Infrastructure:Otso

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With the major exception of Otavia, the country’s infrastructure is fairly limited. Road systems are adequate for the country’s needs and become extremely primitive in the north, although there are projects to upgrade road systems in the south of the country. There is a limited railway system operating on a broad gauge for both passenger and freight. The rail system effectively ends mid-country at Kajaani. There is also an extensive canal system which links both to the Bothnia and Donovian canal systems. The road network also links directly to the Bothnia network and the easiest routes north to south occasionally runs through both countries. Otso possesses a mix of fossil fuel, biomass and hydroelectric power stations that provides power for the entire country and generates a sufficient surplus for export to be feasible. Otso has two international harbors Otavia and Hamina, but freight is also exported through Vyborg using the Saimaa canal. Otsonian infrastructure has recently seen some improvement following a 15‐year economic investment program. This program has built upon the numerous earlier Otso‐Donovia and Otso‐Bothnia joint infrastructure projects that have been part of the countries development program over the past century. Notable among improvements over the past 30 years has been the construction and improvement of the ports of Otavia and Hamina that now ensure maximum access even during the coldest of winters.

The majority of the infrastructure in Otso is similar to that in Bothnia and Otso has pursued a policy of open cooperation with Bothnia in order to ensure that infrastructure projects have maximum national and regional impact. This is becoming ever more important as resources are limited. The development priorities for national infrastructure in Otso are jointly driven by support to the economy and defense.

Major Cities and Urban Zones

Over 60% percent of Otso's 1.4 million population live in the cities and urban areas in the country. During the post WWII economic transformation Otso experienced a large movement of the population from rural to urban areas. A massive population shift occurred from all rural areas to the urban, industrialized south. People left rural regions because the mechanization of agriculture and elimination of jobs in the forestry industry. Otso has seven major metropolitan areas where over half of the urbanized population lives with the remaining have found in smaller towns and villages.

Otso Major Cities and Sub-variable Descriptions

City	Est Pop (2017)	Pop Dens/km2	UBD	Road	Air	Rail	Sea	Power	Water	Sanitation
Otavia	54,212	198.05	M	M	P	M	C	Dv	Dv	Dv
Joensuu	75,940	31.50	M	M	P	M	NE	Dg	Dg	Dg
Kuopio	113,364	29.70	L	P	P	P	NE	Dg	Dg	Dg
Kouvola	86,453	29.90	L	P	NE	M	NE	Dg	Dg	Dg
Lappeenranta	72,794	42.20	L	P	P	P	NE	Dg	Dg	Dg
Mikkeli	54,605	16.90	L	M	P	P	NE	Dg	Dg	Dg
Savonlinna	35,944	10.00	L	P	P	P	NE	Dg	Dg	Dg

Legend (per TC-7-101): (UBD) urbanized building density, (L) low, (M) medium, (H) high, (P) primitive, (M) moderate, (C) complex, (NE) non-existent, (Dg) degraded, (Dv) developed

The majority of Otso's population is centered in city and urban zones with the Joensuu, Kuopio, and Kouvola being the largest three cities.

Otavia

Otso’s capital of Otavia sits on several islands located on the Gulf coastline. Numerous docks, piers, wharfs, and shipping yards surround the city center on the main island. Watercraft of all types ranging from small pleasure boats to large container ships ply the bays and inlets surrounding the city. A major transshipment yard for new vehicles is located immediately to the north of the city on the mainland. The yard is serviced by both large container ships as well as a large railyard to the west.

Very few single-family homes are on the island of the city proper with most of this type structure found along the coastline. The main residential housing in the city is multi-family apartment buildings. Construction residential dwellings is predominantly brick and wood with a few apartments constructed of concrete and steel.

Commercial buildings are mainly located on the shore of the island to take advantage of sea-borne shipping of materials and products. A small number of historic buildings remain in the city center by most of the older construction was replaced by more modern structures.  

