Turku (IPA: [ˈturku], Swedish: Åbo), founded in the 13th century, is the oldest and fifth largest city in Finland, with a population of 175,354 (as of 2006). Located ( [show location on an interactive map] 60.27° N 22.16° ECoordinates: 60.27° N 22.16° E) at the mouth of the Aura river in the southwest of the country, it is the capital city of both the region of Finland Proper and the province of Western Finland, as well as being the centre of the country's third largest urban area, with around 300,000 inhabitants. Turku has one of the largest Finland-Swedish populations in the country. Due to its location, the Port of Turku is one of the busiest seaports in Finland with around 3.7 million passengers per year. Turku has a cultural identity as Finland's historical centre, as it was the largest city in the country for a very long time. It was also the capital of the Grand Duchy of Finland from 1809 to 1812 after which time Helsinki was made the capital. It also hosted the country's first university, The Royal Academy of Turku. Turku has been designated by the European Union to be the European Capital of Culture in the year 2011, together with Tallinn the capital of Estonia.
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