Turku

Turku ({{IPA2|ˈturku}}, Swedish: {{Audio|sv-Åbo.ogg|Åbo}}), founded in the 13th century, is the oldest and fifth largest city in Finland, with a population of 174,824 (as of 2004). Located at the mouth of the Aura river in the southwest of the country, it is the capital city of both the region of Finland Proper and the province of Western Finland, as well as being the centre of the country's third largest urban area, with around 300,000 inhabitants. Turku has one of the largest Finland-Swedish population in the country. The Finnish word for the inhabitants of Turku is turkulaiset (singular: turkulainen). Due to its location, the Port of Turku is considered one of the most important seaports in Finland.

Geography

Located at the mouth of the Aura river in the southwestern corner of Finland, Turku covers an area of 243 km² (94 sq mi) of land, spread over both sides of the river. The eastern side, where the Cathedral of Turku is located, is popularly referred to as täl pual jokke ('this side of the river'), while the western side is referred to as tois pual jokke ('the other side of the river'. The city centre is located close to the river mouth, on both sides of the river, though development has recently been expanding westward.

Related Topics:
Km² - Sq mi

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There are nine bridges over the Aura river in Turku. The first bridge in the city area, known as Pennisilta, was built in 1414, and has since, beig demolished. The oldest of the current bridges is Auransilta, which was constructed in 1904. The newest bridge is Teatterisilta ('theatre bridge'), a pedestrian-only bridge built in 1997. One of the best-known landmarks of Turku is the Föri, a small ferry that transports pedestrians and bicycles across the river.

Related Topics:
Bridge - 1414 - 1904 - Pedestrian - 1997 - Ferry - Bicycle

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The city is divided into 79 districts that do not function as local government units. There are, however, some projects that are based on the district divisions, particularly in the eastern part of the city, where unemployment is rife in certain areas. The largest populated districts are Varissuo and Runosmäki. By area, however, Kakskerta and Paattinen, formed from former municipalities that were annexed to the city proper in the mid-20th century, constitute the largest districts.

Related Topics:
District - Kakskerta - Paattinen

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As many of the small neighbouring municipalities from the north and south of the city were annexed during the mid-20th century, Turku is today shaped like an elongated pear. The city centre and most of the suburban areas lie in the middle, separated from the less densely populated rural areas to the north by the Turku bypass that forms part of European route E18. Islands such as Ruissalo, Hirvensalo and Kakskerta, forming the southern part of the city, are also sparsely populated and mostly contain summer residences, with the exception of some districts in Hirvensalo which are currently growing into upper-middle-class suburbs.

Related Topics:
Municipalities - Pear - Bypass - European route E18 - Ruissalo - Hirvensalo - Upper-middle-class - Suburb

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With a population of approximately 300,000, the Turku region is the third largest urban region in Finland, after Greater Helsinki and the area around Tampere. The region is usually considered to include, in addition to the city itself, at least the neighbouring cities of Naantali, Raisio and Kaarina, and the town of Lieto. Often too, municipalities such as Pargas, Piikkiö, Paimio, Aura, Vahto, Rusko and Masku are included in this definition.

Related Topics:
Greater Helsinki - Tampere - Naantali - Raisio - Kaarina - Lieto - Pargas - Piikkiö - Paimio - Aura - Vahto - Rusko - Masku

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See also: Districts of Turku, Regions of Finland, Provinces of Finland

Related Topics:
Districts of Turku - Regions of Finland - Provinces of Finland

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