Helsinki Geography

Helsinki Geography is the deciding factor for the development and the progress of the country's infrastructure. The geographical co-ordinates of Helsinki is 60° 10 N, 24° 56 E. The total surface area of Helsinki is 686 kilometer square. Out of this, 186 kilometer square comprise land areas and 500 kilometer square is covered with water. Helsinki has a coastline stretch of 98 kilometers and is at a high elevation from sea level and is therefore safe from coastal floods.

The landscape of Helsinki is dominated by glaciofluvial landscape, bedrocks and forested hills. The inlands are dotted with granite hills with an admixture of gneiss sites, cliffs and canyons and amphibolite and limestone. Among the important water bodies in Helsinki, the Vantaa River Valley is very important because of it being a part of the 'green finger' or the areas considered to be resplendent in greenery in Helsinki.

Helsinki is surrounded by regions like Greater Helsinki, Capital Region, Helsinki Metropolitan Area and Helsinki Region.

Helsinki climate is an important aspect of Helsinki geography. The climate of Helsinki is a blend of maritime and the continental type. The summers are warm and the warmest month of the year is July with a temperature of 30°C. The lowest temperature record is in the month of November, which sinks down to as low as -4 to -8 degree Celsius. The days are long with a total of nineteen hours of sunlight, which usually reduces by the month of September. The winters in Helsinki are extremely chilly and are rather elongated till the spring arrives in the month of April.

The diversity in the geography of Helsinki, in turn, throws light on the biodiversity of the region.