City of Oulu
Economic Affairs Office
P.O. Box 237
FIN-90101 Oulu
Tel. + 358 81 314 1011
Fax + 358 81 314 1310

Oulu is a city in Northern Finland with over 100,000 inhabitants. It is the business, industry and development capital of Northern Scandinavia. Today, Oulu is best known for its high technology, but it is also a significant educational and cultural centre. The city has a long tradition of international trade; it was the world's leading tar export centre during the last century. This century, tar has been replaced by forest industry and high technology, which have boosted continuous growth in the whole area.

Hi-tech centre
Oulu is the home of a wide range of hi-tech companies, from large international corporations to small and medium-sized data technology enterprises. Oulu Technopolis was the first science park in the Nordic countries and is today the best-known hi-tech concentration in Scandinavia. The greatest boost to the economy of the Oulu region currently comes from telecommunications, which exports more than 50 per cent of its turnover. Other growing branches are opto-electronics, biotechnology and medical technology.

Resources
Advanced education and research in all areas of modern science have been essential to the success of the Oulu area. The educational strategy of the University and other high standard institutes provides experts and skilled employees for the most demanding purposes. Geographically, Oulu is centrally located in Northern Europe, especially after the latest changes in the world economy. Many transport routes from all directions converge in Oulu. A busy port, modern airport and efficient rail and road connections guarantee a strong basis for international trade.