Photo by Harald Raebiger Harald by Photo ThisThis isis HelsinkiHelsinki WELCOMEWELCOME This is Helsinki WELCOME ContactContact us!us! CityCity ofof HelsinkiHelsinki InformationInformation OfficeOffice P.O.P.O. BoxBox 11 0009900099 CityCity ofof HelsinkiHelsinki FinlandFinland Tel.Tel. +358-9-1691+358-9-1691 Fax:Fax: +358-9-655+358-9-655 354354 Photos by Matti Tirri by Photos This is Helsinki .................................................................. 44 Basic-schoolBasic-school educationeducation .......................................... 1919 Good transport connections .................... 4 AcademicAcademic secondarysecondary educationeducation .................. 2020 Expertise and economic life ...................... 4 Vocational training ........................... 20 People fare well ........................................ 4 ApprenticeshipApprenticeship trainingtraining ........................................ 2020 Standards of living ................................... 7 PolytechnicsPolytechnics .......................................................................... 2020 University-levelUniversity-level institutionsinstitutions ............................ 2121 A Functional City .......................................................... 99 An ideal city for visitors .......................... 21 Housing opportunities ............................. 9 GrowingGrowing tourismtourism fi guresgures ...................................... 2121 TrafTraffifi cc movesmoves smoothlysmoothly ........................................................ 99 HotelsHotels inin thethe heartheart ofof thethe citycity ...................... 2121 AA toptop airportairport ............................................................................ 99 AA popularpopular citycity forfor congressescongresses ...................... 2222 MakingMaking goodgood transporttransport MuchMuch toto offeroffer toto visitorsvisitors ...................................... 2222 networksnetworks eveneven betterbetter ................................................ 1010 ByBy privateprivate carcar oror publicpublic transporttransport .......... 1111 WhatWhat’s’s Best in Helsinki .............................. 2525 Pure water ............................................. 11 The environment .................................... 25 A city of light and warmth ...................... 12 MagniMagnifi cent,cent, cleanclean naturenature .................................. 2525 HeatHeat andand energyenergy withwith highhigh FourFour distinctdistinct seasonsseasons .............................................. 2525 environmentalenvironmental standardsstandards .................................... 1212 Over 450 years of A leading-edge high-tech city .................. 13 colourful history .................................... 25 Digital?Digital? OfOf course!course! ...................................................... 1414 HelsinkiHelsinki becomesbecomes capitalcapital .................................... 2626 BiotechnologyBiotechnology .................................................................... 1414 FromFrom independenceindependence BiotechnologyBiotechnology centrescentres toto thethe trialstrials ofof warwar ........................................................ 2626 inin thethe HelsinkiHelsinki regionregion .............................................. 1414 BigBig achievementsachievements Care for the environment ....................... 15 inin aa smallsmall countrycountry .......................................................... 2828 CleanClean airair .................................................................................... 1515 Culture and leisure time ......................... 28 SafeSafe foodfood .................................................................................. 1616 PlentyPlenty ofof offeringsofferings forfor anan activeactive populacepopulace ............................................ 2929 EfEffifi cientcient wastewaste managementmanagement .......................... 1616 CulturalCultural andand sportssports facilitiesfacilities .......................... 3131 GreenGreen areasareas andand thethe seasea ...................................... 1616 AA fl ourishingourishing restaurantrestaurant A safe city .............................................. 16 andand cafcafé cultureculture .............................................................. 3232 ConConfifi rmedrmed securitysecurity ...................................................... 1616 Shopping alternatives ............................. 32 RescueRescue DepartmentDepartment andand WideWide selectionsselections ................................................................ 3333 civilcivil defencedefence .......................................................................... 1717 Architecture of the North ....................... 34 The welfare state at your service ............. 18 AA day-careday-care placeplace forfor allall childrenchildren ................ 1818 Life in Helsinki .............................................................. 3636 YourYour ownown physicianphysician atat youryour ownown healthhealth centrecentre .................................. 1818 The Finnish character and customs ......... 36 From pre-school to university ................. 19 Social institutions ................................... 36 Pre-schoolPre-school education education ........................................ ........................ 19 19 Politics and defence in Finland ................ 36 Photo by Harald Raebiger Harald by Photo ThisThis isis HelsinkiHelsinki elsinki, the capital of Finland, is a Nordic, west- Public transport functions well and dominates traffi c H ern-European city with a highly developed infra- in Helsinki and its region. The bus, tram, train structure and some of the world’s leading high- and metro timetables are well-synchronized, the tech capabilities. The population is well-educated, network is dense and the equipment is good. and they enjoy an excellent quality of living. The taxis are likewise excellent in terms of both Helsinki is surrounded by sea on three sides, and the equipment and service. maritime environment gives the city life a special There are rarely any breakdowns even under severe character. There are four distinct seasons, with weather conditions including snowfall. exquisite summers, and with northern winters which are mild compared to other northern regions of the world. Expertise and economic life The population of the Helsinki region is 1.1 million. Besides Helsinki, this region includes the cities he economic structure of Helsinki is diversifi ed of Espoo, Vantaa and Kauniainen. The Helsinki T but the service sector is dominant in the manner region is today the EU’s second-fastest growing of a typical European metropolis. More than 85 % urban area, right after Dublin. of all jobs are either in private or public services. Finnish is the dominant language, while 7 % speak The industrial sector accounts for 10 % of all jobs. Swedish, the second offi cial language of Finland, However, Helsinki is Finland’s biggest industrial as their fi rst language. Most people speak good city, with strong electronics and shipbuilding English, while other European languages including industries. German and French are also spoken. In recent years Helsinki’s growth has been based on the A large majority of the population are Lutheran. Approxi- expansion of the information sector, especially mately one percent are Orthodox. There are two telecommunications, information technology Catholic congregations as well as a Jewish and an and new media. Of Finland’s entire information Islamic congregation. sector, a third is located in Helsinki, and more The Helsinki population is young: people in their 30s than half in the Helsinki region. The region is constitute the largest group. the home of Nokia, the world’s largest and most Helsinki is Finland’s most important university city. rapidly expanding mobile phone manufacturer. Every fi fth Helsinki resident has a university-level Helsinki offers the best information-technology services education. in the world, and the city is probably the world’s most digitalized capital. Mobile phone usage is the highest in the world, and the city leads in Good transport connections Internet banking; monetary transactions can even be handled by mobile phone. elsinki is easy to reach by all means of transport. H The international airport, which is ranked fi rst in the world for comfort and service, is located People fare well 20 km from the centre of Helsinki. The national rail network radiates from the heart of the city. elsinki’s good quality of life is based on the There are dozens of daily departures by ship at all H closeness to nature, the clean environment, the times of the year. excellent technical infrastructure and the respect Traffi c in the Helsinki region is smooth and traffi c jams given to traditional cultural values. are rare. The trip from the fringes of Helsinki to the Commercial services are of the same high quality that city centre takes less than a half-hour; by public one fi nds in the other Nordic countries, but price transport one can make it even more quickly. levels are somewhat lower. 4 4 Jugend architecture on Mannerheimintie 5 The cultural activities are abundant. In 2000, when Helsinki turned 450, the city was one of the William M. Mercer European Cities of Culture and considerably Quality of Living Survey January 2000 added to its cultural offerings. Worldwide ranking Opportunities for recreational