The city is located close to where the Sysola joins the larger Vychegda River, which is itself a branch of the Northern Dvina.

[11] It has remained the capital since then, although a large influx of ethnic Russians in the 20th century has actually left the Komi a minority there.

When Kandinsky stayed there in 1889 to record the culture and beliefs of the locals, the town had a group of administrative buildings along with more numerous log-built peasant huts.

It was renamed as Syktyvkar, which is Komi for "a town on the Sysola" in 1930, to mark the 150th anniversary of its receipt of city privileges.

[5] The Sysola, the Vychegda, and the Northern Dvina are navigable and are a major transport route of forestry products from Syktyvkar.

[14] The city's folk ensemble "Asya Kya" has been representing Komi Republic on national and international festivals.

At the final tournament of the 2016–17 season, with two Super League tickets held in Syktyvkar, Stroitel won[17] and was thus eligible for promotion.

Compared with areas at a similar latitude in Siberia, winters are less extreme, but still much longer than summer and bitterly cold by European standards.