View source for Espoo

{{short description|Second-most populous city in Finland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Espoo
| official_name      = City of Espoo<br />{{lang|fi|Espoon kaupunki}}<br />{{lang|sv|Esbo stad}}
| native_name        = {{lang|sv|Esbo}}
| settlement_type    = [[List of cities and towns in Finland|City]]
| image_skyline      = {{multiple image
| border                   = infobox
| total_width              = 250
| image_style              = border:1;
| perrow                   = 1/2/2/1
| image1                   = Piispansilta Matinkylä Espoo Iso Omena 280719.jpg
| alt1                     = Matinkylä
| image2                   = Reimantorni Espoo 2019-8-22 c.jpg
| alt2                     = High-rise Reimantorni, Kivenlahti
| image3                   = Helsinki University of Technology auditorium.jpg
| alt3                     = Aalto University Auditorium
| image4                   = Fortumin torni edestä Espoo 020610.jpg
| alt4                     = Accountor Tower, Keilaniemi
| image5                   = EspooCathedral1.jpg
| alt5                     = Espoo Cathedral
| image6                   = Tapiola allaspanorama 130917.jpg
| alt6                     = Tapiola and Espoo Cultural Centre
}}
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = From top, left to right: [[Matinkylä|Downtown Matinkylä]]; street in [[Espoonlahti]]; [[Aalto University]] Auditorium; [[Accountor Tower]]; [[Espoo Cathedral]]; [[Tapiola]] with [[Espoo Cultural Centre]]
| image_shield       = Espoo.vaakuna.svg
| shield_size        = 120x80px
| image_map          = Espoo sijainti Suomi.svg
| map_caption        = Location within Finland
| image_map1         = {{hidden begin|title=OpenStreetMap|ta1=center}}{{maplink|frame-width=250|frame=yes|plain=yes|zoom=9|id=Q47034|type=shape|stroke-width=2|stroke-color=#000000}}{{hidden end}}
| map_caption1       = Interactive map outlining Espoo.{{efn|In the middle of Espoo, an area that does not belong to the city is the town of [[Kauniainen]].}}
| coordinates        = {{coord|60|12|20|N|024|39|20|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = {{flag|Finland}}
| subdivision_type1  = [[Regions of Finland|Region]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[File:Uusimaa.vaakuna.svg|15px|link=Uusimaa]] [[Uusimaa]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[Sub-regions of Finland|Sub-region]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Helsinki sub-region]]
| subdivision_type3  = Metropolitan area
| subdivision_name3  = [[Helsinki metropolitan area]]
| leader_title       = [[City manager]]
| leader_name        = [[Kai Mykkänen]]
| established_title  = Founded (parish)
| established_date   = 1458<small>{{efn|According to tradition, a priest named Henricus was inaugurated as the first [[vicar]] of Espoo in 1458.<ref name="Cathedral History">{{cite web |url= https://www.espoonseurakunnat.fi/kirkot-ja-tilat/kirkot/espoon-tuomiokirkko/historia |title= Espoon tuomiokirkon historia
 |last= |first= |date= |website= |publisher= Kirkko Espoossa |access-date= 8 March 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210409105205/https://www.espoonseurakunnat.fi/kirkot-ja-tilat/kirkot/espoon-tuomiokirkko/historia |archive-date= 9 April 2021}}</ref><ref name="History"/> Although the historicity of Henricus is somewhat uncertain, the date is celebrated as the founding of the city.<ref name="Cathedral History"/>}}</small>
| established_title2 = [[Market town]]
| established_date2  = 1963
| established_title3 = Incorporated (city)
| established_date3  = 1 January 1972
| area_footnotes     = {{Data Finland municipality|area_footnotes|Espoo}}
| area_total_km2     = {{Data Finland municipality|area_total_km2|Espoo}}
| area_land_km2      = {{Data Finland municipality|area_land_km2|Espoo}}
| area_water_km2     = {{Data Finland municipality|area_water_km2|Espoo}}
| area_rank          = {{Data Finland municipality|area_rank|Espoo}}
| population_as_of   = {{Data Finland municipality|population_as_of|Espoo}}
| population_footnotes = {{Data Finland municipality|population_footnotes|Espoo}}
| population_total   = {{Data Finland municipality|population_total|Espoo}}
| population_density_km2 = {{Data Finland municipality|population_density_km2|Espoo}}
| population_rank    = {{Data Finland municipality|population_rank|Espoo}}
| demographics_type1 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics_type1|Espoo}}
| demographics1_footnotes = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_footnotes|Espoo}}
| demographics1_title1 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_title1|Espoo}}
| demographics1_info1 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_info1|Espoo}}
| demographics1_title2 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_title2|Espoo}}
| demographics1_info2 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_info2|Espoo}} (official)
| demographics1_title3 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_title3|Espoo}}
| demographics1_info3 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_info3|Espoo}}
| demographics1_title4 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_title4|Espoo}}
| demographics1_info4 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_info4|Espoo}}
| demographics_type2 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics_type2|Espoo}}
| demographics2_footnotes = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_footnotes|Espoo}}
| demographics2_title1 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_title1|Espoo}}
| demographics2_info1 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_info1|Espoo}}
| demographics2_title2 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_title2|Espoo}}
| demographics2_info2 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_info2|Espoo}}
| demographics2_title3 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_title3|Espoo}}
| demographics2_info3 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_info3|Espoo}}
| blank_name         = {{Data Finland municipality|blank_name|Espoo}}
| blank_info         = {{Data Finland municipality|blank_info|Espoo}}
| blank3_name        = [[Köppen climate classification|Climate]]
| blank3_info        = [[Humid continental climate#Mild/cool summer subtype|Dfb]]
| timezone           = [[Eastern European Time|EET]]
| utc_offset         = +02:00
| timezone_DST       = [[Eastern European Summer Time|EEST]]
| utc_offset_DST     = +03:00
| website            = {{Url|https://www.espoo.fi/en}}
}}

'''Espoo''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɛ|s|p|oʊ}},<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20210419144338/https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/espoo "Espoo"] ''[[Lexico]] UK Dictionary''. [[Oxford University Press]]. Retrieved 10 March 2021.</ref> {{IPA|fi|ˈespoː|lang}}; {{langx|sv|Esbo}}{{efn|{{IPA|sv-FI|ˈesːbo|lang|Esbo.ogg}}}}) is a [[city]] in [[Finland]]. It is located to the west of the capital, [[Helsinki]], in southern [[Uusimaa]]. The population is approximately {{formatnum:{{#expr:{{Data Finland municipality/population count|Espoo}}round -3}}}}. It is the {{ordinal|{{Data Finland municipality/population count sequence|Espoo}}}} most populous [[Municipalities of Finland|municipality]] in Finland. Espoo is part of the [[Helsinki Metropolitan Area]], which has approximately {{formatnum: {{#expr: ({{Data Finland municipality/population count|Helsinki}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Espoo}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Vantaa}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Mäntsälä}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Pornainen}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Kauniainen}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Kirkkonummi}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Vihti}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Nurmijärvi}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Hyvinkää}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Tuusula}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Kerava}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Järvenpää}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Sipoo}}) /1000000 round 1 }}}}&nbsp;million inhabitants. Espoo is on the northern shore of the [[Gulf of Finland]] and borders [[Helsinki]], [[Vantaa]], [[Kirkkonummi]], [[Vihti]] and [[Nurmijärvi]]. The city includes the [[Enclave and exclave|enclave]] of [[Kauniainen]]. Espoo covers an area of {{convert|528|km2|0}}.<ref name="info">{{cite web |url= https://www.espoo.fi/en-US/City_of_Espoo/Information_about_Espoo |title= Information about Espoo |last=  |first=  |date=  |website=  |publisher= City of Espoo |access-date= 26 February 2021 |quote=  |archive-date= 26 February 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210226123828/https://www.espoo.fi/en-US/City_of_Espoo/Information_about_Espoo |url-status= dead }}</ref> Espoo is a [[bilingual]] municipality with [[Finnish language|Finnish]] and [[Swedish language|Swedish]] as its official languages. The population consists of {{Formatnum: {{pct|{{Data Finland municipality/native language Finnish|Espoo}}|{{Data Finland municipality/native language total|Espoo}}|0}}}} Finnish speakers, {{Formatnum: {{pct|{{Data Finland municipality/native language Swedish|Espoo}}|{{Data Finland municipality/native language total|Espoo}}|0}}}} Swedish speakers, and {{Formatnum: {{pct|{{Data Finland municipality/native language other|Espoo}}|{{Data Finland municipality/native language total|Espoo}}|0}}}} speakers of other languages, well above the national average.<ref name="statistics-finland-population-2024-final">{{cite web |url= https://stat.fi/en/publication/cm1jg8tr20lco07vwvoif9s6i |title= Number of foreign-language speakers exceeded 600,000 during 2024  |date= 2025-04-04 |series= Population structure |publisher= Statistics Finland |issn= 1797-5395  |access-date=2025-04-06 }}</ref>

Espoo was settled in the [[Prehistory|Prehistoric Era]], with evidence of human settlements dating back 8,000 years.<ref name="History"/> However, the population disappeared during the early [[Iron Age]].<ref name="Kyppi s. 6">{{cite magazine |author= Hakanpää, Päivi |title= Espoon eteläosien historiallisen ajan kylänpaikkojen yleiskaavainventointi |url= https://www.kyppi.fi/palveluikkuna/mjhanke/read/asp/hae_liite.aspx?id=114184&ttyyppi=pdf&kansio_id=49 |magazine= Museovirasto |location=  |publisher= Finnish Heritage Agency |date= 2005 |page= 6 |access-date= 11 March 2021 |archive-date= 30 July 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210730094739/https://www.kyppi.fi/palveluikkuna/mjhanke/read/asp/hae_liite.aspx?id=114184&ttyyppi=pdf&kansio_id=49 |url-status= dead }}</ref> During the [[Middle Ages|Early Middle Ages]], the region was populated by [[Tavastians]] and [[Finns proper|Southwestern Finns]].<ref name=":1" /> Following the [[Northern Crusades]], Swedish settlers began to emigrate to the coastal regions of modern-day Finland. Espoo was founded as an autonomous [[Parish (Catholic Church)|Catholic parish]] in the 15th century. Following the conclusion of the [[Finnish War]], the decision to make [[Helsinki]] the new capital of the Russian-controlled [[Grand Duchy of Finland]] in 1812 had a significant positive impact on the municipality's growth and development. Nevertheless, the territory continued to be mainly agrarian until the 20th century. After World War II, Espoo underwent swift urbanization and significant demographic shifts, with Finnish becoming the majority language around 1950, replacing Swedish. The municipality attained [[market town]] status in 1963 and was granted city status in 1972.<ref name="History">{{cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=History of Espoo|url=https://www.espoo.fi/en-US/City_of_Espoo/Information_about_Espoo/History#Prehistoric%20times|access-date=5 March 2021|website=|publisher=City of Espoo |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210120045555/https://www.espoo.fi/en-US/City_of_Espoo/Information_about_Espoo/History |archive-date= 20 January 2021 }}</ref>

The city is characterized by a suburban landscape dominated by detached housing.<ref name="info"/> It is recognized for its expansive natural surroundings such as a {{Convert|58|km|adj=on}} shoreline, an [[archipelago]], forests, lakes, and a [[Nuuksio National Park|national park]].<ref name="Education PDF, p. 5">{{cite magazine |author= <!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title= Education in Espoo |url= https://www.espoo.fi/download/noname/%7B94C2C005-DCC4-4CA2-87FE-FF822F324C35%7D/100014 |magazine=  |location=  |publisher= Finnish Education Unit, City of Espoo |date= February 2018 |page= 5 |access-date= 10 March 2021 |archive-date= 4 October 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20221004075451/https://www.espoo.fi/download/noname/%7B94C2C005-DCC4-4CA2-87FE-FF822F324C35%7D/100014 |url-status= dead }}</ref> Espoo is divided into seven major districts, with each being further divided into smaller districts and neighbourhoods.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.espoo.fi/fi-FI/Asuminen_ja_ymparisto/Kaavoitus/Nimisto/Nakokulmia_nimistoon/Espoon_aluejaot(97497) |title= Espoon aluejaot |last=  |first=  |date=  |website=  |publisher= City of Espoo |access-date= 26 February 2021 |quote=  |archive-date= 30 July 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210730164254/https://www.espoo.fi/fi-FI/Asuminen_ja_ymparisto/Kaavoitus/Nimisto/Nakokulmia_nimistoon/Espoon_aluejaot(97497) |url-status= dead }}</ref> Unlike traditional cities, Espoo does not have a central city area. Instead, it has five distinct city centres: [[Leppävaara]], [[Tapiola]], [[Matinkylä]], [[Espoon keskus]] and [[Espoonlahti]]. Espoo has numerous local centres formed around historical [[Manorialism|manors]].<ref name="info"/><ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.myhelsinki.fi/en/see-and-do/neighbourhoods/neighbourhoods-of-espoo |title= Neighbourhoods of Espoo |last=  |first=  |date=  |website= My Helsinki |publisher= City of Helsinki |access-date= 4 March 2021 |quote=  |archive-date= 16 March 2023 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20230316005757/https://www.myhelsinki.fi/en/see-and-do/neighbourhoods/neighbourhoods-of-espoo |url-status= live }}</ref> Because of its structure, Espoo is generally considered even "the most American suburban city of Finland".<ref>{{cite web |last=Berner |first=Anna-Sofia |date=27 October 2024 |title=Suomen amerikkalaisin kaupunki |trans-title=The most American city in Finland |url=https://www.hs.fi/feature/art-2000010733600.html |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241111061234/https://www.hs.fi/feature/art-2000010733600.html |archive-date=11 November 2024 |access-date=11 November 2024 |work=[[Helsingin Sanomat]] |language=fi}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Salusjärvi |first=Aleksis |date=29 March 2017 |title=Aleksis Salusjärven kolumni: "Espoolaiset eivät ole mistään kotoisin" |trans-title=Aleksis Salusjärvi's column: 'People from Espoo aren't from anywhere' |url=https://yle.fi/a/3-9535022 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241111061231/https://yle.fi/a/3-9535022 |archive-date=11 November 2024 |access-date=11 November 2024 |work=[[Yle]] |language=fi}}</ref>

[[Aalto University]] is situated in [[Otaniemi]], Espoo, alongside a thriving scientific community that comprises startups and associations such as [[Valtion teknillinen tutkimuskeskus|VTT]] – the Technical Research Centre of Finland. Espoo is home to leading enterprises like [[Nokia]], [[HMD Global]], [[Tieto]], [[KONE]], [[Neste]], [[Fortum]], [[Orion Corporation (pharmaceutical company)|Orion Corporation]], [[Metso]], and [[Foreca]], in addition to game developers [[Rovio Entertainment|Rovio]] and [[Remedy Entertainment]]. In 2015, Espoo became a member of the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities.

==History==
=== Etymology ===
Before the time of the [[Swedish colonisation of Finland|Swedish colonisation]], Espoo was inhabited by [[Tavastians]], a [[Finnish tribes|Finnish tribe]], and the area in which the city lies on did most likely have a different name. The name of Espoo is believed to have derived from the Medieval Swedish village of ''Espaby'' (or ''Espoby''), which was located in the western part of the present-day city. It may refer to [[Populus tremula|aspen]]s that grew on a nearby riverbank, as the archaic Swedish word for the tree is "äspe", and the word for a river is "å", with the suffix "-by" meaning village.<ref name="History"/><ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.espoo.fi/fi-FI/Asuminen_ja_ymparisto/Kaavoitus/Nimisto/Nakokulmia_nimistoon/Espoon_keskus__Esbo_centrum(97656) |title= Espoon keskus – Esbo centrum |last=  |first=  |date=  |website=  |publisher= City of Espoo |access-date= 5 March 2021 |quote=  |archive-date= 13 April 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210413133158/https://www.espoo.fi/fi-FI/Asuminen_ja_ymparisto/Kaavoitus/Nimisto/Nakokulmia_nimistoon/Espoon_keskus__Esbo_centrum(97656) |url-status= dead }}</ref>

The [[coat of arms]] of Espoo features a gold horseshoe topped by a gold crown on a blue shield. The crown refers to the old ''[[kongsgård|kungsgård]]'' of Espoo and the horseshoe refers to the obligation to transport officials, military or prisoners that parishes along the [[King's Road (Finland)|King's Road]] fell under. Many roads in Espoo still follow the old [[Middle Ages|medieval]] King's Road. The King's Road in Finland, stretching from [[Turku]] in the west to [[Vyborg]] in the east, was formed in the 1340s or 1350s and was the most important road in Finland at the time.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20160209164224/http://alk.tiehallinto.fi/tiehist/rantatie.htm Suuri Rantatie – Kuninkaantie] 1999. Accessed on 20 February 2016.</ref>

=== Prehistory ===
Present-day Espoo was first settled by [[hunter-gatherer]]s around 8,000 years ago, a few thousand years after the end of the [[Weichselian glaciation|Last Glacial Period]]. [[Stone Age]] settlements have been found from Nuuksio and Perinki.<ref name="espoonhistoria"/> Settlements from the Early Metal Age have been found from Mikkelä<ref>[http://kulttuuriymparisto.nba.fi/netsovellus/rekisteriportaali/portti/default.aspx?sovellus=mjreki&taulu=T_KOHDE&tunnus=49010056 Museovirasto – Rekisteriportaali] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161013233332/http://kulttuuriymparisto.nba.fi/netsovellus/rekisteriportaali/portti/default.aspx?sovellus=mjreki&taulu=T_KOHDE&tunnus=49010056 |date=13 October 2016 }}. Accessed on 13 October 2016.</ref> and from Morby dating from the [[Pre-Roman Iron Age (Northern Europe)|Pre-Roman Iron Age]], of which the latter is an important subject relating to research of cattle husbandry.<ref name="haggrén">{{Cite book|last=Georg Haggrén, Petri Halinen, Mika Lavento, Sami Raninen ja Anna Wessman|title=Muinaisuutemme jäljet|publisher=Gaudeamus|year=2015|isbn=9789524953634}}</ref>{{rp|133}} Traces of early settlement in the area remain in the place names. For example, the original name for [[Soukka]] was ''Soukko''.<ref>Ainiala, Terhi; Saarelma, Minna; Sjöblom, Paula: ''Nimistöntutkimuksen perusteet'', p. 127. [[Finnish Literature Society]] 2008.</ref>

The first settlers lived in the northern parts of the current city, around the lakes Pitkäjärvi, Bodomjärvi, and Loojärvi, as the southern parts were still largely covered by the sea. In the Stone Age, people in Espoo lived on south-facing shores and slopes, which provided shelter from cold continental winds. Living close to water bodies also made hunting and fishing easier. The way of life was dictated by seasonal changes, and people rarely stayed in one place throughout the year.<ref name="History"/>

During the [[Bronze Age]] (c. 1500–500 BCE), human settlement shifted southward. Known settlements from the era are few, but more than 70 [[cairn]]-like burial sites from the period have been discovered, mostly from southern Espoo, which formed an [[archipelago]] at the time. When ironwork was introduced to [[Finland]] around 500 BCE, it gave people access to materials that were far more versatile than materials used before. However, the climate grew colder at the beginning of the [[Iron Age]],<ref name="History"/> and it seems that human settlement in Espoo disappeared during the era.<ref name="Kyppi s. 6"/> Only two discoveries from the time have been made in Espoo.<ref name="History"/>

=== Swedish rule ===
==== Medieval Espoo ====
[[File:Espoon tuomiokirkko.jpg|thumb|left|upright|[[Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland|Evangelical Lutheran]] [[Espoo Cathedral|Cathedral]] in Espoo, originally built as a [[Catholic]] parish church in the 1480s<ref name="Cathedral History"/>]]
Most of the original villages of present-day Espoo were founded by [[Tavastians|Tavastian Finns]] according to place names. By the 12th century, there were Tavastian houses on the shore of Kaukjärvi (now known as Pitkäjärvi), in [[Kauklahti]], [[Karvasmäki]], Bemböle, Haapalahti and Finnevik.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|last=Kepsu|first=Saulo|title=Uuteen maahan – Helsingin ja Vantaan vanha asutus ja nimistö|publisher=Suomalaisen kirjallisuuden seura|year=2005|isbn=9789517467230|pages=40–42}}</ref>

The first [[Swedish colonisation of Finland|Swedish settlements]] in Uusimaa were established during the 12th or 13th century.<ref name="espoonhistoria"/> Swedish settlers moved to the area through the current site of [[Kirkkonummi]], and then to the Esboby area. From there, they continued northeast to Kauklahti, [[Bemböle]] and [[Vanhakartano]]. In later stages, settlers might also have arrived in Espoo directly from Sweden, most likely from [[Svealand]]. The Swedish name for Espoo, ''Esbo'', dates from this period. The settlers changed the Finnish names used by the Tavastians to Swedish ones: for example [[Kauklahti]] became Köklax and [[Karvasmäki]] became Karvasbacka. The current Finnish names might also have changed from the original ones in this process. For example, the place name ''Välli'' might have been changed into ''Vällskog'', which has since led to the current Finnish name [[Velskola]].<ref name=":1"/> The Swedish settlements were so extensive that the entire area became Swedish-speaking, except for its northernmost part and possibly the Haapalahti-Mäkkylä area.<ref name=":1" />{{rp|147–148}}

[[Palynology|Palynological analyses]] indicate that agriculture was already practised in Espoo around the 11th century, but no historical records from the era survive.<ref name="History"/> Until the late 13th century, Espoo was part of a borderland region between the [[Finns proper|Southwestern Finns]] and Tavastian Finns. Some artefacts found in Espoo have also been traced to ancient [[Savonian people|Savo]]-[[Karelians (Finns)|Karelian]] Finnish costumes, and the Late Iron Age and Early Medieval women in the area have had similar jewellery as in the region around present-day [[Mikkeli]].<ref name="haggrén"/>{{rp|300–301}}

In the Middle Ages, there were about 70 village lots in Espoo. Ancient fields and many passageways have been discovered near the remains of ancient villages.<ref name="espoonhistoria"/> Espaby (at which site the [[Espoo manor]] was later founded) was probably the oldest Swedish-speaking village in the area. The name Espoo likely refers to the name of the river Espoonjoki (Swedish: Esboån, originally Espå / Espåå), which in turn is thought to have come from the [[aspen]] trees on the shores of the river (the Swedish word for "aspen" is ''äspe''). The name was first mentioned in 1431. Originally, the current river Gumbölenjoki was renamed Espoonjoki after the village located along the river. When a church was founded near the village of Södrik, the name Espoonjoki was given to a river running from lake Kirkkojärvi to Kauklahti.<ref>Mallat, Kaija (ed.): ''Kylä-Espoo – Espoon vanha asutusnimistö ja kylämaisema''. Centre for urban planning in Espoo 2008; pp. 35–38. {{ISBN|978-951-857-381-7}}.</ref>

Espoo became an independent parish in the 15th century. Previously Espoo had been a chapel parish under [[Kirkkonummi]]. The stone [[Espoo Cathedral]] was built in the 1480s by initiative from the peasants. Up to the 1670s the eastern parts of Espoo belonged to the [[Vantaa|Helsinki parish]], after which they were officially annexed to the Espoo parish and the ''[[slottslän]]'' of [[Raseborg]].<ref name="espoonhistoria"/>

After the [[Second Swedish Crusade|Second Crusade to Finland]], settlers from Sweden established permanent agricultural settlements in [[Uusimaa]]. Espoo was a subdivision of the [[Kirkkonummi]] congregation until 1486–1487. The oldest known document referring to Kirkkonummi is from 1330; Espoo as a subchapter has been dated to the 1380s, although the first document directly referring to Espoo is from as late as 1431. The construction of the [[Espoo Cathedral]], the oldest preserved building in Espoo, marks the independence of Espoo. Administratively, Espoo was a part of [[Uusimaa (historical province)|Uusimaa]]. When the province was split to Eastern and Western provinces governed from the Porvoo and [[Raseborg Castle|Raseborg castle]]s, respectively, the eastern border of the Raseborg province was in Espoo. The 13th-century road connecting the most important cities in Finland at that time, the [[King's Road (Finland)|King's Road]], passes through Espoo on its way from [[Stockholm]] via [[Turku]] and [[Porvoo]] to [[Vyborg|Viipuri]].

