General information about Finland

Coat of arms of Finland Flag of Finland

Official name: Finnish Republic
Geography: Finland is located on the Scandinavian Peninsula, and would be the northernmost country if not for Iceland. Area – 338 thousand km2. A third of its territory is located beyond the Arctic Circle. It borders with three countries: (border length - 1269 km), Sweden (586 km) and Norway (716). Part of the border runs by sea - with Estonia. The south and west of Finland is washed by the Baltic Sea, including its Gulfs of Finland and Bothnia.

Sometimes called the country of lakes, 10% of the territory is covered with water, there are about 187 thousand lakes.

The highest point of the country (1324 meters) is located on the slope of the Khalti hill. It is on the slope, since the top of the hill (1365 m) is already in Norway.

Finns are very zealous about environmental protection, thanks to which almost 70% of its territory is covered with forests.

Population: Finland has a population of 5 million 170 thousand people. The population density is low - 17 people per 1 km 2 .

Language : 93% of Finns speak Finnish, about 6% speak Swedish, which is also considered the official language. There is also a small group, about 2 thousand people, who speak the Sami language.

Religion: The vast majority of the population are Protestants (85.6%), belonging to the Evangelical Lutheran Church. About one percent are Orthodox. However, at the moment, this data is quickly becoming outdated due to the influx of refugees.

State structure: Finland is a republic. The last Constitution was adopted in 2001. Legislative power is in the hands of Parliament and the President. Members of Parliament are elected by the people for a term of 4 years. The President is elected for a 6-year term and has supreme executive power. The right to vote comes at the age of 18. The government is headed by the Prime Minister, under his leadership there are 17 ministers.

There are a total of 12 provinces (laani) in Finland, the main regions are Southern Finland with the main city of Hämeenlinna, Western with the city, Eastern with the capital Mikkeli, Oulu with the capital of the same name, with Rovaniemi and the autonomous region of Ahvenanmaa with Maarianhamn, which includes.

Cities: The capital of Finland - with a population of 555 thousand people, together with its suburbs - 1.2 million.

The city itself is a very interesting city for tourists, so if you visit on your own, it’s worth buying a Helsinki card. Tourists should also know about such important cities for the country as Turku, Lahti, Vantaa, Tampere, Oulu and Espoo.

Climate: Thanks to the Gulf Stream, Finland is not as cold as its geographical location would suggest; it is the warmest country in Scandinavia. The climate is temperate, gradually turning into continental in the central regions. Its western coast is quite sunny, the sea water temperature rises to 20 o C by mid-summer.

Time: Finnish time is one hour behind Moscow time.

Money: Finland is a member of the European Union, and therefore since 2002 the euro has become the official currency. You can change money at bank branches, large hotels, and even on trains traveling from Russia to Finland. Banks are open on weekdays from 9:15 to 16:15. ATMs (they are highlighted in orange and labeled “Otto”) operate 24 hours a day and accept all cards.

Transport : public transport in Finland consists of buses, trams, metro, and a ferry in the capital to the Sveaborg fortress. A single ticket costs 2 euros, you can ride on it with transfers within an hour, you can buy it from the driver. To save money, you can buy a book of 10 tickets at R-kioski kiosks, it will cost 12.8 euros.

It will be more convenient for a tourist to buy a tourist ticket “matkailulippu”, it is sold at the same kiosks and ticket offices, costs 4.2 euros per day, and will allow unlimited skiing all day; a child from 7 to 16 years old will cost half the price. A three-day ticket will cost 8.4 euros.

Shopping: Most stores are open from 09:00 to 18:00 with a short day on Saturday (until 15:00) and closed on Sunday. Grocery stores start working at 7:00 and end at 21:00. Supermarkets are open longer - until 21:00, on Saturday until 18:00. Christmas sales begin after December 27, summer sales begin in mid-June.

Official holidays: January 1 - New Year, January 6 - Epiphany, April 6-9 - Easter, May 1 - May Day, May 13 - Mother's Day, May 17 - Ascension, Midsummer Day ("Juhannus") - Saturday, between 20 and 26 June, All Saints' Day - 1st Saturday of November, December 6 - Independence Day, December 25-26 - Christmas.

