The operating area of LAG Viisari was home to approximately 46 200 people at the end of 2021. It is less than one-fifth of the population of the whole Central Finland region. The surface of the area is about 8 500 km², which, however, covers over 40% of the whole surface area of the region. The operating area is mainly sparsely populated countryside with less than 5 residents per km². Only the areas of Äänekoski and Saarijärvi have a higher population density.

Natural resources – forests, mires, fields and waterways – are essential resources of the area. The strongpoints of business activities are small, active companies and hard-working entrepreneurs. Business activities are based especially on bioenergy, small-scale industry, tourism and services, but agriculture and forestry are also very important.

Business challenges are related to co-operation and networking among other things. The companies need a broader clientele, more creativity and entrepreneurship as well as new entrepreneurs to continue business operations. A lot needs to be done in terms of internationalisation and in the utilisation of the lake districts and natural products.