Kostomuksha is a Russian city (since 1983), the administrative center of the Kostomuksha District in the Republic of Karelia.

With the population of 29 036 people, Kostomuksha is the third largest city of Karelia.

The city is located in the north of the West Karelian Upland, at the distance of 490 km from Petrozavodsk and 930 km from St. Petersburg. It is only 30 km away from the Russian-Finnish border (the international car check point Luttya/Vartius).

The city-forming enterprise is Karelsky Okatysh, JSC (Kostomuksha mining and processing works until 1993). Kostomuksha belongs to the areas of the Far North. It is on the border of the subzones of the middle and northern taiga.

Places of Interest

• The ancient Karelian village of Voknavolok in the Kostomuksha District is one of those settlements, where the world famous Karelian epos Kalevala was created.

• Kalevalsky national park is planned to be created in the northwest of the Kostomuksha District with the purpose to protect and preserve the virgin forests present in this area. The nature is pristine here, with some unfooted places.

• Kostomuksha Nature Reserve located near the Kamennoye Lake is a part of the first Russian-Finnish ecological park Friendship/ Druzhba.

• Three music festivals are held in Kostomuksha annually: a chamber music festival in summer, an author's song festival in autumn and the Nord Session rock festival in winter.