Editing Espoo (section)

=== Sea area ===
The sea area of Espoo is a considerably narrow strip between the sea areas of [[Helsinki]] and [[Kirkkonummi]].<ref name="selvitys">[https://web.archive.org/web/20160418012503/http://uudenmaanliitto.fi/files/15235/Uudenmaan_meri-_ja_rannikkoalueselvitys_E142-2014.pdf UUDENMAAN MERI- JA RANNIKKOALUESELVITYS], Helsinki-Uusimaa Regional Council. Accessed on 5 November 2017.</ref>{{rp|26}} The depth of the southern part of the sea area, in the outer archipelago, is a few dozen metres at the most. The ship route between Helsinki and [[Stockholm]], [[Sweden]] goes through the outermost parts of the sea area which contains small treeless, sea-washed [[islet]]s. One of them is the former fortification island of [[Kytö]]. The smallest islands are shallow islets, such as [[Stenskär]]. They are significant nesting grounds for birds and many of them are nature-protected areas. In summertime there might be flowering meadow patches on the islands. The islands closest to the Espoo shoreline include [[Stora Herrö]], [[Pentala]], [[Kopplorna]] and [[Lehtisaaret]]. The islands host many vacation buildings, and they are often referred to as an intermediary archipelago.<ref name="selvitys"/>{{rp|20}}

The islands in the inner archipelago are larger and lusher and contain boat harbours and buildings, as well as permanent settlements on the islands closest to the shore. There is a land connection from the mainland to the inhabited islands in [[Suvisaaristo]] and it forms a district of its own, with a more rural image than most of Espoo.

The sea area extends inland at many places as bays, of which the largest are Espoonlahti in the west and Laajalahti in the east. Bays on the shoreline between them include Nuottalahti, Haukilahti and Otsolahti. The bays are shallow and contain many islands, particularly in Espoonlahti. Most of the islands in Laajalahti are located across the municipal border in Helsinki. The largest peninsula in Espoo is [[Soukka]], fracturing into an archipelago in the south. Thus the peninsula hardly offers any views to the open sea. The nearest ship harbours are located in Helsinki, while the Espoo shoreline contains many small boat harbours, the largest being the boat harbour in [[Suomenoja]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20181202024624/https://www.espoo.fi/fi-FI/Kulttuuri_ja_liikunta/Ulkoilu/Veneily/Venesatamat Venesatamat], city of Espoo. Accessed on 15 March 2019.</ref> The maritime traffic in front of Espoo mainly consists of motor boats of various sizes, water scooters and ferries handling traffic in the archipelago.

In terms of natural geography, the coastal waters of Espoo are divided into four different sea areas, consisting counting from the west of Espoonlahti, Suvisaaristo-Lauttasaari and Seurasaari. The fourth sea area is Helsinki-Porkkala to the south of the other three. The surface area of the Espoonlahti sea area is 19.2 square kilometres. The Espoonlahti nature preserve area is located in its northern part. The western part of the sea area is located in the neighbouring municipality of [[Kirkkonummi]]. The surface area of the Suvisaaristo-Lauttasaari sea area is 48.5 square kilometres. It reaches from the shores of the islands of Stora Herrö and Pentala up to the [[West Harbour, Helsinki|West Harbour]] in Helsinki. The surface area of the Seurasaari sea area is 13.1 square kilometres. The Laajalahti nature preserve area is located in its northwestern part. Most of the sea area is located in neighbouring Helsinki. The surface area of the Helsinki-Porkkala sea area is 400.5 square kilometres. It reaches from the eastern shore of the [[Porkkalanniemi]] peninsula up to [[Suomenlinna]] and [[Santahamina]]. Islands in the sea area include Kytö, Stenskär, [[Knapperskär]] and [[Gåsgrund]].<ref>[http://www.jarviwiki.fi/wiki/Espoo Espoo] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220927030711/https://www.jarviwiki.fi/wiki/Espoo |date=27 September 2022 }}, environmental centre of Finland. Accessed on 12 October 2019.</ref>