'''Helsinki''' (  or  ; ; , ; ) is the capital, primate, and most populous city of Finland. Located on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, it is the seat of the region of Uusimaa in southern Finland, and has a population of . The city's urban area has a population of , making it by far the most populous urban area in Finland as well as the country's most important center for politics, education, finance, culture, and research; while Tampere in the Pirkanmaa region, located  to the north from Helsinki, is the second largest urban area in Finland. Helsinki is located  north of Tallinn, Estonia,  east of Stockholm, Sweden, and  west of Saint Petersburg, Russia. It has close historical ties with these three cities.