Helsinki

capital city · Nordic region · Baltic coast · Scandinavia

Finland's Power Hub. Helsinki is where all of Finland's most important decisions happen, plus it's the center for education, business, and research in the whole country.

Gulf of Finland Home. The city sits right on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, a body of water connected to the Baltic Sea, making it a natural place for a port city.

Nearly 700,000 People. About 694,000 people live in Helsinki itself, and nearly 1.6 million live in the whole metro area, making it by far Finland's biggest city.

Two Official Languages. Helsinki is bilingual, meaning both Finnish and Swedish are official languages used in the city, a tradition from when Sweden ruled the region.

Between Three Countries. Helsinki sits close to Estonia (just 50 miles south), Sweden (250 miles west), and Russia (190 miles east), making it a bridge between Nordic and Eastern European cultures.