Information for tourists traveling by car:

• Seat belts are required
• Low beams are required when driving
• A radar detector, even if not connected, is punishable by law
• The speed limit is 50 km/h in populated areas and 80 on regular highways (for violation - a fine of 115 euros)
• Parking only in places indicated by signs (for violation - a fine of 40 euros). You need to pay for parking at a parking machine. It accepts coins of 1.2 euros and 20.50 cents. Payment - depending on the zone (center, suburbs), on Saturdays (except the center) and Sundays - free.
• Driving "under the influence" - deprivation of rights and a fine through the court
• Call the police by phone. 10022, emergency services - 112.

Phone in Finland:
From Finland to Russia on a landline phone you need to dial 999, then the Russian code is 7, the regional code (Moscow - 495), and finally the subscriber number. In the case of a mobile phone, the region code is excluded.

From Russia to Finland to a landline phone: 8-10-358 (Finland code), then the regional code (for Helsinki - 9, Turku - 02, Tampere - 03, Rovaniemi - 016) and the subscriber's telephone number. In the case of a mobile phone, the area code is excluded and the mobile phone is dialed except for the first digit "0" in the operator code.

Nutrition: Restaurant tips are included in the bill. Most restaurants offer a business lunch from 11:00 to 14:00, costing from 7 to 10 euros. Tourists need to remember that in the evening in a restaurant you may be asked for an ID card, since, depending on the establishment, there is an age limit of 18 to 25 years.

Finland or Finnish Republic- our northern neighbor. It borders with Russia in the north-west, the length of the Russian-Finnish border is 1265 km.

The official languages ​​in Finland are Swedish and Finnish. The capital of Finland is the city of Helsinki.

The area of ​​the state is 338,400 square km, which is approximately 50 times less than the area of ​​Russia.

The Finnish population is approximately 5.5 million people, which is more than 25 times less than in Russia.

This country ranks 64th in the world in terms of area and 113th in the world in terms of population.

The average life expectancy in Finland is 79 years, and in Russia 66 years.

The climate in Finland is moderate, softened by sea air from the Atlantic Ocean. The average air temperature is from -7-14 C in winter to +14+17 C in summer.

Finland is a neighbor of Russia, a country of swamps and lakes

Finland - Suomi - translated means - a country of swamps and lakes. The bird that is the symbol of this country is the whooper swan. Elks, reindeer, brown bears, and wolves also live there. Finland is one of the countries with the cleanest environmental conditions.

Finland is a northern country. 25% of its territory is located beyond the Arctic Circle; there is even a polar night lasting up to 2 months.

What is Finland famous for?

This is probably why the northern region of Finland - Lapland is considered the birthplace of Santa Claus.

What, besides Santa Claus, is this small country famous for?

Finland in 2010 ranked first in the list of the best countries in the world, in 2012. it was recognized as the most stable country in the world and the best country for motherhood in 2014. it also took 4th place in the ranking of rule-of-law states.

Finland ranks first in the world in paper production. The steel industry is very developed in Finland. And also the high-tech sector: production of Nokia equipment, Internet services.

Approximately 8% of the entire country is occupied by agricultural land. On them, farmers engage in agriculture and livestock raising.

Winter sports are developed in Finland: skiing, alpine skiing, snowboarding and hockey. At the 2014 Olympic Games, the athletes of this small country took 18th place in the unofficial medal standings and won 5 medals: 1 gold (in men's team ski sprint), 3 silver (2 in cross-country skiing and 1 in slopestyle) and 1 bronze (in hockey ).

Finland was under Swedish rule for 600 years. From 1809 to 1917 it was an autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland, part of the Russian Empire. In 1917, Finland gained independence.

Since the 12th century, Finland has been part of Western culture.

Since the 18th century, the country has had a special relationship with Russia, and its history has been influenced by the changing balance of power in Europe and the Baltic region.

Part of Western Europe

Despite the country's eastern location, culturally Finland developed as part of Western Europe. Since the expansion of the Roman Empire never reached the northern borders of Europe, Christianity, in the forms of the Roman Catholic Church, took root in Finland and Scandinavia only in the 9th and 10th centuries.

Simultaneously with the spread of Christianity, Finland became increasingly part of the Kingdom of Sweden. The rapprochement proceeded in stages, and at the beginning of the 16th century, the southwestern part of the territory of modern Finland became an integral part of Sweden.

