UA1 Population centres

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Development

Consistent with the worldwide trend, urbanization and the expansion of population centres has continued in Finland. Today 84% of Finns live in population centres.This share is now 11% greater than 35 years ago in 1980.The area of population centres almost doubled during the same time. However, the total area of population centres 6 700 km² is still very small when compared with the total area of the country 338 000 km².

At the same time Finnish cities have become spraser. The population density of population centres decreased by 27%  from 1980 to 2015. The decrease was mainly due to the expansion population centres coupled with the growing share of one-family houses. Recently the decrease of population density in population centres has slowed down.

Differences between population centres have become stronger. In some population centres the population grows fast while in others it decreases. In smaller population centres population growth takes mainly at the outskirts of cities. In larger population centres, especially in Uusimaa, the population increases most in the centre.

Impact on biodiversity

Construction always changes the natural environment. Population centres expand to surrounding areas where primary species must either adapt to the changing environment or migrate elsewhere. For example many plant species occurences disappear from cleared areas either immediatly or gradually after some time.

Then again, urban areas are an important primary habitat for several species which are rare in or absent from other habitats (see also UA4). These species favour the special conditions of urban parks and ruderal habitats. For example predators are relatively few near population centres. Some species also benefit from fertilization of gardens and parks.

Population centres are not evenly distributed in Finland but centred in southern Finland and on the other hand the shores and coasts (see e.g. SH1).