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Location
Uusimaa region, south coast of Finland.

Dialling code
358

Population
559,050 (city); 1,240,482 (metropolitan area).

Time zone
GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from last Saturday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).

Electricity
220 volts AC, 50Hz; two-pin plugs are standard.

Average January temperatures
- 5°C (23°F).

Average July temperatures
17°C (62°F).

Annual rainfall
600mm (23.6 inches).

Language
Introduction
Finland has two official languages: Finnish and Swedish. Finnish, a Finno-Ugric language, is spoken by 93% of the population, while Swedish, mostly found in pockets of Finland’s southwest coast, is the mother tongue of 6% of Finns. In remote parts of the north, about 1700 people still speak Sami (more commonly known as Lappish).

The roots of the Finnish language are in the Finno-Ugric linguistic family that includes, in one branch, Finnish, Estonian and a number of permutations and, in the other, Hungarian. Since just five million people speak Finnish, foreign languages are a must for Finns; English, an integral part of the school curriculum, is widely understood. As a hangover from its past, some inhabitants also speak Russian. Most restaurants have menus in Finnish and English.

Helsinkilaiset consider their Finnish the yardstick of cosmopolitan Finland – regional accents are viewed as provincial. There are a number of slang words idiosyncratic to the capital, such as dosa (bus), spora or ratikka (tram), bisse (beer) and rooki or spaddu (cigarette), among others. Helsinkilaiset are proud of their Finnish language, and rather than adopting English-isms like the French (eg le ski, le surf), they coin their own Finnish words in order to preserve their mother tongue.

Phrases

Yes - Kyllä
No - Ei
Hello - Hei
Goodbye - Näkemiin
Please - Ole hyvä
Thank you - Kiitos
My name is … - Minun nimeni on …
How are you? - Mitä kuuluu?
I’m very well - Kiitos hyvää
I feel ill - Olen sairas
How much does it cost? - Mitä tämä maksaa?
Do you speak English? - Puhutko englantia?
I don’t understand - En ymmärrä
Where is...? - Missä...?
Entrance - Sisään
Exit - Ulos
Danger - Vaara
Open - Avoinna
Closed - Suljettu
Toilets - Vessa / WC
Doctor - Lääkäri
Hotel - Hotelli
Restaurant - Ravintola
Beer - Olut
Wine - Viini
Menu - Ruokalista
Today - Tänään
Tomorrow - Huomenna
Monday - Maanantai
Tuesday - Tiistai
Wednesday - Keskiviikko
Thursday - Torstai
Friday - Perjantai
Saturday - Lauantai
Sunday - Sunnuntai
One - Yksi
Two - Kaksi
Three - Kolme
Four - Neljä
Five - Viisi
Six - Kuus
Seven - Seitsemän
Eight - Kahdeksan
Nine - Yhdeksän
Ten - Kymmenen
Twenty - Kaksikymmentä
Thirty - Kolmekymmentä
Forty Nelvakymmentä
Fifty - Viisikymmentä
Sixty - Kuusikymmentä
Seventy - Seitsemankymmentä
Eighty - Kahdeksankymmentä
Ninety - Vhdeksankymmentä
One Hundred - Sata
One Thousand - Tuhat

Cost of Living:

1 Euro (€1) = £0.68; US$1.33; C$1.54; A$1.64
Currency conversion rates as of April 2007

Special Events:

Helsinki Festival, festival of dance, music, theater, Aug-Sep, various venues
Helsinki Design Week, Sep, various venues
Baltic Herring Market, Oct, Market Square
Forces of Light, illumination of the city, Nov-Dec, throughout the city
Independence Day, honor guard and procession, 6 Dec, Senate Square
Ladies’ Christmas Market, Dec, handicrafts and food, Wanha Satama, City Center
Christmas Market, Dec, Esplanade Square
New Year’s Eve, 31 Dec, Senate Square
Runeberg Day, poet J L Runeberg is commemorated with a day of cake eating, Feb, throughout the city
Helsinki International Boat Show, Feb, Helsinki Fair Center
Helsinki Antique and Art Fair, late Mar- early Apr, Wanha Satama, City Center
May Day, 1 May, throughout the city
World Village Festival, May, international music, arts and food, various venues, city center
Kruununhaka, Halkolaituri Helsinki Day, 12 Jun, festival celebrating founding day of Helsinki, throughout city
Juhannusvalkeat, 24 Jun, Midsummer’s eve celebration with bonfires, folk music and dancing, Seurasaari Open Air Museum
Helsinki Pride Festival, late Jun – early Jul, lesbian and gay event, Kalsaniemi Park
Storyville Jazz Club, Jul, jazz events, various venues
Helsinki City Marathon, early Aug, around city and coast

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