Overall, this had a significant impact on the further development of Finland. The Western social system, Western values ​​and the practices of everyday life based on them have taken root in the country. In parallel with this, a Swedish-speaking minority settled on the southern and western coasts of Finland, which still exists in the country.

In 1527, finding that the state treasury was empty, King Gustav Vasa of Sweden followed the example of the principalities of Northern Germany. The property of the Roman Catholic Church was seized with reference to the teaching of Martin Luther, according to which the church is a community of believers, therefore its property should belong to the people.

The break with the Pope grew deeper in the following decades, and thus the eastern part of the Kingdom of Sweden - Finland - became the furthest territory of Protestant Europe in the northeast. As a result of the Reformation movement, Finnish writing gradually, step by step, began to be created.

In 1584, a translation of the New Testament into Finnish was published by church reformer Mikael Agricola. The modern Finnish language is based on a combination of dialects, primarily from Western Finland.

Russia and Finland 1500–1700 centuries

At the end of the 16th century, about 300,000 inhabitants lived in Finland. Half of them settled along the coast of the southwestern part of the country and lived by farming and fishing. The second half of the inhabitants were primarily engaged in burning agriculture, deer breeding and hunting in the vast and dense forests of the interior.

Of the country's seven cities, mention should be made of the episcopate center of Turku, the gateway to eastern Finland, Vyborg, and Helsinki, founded by Gustav Vasa in 1550 as a rival to Tallinn. Helsinki turned out to be a sad failure and really meant nothing - its importance began to increase only in the second half of the 18th century thanks to the large sea fortress Sveaborg (from 1918 Suomenlinna) built on the approaches to the city from the sea.

Finland's geographical location as an outpost in eastern Sweden led to negative consequences. Since the 15th century, Russia has developed as a single state, and since then has fought repeated wars with its western neighbors for several centuries. One of the opponents was Sweden, which rose during the 16th century to become a dominant power in the Baltic Sea region and then, in the 17th century, to become a strong player on the larger European stage.

During the Great Northern War (1700–1712), this role passed from Sweden to Russia, which was crucial for Finland, because in 1703 the Russian Emperor Peter the Great founded a new capital, St. Petersburg, in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland at the mouth of the Neva, quickly becoming a northern European metropolis.

The more St. Petersburg grew, the more important Finland's geopolitical security position became for both Sweden and Russia. The large defensive fortress of Sveaborg (“Swedish fortress”) on the approaches to Helsinki from the sea was built with the help of the French specifically to repel Russian expansion and the threat from the huge Russian naval base in Kronstadt.

Grand Duchy of Finland 1809–1917

As a result of the Treaty of Friedrichsham in September 1809, all of Finland was annexed to the expanding Russian Empire. The long period of peace and especially the major social reforms carried out since the 1860s contributed to the gradual emergence of industry and trade.

However, when, as a result of the diplomatic chain reaction caused by the Napoleonic Wars, Russia and Sweden clashed again in 1808–1809, the Russians surrounded and bombarded the fortress, forcing a premature surrender, and as a result of the Treaty of Friedrichsham in September 1809, all of Finland was annexed the expanding Russian Empire.

At the beginning of the 19th century, Russia was not a unitary state in the administrative sense, but rather resembled a patchwork quilt consisting of several states. Therefore, Finland, which was granted the status of an autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland, retained the Lutheran church and the administrative culture of Sweden, and, in addition, even its government - the Senate - and the Secretary of State, who represented the affairs of Finland directly to the emperor. In addition, Emperor Alexander the First annexed the Karelian Isthmus, which Russia had conquered from Sweden at the beginning of the 18th century, to the Grand Duchy.

To strengthen the new union of states, Alexander the First decided in 1812 to move the capital of the Principality of Finland from Turku to Helsinki and at the same time ordered the city to be completely rebuilt.

A majestic center in the Empire style, familiar from St. Petersburg and Berlin, but new to Finland, was erected around Senate Square. Over the following decades, a busy administrative center with a regular layout rose up around it. The role and importance of Helsinki was enhanced by the transfer in 1827 to Helsinki of the university founded in 1640 in Turku.

Based on Swedish management culture

The Russian authorities saw Finland primarily as an outpost of the Russian Empire in the north-west. In Finland, many also believed that the country would gradually merge with the ever-expanding Russian empire. But that did not happen. The Swedish government system, which differs from the Russian culture of state administration, and ongoing trade ties with Sweden contributed to the preservation of Finland's special features.

