12.10.2007

Turku was ranked high in the ranking of European middle-sized cities

Turku was ranked third in the new classification by European Smart Cities.

The scientific classification, which was published 10 October in Munich on one of the most significant real estate fair in Europe Expo Real, evaluates middle-sized cities in Europe based on six characteristics. These comprise economy, population, governance, mobility, environment and living. In addition, each factor is divided into approx. ten different indicators.

Several cities from Denmark, Finland, Germany, Austria and Benelux were ranked high in the study. Tampere was ranked sixth and Oulu seventh in the classification.

The Top Five Smart Cities:

1. Luxemburg
2. Aarhus (Denmark)
3. Turku
4. Aalborg (Denmark)
5. Odense (Denmark)

- Turku has all the reasons to be proud of the top position in the large and esteemed comparison between middle-sized cities in Europe, says a pleased Mayor of Turku Mikko Pukkinen.

- This kind of an extensive comparison where different living spheres are taken into account, brings out our attraction and potential in an excellent way.

- Our common challenge now is to make sure that we in cooperation with business life, the universities, the cultural actors and with all the inhabitants of Turku utilise our possibilities, emphasises Mikko Pukkinen.

The study was carried out in cooperation between the Technical Universities of Vienna and Delft as well as the University of Ljubljana. The study included 70 cities, each with a population of 100 000 - 500 000, a commuter belt under 1.5 million people, and with at least one university.

- Our study is scientifically sound, transparent and verifiable, emphasises Evert Meijers who represented the Technical University of Delft.

The researchers hope that the decision-makers in the cities will utilise the comparison between cities in their development work. According to the researchers, middle-sized cities are an interesting focus group. They form a group who often remain in the shade of the big metropolises. However, the size of the cities is a central competitive benefit, which enables a more flexible operation compared with the big metropolises. 

Approx. 40 percent of all of Europe's city dwellers live in middle-sized cities. A new round of evaluations will be carried out in three years.

Additional information

• mayor Mikko Pukkinen
• director of communication and external affairs Mikko Lohikoski

Read more

• The bulletin (pdf, 100 kt, in English)
• The results and criteria for the classification (in English)
• The website of Smart Cities (in English)