Leppävirta

A fifth of the municipality's area consists of lakes, with many islands. Much of the land area is on Soisalo (1,638 km²), by some definitions Europe's biggest lake island. Soisalo is surrounded by the lakes Kallavesi, Suvasvesi, Kermajärvi, Ruokovesi, Haukivesi och Unnukka (with 6 m height difference between Kallavesi in the north and Haukivesi in the south).

Of Leppävirta's 10,000 inhabitants about half live in the municipal centre, and 700–1,000 each in Sorsakoski to the south-west, Oravikoski to the north-west and by the border to Varkaus in the south. Although population density is only 8/km², industry is more important than agriculture or forestry. Hackman (now part of Fiskars) has long been a big employer in Sorsakoski.

Leppävirta is 56 km south of Kuopio and 24 km north of Varkaus on highway 5, the Finnish eastern main north-south highway (from Heinola via Mikkeli, Varkaus, Kuopio, Kajaani and Kuusamo to Sodankylä).

By train:

Nearest railway stations are Varkaus (24 km (15 mi)) and Suonenjoki (45 km (28 mi)). Timetables are available from the VR website.

By bus:

Buses between Helsinki and Kuopio stop at Leppävirta. The stop for Onnibus is "Sorsakoski th", located along the main road about 2 km from the town center. For timetables, see Matkahuolto.

By car:

Highway 5 is the main option. From Pieksämäki (46 km) you can come by 453 and then 533. From Suonenjoki (32 km), take highway 9, then road 531. From Heinävesi (54 km) take road 476 (Varkaudentie), drive 2 km on highway 23 towards Joensuu, then road 534.

By boat:

The 4-m fairway from the Saimaa Canal to Kuopio and Siilinjärvi goes through Leppävirta by the canal Konnuksen kanava.