Geography

• Helsinki sits on the very southern tip of Finland bordering the Baltic Sea. The city sits on several peninsulas jutting out into the Gulf of Finland. Several islands in the Gulf of Finland are also considered part of Helsinki. The Helsinki metropolitan area covers about 1500 square miles. The city is located at 60 degrees north latitude. As a result, the days are very long in the summer and very short in the winter. Helsinki has mild summers and cold winters. The average temperature ranges from 18 degrees Fahrenheit in February to 70 degrees in July.
  
  

People

• About 1.3 million people live in the Helsinki metropolitan area. 85 percent of them are of Finnish ancestry, 6 percent are Swedish, and 9 percent are immigrants from other countries, mainly Russia, Norway and Estonia. The country's official language is Finnish, but Swedish and English are also widely spoken.
  
  

History

• Helsinki was established in 1550 as a Swedish outpost. The city rose to prominence in 1809 when the Grand Duchy of Finland was created as an autonomous part of the Russian Empire following the Swedish defeat in the Finnish War. Helsinki became the country's new capital. The city was caught in the middle of the Finnish Civil War in 1918. The German backed "Whites" eventually defeated the Russian backed "Reds." Finland remained a close ally to Germany through World War II. It fought two wars against the Soviet Union: the Winter War in 1939 and 1940, and the Continuation War from 1941 to 1944. After the defeat of Nazi Germany, Helsinki has enjoyed unprecedented peace and prosperity. Helsinki has developed into a sleek and modern metropolis.
  
  

Government

• The city of Helsinki is led by a mayor who is appointed by the city council. The mayor serves a 7-year term. There are 85 members of the Helsinki city council. Each is elected by the people of a particular municipality and serves a 4-year term. The three main political parties are the Green League, the Social Democrats and the National Coalition Party. The National Coalition Party currently has the most city council seats and the mayor's office.
  
  

Economy

• Helsinki enjoys one of the highest standards of living in the world. Reasons for this include a high per capita gross domestic product, excellent education system, superb infrastructure and comprehensive health care. There is almost no poverty and a steady population rate. Helsinki has a predominantly service based economy. Technology, manufacturing and ship building also contribute to the city's affluence.