Kuopio is a Finnish city located in the province of Eastern Finland and the region of Northern Savonia. A population of 91,000 makes it the 8th biggest city in the country. The city has a total area of 1,730 km², of which 805 km² is water and half forest. The population density is only 52 inhabitants/km², but the center of the city is populated very densely, even comparable to the Helsinki metropolitan area. The population of the whole Kuopio region is about 120,000. Kuopio was founded in 1653 by Governor Peter Brahe, but the official date is recognized as November 17, 1775, when King Gustav III of Sweden ordered the establishment of the city of Kuopio. The municipality of Vehmersalmi joined the city of Kuopio on January 1st 2005 like the municipality of Kuopion maalaiskunta in 1969 and the municipality of Riistavesi in 1973.