The area surrounding the Finnish capital city Helsinki. The area comprises four towns: Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa and Kauniainen.Population of the area is currently (March 2001) around 950 000, slightly more than one fifth of the total Finnish population. It is the most densely populated region in Finland. However, only half of the 800 square kilometers (300 sq miles) that the area occupies is actually developed, the rest consists of parks, forests, shoreline, and
lakes.