Growing national self-awareness

When national ideas became widespread in Finland in the 1840s, a strong ideological basis for independent development was created. The pioneers were, first of all, the creator of the epic “Kalevala” (1835) Elias Lönnrut, the poet J. L. Runeberg, the philosopher, senator J. V. Snellman, who fought for Finnish to become the first state language instead of Swedish in both government and culture .

At the end of the 19th century, nationalist ideas were strong among the people of Finland, many participated in various public organizations in which Finland was seen as independent in the future.

Economic development 1800 century

The development of ideas of independence was also facilitated by a favorably developing economy. The long period of peace and especially the major social reforms carried out since the 1860s contributed to the gradual emergence of industry and trade. The sales market was located in both Russia and Western Europe. The main engines of the economy were the food and paper industries. The standard of living rose rapidly, the population increased - in a hundred years the population tripled. At the beginning of the First World War, the population of Finland was about three million people.

The proximity to St. Petersburg contributed to the development of the economy, but at the same time, however, posed a threat from the point of view of security policy. As tensions arose between the great powers, Russia tried to tie Finland more closely to the empire, leading to long-term political tensions.

After Russia lost the war with Japan in 1905, the emperor had to agree to a number of reforms. In Finland, liberalization led to the creation in 1906 of a democratically elected parliament based on universal and equal suffrage. Finnish women were the first in Europe to gain political rights.

Independence and Finnish Civil War

On December 6, 1917, the Finnish Parliament, at the proposal of the Senate, declared the country an independent republic. There was no government in the country capable of maintaining order, and within two months a civil war began. The annexation of Finland to Russia in 1809 was one of the results of a geopolitical chain reaction. Similar historical processes led to the country's complete independence at the last stage of the First World War. Tired of three years of war, Russia was experiencing a period of devastation and chaos, and, after the Bolsheviks seized power in Russia, the Finnish Parliament, at the proposal of the Senate, declared the country an independent republic on December 6, 1917.

There was no government in the country capable of maintaining order, and within two months a civil war began, which was practically part of the chaos raging in Russia. In May 1918, the Finnish White Army, with decisive support from German units, completely defeated the socialist rebels, who in turn received weapons from Russia.

After Germany was defeated in the World War, the original plan to turn Finland into a constitutional monarchy was changed and a republican form of government was introduced in the summer of 1919. It existed unchanged until 2000, until the moment when the internal political rights of the president were limited.

The first three decades of independence became a test of the young country's strength.

The first decades of an independent state

The first three decades of independence became a test of the young country's strength. The country was doing well economically. Western Europe has largely replaced the Russian sales market, the culture has gone through a number of changes and received international recognition. The country's political development was, however, complicated by the legacy of the civil war. Old wounds were not healed, and the domestic political field was split for a long time. In the early 1930s, the anti-communist tendencies of the radical right were so strong that the parliamentary system was under threat.

In the spring of 1937, however, a parliament was formed on a broad platform. He united the political forces of the peasantry and working class and created the basis for a national consensus and the modern Finnish welfare state.

Winter War and Continuation War

However, in the fall of 1939, the stable, peaceful period of social development abruptly ended. The Second World War began. The Soviet Union demanded territorial concessions from Finland. Again Finland's proximity to St. Petersburg or Leningrad played a decisive role.

Finland did not make territorial concessions, and the Red Army launched a large-scale offensive against Finland on November 30, 1939. The Finnish army, however, managed to stop the offensive. The Red Army was many times superior in numbers and in terms of armament to the Finnish troops, but the Finns had strong motivation, knew the terrain better and were much better equipped and prepared for combat operations in extreme conditions - the winter of 1939–1940 was exceptionally cold.

In the vast forests to the north, the Finnish army surrounded and destroyed two Soviet divisions. The Winter War lasted 105 days. In March 1940, a peace treaty was signed. The Soviet Union feared that the Western allies would intervene in the war on Finland's side, and Moscow at this stage limited itself to territorial demands on Finland and the creation of a military base on leased lands on the Hanko Peninsula (Gangut), on the southwestern coast of the country.