Kuopio

The city of Kuopio lies north-south along the western bank of Lake Kallavesi. Interspersed throughout the footprint of the city are smaller lakes, islands, and inlets. With no access to the sea, Kuopio none the less has a significant connection to a large body of water. The only bridge across the lakes for 55km is just north of Kuopio for the east-west highway. It is mostly a land bridge with a channel cut for smaller water craft. Separate 4 lane roadways and 2 track rail lines cross the lake at this point.

As with many other cities in Otso, commercial and residential construction sits immediately adjacent to the shoreline. Residential buildings tend to be mostly large apartment complexes with smaller neighborhoods of single-family houses. Most single-family homes are actually located in the hills south of the city. Commercial buildings feature steel and stone construction and are located along the lake’s shoreline to the north and also along the main north-south highway.

Kouvola

Located north of the Otso capital of Otavia, on the Kymijoki River, Kouvola is the nexus of the transportation networks in the southern part of the country. Major rail lines and highways connect the city to Kuopio in the north and the capital Otavia on the coast. The Kymijoki River that runs north-south to the west of the city, is not navigable from Kouvola to the coast by watercraft because of rapids and waterfalls.

Major industrial factories are found in and around Kouvola primarily due to the proximity of both road and rail transportation. A major east-west rail line with the main railyards located southeast of the city are surrounded by factories.

Residential construction in the southern part of the city features duplex housing with numerous neighborhoods composed of this type residential property. The northern area of the city contains a mix of single-family neighborhoods and apartment complexes.

Utilities

Otso utilities comprise of a mix of state and commercial providers. Otso possesses a mix of renewable and fossil fuel and power generation plants and effective water and waste management structures. Otso has no domestic sources of fossil fuels and must import substantial amounts of coal, petroleum and natural gas for its power generation requirements.

Power

OtsoOil is the sole oil refiner in Otso, exporting petroleum products such as gasoline and fuel oil to Baltic countries and North America. In 2016, OtsoOil imports came from Norway, Donovia and the rest from Kazakhstan, and Algeria. Most of petroleum is used in vehicles, but about 260,000 homes are heated by heating oil. In 2016 natural gas comprised 10% of Otsan energy consumption. OtsoGas is the Otsan importer and seller of natural gas, which owns and operates Otsan natural gas transmission system.

The new energy plants in Otso starting 2005‐2020 have as energy source: peat 39% and hard coal 12%: combined: 51%. Otso also has a number of renewable energy sources. These include; Water, Forest industry black liquor, other wood residues and wind. Below is a list of Otso power stations by type.

Otso Power Stations by Type

Name	Location	Type	Capacity MWe	Status
Mussalo Power Station	Otavia	Natural Gas and Oil	313	Operational
Naantali Power Station	Otavia	Coal	256	Operational
Bio Mass and Peat
Haapaniemi Power Station	Kuopio	Peat	90	Operational
Joensu Power Station	Joensu	Biomass and Peat	50	Operational
Kaukaan Power Station	Laapeenranta	Biomass	125	Operational
Kymin Voima Power Station	Kouvola	Biomass and Peat	76	Operational
Pursiala Power Station	Mikkeli	Peat	62	Operational
Tihisenniemi Power Station	Kajaani	Peat	88	Operational
Hydroelectric
Imatra Dam	Imatra	Hydroelectric	178	Operational

Water

Owing to the importance of water issues in Otso, there is a long tradition of state administration in this sector. In 1975 an attempt was made to consolidate administration by establishing the National Board of Waters and regional Water Districts under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. Since then these bodies have evolved into the present‐day environmental administration under the Ministry of the Environment, whose field of administration covers all environmental protection issues. However, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry still supervises the Regional Environment Centers and the Otsan Environment Institute in duties relating to the use and management of water resources.

Drainage. During the late 1950s, subsurface drainage became the dominant drainage method in Otso. The area of land drained by this method rose to more than tenfold from the pre‐war level of about 4,200 ha per year, and remained at this very high level until the 1980s. Subsequently, the construction of subsurface drainage has decreased and the current level is less than 5,000 ha per year. In regions favorable to farming, the demand for basic drainage and subsurface drainage is still considerable and the systems for these needs to be enhanced and maintained. Similar to Bothnia, Otso is increasing its efforts to restore the natural state of water levels of shallow lakes that had been lowered for drainage. Alongside these projects are programs to improve the overall status of lakes by reducing eutrophication, increasing bio diversity and improving landscape value and opportunities for recreational use.

