Espoo

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Espoo
native_name = Espoon kaupunki - Esbo stad
slang names =
motto =


imagesize =
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image_shield = Espoo.vaakuna.svg


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map_caption = Location of Espoo in Finland
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = Finland
subdivision_type1 = Province
subdivision_name1 = Southern Finland
subdivision_type2 = Region
subdivision_name2 = Uusimaa
subdivision_type3 = Sub-region
subdivision_name3 = Greater Helsinki
leader_title = City manager
leader_name = Marketta Kokkonen
established_title = Charter
established_date = 1972
established_title2 =
established_date2 =
established_title3 =
established_date3 =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 528
area_total_sq_mi =
area_land_km2 = 312
area_land_sq_mi =
area_water_km2 = 216
area_water_sq_mi =
area_water_percent =
area_urban_km2 =
area_urban_sq_mi =
area_metro_km2 =
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population_as_of = 2008
population_note =
population_total = 240132
population_density_km2 = 753
population_density_sq_mi =
population_metro =
population_density_metro_km2 =
population_density_metro_sq_mi =
population_urban =
population_density_urban_km2 =
population_density_urban_mi2 =
timezone = EET
utc_offset = +2
timezone_DST = EEST
utc_offset_DST = +3
latd=60 |latm=12 |lats=20 |latNS=N
longd=24 |longm=39 |longs=20 |longEW=E
elevation_m =
elevation_ft =
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postal_code =
website = [http://www.espoo.fi www.espoo.fi]
footnotes =
blank_name =Official languages |blank_info =Finnish (84,8 %), Swedish (8,5 %)

Espoo (IPA2|ˈespoː; Esbo ( [IPA|ˈɛsbo] ) in Swedish) is the second largest city of Finland, with a population of approximately 240,000. It is part of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area along with the cities of Helsinki, Vantaa, and Kauniainen. Espoo shares its eastern border with Helsinki and Vantaa, while enclosing Kauniainen. Other bordering municipalities are Nurmijärvi and Vihti in the north and Kirkkonummi in the west. The national park of Nuuksio is situated in northwest Espoo.

Espoo encompasses 528 km², of which 312 km² are land. The current population is 240,132 (as of 2008-07-31), in Finland second only to that of Helsinki.

Espoo has several local regional centers. Espoo is thus divided into the following major areas: Espoon keskus (also administrative center), Espoonlahti, Kalajärvi, Kauklahti, Leppävaara, Matinkylä-Olari, and Tapiola.

The Helsinki University of Technology is based in Otaniemi, Espoo, along with a thriving science community that includes numerous startups and organizations such as VTT–the Technical Research Center of Finland. Nokia, the telecommunications company, operates from Keilaniemi (and also from Karamalmi), Espoo, along with other high-tech companies such as KONE and Fortum.

History

The name "Espoo" probably comes from the Swedish name for the River Espoo, "Espå" (or "Espåå"), which in turn comes from the old Swedish word "äspe", meaning stand of aspen, and the Swedish word for "river", "å". The name was first mentioned in 1431.

The first inhabitants in the area arrived about 9,000 years ago. A permanent settlement was established during the 12th and 13th centuries. The King’s Road that passes through Espoo on its way from Stockholm via Turku to Viipuri dates back to the 13th century. The oldest preserved building in Espoo, the Espoo Cathedral, originates from the 1480s. The administrative center Espoon keskus has grown around the church and the railway station.

In 1920, Espoo was only a rural municipality of about 9,000 inhabitants, of whom 70% were Swedish speaking. Agriculture was the primary source of income, with 75% of the population making their living from farming. Kauniainen ("Grankulla" in Swedish) was separated from Espoo in 1920, and it gained city rights the same year as Espoo, in 1972.

Espoo started to grow rapidly in the 1940s and '50s. It quickly developed from a rural municipality into a fully-fledged industrial city, gaining city rights in 1972. Due to its proximity to Helsinki, Espoo soon became popular amongst people working in the capital. In the fifty years from 1950 to 2000, the population of Espoo grew from 22,000 to 210,000. Since 1945, the majority of people in Espoo have been Finnish speaking. In 2006, the Swedish speaking inhabitants represented barely 9% of the total population. The population growth is still continuing, but at a slower rate.

Demographics

Population by nationality on January 1 2007 was 95.1% Finnish nationality, 4.9% other nationalities. Religious affiliation was 77.4% Lutheran, 1.3% Orthodox, 1.3% other, 19.9% no religious affiliation.

Espoo contains many high income suburbs, six out of the ten highest average income zip code areas in Finland are in Espoo.

Culture

The Melodic Death Metal band Children of Bodom comes from Espoo, Finland. They are named after the mass murder known as the Lake Bodom murders which took place at Lake Bodom, a lake in northern Espoo. The bands Norther and Kiuas also come from Espoo.

Sports

Espoo is home to several premier league sports teams. The Espoo Blues play at LänsiAuto Areena in the SM-Liiga - professional ice hockey league. The club was established in February 1984 as "Kiekko-Espoo" and played their first season in 1984-1985 in the Finnish Second Division. In 1988 they achieved a place on the Finnish First Division and in 1992 they celebrated their promotion to the SM-liiga. The club and the team changed their name in 1998. The name came from the dominant colour of their home jersey. The full name of the club is "Blues Hockey Oy".

Another sports club from Espoo, FC Honka, is a football club based in Tapiola in southern Espoo. It was promoted into the Finnish premier division ("Veikkausliiga") for the first time in its history at the end of the 2005 season. The manager of the club is Mika Lehkosuo, and it plays its home matches at Tapiolan urheilupuisto. Originally founded in 1953 as "Tapion Honka", it changed its name into FC Honka in 1975.FC Honka is largely known in Finland for its extensive youth scheme with over 1000 young players playing in various age groups.

Espoo is the birthplace of 2000 and 2002 World Rally Champion Marcus Grönholm, current Formula One Champion Kimi Räikkönen and JJ Lehto.

Club Sport League Stadium Logo Espoo Blues Ice hockey SM-liiga LänsiAuto Areena Espoo Blues Ice hockey Women's SM series Laaksolahti Arena FC Honka Football Veikkausliiga Tapiolan urheilupuisto Tapiolan Honka Basketball Korisliiga Tapiolan urheiluhalli Espoon Oilers Floorball Salibandyliiga Tapiolan urheiluhalli

Gallery

Sister cities

* Esztergom, Hungary
* Gatchina, Russia
* Irving, Texas, United States
* Køge, Denmark
* Kongsberg, Norway
* Kristianstad, Sweden
* Nõmme, Estonia
* Sauðárkrókur, Iceland
* Shanghai, China
* Sochi, Russia

References

*"Espoon kaupungin taskutilasto 2007", issued by the City of Espoo, 2007

See also

* Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context, signed in Espoo 1991
* Districts of Espoo

External links

*fi icon [http://www.espoo.fi/ City Website]
*en icon [http://english.espoo.fi/ City Website]
*en icon [http://www.espootravel.com/xsl_etusivu.asp?path=5687 Espoo City Travel Website]
*fi icon/en icon [http://www.hut.fi/ Helsinki University of Technology] - located in Espoo
*fi icon/en icon [http://www.helsinki.fi/en/ Helsinki.fi] - Helsinki region in a nutshell