipalities on the map

Sub-regions

Northeast Savo

  • 15px|link=Kaavi Kaavi
  • 15px|link=Rautavaara Rautavaara
  • 15px|link=Tuusniemi Tuusniemi

Kuopio sub-region

  • 15px|link=Kuopio Kuopio
  • 15px|link=Siilinjärvi Siilinjärvi

Inner Savo

  • 15px|link=Rautalampi Rautalampi
  • 15px|link=Suonenjoki Suonenjoki
  • 15px|link=Tervo Tervo
  • 15px|link=Vesanto Vesanto

Varkaus sub-region

  • 15px|link=Joroinen Joroinen (Jorois)
  • 15px|link=Leppävirta Leppävirta
  • 15px|link=Varkaus Varkaus

Upper Savo

  • 15px|link=Iisalmi Iisalmi (Idensalmi)
  • 15px|link=Keitele Keitele
  • 15px|link=Kiuruvesi Kiuruvesi
  • 15px|link=Lapinlahti Lapinlahti
  • 15px|link=Pielavesi Pielavesi
  • 15px|link=Sonkajärvi Sonkajärvi
  • 15px|link=Vieremä Vieremä

List of municipalities

thumb|[[Kalakukko]]

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 90%; text-align: right; line-height: normal"

|-

! class="unsortable" |Coat of<br/>arms

! Municipality

! Population

! Land area<br/>(km<sup>2</sup>)

! Density<br/>(/km<sup>2</sup>)

! Finnish<br/>speakers

! Swedish<br/>speakers

! Other<br/>speakers

|-

|50px|border|coat of arms of Iisalmi|| Iisalmi || || ||

|| &nbsp;% || &nbsp;% || &nbsp;%

|-

|50px|border|coat of arms of Joroinen|| Joroinen || || ||

|| &nbsp;% || &nbsp;% || &nbsp;%

|-

|50px|border|coat of arms of Kaavi|| Kaavi || || ||

|| &nbsp;% || &nbsp;% || &nbsp;%

|-

|50px|border|coat of arms of Keitele|| Keitele || || ||

|| &nbsp;% || &nbsp;% || &nbsp;%

|-

|50px|border|coat of arms of Kiuruvesi|| Kiuruvesi || || ||

|| &nbsp;% || &nbsp;% || &nbsp;%

|-

|50px|border|coat of arms of Kuopio|| Kuopio || || ||

|| &nbsp;% || &nbsp;% || &nbsp;%

|-

|50px|border|coat of arms of Lapinlahti|| Lapinlahti || || ||

|| &nbsp;% || &nbsp;% || &nbsp;%

|-

|50px|border|coat of arms of Leppävirta|| Leppävirta || || ||

|| &nbsp;% || &nbsp;% || &nbsp;%

|-

|50px|border|coat of arms of Pielavesi|| Pielavesi || || ||

|| &nbsp;% || &nbsp;% || &nbsp;%

|-

|50px|border|coat of arms of Rautalampi|| Rautalampi || || ||

|| &nbsp;% || &nbsp;% || &nbsp;%

|-

|50px|border|coat of arms of Rautavaara|| Rautavaara || || ||

|| &nbsp;% || &nbsp;% || &nbsp;%

|-

|50px|border|coat of arms of Siilinjärvi|| Siilinjärvi || || ||

|| &nbsp;% || &nbsp;% || &nbsp;%

|-

|50px|border|coat of arms of Sonkajärvi|| Sonkajärvi || || ||

|| &nbsp;% || &nbsp;% || &nbsp;%

|-

|50px|border|coat of arms Suonenjoki|| Suonenjoki || || ||

|| &nbsp;% || &nbsp;% || &nbsp;%

|-

|50px|border|coat of arms of Tervo|| Tervo || || ||

|| &nbsp;% || &nbsp;% || &nbsp;%

|-

|50px|border|coat of arms of Tuusniemi|| Tuusniemi || || ||

|| &nbsp;% || &nbsp;% || &nbsp;%

|-

|50px|border|coat of arms of Varkaus|| Varkaus || || ||

|| &nbsp;% || &nbsp;% || &nbsp;%

|-

|50px|border|coat of arms of Vesanto|| Vesanto || || ||

|| &nbsp;% || &nbsp;% || &nbsp;%

|-

|50px|border|coat of arms of Vieremä|| Vieremä || || ||

|| &nbsp;% || &nbsp;% || &nbsp;%

|-

!!!+ style=text-align:right | Total !!+ style=text-align:right | !!+ style=text-align:right | !!+ style=text-align:right |

!!+ style=text-align:right | &nbsp;%

!!+ style=text-align:right | &nbsp;%

!!+ style=text-align:right | &nbsp;%

|}

Demographics

Politics

For parliamentary elections, North Savo, together with the region of North Karelia, is part of the Savo-Karelia constituency. As of 2023, the constituency elects 15 of the 200 members of the Parliament of Finland.

Tertiary education

  • University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio Campus (enrollment c. 6,000, in Kuopio)
  • Savonia University of Applied Sciences (enrollment c. 6,000, in Kuopio (about 4,500), Varkaus and Iisalmi)
  • Kuopio department of Sibelius Academy (c. 150 studying for Master of Music in Church music or Master of Arts in Arts Management)
  • Kuopio department of Humak University of Applied Sciences (c. 100 studying to be Sign language Interpreters)

References

  • Official North Savo Regional Council website