(Finnish Tampere), the chief industrial city of Finland, capital of the province of Tavastehus, on the rapids connecting Lakes Nisi-jarvi and Pyha-jarvi, 125 m. by rail N.W. of Helsingfors. Pop. (1904) 40,261. Tammerfors is an important centre for the manufacture of cotton, linen, and woollen goods, leather and paper. The town owes its existence as a manufacturing centre to the tsar Alexander I.