==== Gräsa manor ====
The oldest ''frälse'' stead in Espoo, the Gräsa manor, apparently received ''frälse'' rights in the late 15th century.<ref name="gräsa">[https://web.archive.org/web/20210125212509/https://www.espoo.fi/fi-FI/Asuminen_ja_ymparisto/Kaavoitus/Nimisto/Nakokulmia_nimistoon/Grasan_tarina(98145) Gräsan tarina], city of Espoo. Accessed on 28 November 2020.</ref> Gräsa is one of the oldest settlements in Espoo and the oldest in southern Espoo, as it was probably founded already in the early 14th century as Swedish settlement moved inland. From the beginning, the settlement was located at the site of the current [[Olari Church, Espoo|Olari Church]] on both sides of the [[Gräsanoja]] river. The absence of Finnish names in the area reveals that the population was Swedish-speaking from the beginning.<ref name="gräsa"/>

==== Early modern period ====
[[File:EspoonKartano.jpg|thumb|right|The Royal Manor in Espoo, founded by King [[Gustav I of Sweden]] in 1556. The current mansion was completed in 1797 and expanded in 1914.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.discoveringfinland.com/attractions-culture/manors/ | title = Manors in Finland | last =  | first =  | date =  | publisher = Discovering Finland | access-date = 7 April 2021 | quote =  | archive-date = 30 May 2024 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240530094421/https://www.discoveringfinland.com/attractions-culture/manors/ | url-status = dead }}</ref>]]
In 1556, King [[Gustav Vasa]] decided to stabilize and develop the region by founding a royal mansion in Espoo. The government bought the villages of Espåby and [[Mankby]] (Finnish: ''Mankki'') and transferred the population elsewhere, and built the royal mansion in Espåby. (Mankby was eventually abandoned and was never repopulated.) The royal mansion housed the king's local plenipotentiary ([[vogt]]), and collected royal [[tax in kind]] paid by labour on the mansion's farm. The administrative centre [[Espoon keskus]] has grown around the church and the [[Espoo railway station]], but the municipality has retained a network-like structure to the modern day.

In the 16th century Espoo changed into a parish of many large farmsteads. The war between Sweden and [[Russia]] in the late 16th century attracted farmstead owners to found horse steads in hopes of reduced taxation. Horse stead owners were required to uphold a rider in the wars fought by the realm. In the late 17th century the crown had donated lands to noblemen with success in wars, and during a few decades, the lands in Espoo had been dealt to seven noble families.<ref name="espoonhistoria"/>

In the early 18th century the [[Great Northern War]] and the [[Great Wrath]] caused poverty among the people. During this time, many members of the estates in Espoo moved to Sweden. The foundation of [[Suomenlinna|Sveaborg]] in front of [[Helsinki]] increased the traffic in Espoo and many officers bought villas in Espoo. Construction of the fortress required transport of bricks from factories in Espoo. In the same century, agricultural novelties such as the [[potato]] and various fruits spread from the manor houses to the peasants.<ref name="espoonhistoria"/>

=== Grand Duchy of Finland and early industrialisation ===
[[File:Alberga gård2.JPG|thumb|right|The [[Renaissance Revival architecture|Neo-Renaissance]] {{ill|Alberga Manor|fi|Albergan kartano}} in [[Leppävaara]], built by the Russian [[Business magnate|industrialist]] Feodor Kiseleff in the 1870s<ref>{{cite news |last= Tarkka-Tierala |first= Hannele |date= |title= Albergan historia ulottuu 1600-luvulle |url= https://www.hs.fi/kaupunki/art-2000003688729.html | language = Finnish |work= Helsingin Sanomat |location= |access-date= 3 April 2021}}</ref>]]
[[Finland under Swedish rule|Swedish rule in Finland]] came to an end in 1809, when the Kingdom of Sweden ceded all of its remaining territory in Finland under control of the [[Russian Empire]] after the [[Finnish War]].<ref>{{cite web | url= https://yle.fi/aihe/kategoria/elava-arkisto/suomen-sota-1808-1809 | title= Suomen sota 1808–1809 | publisher= Yle Elävä Arkisto | language= Finnish | access-date= 7 April 2021 | archive-date= 12 May 2021 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210512224633/https://yle.fi/aihe/kategoria/elava-arkisto/suomen-sota-1808-1809 | url-status= live }}</ref> When the city of [[Helsinki]] became the capital of the newly established [[Grand Duchy of Finland]] in 1812, it brought novel developments to the neighbouring parish of Espoo. Many government officials as well as members of the growing merchant class bought summer houses from Espoo.<ref name="History"/>

[[File:Senate Atlas, 1870–1907. Sheet VI 29 Espoo.jpg|thumb|left|Russian military map showing southeastern parts of Espoo sometime between 1870 and 1907]]
{{Quote box
 |quote  = There was a great sawmill in Bastvik back in 1883, where great ships from faraway seas came to lade lumber. There were many great bridges so that vessels could be laden simultaneously. After bringing colonial and other necessary goods to Helsinki, they came empty to Bastvik. [...] The superintendent was a German-born Hoffeldt. 
|align=right
|width=30%
|author=Katri Bergholm
|source=reminiscing life in Bastvik, present-day [[Saunalahti, Espoo|Saunalahti]], at the end of the 19th century.<ref name="Bastvikin saha">{{cite web | url = https://www.kyppi.fi/palveluikkuna/mjreki/read/asp/r_kohde_det.aspx?KOHDE_ID=1000034684 | title = Bastvikin höyrysaha | last =  | first =  | date = 19 February 2019 | website = kyppi.fi | publisher = Finnish Heritage Agency | access-date = 7 April 2021 | quote =  | archive-date = 30 July 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210730114339/https://www.kyppi.fi/palveluikkuna/mjreki/read/asp/r_kohde_det.aspx?KOHDE_ID=1000034684 | url-status = live }}</ref>
}}
Throughout the 19th century, most of Espoo's inhabitants worked in agriculture. The population was around 4,000, while most of the people lived in over 60 small villages. Halfway through the century, almost 90% of the population spoke [[Swedish language|Swedish]] as their first language. The wealthy [[Estate (land)|estates]] and [[mansion]]s of the parish required [[maid]]s, [[farmworker|farmhands]] and [[tenant farmer]]s as their workforce to raise cattle, farm crops and raise vegetables in the [[kitchen garden]]s. Fishing was also common in the coastal areas. The [[Glims Farmstead Museum|Glims farmstead]] in Karvasmäki has been preserved as a museum to present rural life in Espoo during this period when industrial development was still minute in Finland.<ref name="History"/>

The rural community in Espoo began to change in the latter half of the 19th century. Some [[brickyard]]s had already been built in the 18th century on the grounds of Espoonkartano manor, located in the western part of the present-day city, but it was not until the [[Government reforms of Alexander II of Russia|economic reforms]] of [[Alexander II of Russia|Emperor Alexander II]] that the [[Industrial Revolution]] started to gain momentum in Finland. As the Russo-Finnish trade legislation liberalized, new brickyards were established in [[Espoonlahti]] and [[Kauklahti]], as the shores of Espoo Bay provided high-quality [[clay]] for their use. The bricks were mostly carried with steamboats to the neighbouring [[Helsinki]], the growing capital city of the grand duchy.<ref name="History"/>

The most prominent industrial facility in 19th century Espoo was the [[Steam engine|steam-powered]] Bastvik Sawmill, founded in 1876.<ref name="Bastvikin saha"/> In addition to the growing lumber and brick industries, a [[joiner]]s' workshop was established on the island of Staffan in 1886.<ref name="History"/><ref name="Soukka">{{cite web | url = https://www.espoo.fi/fi-FI/Asuminen_ja_ymparisto/Ymparisto_ja_luonto/Retkelle_luontoon/Kotikaupunkipolut/Espoonlahti/Soukanranta(75904) | title = Soukanranta | publisher = City of Espoo | language = Finnish | access-date = 7 April 2021 | archive-date = 24 March 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190324093101/https://www.espoo.fi/fi-FI/Asuminen_ja_ymparisto/Ymparisto_ja_luonto/Retkelle_luontoon/Kotikaupunkipolut/Espoonlahti/Soukanranta(75904) | url-status = dead }}</ref> Staffan Island became a home for a highly skilled and renowned community of joiners, colloquially known as the "University of Espoo"<ref name="History"/> or the "University of Soukka".<ref name="Soukka"/>

==== World War I ====
{{main|Krepost Sveaborg}}
[[File:Krepost Sveaborg general plan.png|thumb|A map of "Krepost Sveaborg"]]
[[File:Hindenburg, Kaiser, Ludendorff HD-SN-99-02150.JPG|thumb|right|Military commanders of Germany during World War I: [[Paul von Hindenburg]], emperor [[Wilhelm II, German Emperor|Wilhelm II]] and [[Erich Ludendorff]]]]
[[World War I]] had an effect on the [[Russian Empire]] and the [[Grand Duchy of Finland]] when the [[German Empire]] declared war on Russia on 1 August 1914.<ref>[https://www.onthisday.com/events/august/1 Historical Events on August 1] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220331072317/https://www.onthisday.com/events/august/1 |date=31 March 2022 }}, On This Day. Accessed on 27 November 2020.</ref> Russia immediately started preparing for war against Germany. At the start of the war, the main forces of the Russian [[Baltic Fleet]] had been concentrated at [[Suomenlinna|Sveaborg]] in front of Helsinki.<ref name="linnoitus">[https://yle.fi/aihe/artikkeli/2014/09/29/helsinkia-kiertaa-1-maailmansodan-linnoitusketju-katso-kartta Helsinkiä kiertää 1. maailmansodan linnoitusketju – katso kartta!] [A World War I fortress chain encircles Helsinki – see the map!], [[YLE]]. Accessed on 20 December 2017.</ref> The Russian military feared that Germany would use southern Finland to attack [[Saint Petersburg|Petrograd]], so Russia started building a [[Krepost Sveaborg|fortification chain]] of over {{Convert|20|km}} surrounding Helsinki to protect it.<ref name="espoonhistoria"/><ref name="linnoitus"/><ref name="kouvola">Kouvola, Karolina; Sipponen, Leena; Henttonen, Maarit; Valoranta-Saltikoff, Sanna; Heikkilä, Toni; Laamanen, Jaana; Nikkanen, Konsta: ''Sisällissodan aikaan Espoossa.'' City museum of Espoo 2018. {{ISBN|978-951-857-782-2}}.</ref>{{rp|16}} Construction of the fortification started in 1915 and took almost three years.

Construction of the fortification chain required a huge amount of workforce. The construction was led by the engineering administration of Saint Petersburg, but in practice, the actual work was led by the engineering military staff in Sveaborg. The local engineering office was located in [[Leppävaara]] in Espoo.<ref name="kouvola"/>{{rp|17}} Although the Russian military tried to keep the construction of the fortification chain secret from the enemy, there are German intelligence reports with descriptions of the Russian fortification chain.<ref name="kouvola"/>{{rp|19}}

Because of the lack of available workforce, the Russians turned to [[expropriation]] allowed by Russian military law. The manor houses in Espoo were ordered to send one man and one horse each to work on the construction. The total number of workforce at the fortification is not known, but the expropriation resulted in 4,000 men, of which 1,300 were situated in [[Leppävaara]] and 1,500 in [[Tapiola]] in June 1916.<ref name="kouvola"/>{{rp|17}}

16-year-old Annukka Koskinen, who lived at the Bergans farm in [[Suur-Leppävaara]], wrote about the expropriation in June 1916:<ref name="kouvola"/>{{rp|19}}
<blockquote>It was really shameless. Last year [the Russians] took control of three large buildings, and they would have taken the last one too, had we not complained to the office of the governor. For all of summer, they built fortifications all over the hill. Trees were cut down and new ones planted in their place. You know that only very few of these newly planted trees will survive. – This spring, [the soldiers] have shot at our fields during practice. Two days ago we received an order that the house, the large woodshed and the sauna have to be empty by noon on the next day.</blockquote>

The [[Russian Revolution]] in 1917 stopped work at the fortification.<ref name="espoonhistoria"/><ref name="kouvola"/>{{rp|20}} Finland declared [[Independence of Finland|its full independence]] in December 1917, and the fortifications were never actually needed to protect Saint Petersburg from a German attack. The fortifications only ever saw action in one battle during the [[Finnish Civil War]], when the red forces in Leppävaara fought the German forces who had come to the aid of the whites on 14 April 1918. The fortifications were later used as ammunition storage and civil protection during [[World War II]].<ref name="kouvola"/>{{rp|20}}

=== Finnish Civil War ===
==== Power vacuum ====
[[File:Baltic Sea Division in Leppävaara.jpg|thumb|right|German soldiers in [[Leppävaara]] in 1918]]
After the [[February Revolution]] in 1917, Finland went through a power vacuum. The imperial rule had fallen, general order had broken and the police had been dispensed.<ref name="kouvola"/>{{rp|9, 44}} Upholding the general order moved to a local level, and local militias, citizens' guards, fire brigades and security forces were founded. These forces were not originally founded for military purposes but to uphold the general order. The activity was voluntary-based, and the forces were organised for example during strikes.<ref name="kouvola"/>{{rp|44}}

In autumn 1917 the nature of the organisation became more military and the number of local workers' guards increased rapidly. The armed organisation was influenced by an acute lack of food, disappointment with the loss of the majority position of the [[Social Democratic Party of Finland]] at the [[1917 Finnish parliamentary election]], the Senate's desire for renovation, the fight for municipal power and fear of an armed uprising of the [[bourgeoisie]].<ref name="kouvola"/>{{rp|44}}

===== Red and White Guards in Espoo =====
In Espoo, particularly [[Leppävaara]] was a restless area. The workers' association of Alberga founded an unarmed militia of ten people to uphold the general order. During summer and early autumn in 1917 there were local conflicts between the bourgeois guards and the workers' militia. In middle November the guards in Espoo on both sides had already started arming themselves.

In July 1917 the first bourgeois order guard was founded in [[Kauklahti]], under the guise of a voluntary fire brigade. A little later a similar organisation was founded in [[Kilo, Espoo|Kilo]], and these organisations joined forces in August to September.<ref name="kouvola"/>{{rp|56}} The guards had about 160 members in total at this point.<ref name="kouvola"/>{{rp|57}}

After the [[Finnish Civil War]] had broken out, many young men left Espoo to join the [[White Guard (Finland)|White Guards]] all over the countryside in Uusimaa. The most important of these was the Sigurds Guard in [[Kirkkonummi]], of whose members 40 came from Espoo.<ref name="kouvola"/>{{rp|48}}

==== Red Espoo ====
At the start of the Civil War in January 1918, the [[Red Guards (Finland)|Red Guards]] took control of Espoo. There were no actual battles between the Reds and the Whites during the revolution, as Espoo was in practice already under Red control.<ref name="kouvola"/>{{rp|57}} Municipal power was transferred from the municipal council and the municipal board to a social democratic municipal organisation. The Reds took control without bloodshed and strengthened their position by sending patrols all around Espoo to confiscate any weapons found in the houses they visited.<ref name="kouvola"/>{{rp|45}}

By order from the [[Finnish People's Delegation]], a revolutionary court was founded in Espoo, with the Kauklahti-based worker Aleksi Aronen serving as its judge. The court sessions were held in Villa Odenwald in [[Kauniainen]]. Most of the sentences given by the court were prison sentences or fines. In addition, the Red Guard in Leppävaara had its own comrade court. The general staff of the Red Guard in Uusimaa had installed a [[curfew]] forbidding going outside after nine o'clock in the evening. Meetings were held in workers' houses assembling lists to provide support for the Red Guards. Patrols consisting of young men looking for food and weapons could take justice in their own hands in the typical form of red terror.<ref name="kouvola"/>{{rp|46}} In the spring, the Reds killed nine people in Espoo, of which six were civilians. Rumours of these acts of violence spread out, spreading fear among the people. Many people saw the municipal rule of the Reds as a reign of terror.<ref name="kouvola"/>{{rp|47}}

During the Civil War, many bourgeois people in Espoo, whom the Reds in power saw as a threat, fled to neighbouring municipalities, hidden cabins in the archipelago or forests in northern Espoo. For example, Hans Heimbürger, the speaker of the Espoo municipal council, fled to [[Degerö, Ingå|Degerö]] in [[Ingå]] in January together with his family. Two people from Espoo are said to have fled into caves to flee from the Red power.<ref name="kouvola"/>{{rp|58}}

==== After the war ====
The damages of the Civil War in Espoo were minimal, except for one primary school which had been hit by German bombing.<ref>[http://espoonperinneseura.net/perinnetieto/Autonomiasta-itsenaisyyteen.html Autonomiasta itsenäisyyteen], Traditional council Aurora. Accessed on 17 December 2017.</ref> However, many houses in Espoo suffered from famine after the Civil War. The war had cut off a large part of the foreign trade in Finland, which worsened the famine. Particularly the price of grain and other necessary foodstuffs had risen significantly, which caused price limits for the most important products. The situation eased out in 1919, but food regulation was only finally discontinued in 1921.<ref name="kouvola"/>{{rp|41}}

After the end of the war, the White Guards went out to look for Reds fled into the forests in Espoo for a long time. In June 1918 the White Guards appealed to the municipal council of Espoo to ask for funds to travel to prison camps in order to provide expert help in judging reds from Espoo. 12 members of the Red Guard in Espoo had been sent to prison camps.<ref name="kouvola"/>{{rp|42–43}}

Under the 1918 peasant law, peasants were freed from the power of their private masters, which led to a widespread settlement of steadless population in Finland. From 1919 to 1925 about 150 peasants and crofters in Espoo bought land for themselves with the grant given by the Finnish state. The new farms thus acquired still remained small, which caused the need to acquire further income through forestry and handyman work.<ref name="kouvola"/>{{rp|42–43}}

=== 20th century ===
[[File:Kauklahti 1920.jpg|thumb|right|[[VR Class Vk3]] steam locomotive at [[Kauklahti railway station]] in the 1920s]]
[[File:Moderne architectuur in Helsinki, Bestanddeelnr 920-4662.jpg|thumb|right|The so-called "[[Hip flask houses]]" in Tapiola were built from 1959 to 1961. This picture is from 1967.]]
In 1920, Espoo was only a rural municipality of about 9,000 inhabitants, of whom 70% were Swedish speaking. Agriculture was the primary source of income, with 75% of the population making their living from farming.{{cn|date=June 2023}}

[[Kauniainen]] was separated from Espoo in 1920,<ref>[https://www.hs.fi/paakirjoitukset/art-2000004593168.html 550-vuotias Espoo on kasvanut aikuiseksi] [550-year-old Espoo has grown up], {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230927135426/https://www.hs.fi/paakirjoitukset/art-2000004593168.html|date=27 September 2023}} – ''[[Helsingin Sanomat]]'' (in Finnish)</ref> and it gained city rights the same year as Espoo, in 1972. However, the border between Espoo and Kauniainen was only defined in the late 1940s.

