The aim of this study is to provide a comparative overview of the economy of European metropolises. The emphasis is on the comparison of Helsinki with other European metropolises with respect to size, economic structure and economic performance. Of particular interest are the roles of the metropolises in generating economic growth in their respective home countries, and their impact on Europe as a whole. This study is indeed already the eighth one in a series of studies started in 2003. The study covers 29 countries in western, central and eastern Europe. In addition to the 27 EU countries, Norway and Switzerland are included. Moscow and St Petersburg are included, too, whenever the data for them are available, but are not included in the mean.

Biography: Director of City of Helsinki Urban Facts, which is the department in charge of urban statistics, urban research, and information services as well as the City archives. Many of the works and services are targeted not only at the City of Helsinki but also at the Helsinki Region. National task forces in the field of urban research and statistics are often designated to City of Helsinki Urban Facts, which is well networked with universities and major cities in Finland, in the Baltic Rim, and in Europe. Exchange of experiences in the field of urban statistics and research goes even more international. Co-operation with the national statistical office, Statistics Finland, is well established.