Gulf of Finland

Gulf of Finland
Coordinates	59°50′N 26°00′E / 59.833°N 26.000°E / 59.833; 26.000
Basin countries	Estonia  Finland  Russia
Max. length	400 km (250 mi)
Max. width	130 km (81 mi)
Surface area	30,000 km2 (12,000 sq mi)
Average depth	38 m (125 ft)
Max. depth	115 m (377 ft)
Settlements	Saint Petersburg, Helsinki, Tallinn
Ramsar Wetland
Official name	Southern coast of the Gulf of Finland, Baltic Sea
Designated	13 September 1994
Reference no.	689[1]

The Gulf of Finland (Estonian: Soome laht; Finnish: Suomenlahti; Russian: Фи́нский зали́в; Swedish: Finska viken) is the easternmost arm of the Baltic Sea. It extends between Finland to the north and Estonia to the south, to Saint Petersburg in Russia to the east, where the river Neva drains into it. Other major cities around the gulf include Helsinki and Tallinn. The eastern parts of the Gulf of Finland belong to Russia, and some of Russia's most important oil harbors are located farthest in, near Saint Petersburg (including Primorsk). As the seaway to Saint Petersburg, the Gulf of Finland has been and continues to be of considerable strategic importance to Russia. Some of the environmental problems affecting the Baltic Sea are at their most pronounced in the shallow gulf. Proposals for a tunnel through the gulf have been made.