Espoo started to grow rapidly in the 1940s and 1950s. Shortly after the end of the [[Continuation War]], the population of Espoo grew by four thousand as frontline soldiers and evacuees from [[Moscow Armistice|ceded territories]] (including the [[Porkkalanniemi]] peninsula, leased to the Soviet Union between 1944 and 1956) were settled in the city.<ref name="väliaho">Väliaho, Tuomo: [https://www.hs.fi/kaupunki/espoo/art-2000009026829.html Vielä 1960-luvulla Espoota pidettiin "villinä läntenä", jossa olivat omat lait ja käytöstavat – Silloin kyti juonittelu, jollaista ei oltu ennen nähty] [As late as the 1960s, Espoo was considered the 'Wild West', with its own laws and manners – At that time, a scheme was brewing like nothing seen before], {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220829002042/https://www.hs.fi/kaupunki/espoo/art-2000009026829.html|date=29 August 2022}}, ''[[Helsingin Sanomat]]'' 28 August 2022. Accessed on 29 August 2022.</ref>

Espoo's location right next to the capital city of [[Helsinki]] attracted people working in the capital city to move into the rapidly growing neighbour city, and already before [[World War II]] there were many suburbs along the [[Rantarata]] railway, such as [[Leppävaara]], [[Kilo, Espoo|Kilo]] and [[Kauklahti]] which had formed into an industrial area. After the new Jorvaksentie road (predecessor to the [[Länsiväylä]] highway) was completed, new detached houses were built along it, particularly in [[Westend, Espoo|Westend]]. After the war, many detached houses for soldiers having fought at the frontline were built in Espoo. The highest increase in population only started in the early 1950s when the Asuntosäätiö foundation started construction of the garden city of [[Tapiola]], and construction of a new campus area of the [[Helsinki University of Technology]] started in the neighbouring district of [[Otaniemi]].

In the 1940s and 1950s Espoo grew more rapidly than it could afford. The infrastructure of Espoo was not prepared to handle such rapid growth. There was no time for proper [[zoning]], instead new houses were built as people bought lots in the city.<ref name="väliaho"/>

A major change happened in the late 1940s as the [[Helsinki University of Technology]] moved from [[Hietalahti, Helsinki|Hietalahti]] in [[Helsinki]] to larger premises in [[Otaniemi]], and the planning of the [[Tapiola]] garden city district was started. As the city did not have enough money to fund the construction of the student village in Otaniemi, the [[teekkari|technical university students]] took to the matter to their own hands, both by gathering money through various activities and taking part in the actual construction. About 800 thousand bricks from the Embassy of the Soviet Union in Helsinki, which had been destroyed in the [[bombing of Helsinki in World War II|bombing of Helsinki]], were used to build student apartments in Otaniemi.<ref name="väliaho"/>

From 1944 to 1956 the Espoonlahti bay between Espoo and Kirkkonummi served as the border of the [[Porkkala Naval Base]] under the control of the [[Soviet Union]]. A large part of Kirkkonummi, as well as a narrow strip of the sea and a couple of islands in Espoo were included in the area of the naval base. In Espoo, the [[Kauklahti railway station]] near the border to the naval base became a tightly controlled border station between Finland and the Soviet Union. The land connection to Porkkala went via the Kivenlahti bridge. During the time of the naval base, part of the western coast had been evacuated, and the windows of the houses in the border villages on the Soviet side had to be covered during night time. The windows of the trains travelling through the area rented to the Soviet Union had to be covered with wooden hatches from the outside for the duration of passage through Soviet territory, and could only be reopened upon reentry to Finland.

Unlike the neighbouring city of Helsinki, Espoo failed to develop a proper city centre, forming instead into an area of multiple centres. This was partly because a 1968 zoning plan where Espoo was divided into four separate areas, with the administrative centre situated in Muurala (later known as [[Espoon keskus]]), partly because most of the land in Espoo was not actually owned by the city but was instead in private ownership, directing new construction to wherever it was possible instead of using a proper zoning plan.<ref name="väliaho"/>

The rather tightly populated districts of [[Tapiola]] and [[Leppävaara]] in eastern Espoo underwent attempts to separate from the city of Espoo, from two directions: on the one hand, the inhabitants of the districts wanted them to become independent municipalities, while on the other hand, the neighbouring city of Helsinki wanted to annex the districts into Helsinki. These attempts all failed and the districts remained as part of Espoo, which changed from a rural municipality first to a [[market town]] in 1963 and then to a [[city]] in 1972.<ref name="väliaho"/> The new administrative centre of the city, [[Espoon keskus]], was built in the 1970s around the [[Espoo railway station]] and the old grey stone church in Espoo.

The non-centralised nature of Espoo led to significant differences between its districts. Different parts of Espoo included the wealthy garden city district of Tapiola, large areas that still remained as countryside, and new suburbs such as [[Haukilahti]], [[Karakallio]] and [[Soukka]]. Disagreements between different districts were common and gave Espoo a nationwide reputation of a quarrelsome municipality.<ref name="väliaho"/>

The city quickly developed from a rural municipality into a fully-fledged industrial city, gaining city rights in 1972. On 1 January 1972, when Espoo gained city rights, it had a population of over 100,000, making it into the fourth-largest city in Finland at the time, after [[Helsinki]], [[Turku]] and [[Tampere]].<ref name="väliaho"/>

Due to its proximity to Helsinki, Espoo soon became popular amongst people working in the capital. In the fifty years from 1950 to 2000, the population of Espoo grew from 22,000 to 210,000, mainly due to large-scale migration from other parts of Finland. Since 1945, the majority of people in Espoo have been Finnish-speaking. In 2006, the Swedish-speaking inhabitants represented barely 9% of the total population. The population growth is still continuing, but at a slower rate. In the summer of 2022, the population of Espoo grew to over 300,000 inhabitants.<ref>{{cite web |last=Lehtokari |first=Rosa |date=29 June 2022 |title=Espoolaisia on nyt 300 000 – kaupunginjohtaja Jukka Mäkelä kävi onnittelemassa tuoreinta espoolaista |trans-title=There are now 300,000 Espoo residents – Mayor Jukka Mäkelä went to congratulate the newest resident of Espoo |url=https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-12515985 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220831094613/https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-12515985 |archive-date=31 August 2022 |access-date=31 August 2022 |work=[[Yle]] |language=fi}}</ref>

=== Market town and city ===
Espoo became a [[market town]] in 1963. The population of Espoo at the time was 65,000. About a decade later, Espoo became a city in 1972.<ref name="espoonhistoria">[https://web.archive.org/web/20161013224514/http://www.espoo.fi/fi-FI/Espoon_kaupunki/Tietoa_Espoosta/Historia Espoon historia], city of Espoo. Accessed on 6 December 2017.</ref> The districts of [[Suvela]], [[Olari, Espoo|Olari]], [[Matinkylä]] and [[Kivenlahti]] were built in the 1970s. The first of the high-rise buildings in [[Keilaniemi]], the [[Accountor Tower|Neste head office]] was built in 1976.<ref>{{cite web |url-status=live |url=https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-9909418 |first1=    Timo-Pekka |last1=Heima |title=74 miljoonan euron kauppa – Fortumin pääkonttori "Raaden hammas" Espoossa vaihtoi omistajaa |trans-title=A 74 million euros deal – Fortum's headquarters 'Raade's tooth' in Espoo changed owners |website= [[YLE]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220915224730/https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-9909418|archive-date=15 September 2022 |orig-date=October 31, 2017 |date=September 24, 2018 |access-date= 20 December 2017}}</ref>

Many of the important roads in Finland go through Espoo. Finland's first highway, the [[Finnish national road 1]], was built in 1962. The [[Ring I]] beltway was also built in the 1960s. The next outer beltway, [[Ring II]], was taken into use in 2000.<ref name="espoonhistoria"/>

In the original plan for the centre of the [[Tapiola]] garden city, architect [[Aarne Ervi]] had reserved a space for a theatre building at the end of the fountain pool, but the theatre building was never built.<ref name="sipinen">"[http://arksipinen.fi/fi/tyot/12-projektit/144-1989-espoon-kulttuurikeskus Espoon kulttuurikeskus]", ''Arkkitehtitoimisto Sipinen Oy''. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220915225638/http://arksipinen.fi/fi/tyot/12-projektit/144-1989-espoon-kulttuurikeskus |date=15 September 2022 }}. Accessed on 28 November 2020.</ref> The decision to build a new cultural centre was made in a celebratory session of the Espoo city council on 1 January 1972, when Espoo became a city. Two years later the first room program of the new building was completed, defining its needs and surface area. An architecture contest was held for its design in 1979. About 60 different proposals were submitted for the contest, with architect [[Arto Sipinen]]'s design ''Kuunsilta'' ("Moonlight bridge") being chosen as the winner. Construction of the [[Espoo Cultural Centre]] started in 1986. The foundation stone was laid on [[Jean Sibelius]] Day on 8 December. The building was constructed of [[quartz]] sand bricks, [[travertine]] tiles, glass and mosaic concrete, and its cost rose to about 130 million [[Finnish markka]].<ref name="sipinen"/><ref name="kulttuurikeskus">"[https://web.archive.org/web/20201202223626/https://www.espoo.fi/fi-FI/Kulttuuri_ja_liikunta/Kulttuuri/Kulttuurikeskukset_ja_tilat/Espoon_kulttuurikeskus/Esittely_ja_yhteystiedot/Historia_ja_arkkitehtuuri Espoon kulttuurikeskuksen historia ja arkkitehtuuri]", city of Espoo. Accessed on 28 November 2020.</ref> The building was completed in January 1989.<ref name="kulttuurikeskus"/>

=== 21st century ===
[[File:Urheilupuisto metro station construction site 2.JPG|thumb|right|The [[Urheilupuisto metro station]] under construction in February 2016]]
By the start of the 21st century, Espoo had become the second largest city in the entire country in Finland with a population of slightly over 200 thousand, second only to the capital city [[Helsinki]].

The [[Länsimetro]] transport line started construction in 2010 and its first stage was taken into use on 18 November 2017.<ref>{{cite web |url-status=live |url=https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-9925078 |first1= Esa |last1=Koivuranta |title=Joko länsimetron kyytiin vihdoin pääsee? Yle seuraa tiedotustilaisuutta suorana kello 9 |trans-title=Can you finally ride the West Metro? Yle follows the press conference live at 9 o'clock |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220915230023/https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-9925078|archive-date=15 September 2022|website= [[YLE]]|access-date= 10 November 2017 |date=November 10, 2017 }}</ref>

==Geography==
===General===
[[File:Subdivisions of Espoo-fi.svg|thumb|left|upright|The districts and major areas of Espoo]]
[[File:Kyto linjataulut.jpg|thumb|right|The bare cliffs on the islands of the outer archipelago change into forested islands closer to the shore. This picture shows the former fortification island of [[Kytö]].]]
[[File:Kasavuori 19.7.2019.jpg|thumb|right|A landscape view from the Kasavuori hill in Soukka]]
[[File:Nuuksio peat accumulations.jpg|thumb|right|The Nuuksio national park]]
Espoo has an area of {{convert|528|km2|1}}—{{convert|312|km2|1}} (59%) of land and {{convert|216|km2|1}} (41%) of water. Sea water makes up 37% of the total area of Espoo and inland water makes up a bit over 3%.<ref name="info"/> To the north of the lush river areas and the fields in central Espoo, the archipelagal and coastal zone in southern Espoo changes into lake-filled and rocky terrain. At some places the lake areas in northern Espoo resemble the [[Finnish Lakeland]]. The largest part of the lake ridge in Nuuksio is located in Espoo, but a part of it is located in neighbouring [[Vihti]].<ref name="paikkala">Paikkala, Sirkka (ed.): ''Järvi-Espoo: vesistönimet, luontoa, historiaa ja tulevaisuutta.'' Nomenclature unit of the urban planning bureau of Espoo 1992. {{ISBN?}}</ref>{{rp|5}} The largest lakes in Uusimaa, [[Lohjanjärvi]] and [[Hiidenvesi]], are located west of the ridge.

The highest point in Espoo is Velskola at 114.2 m above sea level, and the lowest point is at sea level. Espoo is a part of the [[Helsinki capital region]] and is contiguously bordered by the cities, towns and municipalities of [[Kirkkonummi]], [[Vihti]], [[Nurmijärvi]], [[Vantaa]], [[Kauniainen]] and [[Helsinki]].

For a city of its size, Espoo is home to exceptionally large natural areas. The southern part of the city is characterized by maritime environment, including a varied coastline and an archipelago consisting of 165 islands.<ref name="Espoo-tarina">{{cite magazine |date= 11 September 2017 |title= Espoo-tarina |url= https://www.espoo.fi/fi-fi/espoon_kaupunki/paatoksenteko/espootarina |language= Finnish |magazine=  |location= Espoo |publisher= City of Espoo |page= 2 |access-date= 2 April 2021 |archive-date= 16 April 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210416212017/https://www.espoo.fi/fi-fi/espoon_kaupunki/paatoksenteko/espootarina |url-status= dead }}</ref>

=== Bedrock ===
The minerals and structures of the rocky and hilly topography of Espoo were formed about 1880 to 1650 million years ago. Particularly the [[Weichselian glaciation]] has had an effect on the current environment – the continental ice sheet withdrew from what is now Espoo about 13 thousand years ago. The first areas to surface from underneath the sea were the high hills in northern Espoo, such as Mustankorvenkallio.<ref name="kohteet">[http://docplayer.fi/512129-Espoon-arvokkaat-geologiset-kohteet-2006.html ESPOON ARVOKKAAT GEOLOGISET KOHTEET 2006], environmental centre of Espoo. Accessed on 9 November 2017.</ref>{{rp|11}} The numerous smooth cliffs on the seashore and in the archipelago were caused by wear by the continental ice sheet; there are grooves on their surfaces, indicating the direction of the flow of the ice sheet. Icebergs split off from the ice sheet have transported [[glacial erratic]]s,<ref name="kallioperä">[https://web.archive.org/web/20171005140442/http://www.espoo.fi/download/noname/%7B2B0BBBE3-EB71-4278-B7AA-63F450E6D262%7D/78907 Espoon kallioperän synty], environmental centre of Espoo. Accessed on 5 November 2017.</ref> including those in Kunnarla, Soukka and Suomenoja.

Main rock types in the Espoo bedrock include [[gneiss]], [[migmatite]], [[granite]], [[gabbro]], [[amphibolite]] and [[mica schist]]. Rare [[orbicular granite]] can be found in Nuuksio, the deposit is internationally valuable.<ref name="kohteet"/> At many places there are thick layers of [[clay]] on top of the bedrock, and fields were plowed onto clay-covered valleys. The thickness of the clay layers was mainly formed in the [[Baltic Ice Lake]] and the [[Yoldia Sea]].<ref name="kohteet"/>{{rp|12}} The effect of the bedrock on the traditional Espoo natural landscape was significant; high and steep cliffs stand up from shallowly waving fields. The oblong lakes in northern Espoo are located in valleys in the bedrock. The formation of the bedrock has determined the shapes of the coastline, such as Espoonlahti and Laajalahti. Because of upthrust, paludification of forests and overgrowth of lakes, [[bog]]s and layers of [[peat]] have formed on top of the clay at some places.<ref name="kallioperä"/>

=== Sea area ===
The sea area of Espoo is a considerably narrow strip between the sea areas of [[Helsinki]] and [[Kirkkonummi]].<ref name="selvitys">[https://web.archive.org/web/20160418012503/http://uudenmaanliitto.fi/files/15235/Uudenmaan_meri-_ja_rannikkoalueselvitys_E142-2014.pdf UUDENMAAN MERI- JA RANNIKKOALUESELVITYS], Helsinki-Uusimaa Regional Council. Accessed on 5 November 2017.</ref>{{rp|26}} The depth of the southern part of the sea area, in the outer archipelago, is a few dozen metres at the most. The ship route between Helsinki and [[Stockholm]], [[Sweden]] goes through the outermost parts of the sea area which contains small treeless, sea-washed [[islet]]s. One of them is the former fortification island of [[Kytö]]. The smallest islands are shallow islets, such as [[Stenskär]]. They are significant nesting grounds for birds and many of them are nature-protected areas. In summertime there might be flowering meadow patches on the islands. The islands closest to the Espoo shoreline include [[Stora Herrö]], [[Pentala]], [[Kopplorna]] and [[Lehtisaaret]]. The islands host many vacation buildings, and they are often referred to as an intermediary archipelago.<ref name="selvitys"/>{{rp|20}}

The islands in the inner archipelago are larger and lusher and contain boat harbours and buildings, as well as permanent settlements on the islands closest to the shore. There is a land connection from the mainland to the inhabited islands in [[Suvisaaristo]] and it forms a district of its own, with a more rural image than most of Espoo.

The sea area extends inland at many places as bays, of which the largest are Espoonlahti in the west and Laajalahti in the east. Bays on the shoreline between them include Nuottalahti, Haukilahti and Otsolahti. The bays are shallow and contain many islands, particularly in Espoonlahti. Most of the islands in Laajalahti are located across the municipal border in Helsinki. The largest peninsula in Espoo is [[Soukka]], fracturing into an archipelago in the south. Thus the peninsula hardly offers any views to the open sea. The nearest ship harbours are located in Helsinki, while the Espoo shoreline contains many small boat harbours, the largest being the boat harbour in [[Suomenoja]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20181202024624/https://www.espoo.fi/fi-FI/Kulttuuri_ja_liikunta/Ulkoilu/Veneily/Venesatamat Venesatamat], city of Espoo. Accessed on 15 March 2019.</ref> The maritime traffic in front of Espoo mainly consists of motor boats of various sizes, water scooters and ferries handling traffic in the archipelago.

In terms of natural geography, the coastal waters of Espoo are divided into four different sea areas, consisting counting from the west of Espoonlahti, Suvisaaristo-Lauttasaari and Seurasaari. The fourth sea area is Helsinki-Porkkala to the south of the other three. The surface area of the Espoonlahti sea area is 19.2 square kilometres. The Espoonlahti nature preserve area is located in its northern part. The western part of the sea area is located in the neighbouring municipality of [[Kirkkonummi]]. The surface area of the Suvisaaristo-Lauttasaari sea area is 48.5 square kilometres. It reaches from the shores of the islands of Stora Herrö and Pentala up to the [[West Harbour, Helsinki|West Harbour]] in Helsinki. The surface area of the Seurasaari sea area is 13.1 square kilometres. The Laajalahti nature preserve area is located in its northwestern part. Most of the sea area is located in neighbouring Helsinki. The surface area of the Helsinki-Porkkala sea area is 400.5 square kilometres. It reaches from the eastern shore of the [[Porkkalanniemi]] peninsula up to [[Suomenlinna]] and [[Santahamina]]. Islands in the sea area include Kytö, Stenskär, [[Knapperskär]] and [[Gåsgrund]].<ref>[http://www.jarviwiki.fi/wiki/Espoo Espoo] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220927030711/https://www.jarviwiki.fi/wiki/Espoo |date=27 September 2022 }}, environmental centre of Finland. Accessed on 12 October 2019.</ref>

=== Shoreline ===
The shoreline of Espoo is about 58 kilometres long and there are 165 islands in front of it.<ref>[http://espoo550.fi/espoon-rannat-ja-saaristo/ Espoon rannat ja saaristo] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220812025934/https://espoo550.fi/espoon-rannat-ja-saaristo/ |date=12 August 2022 }}, Espoo550. Accessed on 6 November 2017.</ref> The shoreline is diverse and contains decomposing bays, reed beds, sandy beaches, coastal cliffs and boat harbours. The district of [[Westend, Espoo|Westend]] contains private house lots reaching to the sea shore, while the sea shore in the rest of Espoo is mainly in public use. The [[Rantaraitti]] hiking route spans almost the entire sea shore of Espoo.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20171106191356/http://www.espoo.fi/rantaraitti Rantaraitti], city of Espoo. Accessed on 6 November 2017.</ref> The district of [[Kivenlahti]] contains coastal cliffs, man-made shoreline and sandy beaches.

