Population increase largest in Espoo and decline fastest in Helsinki

Total population of Finland estimated at 5,236,118

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According to a recent population forecast for the current year, published by Statistics Finland, the growth in the population of Espoo and the decline in the population of neighbouring Helsinki are the largest in the country.
      Based on the forecast, Espoo would have a total of 227,231 inhabitants at the end of the current year - an increase of around 3,000 from the situation at the beginning of the year. Furthermore, it is predicted that the population of  Helsinki would decline by 398 persons and hence the population of the capital city would be 558,932 by the end of the year.
     
The total population of Finland is estimated to be 5,236,118 inhabitants at the end of December. Finland’s population has increased by 16,400 over the current year. The increase is the largest in eight years, and it is a result of higher birth rates and migration. The birth rate in Finland is higher than the mortality rate, and more people are moving in than leaving.
      In terms of percentage increases, the population is growing fastest in Liminka (8.1 %) and declining fastest in Värtsilä (- 5.7%).
      Measured by provinces, the population growth is highest in Uusimaa (8,578) and relatively largest in Pirkanmaa and Eastern Uusimaa (0.9 %). The fastest declining populations are in the provinces of Southern Savo, Satakunta, and Kainuu.
     
The population of the province of Uusimaa already accounts for 25.7 % of all Finns, and if Eastern Uusimaa is included, the figure is 27.5%. The flight of population to the southern parts of the country has been going on for several decades.
      The populations of the provinces in Eastern Finland have been gradually declining over the years, and the total population of these provinces has decreased from 704,946 to 666,977 in just nine years.
     
The list of the 20 largest cities in Finland has experienced only one change. Porvoo has outgrown Mikkeli and is now the 16th largest city in Finland.
      Even the populations of Tampere (up by over 2,000), Vantaa (by 1,500) , Oulu (by 1,200) and Jyväskylä (by 1,200) keep on growing, while the growth of Kuopio, Joensuu, and Lappeenranta has been moderate.
      Besides Helsinki, another big city that is predicted to lose residents is Turku, where the number of inhabitants is estimated to fall by 59. Other cities to experience population decline are Pori and Rauma on the west coast.
     
The birth rate for 2004 is predicted to be 57,800 children, which equals an increase of 1,200 children compared with last year. The decline in the mortality rate is estimated to be 1,300 compared with last year. The rate is predicted to be 47,700 by the end of the current year.
      The population forecast of Statistics Finland is based on the preliminary calculations of population changes in January through November. The changes for December have been evaluated on the basis of the trends in the current year and in the month of December in the past two years.


Links:
  Statistics Finland

Helsingin Sanomat