Irrigation. As with Bothnia, the role of irrigation is relatively insignificant in Otso, mainly used in the cultivation of vegetables. There has however been some increase in research and development with the main emphasis on fertilization with controlled drainage in the cultivation of potatoes. Most flood control projects were completed in the 1990s, and as a result about 72,000 ha of arable land are no longer flooded. The regulation of lakes and rivers mainly serves the needs of hydroelectric power production and flood protection.

Sanitation

Otsan waste legislation covers all types of waste except certain special wastes such as radioactive wastes, which are controlled by separate laws. The Ministry of the Environment supervises and controls the way Otsan waste legislation is put into practice. Responsibilities are divided among a number of different bodies.

The Otsan Environment Institute conducts research and training, publicizes new ideas and methods, and monitors all developments related to waste issues, while also participation in drawing up new legislation and guidelines related to waste. The Institute also monitors international waste shipments.

Regional environment centers guide, encourage and monitor the implementation of the Waste Act in their own regions. They also provide training and advice for firms and the public, and issue waste permits to larger firms and operations. The national authority responsible for producer registration and other related issues is the Pirkanmaa Regional Environment Center.

Local authorities organize the collection, recovery and disposal of household refuse and other similar waste, and supervise waste management in general in their own area. They also set local regulations on waste management, ensure that advice on waste matters is freely available, and issue waste permits to smaller firms and operations.

Almost 18 million tons of waste were generated in Otso in 2017. Just short of 700,000 tons of municipal waste were collected, under half of it generated by households. The recovery rate of municipal waste went up somewhat, thanks to improved sorting and separate collections. Altogether 380,000 tons municipal waste were land filled in 2017.

Transportation Architecture

The road system is utilized by most internal cargo and passenger traffic all year round. As of 2016, this comprised of approximately 53,000 km of public and nonpublic roads. The small motorway network, centered on Otavia totals 73 kilometers and the main road network, comprising motorways, primary and secondary roads totals approximately 15,000 km. Expenditure of around USD1 billion is used to maintain the road network. These funds are generated through vehicle and fuel taxes that amount to around USD1.5 billion and USD1 billion each. The main international passenger gateway is Otavia Airport that handled over six million passengers in 2017. About 25 airports have scheduled passenger services. They are financed by the state and rural airports are heavily subsidized. The Otavia‐Utti based Otsanair and Otsancomm Airlines provide air services both domestically and internationally and it is widely recognized that Otavia has an optimal location for great circle routes between the West and the Far East.

Despite low population density, taxpayers spend annually around USD124 million in maintaining 3,785 kilometers railway tracks even to many rural towns. Currently the only operator is the state‐owned VR. In addition, Otavia has an urban rail network. Otso has two main ports; Otavia Port and Hamina Port. Port logistics prices for the ports were among the lowest in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 2008.

Road System

Road transport in Otso is a popular method of transportation, particularly in rural areas where the railway network is limited. As of 2017, this comprised of approximately 53,000 kilometers of public, non‐public roads and tracks. The small motorway network, centered on Otavia totals 73 kilometers and the main road network, comprising motorways, primary and secondary roads totals approximately 15,000 km. Approximately, 68% of all traffic on public roads takes place on main roads. Motorways have been constructed in the country since the 1970s, but they are still reasonably rare because traffic volumes are not large enough to motivate their construction.

Speed limits change depending on the time of the year; the maximum speed limit on motorways is 100 km/h in the summer and 80 km/h in the winter. The main roads usually have speed limits of either 100 km/h or 80 km/h. Speed limits in urban areas range between 30 km/h and 60 km/h. Otso, like most other European countries, has right‐hand traffic. The road classifications are synchronized with Bothnia in order to maintain consistency, as many roads on the shared border cross and re-cross the border. In addition, many private roads may be used as public ones, and may have different speed limits and different regulations from public roads. Some ice roads, which form seasonally, depending on temperature, are maintained by the state.