The land in Espoo is rising by about a quarter of a metre per century and the moist land rise shores are slowly becoming bogs.<ref name="kohteet"/>{{rp|12}}

=== Continental area ===
[[File:Day trip in Nuuksio National Park .jpg|thumb|right|Lake Pitkäjärvi in Nuuksio in northern Espoo]]
[[File:Länsiväylä Espoo Finland direction West 2018-11-24 b.png|thumb|right|A view of the Länsiväylä highway in southern Espoo, at the coast of the Gulf of Finland]]
[[File:Mankinjoki Espoonkartano Espoo 260921.png|thumb|right|The river Mankinjoki flows rapidly in central Espoo.]]
There are six [[Natura 2000]] areas in Espoo: the Bånberget forest area, Espoonlahti-[[Saunalahti, Espoo|Saunalahti]] (partly located in Kirkkonummi), the Laajalahti bird waters, [[Matalajärvi]], [[Nuuksio]] (partly located in Kirkkonummi and [[Vihti]]) and the bogs, groves and old forests in Vestra (partly located in [[Vantaa]]).<ref>[http://www.ymparisto.fi/fi-FI/Luonto/Suojelualueet/Natura_2000_alueet?f=Uudenmaan_ELYkeskus Uudenmaan Natura 2000 -alueet] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220903000327/https://www.ymparisto.fi/fi-FI/Luonto/Suojelualueet/Natura_2000_alueet?f=Uudenmaan_ELYkeskus |date=3 September 2022 }}, environmental council of Finland. Accessed on 16 August 2014.</ref> The forests in Espoo are mainly [[pine barrens]] consisting mostly of spruces and pines, with some deciduous trees. There are lush and diverse groves in some places, containing many hardwood trees such as [[oak]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20171111041932/http://espoo04.hosting.documenta.fi/kokous/2013281848-14-1.PDF ESPOON LUONNON MONIMUOTOISUUDEN SUOJELUN TOIMENPIDEOHJELMA], p. 10, 12. Accessed on 7 November 2017.</ref> The ecological core area of southern Espoo is the [[Espoo Central Park]], consisting mainly of two forest massives: Harmaakallo and Bosmalm.<ref>[https://www.sll.fi/mita-sina-voit-tehda/tule-mukaan-toimintaan/suomi-100/luontohelmet/espoon-keskuspuisto Espoon Keskuspuisto] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171111073019/https://www.sll.fi/mita-sina-voit-tehda/tule-mukaan-toimintaan/suomi-100/luontohelmet/espoon-keskuspuisto |date=11 November 2017 }}, Nature preservation association of Finland. Accessed on 7 November 2017.</ref>

The most famous and most popular nature area in Espoo is the [[Nuuksio National Park]] located on the lake highland of northern Espoo, reaching over to Kirkkonummi and Vihti. As well as the contiguous forest and pools of sweet water, Nuuksio contains small bogs and meadows. There are also lush grove-like brook valleys in the area.<ref>Hiironniemi, Kalevi; Pajakoski, Johanna: ''Kuin pieni Suomi: Espoon luontoa mereltä erämaahan'', p. 10. City of Espoo 2008. {{ISBN|978-951-857-514-9}}.</ref>

The highest spot in Espoo, [[Mustankorvenkallio]], is located in Velskola to the southwest of Saarijärvi 114 metres above sea level and over 40 metres above the water level of Saarijärvi.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200804151039/https://www.espoo.fi/download/noname/%7B659A0559-3554-4687-9A00-63D2B0402DDA%7D/91574 Kotinurkilta kallioille: Espoon luontokohteet: 12.13 Espoon korkein kohta], city of Espoo. Accessed on 7 November 2017.</ref> There are also considerably high spots very near the coast, such as the Kasavuori hill in Soukka, rising to 44 metres above sea level.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200804151039/https://www.espoo.fi/download/noname/%7B659A0559-3554-4687-9A00-63D2B0402DDA%7D/91574 Kotinurkilta kallioille: Espoon luontokohteet: 4.16 Soukan kasavuori], city of Espoo. Accessed on 7 November 2017.</ref>

=== Inland waters ===
There are over a hundred lakes and ponds in Espoo, of which 73 have an area of over a hectare.<ref name="paikkala"/>{{rp|5}}<ref name="jarviwiki">[http://www.jarviwiki.fi/wiki/Espoo Espoo] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220927030711/https://www.jarviwiki.fi/wiki/Espoo |date=27 September 2022 }}, ''jarviwiki.fi''. Accessed on 9 September 2019.</ref> The lakes in Espoo were formed when the land slowly started rising after the continental ice sheet had thawed, and water started flowing into the crevices in the bedrock. The oldest lakes in Espoo are Kalatoin, Iso Majaslampi, Orajärvi and Pieni Majaslampi, all located over 80 metres above sea level. At that time, what is now the Baltic Sea was in a so-called [[Yoldia Sea]] phase, which had formed when the surface of the [[Baltic Ice Lake]] had lowered tens of metres in a short time. Nuuksio slowly expanded into part of the mainland and new lakes were formed when the sea level sank. Development stopped for about a millennium and a half when the ancient Baltic Sea changed into the [[Ancylus Lake]]. Its surface was originally about 60 metres above the current sea level. The Ancylus Lake formed into the salty [[Littorina Sea]] when the current [[Danish straits]] started opening up. The surface of the Littorina Sea was about 34 metres above the current sea level. At that time, almost all lakes in northern Espoo had been separated from the sea. Only the lake [[Nuuksion Pitkäjärvi]] remained as a narrow, [[fjord]]-like bay. The shore of the Littorina Sea remained at its place for a long time as upthrust slowed down. Rocky rims remain of the ancient sea shore on hills and cliffs. Nuuksion Pitkäjärvi only separated from the sea and became an inland lake about five millennia ago. About four millennia ago the land had risen so far that also [[Lake Bodom]], [[Lippajärvi]] and other pools in central Espoo changed from shallow bays into lakes.<ref name="paikkala"/>{{rp|15}}

Most of the lakes in Espoo are located to the north of the [[Finnish national road 1]], particularly in the lake highlands in Nuuksio. There are three pools named Pitkäjärvi ("long lake"): [[Pitkäjärvi]], Nuuksion Pitkäjärvi and [[Velskolan Pitkäjärvi]]. The largest lake in Espoo is [[Lake Bodom]] with a surface area of 4.1 square kilometres and an average depth of 4.3 metres.<ref name="järvien">[https://web.archive.org/web/20161028131718/http://www.espoo.fi/download/noname/%7BC89C4628-8F1E-4D99-B9E8-EC0D8657A3CD%7D/36868 Selvitys Espoon järvien tilasta], environmental centre of Uusimaa. Accessed on 9 November 2017.</ref>{{rp|50}} The largest depth of Nuuksion Pitkäjärvi is 18 metres and the average depth is 6.5 metres, and there are tens of lakes and ponds in its [[drainage basin]] of 60 square kilometres.<ref name="järvien"/>{{rp|37}} There are few lakes in southern Espoo. The shallow lake [[Hannusjärvi]] with a surface area of six hectares is located in [[Kaitaa]]<ref name="järvien"/>{{rp|53}} and the small lake [[Pentalanjärvi]] is located in the island of [[Pentala]].<ref name="järvien"/>{{rp|55}}

Because the sweet water pools to the south of the [[Salpausselkä]] ridges formed when the ancient bays separated from the sea into lakes because of upthrust, only very few islands developed in them.<ref name="paikkala"/>{{rp|15}} One of the few inland islands in Espoo is an island of fifteen hectares in the lake [[Saarijärvi, Espoo|Saarijärvi]] located near the border to Vihti. There was a suggestion to name the rocky island covered in pine forests as Partiosaari, but nothing became of this.<ref name="paikkala"/>{{rp|61}}

The differences in the surface heights of the lakes in Espoo are considerable. Lake Pieni Majaslampi is located the highest up, 97 metres above sea level. Lake Saarijärvi near it is located 25 metres lower. Because of the height differences, small rapids sometimes form in spring time in the creeks between adjacent water pools.<ref name="ahola">Ahola, Joel: ''Nuuksio: retkeilyopas & kartta''. Helsinki: Retkeilymedia Ahola ja Affecto Oy, 2008. {{ISBN|978-951-593-200-6}}.</ref>{{rp|50}}

===Features===
Although Espoo is relatively highly populated, it has large amounts of the countryside and natural wilderness, particularly in the city's western and northern portions. The city has a total of 71 lakes, the largest of which are [[Lake Bodom]], Nuuksion Pitkäjärvi, Vanhankylän Pitkäjärvi, Loojärvi, Velskolan Pitkäjärvi, Saarijärvi, Matalajärvi, Siikajärvi, and Lippajärvi. The city has a large coastline on the [[Gulf of Finland]].

Espoo has six [[Natura 2000]] [[protected area]]s: Bånberget forests, Espoonlahti–Saunalahti bay area (partially in [[Kirkkonummi]]), Laajalahti bay, Matalajärvi lake, [[Nuuksio National Park]] (partially in Kirkkonummi and [[Vihti]]), as well as forests in Vestra (partially in [[Vantaa]]).

The official animal of Espoo is the [[Siberian flying squirrel]], the official bird is the [[common blackbird]], and the official plant is ''[[Anemone nemorosa]]''.

=== Flora and fauna ===
[[File:Koski, jossa on myllyn jäännökset 2.jpg|thumb|left|Rapids in Bemböle]]
[[File:Ducks in Espoo.jpg|thumb|right|[[Mallard]]s in [[Matinkylä]]]]
The city's Central Park's fauna represents a typical range of Finnish forest species. The most common flora in the Central Park includes [[Equisetum]], [[fern]]s, [[Anemone]], [[Lythrum]] and [[Orchidaceae]]. Common mammal species present in Espoo include the [[European hare]] and the [[mountain hare]], the [[raccoon dog]], the [[red squirrel]], the [[Moose|elk]], the [[red fox]], various bat species, the [[European badger]], as well as the [[roe deer]] and the [[white-tailed deer]],<ref name="Central Park"/> which was introduced to Finland in the 1930s as a gift from [[Finnish Americans|Finnish American]] migrants.<ref>{{cite news |last=Mansikka |first=Heli |date= |title=Suomi sai Amerikan lahjaksi 7 valkohäntäpeuraa, ne vapautettiin luontoon ja nyt niitä on 100 000 – laukonpeurojen historia on kiehtova tarina isänmaanrakkaudesta |trans-title=Finland received seven white-tailed deer as a gift from America; they were released into the wild and now there are 100,000 of them – the history of the Laukko deer is a fascinating story of patriotism |url=https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-10290307 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210727132250/https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-10290307 |archive-date=27 July 2021 |access-date=3 April 2021 |work=Yle |location= |language=Finnish}}</ref>

The Suomenoja Bird Reserve in Finnoo, southern Espoo, is considered to be nationally significant for its bird diversity.<ref name="suomenluonto">{{cite web |title=Retkivinkki: Finnoon allas Espoon Suomenojalla |trans-title=Trip tip: Finnoo pond in Suomenoja, Espoo |url=https://suomenluonto.fi/artikkelit/retkivinkki-finnoon-allas-espoon-suomenojalla/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201221083017/https://suomenluonto.fi/artikkelit/retkivinkki-finnoon-allas-espoon-suomenojalla/ |archive-date=21 December 2020 |access-date=13 February 2021 |publisher=Suomen Luonto |language=fi}}</ref> Among others, there are endangered [[Common moorhen|moorhens]], as well as [[horned grebe]]s and [[gadwall]]s. The most common and audible maritime bird species is the [[black-headed gull]], but the [[whooper swan]] is also a common sight in the city's archipelago, where [[white-tailed eagle]]s can be found as well.<ref name="suomenluonto"/>

The city is home to 73 vulnerable or endangered species,<ref>{{cite web | url= https://www.espoo.fi/en-US/Housing_and_environment/Environment_and_nature/Endangered_species(139256) | title= Endangered species | publisher= City of Espoo | access-date= 11 March 2021 | archive-date= 31 July 2021 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210731215115/https://www.espoo.fi/en-US/Housing_and_environment/Environment_and_nature/Endangered_species(139256) | url-status= dead }}</ref> including the [[Siberian flying squirrel]], whose Finnish populations have experienced a steep decline for many decades due to logging. The flying squirrel is considered to be the official animal of Espoo,<ref>{{cite news |last=Tarkka-Tierala |first=Hannele |date= |title=Liito-orava, mustarastas ja valkovuokko nimikkosuosikit |trans-title=The flying squirrel, blackbird, and wood anemone are emblem favorites |url=https://www.hs.fi/kaupunki/art-2000003590909.html |access-date=3 April 2021 |work=Helsingin Sanomat |location= |language=Finnish}}</ref> and the squirrel populations are especially plentiful in the northernmost parts of the city. However, the flying squirrel is also present in some southern areas, including the Central Park, [[Soukka]], [[Espoon keskus]], [[Tapiola]], [[Laajalahti]], Hannusmetsä and [[Matinkylä]].<ref>{{cite web | url= https://www.espoo.fi/en-US/Housing_and_environment/Environment_and_nature/Flying_squirrel__the_symbol_of_Espoo(139250) | title= Flying squirrel – the symbol of Espoo | publisher= City of Espoo | access-date= 11 March 2021 | archive-date= 31 July 2021 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210731220746/https://www.espoo.fi/en-US/Housing_and_environment/Environment_and_nature/Flying_squirrel__the_symbol_of_Espoo(139250) | url-status= dead }}</ref>

== Climate ==
=== Temperature and rainfall ===
[[File:Puropuisto vappu 2019 Soukka Espoo.png|thumb|right|Spring: May Day celebrations in the Puropuisto park in [[Soukka]]]]
[[File:Piispansilta Matinkylä Espoo Iso Omena 280719.jpg|thumb|right|Summer: Piispansilta in [[Matinkylä]]]]
[[File:Suvisaaristo.jpg|thumb|right|Autumn: [[Suvisaaristo]] viewed from the north]]
[[File:Finland 2016-02-20 (26329849595).jpg|thumb|right|Winter: Boats on the shore of [[Lake Bodom]]]]
Espoo's location in the northern latitudes between the large continent of [[Eurasia]] and the even larger [[Atlantic Ocean]] causes rapid changes in the weather in Espoo. The height of the terrain from sea level also has an effect on the climate: most of the people in Espoo live south of Lake Bodom, where the terrain only rises higher than {{Convert|50|m}} above sea level in a few spots. There are no proper [[plateau]]s in northern Espoo either: the terrain rises a bit over {{Convert|100|m}} above sea level at the most.

Espoo is located in a hemiboreal zone, also known as the oak zone. The most important factor affecting the environment is the [[Gulf of Finland]], cooling the weather down in summer and warming it up in autumn. The coastal convergence increases rainfall going inward into the mainland. The local climate in Nuuksio is different from the rest of Espoo: the terrain in Nuuksio rises up from almost all directions, which causes a forced rise upwards in air currents, which in turn has an effect on the clouds. The ridge in Nuuksio has the highest rainfall in all of Finland. The climate in Nuuksio is also affected by the fractionate terrain, causing friction increasing rainfall. In 1981, the rainfall in [[Nupuri]] was measured as {{Convert|1,109|mm}}, an all-time record in Finland.<ref name="avomereltä">[https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/14910575.pdf Uusimaa ja Itä-Uusimaa – avomereltä Lohjanharjulle] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221017100111/http://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/14910575.pdf |date=17 October 2022 }}, [[Finnish Meteorological Institute]]. Accessed on 21 April 2020.</ref> In southern Espoo the area of [[Suurpelto]] is slightly cooler than its surroundings.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20160522140914/http://www.espoo.fi/fi-FI/Espoon_kaupunki/Tietoa_Espoosta/Tilastot_ja_tutkimukset/Muut_teemat/Suurpellon_luonto_muutoksen_kynnyksella(1333) Suurpellon luonto muutoksen kynnyksellä], city of Espoo. Accessed on 22 April 2020.</ref>

Although Espoo is the second-largest city in Finland, its meteorological averages have not been measured. At the weather stations in the neighbouring municipalities the average temperature from 1981 to 2010 was about {{Convert|5 to 6|C}}. The coldest time of the year was from January to February and the warmest time was from July to August. The temperature differences between the seasons grow smaller when moving out towards the sea. On the coast and in the archipelago, the temperature rarely rises above {{Convert|30|C}} or falls below {{Convert|-20|C}}. The average rainfall is from {{Convert|600 to 700|mm}} per year. The driest season is in springtime and the rainiest season is in August and from October to December. Most of the rainy days occur in autumn.<ref>[https://helda.helsinki.fi/bitstream/handle/10138/35880/Tilastoja_Suomen_ilmastosta_1981_2010.pdf?sequence=4&isAllowed=y TILASTOJA SUOMEN ILMASTOSTA1981-2010] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220417223946/https://helda.helsinki.fi/bitstream/handle/10138/35880/Tilastoja_Suomen_ilmastosta_1981_2010.pdf?sequence=4&isAllowed=y |date=17 April 2022 }}, [[Finnish Meteorological Institute]]. Accessed on 21 April 2020.</ref>

The [[Finnish Meteorological Institute]] has eight outposts in Espoo: Friisilä, Kivenlahti, Kytö, Leppävaara, Luukki, Nuuksio, Otaniemi and Tapiola. Of these, Nuuksio and Tapiola are weather outposts, brought online in the 2010s. The Nuuksio outpost is located in a sparsely populated and fractionate lake ridge {{Convert|90|m}} above sea level. The Tapiola outpost is located in a suburb on the coast of the Gulf of Finland {{Convert|6|m}} above sea level.<ref>[https://www.ilmatieteenlaitos.fi/havaintoasemat Ilmatieteen laitoksen havaintoasemat] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220920173130/https://www.ilmatieteenlaitos.fi/havaintoasemat |date=20 September 2022 }}, [[Finnish Meteorological Institute]]. Accessed on 21 April 2020.</ref>

{{Weather box
| location = Espoo (extremes 1968-1979, 2005-present)
| collapsed = 
| metric first = Yes
| single line = Yes
| Jan record high C = 8.6
| Feb record high C = 8.5
| Mar record high C = 16.3
| Apr record high C = 21.5
| May record high C = 29.2
| Jun record high C = 32.4
| Jul record high C = 32.9
| Aug record high C = 31.6
| Sep record high C = 26.2
| Oct record high C = 18.6
| Nov record high C = 14.3
| Dec record high C = 11.0
| year record high C = 32.9
| Jan record low C = -30.4
| Feb record low C = -31.5
| Mar record low C = -25.2
| Apr record low C = -10.0
| May record low C = -5.9
| Jun record low C = -1.6
| Jul record low C = 3.6
| Aug record low C = -0.4
| Sep record low C = -7.4
| Oct record low C = -8.9
| Nov record low C = -16.9
| Dec record low C = -32.0
| year record low C = -32.0
| Jan mean C = -4.3
| Feb mean C = -4.4
| Mar mean C = -1.5
| Apr mean C = 4.1
| May mean C = 10.3
| Jun mean C = 14.9
| Jul mean C = 18.0
| Aug mean C = 16.7
| Sep mean C = 12.1
| Oct mean C = 6.4
| Nov mean C = 2.3
| Dec mean C = -1.5
| year mean C = 
| Jan high C = -2.3
| Feb high C = -2.2
| Mar high C = 1.6
| Apr high C = 7.8
| May high C = 14.2
| Jun high C = 18.5
| Jul high C = 21.5
| Aug high C = 20.2
| Sep high C = 15.2
| Oct high C = 8.7
| Nov high C = 3.8
| Dec high C = 0.2
| year high C = 
| Jan low C = -6.5
| Feb low C = -6.9
| Mar low C = -4.8
| Apr low C = 0.4
| May low C = 5.8
| Jun low C = 10.6
| Jul low C = 14.0
| Aug low C = 12.9
| Sep low C = 8.9
| Oct low C = 4.1
| Nov low C = 0.6
| Dec low C = -3.4
| year low C = 
| Jan precipitation mm = 53.2
| Feb precipitation mm = 43.6
| Mar precipitation mm = 35.6
| Apr precipitation mm = 33.6
| May precipitation mm = 46.9
| Jun precipitation mm = 63.3
| Jul precipitation mm = 72.4
| Aug precipitation mm = 74.3
| Sep precipitation mm = 58.0
| Oct precipitation mm = 61.9
| Nov precipitation mm = 60.1
| Dec precipitation mm = 56.9
| year precipitation mm = 
| source 1 = Record highs and lows (data from Otaniemi, Nupuri, Sepänkylä, Nuuksio and Tapiola)<ref name="FMI open data">{{cite web
| url = https://kilotavu.com/fmi-tilastot.php?taulukkomoodi=true
| title = FMI open data
| publisher = FMI
| access-date = 6 July 2025
| archive-date = 17 March 2023
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230317073347/https://kilotavu.com/fmi-tilastot.php?taulukkomoodi=true
| url-status = live
}}</ref>
| source 2 = Weather.Directory<ref name="Weather.Directory">
{{cite web|url=https://weather.directory/fi/espoo
|title= Espoo Weather & Climate Guide
|access-date= 15 Jun 2025
|website= Weather.Directory}}</ref>
}}

=== Snow conditions ===
On average, [[snow]] first falls on Espoo after Christmas and melts away from late March to early April. The snow conditions vary more on the coast than inland. In some years, the snow may last up to five months, while in other years, there might be hardly any snow during the entire winter. Lows coming from the southwest carry temperate air which can keep the snow layers thin or even melt the snow away.<ref name="avomereltä"/>

=== Winds ===
[[File:Olarinkatu Espoo 050519.jpg|thumb|right|Especially in springtime, the sea wind blows clouds inland. This picture shows a view of the street Olarinkatu to the north. Birch trees usually grow dogears around May Day.]]
The dominant wind direction sector in Espoo is south-west, as with Finland in general.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200127182946/http://www.tuuliatlas.fi/tuulisuus Tuulisuus Suomessa]. Accessed on 5 May 2020.</ref> The sea wind has a large effect on the local winds on the coast, and can even create its own wind field. It can change the direction and speed of the basic wind on the coast for many times during the same day. Particularly in springtime and early summertime the sea wind keeps the archipelago and coastline free of clouds, while there is a white cloud wall further inland, which can cause rain showers.<ref>[https://blogi.foreca.fi/category/mobiilipalvelut/ Sään takaa] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220906001548/https://blogi.foreca.fi/category/mobiilipalvelut/ |date=6 September 2022 }}, [[Foreca]]. Accessed on 5 May 2020.</ref>

