This is the region of the coastline

OSTROBOTHNIA – the coastline from Kristinestad in the south to Kokkola in the north – covers an area of about 10,000 km2. About 200,000 people live in the area, of which 51% are Finnish-speakers and 48% Swedish-speakers.

The area has a strong tradition of entrepreneurship and the largest number of companies per capita on the mainland of Finland. The export share of approximately 75% is also exceptionally high. Another indicator of the area’s strong economy is its unemployment rate, which is the lowest in the country.

 Photo credit: Päivi Karjalainen

→KOKKOLA…
has a significant concentration of inorganic chemistry businesses. The city provides a complete, top-class operating environment for large-scale industry due to its excellent logistics and location. Transport connections include the first covered all-weather terminal in the Nordic countries.

 

Photo credit: Coll’s Design studio

→JAKOBSTAD…
also called Pietarsaari in Finnish, is a hub of small and medium-sized export companies. The city is full of export-oriented niche businesses that thrive on global markets. Here, there are companies that have fewer than 50 employees, yet export to more than 50 countries.

Photo credit: Mikko Lehtimäki

→VAASA…
is home to the biggest concentration of energy technology companies in the Nordic countries. Vaasa’s share of export in industrial production is nearly 80%, which makes it the biggest exporting city in Finland.