Streets are maintained by the local municipality and the winter maintenance of roads and streets is the responsibility of the local authorities. Regional, connecting, county highways and main roads are maintained by the state. All main roads and almost all regional roads are paved. They are generally greater than seven meters wide. About half of the connecting and local roads are paved. They are generally smaller, and care must be taken with regards to oncoming traffic, despite the general speed limit of 80 kilometers per hour. Connecting and local roads are not usually marked with numbers, but with ordinary traffic signs. The main highways are all paved and have at least two lanes and many sections of highways between major cities have often been upgraded to motorways. Further, they are better maintained than main and regional roads.

Rail

The Otso railway network consists of a total of 2,410 kilometers of railways built with broad gauge. Passenger trains are operated by the state‐owned OR Group. They serve all the major cities and many rural areas, though railway connections are available to fewer places than bus connections. Most passenger train services originate or terminate at Otavia Central railway station, and a large proportion of the passenger rail network radiates out of Otavia. In addition, the Otavia area has three urban rail systems: a tramway system, Otavia Metro, and the OR commuter rail system.

The Otso railway network links to adjacent countries. The links are as follows:

• Torrike – break of gauge – 1,435 mm; change of voltage 25 kV AC/15 kV AC.
• Donovia – small break of gauge 1,524 mm/1,520 mm (through running possible)
• Bothnia – Same gauge.

Air Transportation System

There are 12 airports and 21 airfields, 23 of which have paved runways, are served by scheduled passenger flights. Otavia’s airport is at Kouvola (Utti Airport). The larger airports are managed by the state‐owned Otsovia (formerly the Otsonian Civil Aviation Administration), while the smaller ones are usually managed by municipal authorities. Otsoair and Otsocomm Airlines are the main carriers for domestic flights.

Airports in Otso

Airfield	Type
Eura Airfield	Civil
Iisalmi Airfield	Civil
Immola Airfield	Civil
Jämijärvi Airfield	Civil
Joensuu Airport	Civil
Kajaani Airport	Civil
Kitee Airfield	Civil
Kiuruvesi Airfield	Civil
Kivijärvi Airfield	Civil
Kuopio Airport	Civil/Military
Kuusamo Airport	Civil
Kymi Airfield	Civil
Lappeenranta Airport	Civil
Mikkeli Airport	Civil
Pieksämäki Airfield	Civil
Punkaharju Airfield	Civil
Rantasalmi Airfield	Civil
Savonlinna Airport	Civil
Selänpää Airfield	Civil
Sodankylä Airfield	Civil
Utti Airport	Civil/Military
Varkaus Airport	Civil
Joensuu Airport	Civil
Lahti‐Vesivehmaa Airfield	Civil
Kuhmo Airfield	Civil
Lapinlahti Airfield	Civil
Lieksa‐Nurmes Airfield	Civil
Rautavaara Airfield	Civil
Suomussalmi Airfield	Civil
Vaala Airfield	Civil
Wredeby Airfield	Civil

Maritime Seaports

Otso has 1 seaports located along the Gulf of Bothnia. Otso has only one port that averages more than 1 million tons of cargo throughput annually. Otso’s largest import/export fuel port is the Port of Porvoo, which transported more than 10.5 million tons of oil in 2018. There are no ports in Otso that can accommodate Military Sea Lift Commands (MSC) Large, Medium-Speed Roll-on/Roll-off (LMSR) ships. Otso’s largest and most productive container/dry-bulk cargo port is the Port of Hamina-Kotka, which lies on the shores of the Gulf of Bothnia about 35 kilometers east of Otso’s border with Donovia and 150 kilometers east of Helsinki. 

