Vaasa, Finland
City participating to the joint project “Building an intercultural integration approach in Finland”
co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe
Vaasa is a city on the west coast of Finland. As of 31 December 2021, the population of Vaasa is 67,631 (2021) and it is the regional capital of Ostrobothnia. Vaasa is among the most international cities in Finland with its international business life and six higher educational institutions.
Representation of different ethnic and linguistic groups are very diverse in the city. The city is bilingual with 69.8% of the population speaking Finnish as their first language and 24.8% speaking Swedish. The surrounding Ostrobothnian municipalities (such as Korsholm and Malax) have Swedish-speaking majorities, making it the most significant cultural centre for Swedish speakers.
People whose mother language is different than Finnish or Swedish consist of 10% of the population. Population growth in Vaasa is mostly based on immigration. The city has been part of the UNHCR refugee resettlement programme for more than 30 years, giving the city its multicultural atmosphere. There is also a reception centre for asylum seekers in the city.