=== Air quality ===
The air quality in Espoo is considerably good despite the negative effect of the traffic. Particularly on pedestrian roads, sand is used to combat slipperiness, which causes a major dust problem in springtime. Studded tires also contribute to the number of harmful particles. The air quality in Espoo is measured in [[Leppävaara]] and [[Luukki]]. There are also mobile measurement stations.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200415142859/https://www.espoo.fi/fi-FI/Asuminen_ja_ymparisto/Ymparisto_ja_luonto/Ymparistovalvonta/Ilmanlaatu Espoossa hengitetään hyvää ilmaa], city of Espoo. Accessed on 22 April 2020.</ref><ref>[https://www.hel.fi/static/hkr/julkaisut/2013/Nasta-loppuraportti_2013_verkko.pdf Kitkarenkaiden käytöllä parempaa ilmanlaatua] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220906002310/https://www.hel.fi/static/hkr/julkaisut/2013/Nasta-loppuraportti_2013_verkko.pdf |date=6 September 2022 }}, publications of the construction bureau of the city of Helsinki 2013. Accessed on 22 April 2020.</ref> Alder and birch pollen has a harmful effect on the air quality in springtime, hay and mugwort in summertime.<ref>[https://www.allergia.fi/site/assets/files/1376/siitepolykausi_suomessa-1.pdf Siitepölykausi Suomessa] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220906002304/https://www.allergia.fi/site/assets/files/1376/siitepolykausi_suomessa-1.pdf |date=6 September 2022 }}, Allergy and Asthma Association of Finland. Accessed on 23 April 2020.</ref>

=== Lighting conditions ===
Espoo is located at a latitude of 60 degrees north, which causes the duration of daylight to vary considerably. At summer solstice daylight lasts for nineteen hours, while at winter solstice it only lasts for six hours. The angle of the sun is at its highest at 53.4 degrees in summertime and only at 6.6 degrees in wintertime. Espoo is among the northernmost places to have nautical dusk even at summer solstice, meaning the sun is at least six degrees below the horizon at the darkest hour of the night.<ref name="timeanddate">[https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/finland/espoo Espoo, Finland — Sunrise, Sunset, and Daylength], Time and Date AS. Accessed on 22 April 2020.</ref> At that time, the entire night passes without total darkness. In contrast, daylight at winter solstice is short, especially when there are only few sunny hours from November to January.<ref name="timeanddate"/>

Shadows cast by buildings are long even at summertime. They are at their shortest at summer solstice, about 75 percent of the height of the buildings. For example, the shadow of [[Niittyhuippu]] is 63 metres long at the time. At noon at winter solstice the shadows can be up to 8.8 times the height of the entire building. For example, the shadow of the [[Tapiola Central Tower]] is 430 metres long at the time.<ref>[https://rechneronline.de/sehwinkel/shadow-casting.php Calculate Shadow Casting: Length, Height, Altitude of the Sun] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220906003931/https://rechneronline.de/sehwinkel/shadow-casting.php |date=6 September 2022 }}, Jumk.de Webprojects. Accessed on 4 May 2020.</ref>

The official time in Espoo is measured by the 30th eastern [[meridian (geography)|meridian]]. The city is located over five degrees west of it, so the solar noon occurs over 20 minutes later than on the 30th meridian.

=== Growth season ===
Espoo is located at the plant success zone 1b. The thermal growth season lasts for a bit over half a year on average. In general, the growth season starts in April and ends in October. Sometimes it continues to early November. The sum of the effective temperature during the thermal growth season is over 1,400 degrees Celsius times day, and annual variations are large.<ref>[https://www.ilmatieteenlaitos.fi/terminen-kasvukausi Terminen kasvukausi] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220906004510/https://www.ilmatieteenlaitos.fi/terminen-kasvukausi |date=6 September 2022 }}, [[Finnish Meteorological Institute]]. Accessed on 22 April 2020.</ref>

== Administration ==
Espoo belongs to the region of [[Uusimaa]]. Supreme decision-making power in the city is held by the City Council of Espoo. The council has 75 members, elected for a period of four years.

=== Subdivisions ===
[[File:Reimarintorni Kivenlahti Espoo 2019-8-22.png|thumb|upright|left|A high-rise building in Kivenlahti]]
[[File:Nuuksioruska.png|thumb|upright|[[Nuuksio National Park]] in autumn]]
{{main|Districts of Espoo}}
Espoo is divided into seven major areas ({{langx|fi|suuralueet}}, {{langx|sv|storområden}}): [[Vanha-Espoo]] (with [[Espoon keskus|administrative center]]), [[Suur-Espoonlahti]], [[Pohjois-Espoo]], [[Suur-Kauklahti]], [[Suur-Leppävaara]], [[Suur-Matinkylä]], and [[Suur-Tapiola]] of which Suur-Leppävaara has the highest population. These major areas are then divided into a total of 56 [[Districts of Espoo|districts]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110606044420/http://www.espoo.fi/default.asp?path=1;28;11866;17468;17633;17859;17653;17715 Kaupunginosat], city of Espoo. Accessed on 31 March 2020.</ref> The healthcare, social, cultural and school services of the city have been concentrated to the regional centres in the major areas.

Statistics about Espoo also include the division "other", which included 4,582 people on New Year 2022. From 2011 to 2022 the population growth was the highest in [[Suur-Kauklahti]], about 70%. The growth in [[Suur-Matinkylä]] was about 27%, while [[Suur-Tapiola]] and [[Suur-Leppävaara]] grew by about 20%. The population in [[Suur-Espoonlahti]] and [[Vanha-Espoo]] grew by about 12% to 13% and that in [[Pohjois-Espoo]] by about 10%.<ref name="tiedostot">[https://www.espoo.fi/fi/vaesto#section-17442 Ladattavat tiedostot: Tietoisku 2/2022] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041013031121/https://www.aluesarjat.fi/#section-17442 |date=13 October 2004 }}, city of Espoo. Accessed on 28 April 2022.</ref><ref>[https://docplayer.fi/19430466-Espoo-alueittain-2011.html Espoo alueittain 2011] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220920205509/https://docplayer.fi/19430466-Espoo-alueittain-2011.html |date=20 September 2022 }}, city of Espoo. Accessed on 28 April 2022.</ref>

The postal codes in Espoo start with the digits "02", like in [[Kauniainen]], [[Kirkkonummi]] and [[Siuntio]] as well. Espoo includes the postal codes 02100 to 02380, 02600 to 02860 (excluding 02700 Kauniainen) and 02920 to 02980. The lowest postal codes are located in the south and the highest ones in the north.

=== Municipal annexations ===
In connection to the municipal renewal plan in Finland there have been suggestions to annex Espoo into the rest of the Finnish capital region, together with some of the surrounding municipalities.<ref>{{cite web |title=Metropolialueen esiselvityksen ehdotukset kuntakäsittelyyn valmistuivat – ymparisto.fi |trans-title=The proposals from the preliminary study on the metropolitan area have been finalized for municipal consideration |url=http://www.ymparisto.fi/default.asp?contentid=427137&lan=fi |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130122091704/http://www.ymparisto.fi/default.asp?contentid=427137&lan=fi |archive-date=22 January 2013 |access-date=21 September 2022 |website=www.ymparisto.fi}}</ref> So far the City Council of Espoo has strongly opposed these suggestions.<ref>[http://www.espoo.fi/fi-FI/Espoon_poliittinen_johto_vastustaa_pakko(9988) Espoon poliittinen johto vastustaa pakkoliitoksia] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220922132944/https://www.espoo.fi/fi-FI/Espoon_poliittinen_johto_vastustaa_pakko(9988) |date=22 September 2022 }} [Espoo's political leadership opposes forced municipal mergers], city of Espoo 13 February 2012.{{dead link|date=September 2022}}</ref>

=== Organisation ===
The city of Espoo has three industries and one result area.
* Result area of vitality. Led by [[Mervi Heinaro]].<ref name="kaupunginjohtaja">[https://www.espoo.fi/fi/espoon-kaupunki/kaupunginjohtaja-ja-toimialajohto Kaupunginjohtaja ja toimialajohto], city of Espoo. Accessed on 30 April 2022.</ref>
* Industry of growth and education. Led by [[Harri Rinta-Aho]].<ref name="kaupunginjohtaja"/>
* Industry of welfare. Led by [[Sanna Svahn]].<ref name="kaupunginjohtaja"/>
* Industry of technology and the environment. Led by [[Olli Isotalo]].<ref name="kaupunginjohtaja"/>

=== City and municipal managers ===
[[File:Jukka Mäkelä at Espoo Day 2019 (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|[[Jukka Mäkelä]], the city manager of Espoo, at Espoo Day 2019]]
The office of a municipal manager was introduced to the rural municipalities in Finland through the 1948 municipal law, but in Espoo this office was only first fulfilled in 1962, one year before Espoo became a market town. Before this, the duties of the municipal manager were handled by the speaker of the municipal council.<ref>Kemppi-Virtanen, Pirjo: [http://www.espoonkokoomus.fi/blogit/2013/10/28/framilla-espoo-tarina-kolme-kaupunginjohtajaa-15-10-2013/ Framilla: Espoo tarina – kolme kaupunginjohtajaa 15.10.2013] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220922073818/https://www.espoonkokoomus.fi/blogit/2013/10/28/framilla-espoo-tarina-kolme-kaupunginjohtajaa-15-10-2013/ |date=22 September 2022 }}, National Coalition Party of Espoo 28 October 2013. Accessed on 18 April 2016.</ref>

Municipal managers of Espoo include:
* [[Arvi E. Heiskanen]] 1962–1963
* [[Teppo Tiihonen]] 1963–1985
* [[Pekka Löyttyniemi]] 1985–1995
* [[Marketta Kokkonen]] 1995–2010
* [[Jukka Mäkelä]] 2011–2025
* [[Kai Mykkänen]] 2025–present<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2025-03-28 |date=2025-01-31 |title=Kai Mykkänen takes office as Mayor of Espoo 1 February 2025 |url=https://www.espoo.fi/en/news/2025/01/kai-mykkanen-takes-office-mayor-espoo-1-february-2025 |website=espoo.fi}}</ref>

=== City Council ===
Politically, Espoo is a clearly bourgeois city, with the largest party being the [[National Coalition Party]]. Support of the [[Green League]] and the [[Swedish People's Party of Finland]] is also larger in Espoo than the average of Finland.<ref>{{Cite web |title={{!}} Espoo {{!}} Results Service {{!}} Parliamentary Elections 2023 {{!}} yle.fi |url=https://vaalit.yle.fi/ev2023/tulospalvelu/en/municipalities/49/polling-districts/006/ |access-date=2024-06-20 |website=vaalit.yle.fi |language=en |archive-date=20 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240620020328/https://vaalit.yle.fi/ev2023/tulospalvelu/en/municipalities/49/polling-districts/006/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The parties with the largest increase in support in the 2010s were the Green League and [[Movement Now]].<ref>[https://vaalit.yle.fi/tulospalvelu/kv2017/vaalipiiri/2/kunta/49 Kuntavaalit 2017 tulospalvelu], [[YLE]] 9 April 2017.</ref><ref>[https://vaalit.yle.fi/ev2019/fi/regions/2/municipalities/49 Eduskuntavaalit 2019 tulospalvelu] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220920212229/https://vaalit.yle.fi/ev2019/fi/regions/2/municipalities/49 |date=20 September 2022 }}, [[YLE]] 14 April 2019.</ref>

== Demographics ==

=== Population ===
{{Historical populations
| title= Historical population
| percentages = pagr
|state = collapsed
|1694<small>{{efn|According to a census taken in 1694, there were 817 people subject to a [[poll tax]] in the parish of Espoo. A widely used method to estimate the whole population is to add 10% to the given amount and multiply it by two, which amounts to approximately 1,800.<ref name="Nikander"/>}}</small>|1800
|1721<small>{{efn|The population is estimated to have fallen drastically due to the [[Great Famine of 1695–1697]] and the [[Finland during the Great Northern War|Russian occupation]] in 1713–1721.<ref name="Nikander"/>}}</small>|1500
|1749|1900
|1825|3600
|1865|4000
|1901|5888
|1910|7891
|1920|8817
|1930|11370
|1940|13378
|1950|22878
|1960|53042
|1970|92655
|1972|107244
|1980|137409
|1990|172629
|2000|213271
|2010|247970
|2020|292796
|NaN= 667
|source=1694–1865<ref name="Nikander">{{Cite book|last=Nikander|first=Hagar|title=Espoo 1700–1865|publisher=Espoon kaupunki|year=1984|isbn=951-95224-4-1|pages=23–24}}</ref> [[Statistics Finland]] (1972-2020)<ref name="Stat-finland-population-38,000-persons"/>
}}
The city of Espoo has {{formatnum: {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Espoo }}}} inhabitants, making it the second most populous municipality in Finland. The city of Espoo is part of the [[Helsinki metropolitan area]], which is the largest urban area in Finland with {{formatnum: {{#expr: {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Helsinki}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Espoo}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Vantaa}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Mäntsälä}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Pornainen}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Kauniainen}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Kirkkonummi}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Vihti}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Nurmijärvi}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Hyvinkää}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Tuusula}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Kerava}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Järvenpää}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Sipoo}} }} }} inhabitants. The city is home to 5% of Finland's population. In Espoo, 22% of the population has a foreign background, almost three times the national average.<ref name="Stat-finland-population-38,000-persons">{{Cite web | url=https://stat.fi/en/publication/cl8lprraorrr20dut5a0tywm5 | title=Number of foreign-language speakers grew by nearly 38,000 persons | date=31 May 2023 | publisher=Statistics Finland | access-date=12 September 2023 | language=en | archive-date=7 September 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230907001445/https://stat.fi/en/publication/cl8lprraorrr20dut5a0tywm5 | url-status=live }}</ref>

The city is the 7th most densely populated in Finland. In 2022, the average age of people in Espoo was 39.0 years, lower than the average age in Finland (43.7 years).<ref name="Stat-finland-population-2022">{{Cite web | url=https://stat.fi/en/publication/cl8lphfzbrm4j0cw1b5wyor1h | title=Population structure 2000–2022, urban-rural classification | date=26 May 2023 | publisher=Statistics Finland | access-date=12 September 2023 | language=en | archive-date=9 June 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230609223540/https://stat.fi/en/publication/cl8lphfzbrm4j0cw1b5wyor1h | url-status=live }}</ref> In 2021, the population of Espoo had the second highest average income in Finland after [[Kauniainen]].<ref name="Stat-finland-income-distribution-statistics">{{Cite web | url=https://stat.fi/en/statistics/tjt | title=Income distribution statistics | date=31 May 2023 | publisher=Statistics Finland | access-date=26 September 2023 | language=en | archive-date=26 September 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230926201423/https://stat.fi/en/statistics/tjt | url-status=live }}</ref>

{{Bar chart
| title   = Population size 1980–2020<ref name="Stat-finland-population-38,000-persons"/>
| label_type  = Year
| data_type   = Population
| bar_width = 47
| width_units = em
| label3  = 1990
| label4  = 1995
| label5  = 2000
| label6  = 2005
| label7  = 2010
| label8  = 2015
| label9  = 2020 
| data_max = 305000
| data3  = 172629
| data4  = 191247
| data5  = 213271
| data6  = 231704
| data7  = 247970
| data8  = 269802
| data9  = 292796
}}

=== Language ===
{{Pie chart
|thumb = right
|direction=row
|caption = Population by<br/>mother tongue (2024)<ref name="statistics-finland-population-2024-final"/>
|label1 = Finnish
|value1 = 68.7
|color1 = #002F6C
|label2 = Swedish
|value2 = 6.3
|color2 = #FFCD00
|label3 = Russian
|value3 = 3.5
|color3 = #D52B1E
|label4 = Arabic
|value4 = 1.9
|color4 = #165D31
|label6 = English
|value6 = 1.8
|color6 = #FFFFFF
|label5 = Estonian
|value5 = 1.8
|color5 = #0072CE
|label7 = Chinese
|value7 = 1.4
|color7 = #FFFF00
|label8 = Other
|value8 = 14.6
|color8 = #C5C5C5
}}

The city of Espoo is officially [[bilingual]], with both [[Finnish language|Finnish]] and [[Swedish language|Swedish]] as official languages. {{As of|2024}}, the majority of the population, {{formatnum: {{Data Finland municipality/native language Finnish|Espoo}}}} persons ({{Percentage|sigfig = 3|{{Data Finland municipality/native language Finnish|Espoo}}|{{Data Finland municipality/native language total|Espoo}}}}), spoke Finnish as their first language. The number of [[Swedish-speaking population of Finland|Swedish speakers]] was {{formatnum: {{Data Finland municipality/native language Swedish|Espoo }}}} persons ({{Percentage|sigfig = 2|{{Data Finland municipality/native language Swedish|Espoo}}|{{Data Finland municipality/native language total|Espoo}}}}) of the population. Foreign languages were spoken by {{Formatnum: {{pct|{{Data Finland municipality/native language other|Espoo}}|{{Data Finland municipality/native language total|Espoo}}|1}}}} of the population.<ref name="statistics-finland-population-2024-final"/> As [[English language|English]] and [[Swedish language|Swedish]] are compulsory school subjects, functional bilingualism or trilingualism acquired through language studies is not uncommon. 

The proportion of Swedish speakers decreased the most in the 1950s: in the 1950s, Swedish speakers accounted for 43.1% of the population (about 10,800 people<ref name="doria-vuosikirja">[https://www.doria.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/78743/xyti_stv_195100_1952_dig.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y Suomen tilastollinen vuosikirja] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307050529/https://www.doria.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/78743/xyti_stv_195100_1952_dig.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y |date=7 March 2023 }}, doria.fi 31 December 1950. Accessed on 14 May 2018.</ref>), while in 1960 they accounted for 23.5% (about 13,300 people<ref name="doria-vuosikirja"/>), due to rapid urbanisation, which led to strong positive immigration of Finnish speakers from other parts of the country.

The number of Swedish speakers increased slowly until the 2010s, when they numbered about 20,300, while the proportion decreased year by year. In 1996 the proportion fell below 10 per cent. {{As of|2024}}, the proportion of Swedish speakers in Espoo was 6.3% of the population. In absolute terms, Espoo was the second most Swedish-speaking municipality in Finland after Helsinki, ahead of [[Raseborg]], [[Vaasa]], [[Porvoo]] and [[Korsholm]].<ref name="väestö3112">[https://pxnet2.stat.fi/PXWeb/pxweb/fi/StatFin/StatFin__vrm__vaerak/statfin_vaerak_pxt_11rm.px/table/tableViewLayout1/ Väestö 31.12. muuttujina Alue, Sukupuoli, Vuosi, Kieli ja Tiedot]{{Dead link|date=October 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Statistics Finland 2021, {{ISSN|1797-5379}}. Accessed on 31 March 2022.</ref>

In 2018, the largest proportions of Swedish speakers in Espoo were in [[Suvisaaristo]] (33.6%), [[Espoonkartano]] (29.9%), [[Sepänkylä]] (24.1%) and [[Bodom, Espoo|Bodom]] (21.3%).<ref name="aluesarjat">{{Cite web |url=http://www.aluesarjat.fi/ |title=Aluesarjat.fi – Taulukko: Espoon väestö äidinkielen mukaan 1.1. |access-date=10 September 2022 |archive-date=21 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200421153224/http://www.aluesarjat.fi/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>  In absolute terms, the most Swedish speakers lived in [[Haukilahti]] (993 people) and [[Matinkylä]] (813 people).<ref name="aluesarjat"/>

The proportion of Finnish speakers has declined significantly over the past three decades. In 1999 the proportion of Finnish speakers was 88%, and in 2024 it was 68.7%. At the same time, the proportion of foreign language speakers has increased dramatically: in 1999 it was only about 4%, and in 2024 it was 25,0%. The foreign language speakers in Espoo are a heterogeneous group divided into tens of different languages, of which the Russian speakers form the largest part.<ref name="statistics-finland-population-2024-final"/>

=== Immigration ===

{|class="wikitable" style="float:right;" 
|colspan="3"|'''Population by country of birth (2024)'''<ref name="statistics-finland-population-2024-final"/>
|-\
! Nationality || Population || %
|-
|{{flag|Finland}} || 250,013 || 77.9
|-
|{{flag|Soviet Union}} || 6,792 || 2.1
|-
|{{flag|Estonia}} || 5,560 || 1.7
|-
|{{flag|India}} || 5,016 || 1.6
|-
|{{flag|China}} || 3,964 || 1.2
|-
|{{flag|Iraq}} || 3,425 || 1.1
|-
|{{flag|Russia}} || 2,907 || 0.9
|-
|{{flag|Philippines}} || 2,849 || 0.9
|-
|{{flag|Iran}} || 2,395 || 0.7
|-
|{{flag|Pakistan}} || 1,825 || 0.6
|-
|{{flag|Vietnam}} || 1,743 || 0.5
|- 
|Other || 34,442 || 10.7
|- 
|}
{{As of|2024}}, there were 80,691 people with an immigrant background living in Espoo, or 25% of the population.{{refn|Statistics Finland classifies a person as having a "foreign background" if both parents or the only known parent were born abroad.<ref name="statistics-finland-persons-with-foreign-background">{{cite web |access-date=18 September 2023 |title=Persons with foreign background |publisher=Statistics Finland |url=https://www.stat.fi/tup/maahanmuutto/maahanmuuttajat-vaestossa/ulkomaalaistaustaiset_en.html |archive-date=5 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210105084300/https://www.stat.fi/tup/maahanmuutto/maahanmuuttajat-vaestossa/ulkomaalaistaustaiset_en.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>|group=note}} There were 70,918 residents who were born abroad, or 22% of the population. The number of foreign citizens in Espoo was 49,245.<ref name="statistics-finland-population-2024-final"/>

The relative share of immigrants in Espoo's population is almost three times higher than the national average. Moreover, the city's new residents are increasingly of foreign origin. This will increase the proportion of foreign residents in the coming years.