Port of Hamina-Kotka

Prior to the breakup of Otsobothnia, the majority of infrastructure was in the west. Otso inherited poor port facilities, no shipbuilding capacity and practically no oceangoing vessels. However, beginning in 1954 harbor construction began in earnest as the government invested heavily in upgrading the Port of Hamina-Kotka’s infrastructure. By the 1970s, following sustained and significant levels if investment, the Port of Hamina-Kotka was rated the 11^th busiest Baltic Sea port. Today, the Port is the biggest universal, export and transshipment port in Otso, which serves as an important hub in Europe and in the Baltic Sea region. Regular liner services ensure quick deliveries and connections to all parts of the world. Cargo passing through the Port of Hamina-Kotka are primarily forest products and cargo to and from Donovia. It is the furthest eastern port in the European Union. About five thousand people live in the town proper, and about 22 thousand live in the municipality. The Port of Porvoo is an oil refinery port that concentrates in production on premium-quality, low-emission traffic fuels. The Port of Porvoo refinery is situated in the Kilpilahti industrial area, some 30 kilometers east of Helsinki. The industrial area employs 3500 persons, approx. 1900 of which work for Neste Oil. One of Europe’s most advanced and versatile refineries and is Otso’s largest port in terms of volume of cargo throughput. 20–23 million tons of crude oil and petroleum products pass through the harbor annually. .

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River Transportation System

Waterways. Otso boasts an extensive network of coastal and inland waterways. Frequent ferry service connects Otso with Bothnia, Estonia, Framland and Torrike. Baltic cruise liners regularly call on the port of Otavia as well. In domestic service, ferries connect Otso's islands with the mainland. Otso's cargo ports move freight both for Otso's own needs and for transshipment. The Otsonian Maritime Administration is responsible for the maintenance of Otso's waterway network. Otso's waterways include some 800 kilometers of coastal fairways and 4700 kilometers of inland waterways (on rivers, canals, and lakes).

Saimaa Canal. The Saimaa Canal is a transportation canal that connects Lake Saimaa with the Gulf of Finland near Vyborg, Donovia. The canal was built from 1845 to 1856 and opened on 7 September 1856. It was overhauled and widened in 1963–1968. A system of inland waterways and canals in the 120 interconnected lakes of the south‐central and south‐east part of Otso (Otsonian Lakeland) are reached through the canal. The network of deep channels in Lake Saimaa with at least a draft of 4.2 meters covers 814 kilometers. The deep channels extend all the way to Kuopio. The key data regarding the canal is as follow:

• Length: 42.9 km. (26.7 mi)
• Otsonian part: 23.3 km. (14.5 mi)
• Donovian part: 19.6 km. (12.2 mi)
• Width: from 34 to 55 m (112 to 180 ft.)
• Total lift from the Gulf of Finland to Lake Saimaa: 75.7 m (248 ft.)

The maximum dimensions allowed for a ship transiting the canal are:

• Length: 82.0 m (269.0 ft.)
• Beam (width): 12.2 m (40 ft.)
• Draft: 4.35 m (14.3 ft.)
• Height of mast: 24.5 m (80 ft.)

In addition there are three locks in the Otsonian part of the canal:

• Mälkiä (61°04′15″N 028°18′14″E) 61.07083°N 28.30389°E
• Mustola (61°03′45″N 028°18′59″E) 61.0625°N 28.31639°E
• Soskua (61°02′23″N 028°24′02″E) 61.03972°N 28.40056°E

Mälkiä Lock has highest lift (12.4 m [41 ft.]); Cvetotchnoe Lock has the lowest (5.5 m [18 ft.]).