Continuation War

Independence was preserved, but the Winter War left a deep imprint on the Finnish consciousness. The Western press treated Finland with sympathy, Sweden helped financially in many ways, but militarily the Finns found themselves completely alone. It was a harsh lesson. Since then, the leadership of the Finnish state and most of the people have realized that neither the Western allies nor the northern neighbors will come to the rescue if only the independence and sovereignty of Finland is at stake.

Realizing this, President Risto Ryti and the commander-in-chief of the Finnish army Gustav Mannerheim in the winter of 1940–1941 secretly accepted the German offer of military assistance. Neither one nor the other were adherents of Nazism, but both believed that military cooperation with Nazi Germany was the only salvation against the new aggression of the Red Army.

In June 1941, when the Germans launched Operation Barbarossa, the Finns were absolutely ready to attack. The Red Army subjected many Finnish cities to aerial bombardment, so the Finnish government was able to call the offensive of the Finnish army, which began two weeks later, defensive battles.

Finland never entered into a political alliance with Germany; in the so-called Continuation War (1941–1944) it pursued its own national goals. However, militarily it was clearly a joint war against the Soviet Union. Germany re-equipped the Finnish army, fought on the country's northern fronts and supplied a significant part of the weapons and raw materials the country needed throughout the joint war.

In June 1944, when the Soviet Union launched a heavy artillery bombardment and a massive offensive on the Karelian Isthmus to force Finland into a separate peace, the support of German troops helped the Finns stop the Red Army advance at a crucial moment.

Soon after, the German army came under increasing pressure from two directions as a result of the Allied landings in Normandy, and this opened the possibility of concluding an armistice agreement between Finland, the USSR and the Allied states in September 1944. The agreement was then formalized by the Paris Peace Treaty of 1947.

Finland again had to make major territorial concessions and agree to the creation of a large Soviet military base west of Helsinki. In addition, the country was forced to pay large reparations to the USSR and put on trial the government that was in power during the war.

Finland's position in Europe during the Cold War was in many ways exceptional. Unlike the countries of Eastern Europe, Finland was never occupied by Soviet troops. Finland's position in Europe during the Cold War was in many ways exceptional. Unlike the countries of Eastern Europe, Finland was never occupied by Soviet troops. The country remained a Western democracy, and thanks to extremely rapid industrialization in the 1970s, it achieved the same standard of living as Western European countries. This made possible the creation of the Nordic model of the welfare state. However, throughout the Cold War, Finland had to take into account the security interests of the Soviet Union.

In April 1948, Finland concluded a “Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance” with the Soviet Union. Under the terms of the treaty, Finland pledged to resist any attack directed against Finland or against the USSR through Finnish territory. The agreement was valid until 1991. Thanks to him, relations between the two countries were stabilized and the foundation was laid for broad economic cooperation, which naturally contributed to the favorable social development of Finland.

The negative side of the treaty was that it did not strengthen the confidence of Western countries in the policy of non-alignment, which was actively pursued by the Finnish government. However, President Urho Kekkonen, who led the country for a quarter of a century (1956 -1981), gradually managed to gain international respect in this balancing act between East and West. The 1,300-kilometer-long common border with the USSR was an insurmountable geographical reality. To ensure that Finland did not have to suffer too much from this, export-oriented industry was allowed to enter into favorable trade agreements with the EFTA (1961) and the EEC (1973).

Thus, Finland managed not to come into conflict with its strong eastern neighbor and at the same time have increasingly close economic ties with Western Europe. At the beginning of August 1975, the leaders of 35 countries in Europe and North America gathered in Helsinki to sign the final document of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe. The document recognized the political division of Europe. In Helsinki, general rules of the game on human rights issues were agreed upon, which political dissidents in the countries of the socialist bloc passionately seized upon. The process begun in Helsinki eventually led to the final collapse of the Soviet empire in 1991.

Neither Finland nor many other countries could have foreseen such a sharp turn. Although growth rates were not as rapid as in the 1960s and 1970s, Finland continued to prosper into the 1980s.

During the presidency of Mauno Koivisto (1982–1994), the country's governments remained in power for the entire period of office, which gave stability to the internal politics of the country, whose population reached five million.

New technologies began to flourish. The dismantling of the state television and radio monopoly has begun. Telephone networks underwent the same liberalization, which generally created strong market conditions for the technological revolution of the 1990s in the field of both wired and wireless information communications.