The largest groups are from the former [[Soviet Union]], [[Estonia]], [[India]], [[China]], [[Iraq]] and [[Russia]].<ref name="statistics-finland-population-2024-final"/> The number of [[Indian people|people from India]] has increased sharply in recent years, especially in the areas of [[Olari, Espoo|Olari]] and [[Suurpelto]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hs.fi/kaupunki/art-2000009770722.html|title=Intiasta muuttaa yhä enemmän varakkaita osaajia Espooseen|trans-title=More and more wealthy people from India are moving to Espoo|first=Marika|last=Holappa|work=[[Helsingin Sanomat]]|date=8 August 2023|access-date=13 August 2023|language=fi|archive-date=13 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230813081230/https://www.hs.fi/kaupunki/art-2000009770722.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lansivayla.fi/paikalliset/6062836|title=LV-reportaasi: Espooseen on syntynyt oma "Little India" – Länsiväylä kurkisti yhteisöön, joka pelaa krikettiä, syö vada paveja ja pitää tiivisti yhtä|trans-title=A "Little India" has been born in Espoo – ''Länsiväylä'' peeked into a community that plays cricket, eats ''Vada paves'' and is closely united|first=Santeri|last=Saarinen|work=[[Länsiväylä (newspaper)|Länsiväylä]]|date=12 July 2023|access-date=13 August 2023|language=fi}}</ref>

=== Religion ===

In 2023, the [[Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland|Evangelical Lutheran Church]] was the largest religious group with 50.3% of the population of Espoo. Other religious groups accounted for 3.8% of the population. 45.9% of the population had no religious affiliation.<ref>[https://pxdata.stat.fi/PXWeb/pxweb/en/StatFin/StatFin__vaerak/statfin_vaerak_pxt_11ra.px Key figures on population by region, 1990-2023] Statistics Finland</ref>

According to the 2018 division Espoo is home to the following Evangelical Lutheran congregations:<ref>[https://evl.fi/yhteystiedot Yhteystiedot – Suomen evankelis-luterilainen kirkko] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180823210520/https://evl.fi/yhteystiedot |date=23 August 2018 }}, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. Accessed on 23 August 2018.</ref>
* Espoonlahti congregation (formerly known as the Kivenlahti congregation)
* Espoo cathedral congregation (formerly known as the Kanta-Espoo congregation)
* Leppävaara congregation
* Olari congregation
* Tapiola congregation
* Espoo Swedish congregation
Together these congregations form the Espoo Congregation Union ([[Finnish language|Finnish]]: ''Espoon seurakuntayhtymä'', [[Swedish language|Swedish]]: ''Esbo kyrkliga samfällighet'').

In 2003, of the population of Espoo, 1.2 percent belonged to the [[Orthodox Church of Finland]], 0.4 percent were [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] and 0.2 percent were [[Jehovah's Witnesses]]. Members of the [[Evangelical Free Church of Finland]], [[Latter Day Saint movement|Mormons]], [[Judaism|Jews]], [[Islam|Muslims]], other Orthodox and [[Methodism|Methodists]] amounted to 0.1 percent each.<ref>''[http://www.espoo.fi/download/noname/%7B1EB3E2A8-EBAE-4F88-8599-333B5ABDBC6F%7D/11194 Espoon hautausmaaselvitys] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221130103009/https://www.espoo.fi/download/noname/%7B1EB3E2A8-EBAE-4F88-8599-333B5ABDBC6F%7D/11194 |date=30 November 2022 }}'', p. 10. City of Espoo 2004, {{ISBN|951-857-468-5}}. Accessed on 25 February 2013.</ref>

There are five Lutheran churches in Espoo (each Finnish-speaking congregation has one), including the [[Espoo Cathedral]], the [[Espoonlahti Church]], the [[Olari Church, Espoo|Olari Church]], the [[Tapiola Church]] and the [[Leppävaara Church]]. There are also 27 chapels of the Lutheran Church in Espoo.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20130809065549/http://www.espoonseurakunnat.fi/web/asiointi/kirkot Kirkot], Espoonseurakunnat.fi. Accessed on 31 July 2013.</ref>

Of the Orthodox congregations in Finland, the [[Helsinki Orthodox Congregation]] is active in Espoo.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://ort.fi/seurakunnat-hiippakunnat-ja-luostarit/seurakunnat/helsingin-ortodoksinen-seurakunta | title=Helsingin ortodoksinen seurakunta | access-date=12 September 2022 | archive-date=6 June 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230606072107/https://ort.fi/seurakunnat-hiippakunnat-ja-luostarit/seurakunnat/helsingin-ortodoksinen-seurakunta | url-status=dead }}</ref> It has the Church of the Sanctifier Herman of Alaska in Tapiola.<ref>[https://hos.fi/kirkot/tapiola-pyhan-herman-alaskalaisen-kirkko/ Tapiolan kirkko — Helsingin ortodoksinen seurakunta] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220912010640/https://www.hos.fi/kirkot/tapiola-pyhan-herman-alaskalaisen-kirkko/ |date=12 September 2022 }}, Helsinki Orthodox Congregation. Accessed on 9 October 2018.</ref>

Of the congregations of the Pentecostal Church of Finland, the Pentecostal Congregation of Espoo is active in Espoo. Individual [[Pentecostalism|Pentecostal]] congregations in Espoo include the Espoonlahti Pentecostal congregation, the Keski-Espoo near congregation, the Leppävaara Missionary chapel and Mankby bibliska församling.<ref>[https://suomenhelluntaikirkko.fi/seurakunnat/ Seurakunnat] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210906183526/https://suomenhelluntaikirkko.fi/seurakunnat/ |date=6 September 2021 }}, Pentecostal Church of Finland. Accessed on 6 September 2021.</ref> Of the congregations of the Evangelical Free Church of Finland, the Espoo free congregation is active in Espoo.<ref>[https://www.svk.fi/seurakunnat/ Seurakunnat] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221007083557/https://www.svk.fi/seurakunnat/ |date=7 October 2022 }}, Evangelical Free Church of Finland. Accessed on 19 July 2022.</ref>

== Economy ==
=== Economical history ===
[[File:Punainen talo.jpg|thumb|right|In addition to fields, many buildings remain of rural Espoo, such as the Punainen tupa ("red house") in [[Henttaa]].]]
[[File:Fortumin tornitalo 230609.jpg|thumb|right|Office buildings in [[Keilaniemi]]]]
[[File:Isoomenasisältä.jpg|thumb|right|The shopping centre [[Iso Omena]], opened in 2001, is located in [[Matinkylä]] near the sea shore.]]
[[File:Suomenoja power plant 2014.jpg|thumb|right|The Suomenoja power plant]]
Still in the middle 19th century, Espoo was a rural community living in subsistence economy. There was hardly any industry, the villages were small and situated evenly across different parts of the parish. There was some population concentration at the location of the current district of [[Espoon keskus]] and along the Suuri Rantatie road, and some dense population on the shore of the [[Gulf of Finland]]. In 1865 farming was the primary source of income for about 90% of the men in Espoo. There were about seventy craftsmen and about twenty people working in the industry. Of the women in Espoo, over one fifth worked as maids.<ref name="ikkala">Ikkala, Marja-Leena: ''Kylästä lähiöön (Espoo-sarja)''. City of Espoo 1989. {{ISBN|951-857-124-4}}.</ref>{{rp|48}}

The economical history of 19th-century Espoo also includes some small-scale [[mining]] activity. There was [[ore]] mining at the lands of the Kilo mansion around 1840, and this activity continued to the 1850s. The ore was of good quality but poor, and the ore streaks were fragmentary. In the end, the amount of ore mined from Kilo was very small.<ref name="härö"/>{{rp|108}} A new discovery of ore was made at the lands of the Alberga manor in the early 1840s. At most seven people worked at the site, but the amount of ore mined in Alberga ended up very small as well. The mining activity slowly waned and stopped completely in 1851.<ref name="härö"/>{{rp|116}}

The Espoo parish was not a neighbour of the city of Helsinki in the 19th century – there were lands of the [[Vantaa|Helsinki parish]] in between. The rapid growth of Helsinki attracted people from Espoo: despite the short distance, travel between Espoo and Helsinki was so slow, that moving into Helsinki was almost unavoidable if one happened to get a job there.<ref name="ikkala"/>{{rp|49}}

The rapid growth of Helsinki started also showing outside the administrative borders of the city. The first industrial area in Espoo was born near the shore of the Espoonlahti bay. In the late 19th century there were three brick factories and a steam-powered sawmill in the area. Clay from the Espoonlahti bay was well suited for making bricks, and the bricks were easy to transport to Helsinki over sea. For example, the [[Uspenski Cathedral]] in [[Katajanokka]] has been built from bricks from the Stensvik brick factory. The village of Mulby (Muulo in Finnish) became the industrial centre of Espoo, and its population grew manifold. Other villages in southwestern Espoo also grew through the industry. When the [[Rantarata]] railway was completed in the early 20th century part of the industry moved to the railway track, and the railway also enabled people to commute for work from Espoo to Helsinki.<ref name="ikkala"/>{{rp|49, 58}}<ref name="taskutilasto">[https://web.archive.org/web/20200919193848/https://www.espoo.fi/download/noname/%7B70281CC5-21A0-475E-BADB-132E88C4BD2A%7D/89512 Espoon kaupungin taskutilasto 2017], city of Espoo. Accessed on 13 November 2017.</ref>{{rp|7}}

There was also glass industry in Espoo. Pehr Appelgrén founded a bottle glass factory near the Espoo railway station in 1912. The factory closed down in 1922. The Kauklahti glass factory started in 1923, and by the 1930s it was the largest illumination glass factory in Finland. The factory closed down in 1951. Glass industry in Espoo altogether waned in the 1950s.<ref name="ikkala"/>{{rp|59, 60}}

By the late 1930s, there were about thirty businesses in Espoo. In addition to glass and brick industry, the parish included machinery workshops, sawmills and metallurgy workshops. There was industrial clothing manufacturing in [[Kauklahti]] and a clock factory in [[Viherlaakso]]. The steam-powered sawmill in Bastvik, founded in 1876, was economically quite stable; its saw equipment was moved to the [[Hanko Peninsula]] in the 20th century.<ref name="ikkala"/>{{rp|58–61}} The merchant F. F. Sjöblom founded the first shop in Espoo in Stensvik soon after founding of shops had been liberated in 1868. At the time when Finland became independent, there were about 40 shops in Espoo, most of them general stores.<ref name="ikkala"/>{{rp|62}}

Despite the increase in industry and service jobs, Espoo was still a predominantly rural parish in 1920. About two thirds of the population got their primary income from farming.<ref name="ikkala"/>{{rp|53}} [[Rye]] and [[barley]] had been the primary crops in Espoo for centuries. By the 20th century the significance of cattle herding increased, and the farming of [[oats]] became more popular.<ref name="ikkala"/>{{rp|32, 55}}

Construction and services became the basis of the economy in Espoo in the 1950s, when the rapid growth in population in Espoo started. In the 2010s, the primary industries counting by number of jobs are trade, accommodation and food and beverage industry as well as specialist services. The proportion of information and communications technology is about one tenth. About one sixth of the jobs are in industry and construction. The public sector is large: about one quarter of jobs were in the public sector in the middle 2010s.<ref name="taskutilasto"/>{{rp|17}}

The transition from a medieval rural parish into an integral part of the Helsinki metropolitan area has dropped the proportion of farming and forestry jobs to about a fifth of a percent.<ref name="taskutilasto"/>{{rp|17}}In 2024, Espoo placed second in the European Commission's Capital of Innovation Awards (iCapital), recognised for its collaborative innovation ecosystem and youth-focused initiatives.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Success for Finnish cities in EU innovation awards |url=https://www.goodnewsfinland.com/en/articles/breaking-news/2024/innovation-city-espoo/ |access-date=2025-10-03 |website=www.goodnewsfinland.com |language=en}}</ref>

=== Companies ===
Espoo is home to the head offices of several global companies and many high technology companies. The [[Aalto University]] campus in southeastern Espoo is at the heart of research and development.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20201203042637/https://www.espoo.fi/fi-FI/Espoon_kaupunki/Tietoa_Espoosta Tietoa Espoosta], city of Espoo. Accessed on 14 November 2017.</ref> The head offices of [[Nokia]], [[Valmet]], [[Remedy Entertainment]], [[Fortum]], [[Neste]], [[Huhtamäki]], [[Metsä Group]], [[Orion Corporation (pharmaceutical company)|Orion Corporation]], [[Oriola (company)|Oriola]], [[Outotec]] and [[LähiTapiola]] are located in Espoo.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Yhteystiedot {{!}} Nokia |url=https://www.nokia.com/fi_fi/yhteystiedot |access-date=5 February 2023 |website=[[Nokia Corporation]] |language=fi |archive-date=5 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230205020100/https://www.nokia.com/fi_fi/yhteystiedot/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=About Valmet |url=https://www.valmet.com/about-us/ |access-date=2024-06-20 |website=www.valmet.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Kauppalehti: demoscene">{{cite web |url=https://www.kauppalehti.fi/uutiset/nain-myohastymisistaan-tunnettu-remedy-nousi-demoskenesta-helsingin-porssiin/ezedHB5U |title=Näin myöhästymisistään tunnettu Remedy nousi demoskenestä Helsingin pörssiin |trans-title=Known for its delays, Remedy rises from the demoscene to the Helsinki Stock Exchange |language=fi |first=Elina |last=Lappalainen |date=27 April 2017 |website=[[Kauppalehti]] |access-date=6 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180805142845/https://www.kauppalehti.fi/uutiset/nain-myohastymisistaan-tunnettu-remedy-nousi-demoskenesta-helsingin-porssiin/ezedHB5U |archive-date=5 August 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.fortum.com/fi/konserni/yhteystiedot/pages/default.aspx | title=Ota yhteyttä Fortumiin }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.huhtamaki.com/fi/yhteystiedot/toimipisteet |title=Yhteystiedot – Toimipisteet – Huhtamaki Group  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171021052637/http://www.huhtamaki.com/fi/yhteystiedot/toimipisteet |archive-date=21 October 2017 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.metsagroup.com/fi/ota-yhteytta/Pages/default.aspx | title=Ota yhteyttä &#124; Metsä Group | access-date=13 September 2022 | archive-date=17 May 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220517074150/https://www.metsagroup.com/fi/ota-yhteytta/Pages/default.aspx | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.orion.fi/konserni/orion-yrityksena/ | title=Orion yrityksenä | access-date=13 September 2022 | archive-date=13 September 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220913201037/https://www.orion.fi/konserni/orion-yrityksena/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.oriola.com/fi/tietoa-meista/yhteystiedot/ | title=Yhteystiedot | access-date=13 September 2022 | archive-date=7 May 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210507003050/https://www.oriola.com/fi/tietoa-meista/yhteystiedot/ | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.outotec.com/contacts/contact-information/locations/ | title=Contact | access-date=13 September 2022 | archive-date=4 December 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171204105511/http://www.outotec.com/contacts/contact-information/locations | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.lahitapiola.fi/tietoa-lahitapiolasta/lahitapiola-ryhma/yhtioryhmatietoa/ryhman-rakenne-ja-johto | title=Ryhmän rakenne ja johto &#124; LähiTapiola | access-date=13 September 2022 | archive-date=6 July 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220706043335/https://www.lahitapiola.fi/tietoa-lahitapiolasta/lahitapiola-ryhma/yhtioryhmatietoa/ryhman-rakenne-ja-johto | url-status=live }}</ref> Among government enterprises, [[VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland]], [[Gasum]], Neste and Fortum are headquartered in Espoo. Due to the presence of these companies, particularly Nokia, Espoo alone accounts for 60% of patents filed in Finland and ranks #6 among European cities in number of patents filed.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.enterespoo.fi/news/espoo-ranks-sixth-patent-applications-europe-patent-index-2023 |title=Espoo ranks sixth in patent applications in Europe — Patent Index 2023 &#124; Enter Espoo |access-date=12 September 2024 |archive-date=12 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240912195844/https://www.enterespoo.fi/news/espoo-ranks-sixth-patent-applications-europe-patent-index-2023 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The largest shopping centres in Espoo are [[Iso Omena]], [[Sello]], [[Lippulaiva]], [[Entresse]] and [[Ainoa (shopping centre)|Ainoa]]. Along the continuous traffic route formed by [[Merituulentie]] to the north of [[Länsiväylä]], Kuitinmäentie and Martinsillantie are located the shopping centre [[Niitty]], Länsikeskus, the retail park [[Merituuli]], the shopping centre [[Liila]] as well as several leisure, indoor decoration and automobile businesses. The small shopping centre [[Suuris]], opened in 2017, is located in [[Suurpelto]] along [[Ring II]].

Industrial areas in Espoo include Juvanmalmi, Karamalmi and Kivenlahti.

=== City of Espoo ===
The city of Espoo funds its services mainly by taxation. In 2021 the tax income of the city, consisting of the municipal tax, the communal tax and the property tax, amounted to 1,711 million euro,<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20210117101314/https://veronsaajat.vero.fi/fi-FI/Home/PBI Raportit : Kausitilitykset : Kunnat : Valittu kunta : Espoon kaupunki], Finnish tax bureau. Accessed on 13 January 2022.</ref> with the municipal tax rate being 18.00 percent.<ref name="talous">[https://issuu.com/espoonkaupunki/docs/talouskertomus_2016 Talous 2016] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220913202216/https://issuu.com/espoonkaupunki/docs/talouskertomus_2016 |date=13 September 2022 }}, city of Espoo. Accessed on 16 November 2017.</ref> By number of employees, the city of Espoo is the biggest employer in Espoo: in 2016 it employed about 14 thousand people.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.espoo.fi/fi-FI/Tyo_ja_yrittaminen | title=Espoo.fi > Työ ja yrittäminen | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171212125051/http://www.espoo.fi/fi-FI/Tyo_ja_yrittaminen | archive-date=12 December 2017 }}</ref>

The economy in Espoo leaves a surplus, but this is not enough to finance the investments of the growing city.<ref name="talous"/>

Espoo has signed the principles of responsible investment of the [[United Nations]]. The city of Espoo has five investment funds: the basic services and land acquisition fund, the development fund of basic services, the development fund of entrepreneurship and employment, the investment fund and the accident fund.<ref name="talous"/>

A characteristic feature of Espoo is that the city manages its investments through its daughter companies.<ref name="talous"/>

=== Income level ===
The average income level in Espoo is higher than that in the rest of the capital region and particularly higher than that in the rest of Finland. In 2015, the taxable income in Espoo was 40% higher than in the rest of Finland. The unemployment rate in Espoo is high, but still lower than the average in Finland.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200919193848/https://www.espoo.fi/download/noname/%7B70281CC5-21A0-475E-BADB-132E88C4BD2A%7D/89512 Espoon kaupungin taskutilasto 2017], pp. 15–16, city of Espoo. Accessed on 13 November 2017.</ref> The highest-income areas in Espoo, such as [[Westend, Espoo|Westend]] and [[Haukilahti]], are mainly located on the coast. These districts are part of the Tapiola major district, whose income level is significantly higher than the average in Espoo. The income level in the Matinkylä and Espoonlahti major districts is near the average in Espoo. The income level in the Leppävaara major district and particularly in the Vanha-Espoo major district is lower than the average in Espoo.<ref name="aluesarjat2017">[https://web.archive.org/web/20161007080816/http://www.aluesarjat.fi/?bmark=..%2FDATABASE%2FALUESARJAT_KAUPUNKIVERKKO%2FTULOTASO%2FASUNTOKUNTIEN%2A%3BTULOT%2FB03ESP_Ginikertoimet&lang=FI&qr=Alue%3A%22Tieto%3A%22Vuosi%3A&case=db Helsingin seudun aluesarjat], Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa, Helsinki Region Environmental Services and Helsinki-Uusimaa Regional Council. Accessed on 14 November 2017.</ref>

The city of Espoo is not particularly segregated by major districts, instead the differences in income are significantly higher within the major districts as between them. In low-income major districts the average income level is near the average in Helsinki. In some areas, such as in [[Kivenlahti]] and [[Suvela]], it even falls below the average in Vantaa. Areas consisting of detached houses generally have higher income levels than areas consisting of apartment buildings.<ref name="aluesarjat2017"/>

== Culture ==
[[File:Tapiola culture centre.jpg|thumb|The [[Espoo Cultural Centre]]]]
[[File:Espoo Cultural Centre (December 2018).jpg|thumb|right|The Espoo Cultural Centre in nocturnal lighting in December 2018]]
[[File:WeeGee-talo.JPG|thumb|right|The [[WeeGee house]] in Tapiola, consisting of four different museums]]
Espoo hosts a Museum of Modern Art called [[EMMA (museum)|EMMA]] (Espoo Museum of Modern Art), built in a renovated old print house, the [[WeeGee house]], named after an old book print company Weilin & Göös. The same building hosts also Finland's only Museum of [[Horology]] ({{langx|fi|Kellomuseo}}, {{langx|sv|Urmuseum}}) and a Toy Museum. [[Glims Farmstead Museum]] is also located in the city. The [[Espoo cultural centre]], home of the world-renowned Tapiola Sinfonietta, where numerous concerts and theater performances are held, is located in [[Tapiola]] ({{langx|sv|Hagalund}}). The [[Akseli Gallen-Kallela]] Museum is located in Tarvaspää and the Haltia Nature Centre is located in Nuuksio.

