Helsinki spreads around a number of bays and peninsulas
and over a number of islands. The inner city area occupies
a southern peninsula, which is rarely referred to by
its actual name Vironniemi. Population density in certain
parts of Helsinki's inner city area is very high, reaching
16,494 inhabitants per square kilometer (42,719/sq mi)
in the district of Kallio, but as a whole Helsinki's
population density of 3,050 inhabitants per square kilometer
(7,899/sq mi) ranks it as quite sparsely populated in
comparison to other European capital cities. Much of
Helsinki outside the inner city area consists of postwar
suburbs separated from each other by patches of forests.
A narrow, ten kilometer (6.2 mi) long Helsinki Central
Park that stretches from the inner city to the northern
border of Helsinki is an important recreational area
for the residents.
Some notable islands in Helsinki include Seurasaari,
Lauttasaari and Korkeasaari – which is also the country's
biggest zoo – as well as the fortress island of Suomenlinna
(Sveaborg) and the military island of Santahamina.