As in many other countries, the release of transnational capital in the late 1980s led to the overheating of the Finnish economy. This was followed by the collapse of the Soviet Union, a sharp decline in exports to the east and west, and incompetent financial policies.

Economic crisis of the early 1990s

All this led to a deep economic crisis in 1991–1994. During the worst period, unemployment reached about 20 percent of the total working population. Entire industries collapsed and national debt rose to dangerous levels, but the structures of the welfare state held out and a strong economic recovery began in 1995 that continued into the next century. Coincidentally or not, the Nokia concern experienced the same growth curve and has now become a leading concern in the global market. In the early 1990s, this flagship of the Finnish industry was on the verge of bankruptcy.

Finland and the European Union

During the deepest economic crisis in the spring of 1992, the Finnish government decided to apply to join the European Union. The decision was based both on the Finnish economic situation and on security policy aspects. In the union of Western countries, the vision of a common market, with a common foreign and security policy, was just maturing. For a country like Finland, this seemed like a reasonable solution.

Finland, not without reason, watched Russia’s internal political developments with concern. Two years later, an agreement was concluded on the terms of entry. In October 1994, a consultative referendum was held and about 58 percent of Finns supported joining the European Union. Finland joined the EU on January 1, 1995.

At the first stage, EU membership was perceived as extremely important for the Finnish identity - it has always been important for Finns to maintain relations with the West and with Western civilization in general. This became clear in 1998, when Parliament decided on Finland's participation in the EU's single economic and monetary union with the introduction of the euro.

In the autumn of 1999, when Finland held its first EU presidency, the country was enthusiastic about the EU. Enthusiasm later waned, despite the fact that Finland is among those EU countries that have benefited most from membership, both economically and in terms of security policy.

The cooling towards the EU and its structures is due to many reasons. First of all, in the early 2000s, the EU economy was not in the best shape, and the EU's eastward enlargement in the spring of 2004 brought new problems to the surface. An even more important reason why Finns have become more casual about the EU is the rapid changes in the global economy, as well as in the field of information technology.

The European Union exists. Let's hope it remains a common home for the people of Europe. And now it is much easier to travel with words, sounds, images and, of course, simply physically, for example, by plane to other continents and perceive the “big world” outside European shores.

For a country like Finland, where there is often a childlike excitement about computer technology, this trend may be particularly strong. Regardless, as we approach the second decade of the new century, Finland is doing well in this rapid cycle of change.

Text: Henrik Meinander, PhD, Professor of History, Head of the Department of History at the University of Helsinki.

Translation: Galina Pronina

Have you ever thought about traveling to Finland? If such thoughts have not crossed your mind, then you should definitely find out how exciting this country is. There's a lot more to Finland than just cold weather and dark winters! In addition to the natural beauty of nature, Finland has many unique attractions, a distinctive culture and an interesting way of life of people. Finnish traditions, tastes and thoughts often seem both strange and funny. To make you understand this country, this list of 11 interesting facts about Finland was created.

Finns love the sauna

Almost every home in Finland is equipped with a sauna. There are a total of 2.2 million saunas (according to the Encyclopedia of Religion and Nature, published in 2005) for a population of approximately 5.4 million people. It has been an incredibly important part of Finnish culture for many centuries. Finns go to the sauna to relax and feel healthier. There is also a social component, as a reason to meet friends or family. While the Italians get together and eat pasta for dinner and the Brits drink their afternoon tea, the Finns invite each other over for an evening of sauna. Many Finns prefer to go to the sauna naked, so don't be surprised to see some nudity here. Severe northern people willingly jump into snowdrifts right after leaving a warm room. Sometimes, instead of snowdrifts, an artificial pond specially created near the sauna is used.

Drunkenness is not a stereotype

When going to a party or a bar, Finns love to drink well. And this is not a stereotype at all - Finns really drink a lot. However, they are not in first place in Europe in terms of alcohol consumption, behind Russia, Ukraine, Hungary and Portugal. But the amount of alcohol the average Finn consumes per year is much higher than the international average.

Love for coffee

Despite the statistics, Finns still prefer coffee to alcohol. While few people usually associate coffee with Finland, Finns love this drink as much as Italians, and maybe even more. According to the ranking of the largest coffee consumers in the world, Finland is the country with the largest consumption of coffee and coffee drinks in the world.

