The area around the Biggesee and the main town of Olpe, as the Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung (Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning) sees them, are included in the Mittelbiggebergland (Middle Bigge Mountain Land), while the eastern and southern portions of the municipal area are designated Südsauerländer Rothaarvorhöhen (South Sauerland Rothaar Foothills).

The municipal area is an integral part of the Rheinisches Schiefergebirge (Rhenish Slate Mountains).

The municipal area is divided into the following centres: Altenkleusheim, Apollmicke, Bruch, Dahl, Eichhagen, Fahlenscheid, Friedrichsthal, Griesemert, Grube Rhonard, Günsen, Hardt, Hanemicke, Hitzendumicke, Hof Siele, Hohl, Howald, Hüppcherhammer, Kessenhammer, Lütringhausen, Möllendick, Neger (divided into Unter-, Mittel- and Oberneger), Neuenkleusheim, Neuenwald, Oberveischede, Rehringhausen, Rhode, Rhonard, Ronnewinkel, Rosenthal, Rüblinghausen, Saßmicke, Siedenstein, Sondern, Stachelau, Stade, Tecklinghausen Thieringhausen and Waukemicke.

In 1311 it was granted town rights on the Soest model by the archbishop-elector of Cologne, Count Heinrich II of Virneburg.

At that time, it was the seat of the Bilsteiner Kreis; today it fills that place in the district of Olpe.

In 1863, the Arme Franziskanerinnen von der ewigen Anbetung (Poor Franciscans of the Everlasting Worship), a Catholic women's order whose main work is in taking care of children and nursing, was founded.

Moreover, there are two monastic establishments: The Pallottines’ provincial head has stated that his congregation will, at least in the medium term, stay in Olpe.

For economic reasons, however, the order has sold the building to an investor who wants to set up 40 dwellings for the aged and 100 fully equipped nursing care places.

As a result of municipal restructuring on 1 July 1969, the “old town” (the older town of Olpe and the outlying former Amt) has now been joined by the formerly autonomous communities of Kleusheim, Olpe-Land and Rhode as well as by parts of the old communities of Helden (Oberveischede, Tecklinghausen, Neuenwald), Rahrbach (Fahlenscheid) and Kirchveischede (Apollmicke) to form a new, expanded municipal area swelling from a former 12.78 km2 to 85.65 km2 in area, and from 14,184 to 21,705 in population (for 31 December in each case) The Jugendparlament has existed since late 2005.

The youth parliament currently consists of 25 members, each elected for a two-year mandate by secondary schools.

The arms show an episode from Saint Martin's life, when he gave a beggar half his coat.

The town Gymnasium in Olpe has for years been conducting student exchanges with a collège in Gif-sur-Yvette.

Concerts of all kinds, plays, musicals, cabaret acts, exhibitions and other events appear regularly in the programmes.

The wealth of forest, ore and water was the foundation on which the iron foundries, hammerworks, tinsmithies and tanneries were built.

Moreover, the town's location between the Siegerland on one side and the Brandenburg-ruled Sauerland on the other favoured economic development.

Midsize and nationally active businesses in various fields are the underpinnings of today's economic life in the district seat.

In the outlying centre of Sondern is a "lake station" which allows a direct transfer from the railway to a passenger boat.

Originally it ran by way of Gerlingen and Rothemühle (both belonging to the community of Wenden) to Freudenberg in Westphalia where it joined to the Asdorftalbahn by way of Niederfischbach to Kirchen (Sieg) with a further connection to another line, the Siegstrecke (KBS 460).

Another line ran from Olpe by way of Drolshagen and Bergneustadt to Dieringhausen with a connection to the Aggertalbahn (KBS 459).

On the premises of the former railway station and the neighboring industrial sites, new commercial and recreation areas developed, including a lake-view restaurant.

As for local road transport, many buslines run, joining Olpe to the neighbouring towns and communities.

The waters are plied from April until late October by two boats run by the Personenschifffahrt Biggesee.

In the reservoir's forward basin (called the Obersee, or “Upper Lake”) was a canal boat by the name of Olpe.

Furthermore, Olpe is connected to the North Rhine-Westphalia Cycling Transport Network (Radverkehrsnetz NRW).

Through Olpe runs the 1 080 km-long Wanderweg der Deutschen Einheit (“Hiking Path of German Unity”).

Also published, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, is the free advertising sheet Sauerlandkurier with information from the whole Sauerland.

On special occasions such as the shooting festival, the Sauerländer Börse, a glossy DIN-A-4-format advertising sheet, appears.

The hospital was founded in 1856 under the St. Martinus Olpe parish's sponsorship and at first it was run by two Vincentine sisters.

Attached to the hospital are, among other things, a nursing school, a course in geriatric care and a mobile dialysis centre.

It is one-third financed by sponsors such as longterm care insurance and two-thirds by donations and by the families themselves.