Espoo has several old manors of which two are open to the general public. The most important is [[Espoon kartano]] ({{langx|sv|Esbo gård}}, Espoo Manor), first mentioned in maps in 1495, and belonging to the noble Ramsay family since 1756. The current main building dates back to 1914, but a mill dates from the 1750s and Finland oldest walled [[bridge|stone bridge]] from 1777 is on the [[King's Road (Finland)|King's Road]] ({{langx|fi|Kuninkaantie}}, {{langx|sv|Kungsvägen}}) which passes by the manor. The main building can be rented for weddings and similar occasions. Guided tours are available on request for groups. The other manor open to public is Pakankylän kartano, located on the northern shore of [[Lake Bodom]]. The manor hosts a restaurant and club rooms, partly with original furniture open to the public, but meant originally to [[Kaisankoti]] sanatory and old people's home located on ground of the manor.

The Metal band [[Children of Bodom]] comes from Espoo, Finland. They are named after the unsolved murder known as the [[Lake Bodom murders]] which took place at the shore of [[Lake Bodom]], a lake in northern Espoo, in 1960. The bands [[Norther (band)|Norther]] and [[Kiuas]] also come from Espoo.

The educational department took part in [[Lifelong Learning Programme 2007–2013 in Finland]].

Authors in Espoo include [[Antti Hyry]] and [[Mauri Kunnas]]. [[Arto Paasilinna]], known for his comical narrative, was nominally Espoo's prosaist. Of his novels, ''Elämä lyhyt, Rytkönen pitkä'' ("Life is short, Rytkönen is tall") features the districts of [[Tapiola]] and [[Haukilahti]], ''Aatami ja Eeva'' ("Adam and Eve") features [[Otaniemi]] and ''Herranen aika'' ("Oh my God") features [[Jorvi]].

=== Events ===
[[File:Serenan ulkoallas panorama.jpg|thumb|[[Serena Waterpark]] in [[Lahnus]], Espoo]]
The district of [[Tapiola]] hosts the annual film festival [[Espoo Ciné]] and the annual music festival [[April Jazz]]. [[Leppävaara]] hosts the annual music festival [[Kivenlahti Rock]]. At wintertime, the [[Serena Waterpark]] hosts the Pacifique spa party. In summertime, the [[Espoo Cathedral]] hosts the concert event [[Urkuyö ja aaria]], belonging to the [[Finland Festivals]] event chain. [[Ropecon]], the largest independent [[role-playing game]] convention in [[Europe]], was held at the [[Dipoli]] conference centre from 1998 to 2015.

The annual celebration of the [[Awakening (Finnish religious movement)|Awakening]] movement was held in Espoo in 2008.<ref>[https://herattajajuhlat.fi/4040-vuodet-1893 Vuodet −1893] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220120180026/https://herattajajuhlat.fi/4040-vuodet-1893 |date=20 January 2022 }}, Awakening movement. Accessed on 27 March 2022.</ref>

=== Food culture ===
In the 1980s, the parish dishes of Espoo were listed as [[Atlantic cod|cod potatoes]], fisherman's [[Baltic herring|herring]] pan and cake à la Anna. A noteworthy menu was the dinner at the [[Espoo manor]], including bouillon and cheese sticks, roasted veal with cream sauce, [[home canning|canned]] peas, [[pickled cucumber]]s, [[ice cream]] and canned strawberries.<ref>Kolmonen, Jaakko 1988. ''Kotomaamme ruoka-aitta: Suomen, Karjalan ja Petsamon pitäjäruoat'', p. 50. Helsinki: Patakolmonen Ky.</ref>

=== Cultural history ===
[[File:Söderskog Espoo 020820 b.jpg|thumb|right|Rural landscape in Söderskog]]
[[File:Träskändan kartano.jpg|thumb|right|The Träskända manor is located in central Espoo.]]
[[File:Aalto-yliopisto Otaniemi auringonlasku 2020-11-08 b.png|thumb|right|The buildings of the [[Aalto University]] are located on the lands of the old Otnäs manor.]]
[[File:Kauppamäki Kauklahti Espoo 260921 b.png|thumb|right|Kauppamäki in [[Kauklahti]]]]
The cultural landscape in Espoo started developing in river valleys and on plantations cleared on bays revealed by upthrust of land. The largest plantations were already in the map drawn in the middle 18th century mainly in the same form as in the late 20th century. Tightly built, small groups of buildings started developing on the edges of the plantations, at some places also on hills in between them. The large landscape of Snettans and Röylä stretches to the north of Lake Bodom, with the Pakankylä manor located in its southern part. There is a significant landscape to the west of the Espoo manor,<ref name="härö">Härö, Erkki: ''Espoon rakennuskulttuuri ja kulttuurimaisemat: Byggnadskulturen och kulturlandskapet i Esbo.'' Second, revised edition. Helsinki: City museum of Espoo 1991. {{ISBN|951-857-182-1}}.</ref>{{rp|10–11}} There is a large plantation landscape stretching over the Velskola manor in northern Espoo.<ref name="härö"/>{{rp|272}}

The large cultural landscape of Bemböle-Karvasmäki is located to the northeast of [[Espoon keskus]] and the clearly defined landscape of [[Söderskog]] is located to the south of it.<ref name="härö"/>{{rp|83, 140}} The well preserved village landscape of Gammelgård is located on the shore of lake [[Pitkäjärvi]] in eastern Espoo.<ref name="härö"/>{{rp|258}}

The most historically valuable landscape is located at Espoonjokilaakso near the [[Espoo Cathedral]]. The valley, surrounded by steep cliffs, was probably cleared for plantation use already in ancient times. As well as the cathedral, the landscape includes many other culturally significant buildings.<ref name="härö"/>{{rp|63}}

The typical rural village in Espoo was small: two or three houses in an asymmetric group on a hill. A notable exception was the village of Gammelgård: the village had thirteen houses in 1540. Because of the small number houses, the [[Great Partition (Sweden)|Great Partition]] in the late 18th century had little effect on the traditional cultural landscape in Espoo. The building tradition in Espoo remained old-fashioned for a long time: low paired houses were common up to the late 19th century. The storm in August 1890 brought upon a change, when new buildings according to the style at the time were built from thousands of logs felled by the storm.<ref name="härö"/>{{rp|10–11}}

Manor houses started appearing when one of the houses of the village grew larger than the others and developed into a riding farm, which ended up as property of the gentry. Thus almost all of the manor houses in Espoo are located at the site of an old peasant village. The Espoo manor was founded at the start of the new era, but most of the manor houses in Espoo had formed without an official founding in the late 18th century. The officers in [[Suomenlinna]] bought farms near Helsinki, resulting in so-called officer manor houses such as Bodom, Hovgård and Träskända. The late Carolinian appearance of the main buildings of the manor houses has been preserved the best in Bodom and Backby. The manor houses in Alberga and Kilo represent the style ideals of the late 19th century, while Träskända represents the start of the 20th century.<ref name="härö"/>{{rp|10–11}}

The owners of the manor houses started selling their lands to the municipality and to construction enterprises in the 20th century. The manor houses in southern Espoo were mostly torn down to make way for new buildings and roads. The medieval Gräsa manor, the only so-called old ''frälse'' in Espoo, was located in the Olari area. Gräsa is seen as a textbook example of the rapid and fundamental change in the cultural landscape in Espoo.<ref name="härö"/>{{rp|157}} The main buildings of the [[Hagalund manor|Hagalund]] and Matinkylä manor remain, while hardly anything remains of the Frisans and Finno manors.<ref name="härö"/>{{rp|162–163, 205, 311}} The Soukanpohja manor is the only manor house in Espoo to remain as a contiguous group of buildings. It also forms a small rural landscape in the middle of new development in the late 20th century.<ref name="härö"/>{{rp|170–171}}

The effect of the roads on the cultural landscape of Espoo is indisputable. Villages were founded along the [[King's Road (Finland)|King's Road]] and the road brought cultural influences along with it. The rural landscapes in Espoo started gradually changing in the late 19th century as new villas were founded on the coast because of regular steamship traffic. There is a well preserved summer villa milieu on the island of [[Iso Vasikkasaari]]. Many of the villas are known by their famous architects or commissioners, such as [[Villa Carlstedt]] designed by [[Lars Sonck]].<ref name="härö"/>{{rp|10–11}}

Many villas were also founded in [[Kilo, Espoo|Kilo]] and [[Leppävaara]]. The [[Karhusaari Art Centre|Karhusaari villa]] was built in southeastern Espoo in the 1890s, as well as [[Villa Rulludd]] in [[Kaitaa]].<ref name="härö"/>{{rp|167, 201}} The first villas in [[Suvisaaristo]] were built on the island of [[Tallholm]] in the 1860s, before that the area had mostly consisted of fishing villages.<ref name="härö"/>{{rp|179}} The most architecturally valuable villa in Espoo is [[Villa Miniato]] in [[Soukka]].<ref name="härö"/>{{rp|172}}

The [[Pasila]]-[[Karjaa]] railway, completed in 1903, had a significant impact on the cultural landscape of Espoo. Industrial buildings were built near the railway stations, attracting working class settlements. The first suburban areas also appeared along the railway: [[tuberculosis]] was a common cause of death among the Finns in the early 20th century, and the dry and bright hills in Espoo along with the pines growing on them were seen as suitable to prevent and treat the disease. Espoo was seen as a healthy alternative to Helsinki, but new settlement coming from the east was diverse and new residential areas were very different from each other. The city of [[Kauniainen]] developed into a showy area, while the district of [[Leppävaara]] developed into a more modest one.<ref name="härö"/>{{rp|11–12}}

== Sports ==
[[File:Barona-areena.JPG|thumb|left|[[Espoo Metro Areena]] (formerly known as Barona Areena and Länsi-Auto Areena) is a sports and entertainment centre located in [[Tapiolan Urheilupuisto]].]]
[[File:Tapiolan urheilupuisto.jpg|thumb|left|[[Tapiolan Urheilupuisto]] stadium in [[Tapiola]]]]
[[File:LeppavaaranUrheilupuisto.jpg|thumb|right|The Leppävaara sports park]]
[[File:Espoon Tapiola kesällä.jpg|thumb|right|The waddling pool of the [[Tapiola swimming pool]] in summer 2001. In the background are the [[Espoo Cultural Centre]] to the right and the [[Tapiola Central Tower]] to the left.]]
[[File:Länsi auto areena - Espoo Blues.jpg|thumb|right|The indoor ice rink of Espoo Metro Areena, the home arena of [[Kiekko-Espoo]]]]
At the [[1952 Summer Olympics]], the city's [[Westend Tennis Hall]] hosted the [[Fencing at the 1952 Summer Olympics|fencing]] events.

Many world famous sportspeople are from Espoo, such as ice hockey players [[Teemu Selänne]] and [[Jere Lehtinen]], swimmer [[Antti Kasvio]], figure skater [[Laura Lepistö]], javelin thrower [[Tiina Lillak]], cross-country skier [[Marjo Matikainen]] and [[Formula 1]] world champion [[Kimi Räikkönen]].

Espoo is home to the [[Vermo]] race track, the [[Espoo Metro Areena]], the sports parks of [[Tapiolan urheilupuisto]], Leppävaaran urheilupuisto, Espoonlahden urheilupuisto as well as the [[Serena Waterpark]]. The largest swimming pools in Espoo are the Leppävaara swimming pool, the Keski-Espoo swimming pool, the Espoonlahti swimming pool and the [[Tapiola swimming pool]]. Other exercise sites include the [[Espoo Central Park]], the [[Espoo outdoor islands]] and the outdoor exercise areas of [[Luukki]] and [[Pirttimäki]] of the city of Helsinki.

===Sportsperson of the year in Espoo===
Every year a sportsperson of the year is chosen in Espoo. Titleholders include the following people:
* 2014: Gymnast Saga Hänninen, who has [[Down's syndrome]]. She competes in rhythmic gymnastics and is also active in other sports. She has won gold at the [[Special Olympics]] with her ball performance.<ref>Oksanen, Kimmo: [https://web.archive.org/web/20141225060141/http://www.hs.fi/kaupunki/a1419314068452 Downin oireyhtymä ei hidasta 14-vuotiasta Saga Hännistä: Hän on Espoon Vuoden urheilija] [Down syndrome doesn't slow down 14-year-old Saga Hänninen: She is Espoo's Athlete of the Year], ''[[Helsingin Sanomat]]'' 24 December 2014. Accessed on 25 December 2015.</ref>
* 2015: Archer Jarkko Lehtinen.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20210615090720/https://www.espoo.fi/fi-FI/Liikunta_ja_nuorisolautakunta_valitsi_vu(85632) Liikunta- ja nuorisolautakunta valitsi vuoden 2015 espoolaiseksi urheilijaksi jousiampuja Jarkko Lehtisen] [The Sports and Youth Board chose archer Jarkko Lehtinen as Espoo's Athlete of the Year 2015]], city of Espoo (in Finnish). Accessed on 7 June 2018.</ref>
* 2016: Artistic gymnast Oskar Kirmes, who achieved a record score in the Olympic tryouts in [[Rio de Janeiro]], securing the first Olympic participation in men's artistic gymnastics for Finland in 44 years.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20210615090827/https://www.espoo.fi/fi-FI/Vuoden_2016_espoolainen_urheilija_joukku(114503) Vuoden 2016 espoolainen urheilija, joukkue ja urheiluteko on valittu] [The 2016 Espoo athlete, team, and sports achievement have been selected], city of Espoo. Accessed on 7 June 2018.</ref>
* 2017: Shooter Cristian Friman, who won the youths' world championship in prone rifle shooting in 2017.<ref>Repo, Sirja: [https://www.lansivayla.fi/urheilu/1540873 Nuoresta ampujasta vuoden urheilija, FC Hongan naisista vuoden joukkue] [A young shooter named Athlete of the Year, FC Honka's women named Team of the Year] {{Cite web |url=https://www.lansivayla.fi/urheilu/1540873 |title=Archived copy |access-date=24 September 2022 |archive-date=16 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200116190419/https://www.lansivayla.fi/artikkeli/608969-nuoresta-ampujasta-vuoden-urheilija-fc-hongan-naisista-vuoden-joukkue |url-status=bot: unknown }}, ''[[Länsiväylä (newspaper)|Länsiväylä]]''. Accessed on 7 June 2018.</ref>

===Basketball===
In 2027 the [[Espoo Metro Areena]] will be used as Finland's host city for the [[EuroBasket Women 2027|FIBA Women's EuroBasket]].

===Ice hockey===
[[Espoo Blues]] was a successful hockey club; between 1998 and 2016 it iced a men's hockey team which played at the men's premier [[SM-liiga]] and a women's hockey team which played at the women's premier [[Naisten Liiga (ice hockey)|Naisten SM-sarja]]. The women's team, [[Espoo Blues Naiset]], won 13 Finnish women's championships in the 18-year span (1998–2016), seven of them won consecutively. The men's and women's ice hockey teams were known as Kiekko-Espoo from 1984 to 1998 and 1990 to 1998 respectively.

In spring 2016 ''Jääkiekko Espoo Oy'', the organization which owned the clubs, declared bankruptcy.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.is.fi/sm-liiga/art-2000001157282.html|title=Konkurssipesä myöntää: Bluesin tilanteeseen ei ratkaisua|last=Hiitelä|first=Juha|date=12 April 2016|website=Ilta-Sanomat|language=fi|trans-title=The bankrupt organization concedes: Blues situation has no solution|access-date=15 July 2019}}</ref> A new club called [[Espoo United (ice hockey)|Espoo United]] was established to replace Espoo Blues.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.is.fi/mestis/art-2000001168126.html|title=Nyt se on varmaa: Jussi Salonoja perusti uuden seuran – "Lähetän hakupaperit tänään"|last=Lempinen|first=Marko|date=28 April 2016|website=Ilta-Sanomat|language=fi|trans-title=Now it is certain: Jussi Salonoja founded a new club – "I'm submitting league admittance papers today"|access-date=15 July 2019|archive-date=13 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190713233341/https://www.is.fi/mestis/art-2000001168126.html|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Espoo United (ice hockey)|Espoo United's men's ice hockey team]] played at the second highest level [[Mestis]]. The Espoo United women's hockey team played at the highest level, {{lang|fi|[[Naisten Liiga (ice hockey)|Naisten Liiga]]|italic=no}}, and won silver in the 2017 league championships. Espoo United was also active in basketball and the [[Espoo United (basketball)|men's basketball team]] played at the second highest level; the women's basketball team played at the highest level, [[Naisten Korisliiga]].

In August 2017, in what was described as an effort to stabilize the club's tenuous financial situation, Espoo United abandoned its women's teams in both ice hockey and basketball.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.is.fi/jaakiekko/art-2000005326203.html|title=Jussi Salonojalta raju ratkaisu: Espoo United hylkää naisjoukkueet|last1=Oivio|first1=Janne|last2=Lempinen|first2=Marko|date=15 August 2017|website=Ilta-Sanomat|language=fi|trans-title=Jussi Salonoja's drastic solution: Espoo United to abandon women's teams|access-date=15 July 2019|archive-date=13 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190713233342/https://www.is.fi/jaakiekko/art-2000005326203.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Espoo United's former women's basketball team quickly acquired transfer to [[Tapiolan Honka]] but the women's ice hockey team was left in an unsustainable situation.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theicegarden.com/2017/8/17/16162120/espoon-united-womens-team-folds-one-month-before-puck-drop-naisten-liiga-pyeongchang-jussi-salonoja|title=Espoo United women's team folds one month before puck drop|last=Foster|first=Meredith|date=17 August 2017|website=The Ice Garden|access-date=15 July 2019|archive-date=27 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190627194552/https://www.theicegarden.com/2017/8/17/16162120/espoon-united-womens-team-folds-one-month-before-puck-drop-naisten-liiga-pyeongchang-jussi-salonoja|url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[Finnish Ice Hockey Association]] chose to intervene in September 2017 and created an organization that would allow the team to play under the name Espoo Blues until a better structure could be identified.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theicegarden.com/2017/9/4/16252084/blue-monday-blues-espoo-join-naisten-liiga-naisleijonat-finland|title=Blue Monday: Blues Espoo join Naisten Liiga|last=Foster|first=Meredith|date=4 September 2017|website=The Ice Garden|access-date=15 July 2019}}</ref> In April 2018, despite the dumping of its women's teams, Espoo United declared bankruptcy and its men's teams folded.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.is.fi/mestis/art-2000005667535.html|title=Espoo Unitedin konkurssista tuli virallista|date=4 May 2018|website=Ilta-Sanomat|language=fi|trans-title=Espoo United's bankruptcy becomes official|access-date=15 July 2019|archive-date=13 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190713233341/https://www.is.fi/mestis/art-2000005667535.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In April 2019, the women's ice hockey team Espoo Blues merged with ''Kiekko Espoo Oy'', a significant junior hockey club with the largest girls hockey program in the country, to become [[Kiekko-Espoo Naiset]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theicegarden.com/2019/4/30/18523465/kiekko-espoo-absorb-espoo-blues-rejoin-top-tier-naisten-liiga-finland|title=Kiekko-Espoo absorb Espoo Blues, rejoin top tier|last=Foster|first=Meredith|date=30 April 2019|website=The Ice Garden|access-date=15 July 2019|archive-date=27 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190627194517/https://www.theicegarden.com/2019/4/30/18523465/kiekko-espoo-absorb-espoo-blues-rejoin-top-tier-naisten-liiga-finland|url-status=live}}</ref> At the time of the merger, the team was the winningest team in Naisten Liiga history with 14 [[Aurora Borealis Cup|Naisten Liiga championships]] and a combined 24 Naisten Liiga championship medals over 29 seasons.

===Football===
[[FC Honka]] is the most successful local professional [[association football|football]] club. The men's team was promoted into the Finnish premier division (''[[Veikkausliiga]]'') for the first time in its history at the end of the 2005 season. They play their home matches at [[Tapiolan urheilupuisto]]. Espoo is also home to [[SexyPöxyt]] of the fourth-tier [[Kolmonen]] league. They play their home matches at Laaksolahden urheilupuisto in the [[Laaksolahti]] district.

===Floorball===
Espoo also has two floorball teams playing at highest level [[Salibandyliiga]]. The two teams are Esport Oilers and Westend Indians.

===Running===
Espoo is home to the [[Länsiväyläjuoksu]], an annual running event that starts and finishes in [[Otaniemi]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Etusivu |url=https://www.lansivaylajuoksu.fi/ |website=Länsiväyläjuoksu |access-date=28 November 2020 |language=fi |archive-date=7 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201207232203/https://www.lansivaylajuoksu.fi/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Athletes from Espoo===
Espoo is the birthplace of 2007 [[Formula One]] World Champion [[Kimi Räikkönen]], former [[Dallas Stars]] forward [[Jere Lehtinen]] (three time [[National Hockey League|NHL]] [[Selke Trophy]] winner), former [[Formula One]] driver [[JJ Lehto]], professional downhill mountain biker [[Matti Lehikoinen]], professional [[ten-pin bowling]] star [[Osku Palermaa]] and 2009 European Figure Skating Champion [[Laura Lepistö]].

