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Vuosaari

Vuosaari
Nordsjö
Helsinki Subdivision
Position of Vuosaari within Helsinki
Position of Vuosaari within Helsinki
Country  Finland
Region Uusimaa
Sub-region Greater Helsinki
Municipality Helsinki
Subdivision number 54
District Eastern
Subdivision regions Meri-Rastila, Rastila, Keski-Vuosaari, Mustavuori, Niinisaari, Nordsjön kartano, Aurinkolahti, Kallahti
Area 15.38 km2 (5.94 sq mi)
Population (2010) 35,826
 • Density 2,329/km2 (6,030/sq mi)
Postal codes 00960, 00980, 00990
Neighbouring subdivisions Marjaniemi, Puotila, Vartioharju, Mellunmäki

Vuosaari (Swedish: Nordsjö) is a neighbourhood in the City of Helsinki, Finland. It is located by the sea in East Helsinki and with its area of 15.38 km² is geographically the largest district in the city. It also has two Helsinki Metro stations, Rastila and Vuosaari

Vuosaari is one of the fastest-growing areas in Helsinki. The number of inhabitants has been increasing rapidly since early 1990s and continues to grow as new residential areas are being built. As of 2010, the population was 35,826.

Among other things, Vuosaari is noted for its nature and large, relatively unspoilt recreational seashore areas. One of these is Uutela, a popular nature park located in the southeastern corner of Vuosaari. The continual planning of new residential zones has in fact raised criticism, as many people would rather preserve Vuosaari's closeness to nature.

Vuosaari is the location of a new major seaport in Helsinki, the Vuosaari Harbour.

As of 2005 7,7% of the population of Vuosaari are foreign citizens and 11,6% have been born outside of Finland. This has given the neighbourhood an overtly multi-cultural image in Finnish folklore, even though the percentage is higher in many other places in the Capital Region.

The two natural gas power plants of Helsingin Energia, the power utility of the city of Helsinki, are located in Vuosaari.

Vuosaari has been populated continuously ever since the Iron Age. The first written record of the inhabitants of the area comes from a document dating back to Magnus IV of Sweden in the 14th century. By the 16th century Vuosaari had regained its connection to the mainland and the former island had two Rustholl-mansions, Nordsjö and Rastböle respectively, several small villages and a military shipyard. Officers from Suomenlinna built houses in the peninsulas. This process was further amplified after a regular steam boat connection between Helsinki and Vuosaari was established in the 19th century. Of military historical interest is that Russians built fortifications here in 1917. During the Second World War Vuosaari was used as a decoy Helsinki to divert the bombs away from the city. This was done by lighting bonfires and concentrating anti-aircraft guns on the island. Later, during the fast construction phase in the 1990s, this led to halts on building sites, as unexploded aerial bombs were discovered hidden in the ground.


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