Finland and Tampere

Finland
City of Tampere

Finland

Finland offers excellent higher education opportunities in all fields of study. This Nordic country and EU Member State is situated between West and East and combines the best of both traditions. Finland enjoys political and economical stability: it is efficiently run and has a first-class education system. Its culture is unique: the Finnish way of life combines all the advantages of a high-tech society with an unspoilt nature. (CIMO; Why Finland 2006, 3.)

Finland 's total area is 338 000 square kilometers. Finland shares land borders with Sweden (586 km), Norway (727 km), and Russia (1269 km), and a sea boundary with Estonia to the south over the Gulf of Finland . There are a little over 5 million inhabitants - which means that there are only about 16 inhabitants per square kilometre.

The capital and biggest city in Finland is Helsinki with 560 000 inhabitants. Helsinki and its neighbouring cities, Espoo , Vantaa and Kauniainen constitute a metropolitan area totaling a population of approximately 1.2 million. Tampere is the nation´s third most populous city with about 200 000 citizens, followed by Vantaa with 180 000 and Turku with 175 000. Finns are very proud of their beautiful country. Forests cover about 69% of the total area. There are also 190 000 lakes and 180 000 islands! There are no real mountains in Finland , but in Lapland there are fells (tunturi as we Finns call them). The highest fell is Halti, which rises to 1 328 metres.

Finland has two official languages: Finnish and Swedish, the latter spoken as mother tongue by 6% of the population. Other languages are Sámi (formerly Lappish, in Finnish saame) and Romany (romanien kieli). English is very widely taught in the schools, so you will have no difficulty in finding people who can communicate with you in that language.
Further information about Finland can be found on the following websites:

• http://finland.cimo.fi/
• http://www.finland-tourism.com/
• http://finland.fi
• http://www.formin.fi/english/

There are distinctive seasonal variations in the Finnish nature. In summer, the weather (sää) turns warm with temperatures as high as +20-30 °C. Winter can be pretty cold, -20-30 °C, but it is spectacularly beautiful with a lot of bright white snow. Typically, however, the winter temperature is between -5-10°C. You will need proper winter clothing: a coat, mittens, warm footwear, a hat that covers your ears, and long underwear. Finnish buildings are generally well-heated, so it will be warm indoors.

The current weather in Finland can be checked at: www.fmi.fi/en

The City of Tampere

Tampere is the largest inland city in Scandinavia and the heart of the urbanised Tampere region, which has a growing population of about 450 000. In the city itself there are approximately 200 000 inhabitants. Tampere is located in Southern Finland on a narrow strip of land between two lakes about 173 kilometres north of Helsinki , the capital of Finland. Tampere was founded in 1779 on the banks of the Tammerkoski rapids and soon evolved into the most highly industrialised town in Finland . At that time the city lived mainly on textile, clothing, leather and metal industries, whereas today Tampere has a firm technological base. The high technology institutes of the region boast an internationally respected level of research.

The heart of Tampere city is the Pyynikki ridge, which rises between the lakes Näsijärvi and Pyhäjärvi, just two kilometers from the city centre. It is one of the city's most important recreation areas and an ideal place to take a break and enjoy the breathtaking view to the lakes. The Pyynikki ridge is regarded as the highest gravel ridge in the world.

Tampere is also known for its rich array of cultural attractions, with several theatres and art museums and the various types of annual festivals, the best known of which are the Tampere International Theatre Festival in August and Tampere International Short Film Festival in March. For further information about Tampere , see http://www.tampere.fi/english/index.html

Here is how a former student of the University of Tampere , Mr. Zachary Sorrells, describes the city:

"I found Tampere to be a very nice small city with good shopping, good nightlife and an excellent bus system that makes it really easy to get around. I love being in the bustle and energy of the city center and in no more than 20 minutes be alone in the peacefulness of a snow-covered forest. In the summer you'll find beautiful lakes and forests overflowing with more lingonberries than you know what to do with."

SITR News (Studying in Tampere Region) provides international students with news and current topics related to studying and living in Tampere.

SITR Working provides useful links to general information on working in Finland, advice on where to look for a job in Finland, hints for applying for a job, information on which authorities you need to contact, etc.