There are five other locks situated on the Donovian side of the border:

• Pälli (60°54′26″N 28°36′55″E) 60.907227°N 28.615179°E
• Ilyistoye (former Lietjärvi) (60°53′36″N 28°37′22″E) 60.893306°N 28.622904°E
• Cvetochnoye (former Rättijärvi) 60°52′55″N 28°39′03″E) 60.881817°N 28.650756°E
• Iskrovka (former Särkijärvi) (60°49′56″N 28°44′12″E) 60.832155°N 28.73661°E
• Brusnichnoye (former Juustila) (60°48′38″N 28°44′14″E) 60.810667°N 28.737316°E

Telecommunications Architecture

Otso possesses a few major radio stations. However, there are also a significant number of small stations that cater to a wide variety of tastes. IT and internet infrastructure is extremely good in the southern half of the country, although broadband is not widely available in the far north. This picture is rapidly changing as mobile phone infrastructure is established throughout the country and mobile phone usage is expanding rapidly. Internet access in the North is currently available from Government subsidized booths in libraries, Post Offices, etc. As the broadband network expands, these booths are slowly disappearing.

Otso also possesses a modern telephone system with excellent service. Domestic services include digital fiber‐optic fixed‐line network and an extensive mobile-cellular network. Submarine cables provide links to Estonia and satellite earth stations provide international access via a Torrikan satellite earth station, One Inmarsat . It should be noted that Otso shares the Inmarsat earth station with the Baltic States. Other key facts regarding Otso communications can be found under Information. Further details of communication facilities in Otso, including Communication Stations and Communication Towers can be found in the Geo layer data.

Submarine Communications Cables

A submarine communications cable is a cable laid on the sea bed between land-based stations to carry telecommunication signals across stretches of ocean and sea. The first submarine communications cables laid beginning in the 1850s carried telegraphy traffic, establishing the first instant telecommunications links between continents, such as the first transatlantic telegraph cable which became operational on 16 August 1858. Subsequent generations of cables carried telephone traffic, then data communications traffic. Modern cables use optical fiber technology to carry digital data, which includes telephone, Internet and private data traffic.

Name	Cable Length/Service Date	Landing Points
BCS North - Phase 2	280.4 km / 2000	Brahea, Bothnia Logi, Donovia Otavia, Otso
Eastern Light	Unk / 2019	Brahea, Bothnia Hanko, Bothnia Otavia, Otso Tyr, Torrike
TBD	10,000 km / TBD. MoU signed in June 2019	Donovia Norway Olvana Otso South Torbia

Industry

Otso is a resource‐poor and relatively small politico‐economic entity. The Otsonian Industrial Infrastructure reflects this status. The country has no deposits of oil, natural gas or coal but does have mineral deposits. Otso’s most important minerals iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromites, nickel, gold, silver, limestone but many large mines have closed down, and most raw materials are now imported. Under Otsonian law, the Ministry of Industry and Technology controls prospecting and mining rights. Currently, mining only accounts for 0.4% of the country’s GDP. Otso’s greatest natural resource is its widespread forests, covering two‐thirds of the land, higher than in any other European country. In many respects, the Otso Industrial base is similar to that of Bothnia, but at a smaller scale.

Manufacturing

From the 1990s, Otsonian industry, which for centuries had relied on the country's vast forests, became dominated by to a larger extent by electronics and services, as globalization lead to a decline of more traditional industries. Outsourcing resulted in more manufacturing being transferred abroad, with Otsonian-based industry focusing to a greater extent on research and development and hi‐tech electronics. Industry is the dominant sector in the Otso’s economy. Otsonian manufacturing capability can be dived into four sectors.

Electronics. See Economic Variable.

Metals. Engineering and Manufacturing. Otso has an abundance of minerals, but many large mines have closed down, and most raw materials are now imported. For this reason, the small number of companies operating in this sector focus on the “high added‐value” processing of metals for other markets. See Economic Variable for more detail.

Chemical Industry. Biotechnology is regarded as one of the most promising high‐tech sectors in Otso and it is growing rapidly. See Economic Variable for more detail.

Pulp and Paper Industry. Forest products have been the major export industry in the past, but this share has shrunk, pulp and paper is still a major industry with 39 sites across the country. Several large international corporations in this business are based in Otso.

Oil and Gas

Otsonian is only an importer of petroleum products. The OtsoOil was established in 1949 as the state petrol company of Otso, to ensure the availability of fuel. OtsoOil has capacity to store 1.4 million cubic meters of petroleum products. The majority of storage capacity is based in the Otavia metropolitan area.