It is part of the Northern Savonia region, located 59 kilometres (37 mi) north of the city of Kuopio.

The municipality has a population of 8,864 (31 December 2024)[2] and covers an area of 1,245.16 square kilometres (480.76 sq mi) of which 148.58 km2 (57.37 sq mi) is water.

[1] The population density is 8.08 inhabitants per square kilometre (20.9/sq mi).

The neighboring municipalities of Lapinlahti are Iisalmi, Kuopio, Rautavaara, Siilinjärvi and Sonkajärvi.

The neighboring municipality of Varpaisjärvi was consolidated with Lapinlahti on 1 January 2011.