== Parks and recreation ==
[[File:Centerpark Espoo1.jpg|thumb|left|Espoo Central Park]]
The city's 880-hectare (2,200-acre) [[Central Park (Espoo)|Central Park]] is located directly in the middle of the city, and it consists of natural forests, meadows, cliffs, wetlands as well as recreational routes. Central Park is the second-largest natural area in Espoo, after [[Nuuksio National Park]], located in the northern part of the city.<ref name="Central Park">{{cite web |url= https://www.espoo.fi/en-US/Housing_and_environment/Environment_and_nature/Explore_nature/Espoo_Central_Park |title= Central Park – green urban oasis |last=  |first=  |date=  |website=  |publisher= City of Espoo |access-date= 10 March 2021 |quote=  |archive-date= 22 April 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210422234348/https://www.espoo.fi/en-US/Housing_and_environment/Environment_and_nature/Explore_nature/Espoo_Central_Park |url-status= dead }}</ref> The park consists of two separate areas, Central Park I and II, approved by the City Council in 1996 and 2004, respectively.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.espoo.fi/en-US/Housing_and_environment/Environment_and_nature/History_of_Central_Park(140349) |title= History of Central Park |last=  |first=  |date=  |website=  |publisher= City of Espoo |access-date= 10 March 2021 |quote=  |archive-date= 31 July 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210731211507/https://www.espoo.fi/en-US/Housing_and_environment/Environment_and_nature/History_of_Central_Park(140349) |url-status= dead }}</ref>

== Government and politics ==
[[File:Espoon kaupungintalo - panoramio.jpg|thumb|Espoo City Hall, located in [[Espoon keskus]]]]
Espoo's city council has 75 members. Nationally, Espoo is a part of the constituency of [[Uusimaa]]. Support for the centre-right politics, especially the [[National Coalition Party]], is traditionally high in Espoo. Following the [[2025 Finnish municipal elections|Finnish municipal elections of 2025]] the council seats are allocated in the following way: National Coalition Party 28 seats, [[Green League]] 15 seats, [[Social Democratic Party of Finland]] 14 seats, [[Swedish People's Party of Finland]] 6 seats, [[Finns Party]] 4 seats, [[Left Alliance (Finland)|Left Alliance]] 3 seats, [[Christian Democrats (Finland)|Christian Democrats]] 2 seats, [[Centre Party (Finland)|Centre Party]] 2 seats and, [[Liberal Party (Finland)|Liberal Party]] 1 seat.<ref>https://vaalit.yle.fi/kv2025/tulospalvelu/en/municipalities/49/</ref>

Espoo is the home for the former Finns Party chairman [[Timo Soini]].

== Services ==
=== Education ===
[[File:Helsinki University of Technology auditorium.jpg|thumb|left|The auditorium of the [[Aalto University Undergraduate Center|main building]] of the [[Helsinki University of Technology]] (now part of the [[Aalto University]]), designed by [[Alvar Aalto]]]]
The [[Otaniemi]] campus of the [[Aalto University]] is located in Espoo, containing all six colleges of the university starting from February 2019.<ref>[https://www.aalto.fi/fi/aalto-yliopisto/organisaatio Organisaatio], [[Aalto University]] 10 April 2018. Accessed on 12 December 2018.</ref><ref>[https://www.aalto.fi/fi/uutiset/ekonominaukio-1-kauppakorkeakoulun-uusi-osoite-kunnioittaa-historiallista-muuttoa Ekonominaukio 1 – Kauppakorkeakoulun uusi osoite kunnioittaa historiallista muuttoa] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220908034845/https://www.aalto.fi/fi/uutiset/ekonominaukio-1-kauppakorkeakoulun-uusi-osoite-kunnioittaa-historiallista-muuttoa |date=8 September 2022 }}, [[Aalto University]] 30 October 2018. Accessed on 12 December 2018.</ref> Espoo is also home to the [[Metropolia University of Applied Sciences]] (formerly known as the Technical University of Applied Sciences in Espoo-Vantaa) and local colleges of the [[Laurea University of Applied Sciences]]. The musical institute [[Juvenalia (institute)|Juvenalia]] is located near the [[Sello]] shopping centre. The [[Espoo Musical Institute]] is located in the [[Espoo Cultural Centre]].

=== Healthcare ===
[[File:Jorv.jpg|thumb|The [[Jorvi Hospital]] in Espoo]]
The [[Jorvi Hospital]] is located in [[Karvasmäki]] in Espoo, cooperating with the [[Helsinki University Central Hospital]] and belonging to the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa. There are a total of ten healthcare stations handling municipal healthcare in Espoo.

== Infrastructure ==
[[File:Espoo from air in night.jpg|thumb|right|A night-time view of the environment around [[Länsiväylä]]]]
[[File:Tapiola metro station 1.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Tapiola metro station]] has a connection to the [[Ainoa (shopping centre)|Ainoa]] shopping centre.]]
There are two [[controlled-access highway]]s going through Espoo to the west: [[Länsiväylä]], which is part of the [[Finnish national road 51]] between Helsinki and [[Karjaa]], and the [[Finnish national road 1]] going further west to [[Turku]]. These roads and other main roads leading from Helsinki to various directions are connected by the beltways [[Ring I]] and [[Ring III]], partly located in Espoo, as well as [[Ring II]] leading from Länsiväylä to the [[Finnish regional road 110]], located entirely in Espoo. The [[Finnish regional road 120]] goes through northern Espoo, forming part of the old route of the [[Finnish national road 2]].

=== Public transport ===
Espoo is well-served by public transport, through the [[Helsinki commuter rail]] network, the [[Helsinki Metro]]'s [[Länsimetro]] extension opened in November 2017, and buses provided by [[Helsingin seudun liikenne]]. In 2024 the orbital [[Jokeri light rail]] line will connect Espoo to eastern Helsinki.

Data communications in Espoo have been handled by sixteen broadcast frequencies.<ref name="radioasemat">[https://www.viestintavirasto.fi/taajuudet/radiotaajuuksienkaytto/radioasematsuomessa.html Radioasemat Suomessa] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180930193306/https://www.viestintavirasto.fi/taajuudet/radiotaajuuksienkaytto/radioasematsuomessa.html |date=30 September 2018 }}, Communications Bureau of Finland. Accessed on 25 April 2020.</ref>

==== Metro transport ====
[[File:Länsimetro-Västmetron.svg|thumb|right|Route map of the Länsimetro extension]]
The Länsimetro extension to the [[Helsinki Metro]] was started in 2008 and the first phase was opened for traffic on 18 November 2017.<ref>[http://www.kaupunkiliikenne.net/Espoo/ Espoo] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220921224346/http://www.kaupunkiliikenne.net/Espoo/ |date=21 September 2022 }}, www.kaupunkiliikenne.net. Accessed on 14 November 2020.</ref> The first phase consists of six stations: [[Keilaniemi metro station|Keilaniemi]], [[Aalto University metro station|Aalto University]], [[Tapiola metro station|Tapiola]], [[Urheilupuisto metro station|Urheilupuisto]], [[Niittykumpu metro station|Niittykumpu]] and [[Matinkylä metro station|Matinkylä]]. The second phase consists of an additional five stations: [[Finnoo metro station|Finnoo]], [[Kaitaa metro station|Kaitaa]], [[Soukka metro station|Soukka]], [[Espoonlahti metro station|Espoonlahti]] and [[Kivenlahti metro station|Kivenlahti]], and was originally expected to be completed in 2023 at the earliest.<ref>[https://www.lansimetro.fi/asemat/ Asemat] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220921224345/https://www.lansimetro.fi/asemat/ |date=21 September 2022 }}, Länsimetro. Accessed on 22 September 2022.</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20201130015319/https://www.espoo.fi/fi-FI/Asuminen_ja_ymparisto/Kadut_ja_liikenne/Joukkoliikenne/Lansimetro/Asemat_Espoossa Espoon metroasemat], city of Espoo. Accessed on 22 September 2022.</ref> The extension was completed on 3 December 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tara |date=2022-11-30 |title=The metro extension enables better services and increases Espoo's vitality |url=https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/finland/finland-news/domestic/22601-the-metro-extension-enables-better-services-and-increases-espoo-s-vitality.html |access-date=2022-12-04 |website=Helsinki Times |language=en-gb |archive-date=4 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221204180210/https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/finland/finland-news/domestic/22601-the-metro-extension-enables-better-services-and-increases-espoo-s-vitality.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

==== Railway transport ====
[[File:Sm5 Leppävaara.jpg|thumb|left|A [[JKOY Class Sm5]] local train at the [[Leppävaara railway station]]]]
There are nine railway stations in Espoo,<ref>"[https://www.hagerlund.net/fi/kokonaisuudet/espoon-juna-asemat Espoon juna-asemat]", Tony Hagerlund. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220921222557/https://www.hagerlund.net/fi/kokonaisuudet/espoon-juna-asemat |date=21 September 2022 }}. Accessed on 14 November 2020.</ref> of which only the [[Leppävaara railway station]] serves long-distance traffic.<ref>"[https://web.archive.org/web/20201031171536/https://www.visitespoo.fi/fi/tietoa-espoosta/kulkuyhteydet/ Kulkuyhteydet]", Visit Espoo. Accessed on 14 November 2020.</ref> The Leppävaara railway station is the busiest railway station in Espoo, with the [[Espoo railway station]] being the second busiest.<ref>"[https://www.newsbox.fi/espoo/leppavaara-on-espoon-vilkkain-juna-asema-makkyla-erittain-hiljainen/ Leppävaara on Espoon vilkkain juna-asema – Mäkkylä erittäin hiljainen]" [Leppävaara is Espoo's busiest train station – Mäkkylä is very quiet], Newsbox.fi, 24 January 2019. Accessed on 14 November 2020.</ref>

The local traffic on the [[Rantarata]] railway is frequent, and the train lines are marked with letters. L trains stop at every station from [[Helsinki Central Station]] to [[Kirkkonummi railway station]]. E, U, L and X trains stop at every station in Espoo and Kauniainen except [[Mäkkylä railway station]]. Only A and L trains stop at Mäkkylä. Y trains between Helsinki Central Station and [[Siuntio railway station]] stop at [[Leppävaara railway station]], [[Espoo railway station]] and [[Kauklahti railway station]]. A trains travel along the [[Leppävaara city railway]] with a terminus at Leppävaara. All local trains travelling through Espoo stop at [[Pasila railway station]], with connections to [[Tampere]], and also at [[Huopalahti railway station]], with a P train connection to the [[Helsinki Airport]] in northern [[Vantaa]].<ref>{{cite web |url-status=dead |url=https://www.vr.fi/cs/vr/fi/lahiliikenteen-reittikartta-fi |title=Lähiliikenteen reittikartta |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200422140556/https://www.vr.fi/cs/vr/fi/lahiliikenteen-reittikartta-fi |archive-date=22 April 2020 |website=[[VR Group]] |access-date= 17 March 2019}}</ref>

Long-distance trains between Helsinki and Turku previously stopped at Espoo railway station. Starting from autumn 2015 the stop was moved to Leppävaara railway station.<ref>"[https://web.archive.org/web/20180629021859/http://www.vrgroup.fi/fi/vrgroup/uutishuone/uutiset-ja-tiedotteet/muutoksia_kaukoliikenteeseen/ Muutoksia kaukoliikenteeseen]", [[VR Group]]. Accessed on 17 March 2019.</ref>

==== Bus transport ====
[[File:HelB bus on core HRT bus line in Otaniemi, Espoo.JPG|thumb|right|A bus on line 550 in [[Otaniemi]]]]
Numerous bus lines serve public transport in Espoo. The [[Helsinki Regional Transport Authority]] is responsible for bus transport in Espoo, planning the routes, timetables and ticket systems.<ref>"[https://web.archive.org/web/20201021082036/https://www.espoo.fi/fi-FI/Asuminen_ja_ymparisto/Kadut_ja_liikenne/Joukkoliikenne Joukkoliikenne]", city of Espoo. Accessed on 17 November 2020.</ref> Bus line 200 is the only trunk line in Espoo, travelling between Espoon keskus and the [[Eliel Square]] in central [[Helsinki]].<ref>Aalto, Sirkku: "[https://www.lansivayla.fi/paikalliset/2341380 Uusi runkobussi Espoon keskuksesta Elielinaukiolle korvaa linjan 235 ja parikymmentä pysäkkiä jää pois – Espoossa lakkautetaan kokonaan kolme bussilinjaa]" [The new trunk bus from Espoo Centre to Elielinaukio will replace line 235, and around twenty stops will be removed – three bus lines will be completely discontinued in Espoo], ''[[Länsiväylä (newspaper)|Länsiväylä]]'', 23 July 2020. Accessed on 17 November 2020.</ref> The line has 32 stops, which is 12 stops fewer in Espoo than on the previous trunk line 235.<ref>"[https://www.hsl.fi/hsl/uutiset/uutinen/2020/05/uusi-runkolinja-200-aloittaa-elielinaukion-ja-espoon-keskuksen-valilla-elokuussa Uusi runkolinja 200 aloittaa Elielinaukion ja Espoon keskuksen välillä elokuussa]" [A new trunk bus line 200 will start between Elielinaukio and Espoo Centre in August], Helsinki Regional Transport Authority. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220427044746/https://www.hsl.fi/hsl/uutiset/uutinen/2020/05/uusi-runkolinja-200-aloittaa-elielinaukion-ja-espoon-keskuksen-valilla-elokuussa|date=27 April 2022}}. Accessed on 17 November 2020.</ref>

There are a hundred accessible bus stops in Espoo. The first accessible stop was built in 2006 on Puolarintie, next to the [[Puolarmetsä Hospital]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20221130093106/https://www.espoo.fi/fi-FI/Espoossa_on_jo_sata_esteetonta_bussipysa Espoossa on jo sata esteetöntä bussipysäkkiä – ja lisää tulossa] [There are already a hundred accessible bus stops in Espoo – and more are on the way], city of Espoo. Accessed on 17 November 2020.{{dead link|date=November 2025}}</ref>

Bus lines in southern Espoo travel to the [[Matinkylä metro station]] and at times of heavy traffic, directly to the [[Kamppi Center]] in Helsinki. There are also internal bus lines to [[Tapiola]]. In contrast, the bus lines in central and northern Espoo travel via [[Töölö]] to the [[Eliel Square]]. All line numbers of Espoo bus lines were changed to three digits in the 2010s. Line numbers beginning with 1 mainly travel in southern Espoo and line numbers beginning with 2 in central and northern Espoo. Bus lines travelling between southern and central Espoo have numbers beginning with 5. The Joker line 550 travels between [[Westend, Espoo|Westend]] and [[Itäkeskus]] bypassing the Helsinki city centre by going to the north of it.

==International relations==
The City of Espoo has ten official [[Twin towns and sister cities|sister cities]]:<ref>{{cite web |title=Networks and twin towns |publisher=City of Espoo |access-date=14 December 2024 |url=https://www.espoo.fi/en/city-and-decision-making/international-espoo/networks-and-twin-towns |archive-date=15 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241215042747/https://www.espoo.fi/en/city-and-decision-making/international-espoo/networks-and-twin-towns |url-status=live }}</ref>
* {{flagicon|HUN}} [[Esztergom]], Hungary
* {{flagicon|USA}} [[Irving, Texas]], United States<ref name=sci>{{cite web|title=Interactive City Directory|url=http://www.sister-cities.org/interactive-map/Espoo,%20Finland|work=[[Sister Cities International]]|access-date=12 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140312224905/http://www.sister-cities.org/interactive-map/Espoo,%20Finland|archive-date=12 March 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|DEN}} [[Køge]], Denmark
* {{flagicon|NOR}} [[Kongsberg]], Norway
* {{flagicon|SWE}} [[Kristianstad]], Sweden
* {{flagicon|UKR}} [[Kryvyi Rih]], Ukraine
* {{flagicon|EST}} [[Nõmme]], Estonia
* {{flagicon|KOR}} [[Osan]], South Korea
* {{flagicon|PRC}} [[Shanghai]], China
* {{flagicon|ISL}} [[Skagafjörður (municipality)|Skagafjörður]], Iceland

==Notable people== 
[[File:F12019 Schloss Gabelhofen (22) (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright|[[Kimi Räikkönen]], former [[Formula One|Formula 1]], [[World Rally Championship|WRC]], and [[NASCAR]] driver, and [[2007 Formula One World Championship|2007]] world champion]] 
[[File:Laura Lepisto at 2009 Skate Canada (1).jpg|thumb|upright|[[Laura Lepistö]]]]
*[[Susan Aho]] (born 1974), singer and member of the band [[Värttinä]]
*[[Peter Ahola]] (born 1968), former [[NHL]] player for the [[San Jose Sharks]], [[Los Angeles Kings]], and others
*[[Niklas Hagman]] (born 1979), ice hockey player
*[[Kirsi Heikkinen]] (born 1978), football referee
*[[Miro Heiskanen]] (born 1999), ice hockey player
*[[Ella Junnila]] (born 1998), athlete
*[[Mikko Kärnä]] (born 1980), politician
*[[Teemu Keisteri]] (born 1985), visual artist, DJ, also known as [[Windows95man]]
*[[Henri Kontinen]] (born 1990), tennis player
*[[Krista Kosonen]] (born 1983), actress
*[[Alexi Laiho]] (1979–2020), guitarist and vocalist, co-founder of the metal band [[Children of Bodom]]
*[[Jani Lajunen]] (born 1990), ice hockey player
*[[Konsta Lappalainen]] (born 2001), racing driver
*[[Jere Lehtinen]] (born 1973), ice hockey player
*[[JJ Lehto|Jyrki Juhani Järvilehto]] (born 1966), racing driver
*[[Laura Lepistö]] (born 1988), figure skater
*[[Sami Lepistö]] (born 1984) ice hockey player
*[[Petri Lindroos]] (born 1980), musician and member of the Finnish folk metal band [[Ensiferum]]
*[[Anton Lundell]] (born 2001), ice hockey player
*[[Pekka Lundmark]] (born 1966), businessman
*[[Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen]] (born 1999), ice hockey goaltender
*[[Nikolas Matinpalo]] (born 1998), ice hockey player
*[[Heidi Parviainen]] (born 1979), musician and member of the Finnish symphonic metal band [[Dark Sarah]], former lead of Finnish symphonic power metal band [[Amberian Dawn]]
*[[Kimi Räikkönen]] (born 1979), former racing driver and [[2007 Formula One World Championship|2007]] [[Formula One]] World Champion
*[[Noora Räty]] (born 1989) ice hockey player
*[[Tony Salmelainen]] (born 1981), ice hockey player 
*[[Rasmus Schüller]] (born 1991), football player
*[[Viljami Sinisalo]] (born 2001), football player
*[[Kristian Sohlberg]] (born 1978), rally driver
*[[Gösta Sundqvist]] (1957–2003), bandleader of [[Leevi and the Leavings]]
*[[Joonas Suotamo]] (born 1986), actor in the [[Star Wars]] series and a former professional basketball player
*[[Antti Törmänen]] (born 1970), ice hockey coach
*[[Aaro Vainio]] (born 1993), racing driver
*[[Valtteri Virkkunen]] (born 1991), ice hockey player
*[[Ville Virtanen (actor)|Ville Virtanen]] (born 1961), actor
*[[Mirel Wagner]] (born 1987), singer

== See also ==
{{Portal bar|Finland|Europe|Geography|Cities}}
* [[Blominmäki sewage treatment plant]]
* The UN's [[Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context]], signed in Espoo 1991 (text of Convention)
* [[Districts of Espoo]]
* [[Espoo Metro Areena]] 
* [[FC Honka Espoo]]
* [[FC Espoo]]
* [[Iso Omena]]
* [[Kauniainen]]
* [[Kytö]]
* [[Lake Bodom]]
* [[Länsiväylä]]
* [[List of European regions by GDP]]
* [[Pohjois-Tapiola]]
* [[Pakankylä]]
* [[Postipuu School]]
* [[Ring II]]
* [[Sello mall shooting]] 
* [[Tapiola, Espoo]]
* [[Westend, Espoo]]

== Notes ==
{{reflist|group=note}}
{{notelist}}

==References==
=== Citations ===
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

'''Sources'''
*''Espoon kaupungin taskutilasto 2007'', issued by the City of Espoo, 2007

== External links ==
{{Sister project links|auto=yes|d=yes}}
*[https://www.espoo.fi/en City of Espoo] – Official website
*[https://www.visitespoo.fi/en Visit Espoo] Espoo for travellers
*[https://www.aalto.fi/en Aalto University] – Official website
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080411091045/http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1952/OR1952.pdf 1952 Summer Olympics official report.] p.&nbsp;50.

{{Geographic location
 | Centre = Espoo<br />{{nobold|(surrounds [[Kauniainen]])}}
 | N  = [[Nurmijärvi]]
 | E  = [[Vantaa]]<br />[[Helsinki]]
 | S  = ''[[Gulf of Finland]]''
 | W  = [[Kirkkonummi]]
 | NW = [[Vihti]]
}}
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{{Espoo}}
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[[Category:Espoo| ]]
[[Category:Greater Helsinki]]
[[Category:Venues of the 1952 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic fencing venues]]
[[Category:Cities and towns in Finland]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in Finland]]