Finland’s West Coast
Finland includes the eastern coast of the Gulf of Bothnia, the northernmost extension of the Baltic Sea. The name Ostrobothnia (Österbotten) for most of the coastal region and its hinterland dates back to Finland’s long association with Sweden (until 1809), and corresponds to Västerbotten and Norrbotten in Sweden. A large proportion of Ostrobothnia’s population still speaks Swedish, and the region extends north beyond the northern end of the Baltic Sea. Many towns also have a Swedish name. The city of Oulu (Uleåborg), on the Gulf of Bothnia, lies roughly halfway between northern and southern Finland, but is considered part of northern Finland.
Die westfinnische Küste des Bottnischen Meerbusens
Photo: © visitfinland.com
Gulf of Bothnia
The Kvarken Strait divides the Gulf of Bothnia into a northern part, the Bothnian Bay, and a southern part, the Bothnian Sea (Bottenhavet). At its narrowest, the strait is about 80 kilometres wide. A ferry service connects the Finnish city of Vaasa (Wasa) with Umeå in Sweden. Plans for a bridge have even been discussed. In 2006, the Kvarken Strait became part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site as an extension of Sweden’s High Coast (Höga Kusten). On the Finnish shore, the land is still rising by about 8 millimetres a year following the last Ice Age, around 10,000 years ago, much as it is in Sweden. This is one of the highest rates in the world. The Bothnian Bay is brackish, with a salinity of just 0.3%, providing a habitat for freshwater fish. This part of the Baltic Sea is almost completely covered with ice each winter.
Southwestern Finland and the Åland Islands
Most of the west coast of Finland is flat. The striking landscape combines rocky terrain, forests and water. Off the southwestern coast of Finland, near whose centre lies Turku (Åbo), one of the country’s largest cities, is an archipelago with more islands than anywhere else in the world. The Åland Islands are part of this rocky skerry landscape and, because of their position between Sweden and Finland, enjoy extensive autonomy.
Holidays on Finland’s Gulf of Bothnia
A holiday in western Finland on the Baltic Sea is an insider tip. The combination of cities such as Oulu, Kemi, Vaasa and Turku with an exceptionally appealing landscape of numerous small islands, inland lakes and secluded beaches makes Finland’s west coast a popular Baltic Sea holiday destination for the whole family.
