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Living in the Vaasa Region
Whether you appreciate an urban existence or a life close to nature, the Vaasa region has plenty to offer.
The Vaasa region has 120 000 inhabitants and offers an attractive, international and lively environment for people and businesses alike. The region has long enjoyed an employment rate that is among the best in Finland, while the area has the country's densest concentration of businesses in relation to the population. Here there are jobs - and a good life!
Living
To live in the Vaasa region is to enjoy safe and natural surroundings. The dream of a house by the sea, or a holiday home on an island in the archipelago, can come true. There are many possibilities, no matter whether you prefer living centrally in a ready-to-move-in apartment, or acquiring a building lot in the countryside and starting from scratch.
An international melting pot
Next to Helsinki, Vaasa is the most cosmopolitan city in Finland. Here more than 100 different nationalities are represented. The Swedish population in the region is some 44%.
You get service conveniently in Finnish, Swedish and English. For example, you can educate yourself and acquire competence at all levels, from pre-school to university, in both Finnish and Swedish, or choose the Vaasa English Playschool or the IB examination. At the seven university units in Vaasa you can study in Finnish, Swedish, English and German.
The business life is also particularly international. Some 70% of the region's industrial production is exported.
Welfare for all ages
In the Vaasa region access to basic services is good, and the area also has the second largest net investment in municipal educational and cultural activities in the country. About every fifth inhabitant in Vaasa is a student, which gives the city a youthful vibrancy.
The majority (more than 70%) of all social and health care services are produced in the public sector, but given the change in population structure, there is also a demand for private investment, especially in eldercare. Families with children have access to flexible day care when needed. Day care is also offered in a multicultural milieu.
Nature, culture, spare time, commerce
The region is situated by the sea and has a long coastline with excellent opportunities for leasure and living.
In 2006, the Kvarken archipelago was the first site in Finland to make UNESCOs natural world heritage list. Kvarken also hosts a unique flora and fauna since, geologically, the area is still in its infancy. The land uplift in Kvarken causes the Vaasa region to grow by approximately 1 square kilometre a year.
The everyman's right law implies that everyone is free to wander in the forests to pick berries and mushrooms. You can also use this right to explore the beautiful archipelago.
The cosmopolitan atmosphere of the Vaasa region is particularly apparent in the many cultural activities offered. The City of Vaasa has a Finnish and a Swedish theatre, and in the other municipalities there are many active amateur theatres and revue groups. The Art City Vaasa pass is an affordable way to visit the many museums, which display everything from Kvarken's geology and natural history, to international contemporary art, and traditional handicraft exhibitions.
The annual music festivals offer choir and chamber music of international standard. In August we celebrate the Night of the Arts, with cultural events and performances all over Vaasa. The varied terrain invites you to different outdoor activities, boating and summer cottage living. Those into exercise can enjoy the large, newly renovated indoor swimming pool in Vaasa, and the Botnia Hall, one of the largest multipurpose sports arenas in the Nordic countries, offers a variety of recreational opportunities. There is also an ice stadium with three rinks, and the city boasts a 27 hole golf course.
In winter you can visit one of the ski centres, for example at Öjberget or in Vörå, and go crosscountry skiing on illuminated tracks. In summer the public beaches are popular, and the many nature and cycling trails offer scenic exercise routes all year round. The Tropiclandia Spa stands for both activity and relaxation. In summer you are also welcome to enjoy the many adventures of the Wasalandia amusement park.
In short, there are activities for people of all ages and for all interest groups. You can practise everything from agility and motor sport to shooting, yoga, or even parachuting!
Vaasa is the region's commercial centre with excellent shopping opportunities. Versatileshopping centres, a host of specialist shops, the marketplace, and the covered market all contribute to a wide selection. As new businesses become established, and as commercial areas expand, so the region continues to become ever more attractive and exciting.
Next to everything
Everything is close at hand, leaving time to do whatever you want. Travelling to work in the region usually takes about 15 minutes, thanks to the good communications and the lack of real rush hours. Highway 8 intersects the whole region. Air traffic is intensive and the Helsinki region can also be reached comfortably by train. The northmost year-round international sea crossing is between Vaasa and Umeå in Sweden. Nearly 100 000 passengers a year choose to cross the Kvarken by sea.
