In Ylä-Savo, people live at the headwaters of two great Finnish lake systems, Saimaa and Päijänne. There has been settlement in this area since the early Stone Age. It is believed that the original inhabitants were Laplanders, but at the beginning of the 16th century people from the Savo and Häme tribes also found their way to the area. The city of Iisalmi was founded in 1891 and incorporated into the rural commune in 1970.

Iisalmi, a vibrant Savo town surrounded by lakes and rivers, is the functional centre of the 62 000 inhabitant Ylä-Savo region.  The 22 000 inhabitants of the town can enjoy living in a safe and inspiring environment close to nature. The city centre is encircled by lakes, rivers and hilly terrain.

Iisalmi is also the heart of the Ylä-Savo economic zone. There are businesses from many different industrial sectors and leading companies are export-oriented. Iisalmi is a world leader in machine construction and the town is quickly becoming a centre of environmental know-how. Local skills are also transferred to the world market in the form of audio-visual technology and specialized vehicles. Iisalmi and the whole of the Ylä-Savo region utilize the EU structural funds in developing the area and the economy

City of Iisalmi 2011