Dark winter and sunny summer

The climate in Finland is quite strange to say the least. During the winter there is very little sunlight, especially in the northernmost part of the country. In summer, on the other hand, the sunshine never stops. In the northernmost part of the country, the sun shines for 60 days in a row. This phenomenon is known as the midnight sun and occurs in areas north of the Arctic Circle, with a quarter of Finland's landmass lying far to the north.

Finns listen to metal

Among Finnish musical preferences, metal is at the top of the list. Perhaps it's because of the gloomy weather or the mysterious nature, but whatever the reason - Finns love to play and listen to metal music. Some of the world's biggest names in the genre come from Finland, including Nightwish, Stratovarius and Children of Bodom. Inspired by world-famous superstars, Finns continue to create new groups, many of which also become famous. There are four and a half metal bands per 100,000 Finns, making them the European champion in this genre. In this regard, only the Swedes can compete with the Finns.

Love for silence

With such a love for metal, it is surprising that silence and silence are valued among Finns. You don't have to worry about moments of silence in Finnish company and feel awkward. In fact, Finns prefer silence to small talk and idle chatter. It is absolutely normal for them to just sit and not talk. If you have nothing to say, you don't have to open your mouth to break the silence. Many people find it awkward at first, especially if you come from a completely different culture, but Finnish silence is an absolutely good thing. You also have peace of mind when they answer your questions briefly and simply. It's not because Finns don't want to talk to you - they're just used to expressing themselves briefly.

Finns seem shy

Since they are not really talkative, they can seem a little shy and withdrawn. This is indeed characteristic of them in some ways, but is not as obvious as one might think. As mentioned above, there are reasons for Finnish silence. They may be quiet not because they are shy, but simply because they do not feel like talking. Here it is not customary to hug and kiss strangers, and sometimes even say hello. People like to keep their personal space private, so don't be surprised by the lack of friendliness in every encounter.

Finnish tango

Finns can be a little shy and reserved, but they are by no means insensitive. On the contrary, they can be very sensitive and passionate. This is confirmed by many examples, but let's focus on one - the Finnish love tango, one of the most sensual dances imaginable. They love it so much that they even created their own Finnish tango. Finland hosts many dance events, including the Tangomarkkinat festival. This is the oldest tango festival in the world!

Thousands of rivers and lakes

Some people romantically say that Finland is the “Land of a Thousand Lakes”. In fact, they are wrong - Finland has 187,888 lakes. It is one of the countries with the largest number of lakes in the world. As if that weren't enough, Finland also has numerous islands. 789 islands exceed 1 square kilometer in area, but only 455 of them are inhabited. If you count tiny islands, their number will be much higher. Now imagine these lakes and islands, add here mysterious forests, rivers and swamps, northern lights and tons of snow in winter, endless sun and warm beaches in summer - and you get a country of extraordinary beauty. Finland's attractions number in the thousands, so this country is definitely interesting for tourists.

Strange celebrations

Finns like to celebrate all kinds of events and have competitions for many strange reasons. They have, for example, an annual Failure Day on October 13th. They organize world championships in such strange disciplines as wife carrying, mosquito catching or cell phone throwing. The Anthill Sitting Championship, the American Snowshoe Football World Cup, and a sex festival are just some of the many kinky events held in Finland.

Best education system

Finns are not very serious when it comes to festivals and competitions, but they are definitely serious when it comes to education. The country's education has been rated as the best in the world. There are no tuition fees, students and schoolchildren are fed and transported to school for free. Finnish universities can be divided into two groups: traditional universities and universities of applied sciences, which provide students with all areas of study.

Each country is unique. And it’s not just the peculiar climate and geographical location. Its features are determined by people - their traditions, culture and habits, which are often very different in different places. Usually, when educated people mention a certain state, several striking facts characterizing it come to mind. For foreigners, they are like a calling card of the country. And if we talk about Finland, it will, of course, be a sauna, Santa Claus and But this northern country is so interesting and original that it will be useful for everyone to know how people live there. Indeed, according to research results, Finland is the most comfortable country for living in Europe, where a high quality of life and social guarantees are combined with a favorable environmental situation.

The birthplace of Santa Claus

Perhaps the only country in Europe that almost every child knows about is Finland. Interesting facts for children: its northern region - Lapland - is the birthplace of Santa Claus. But not everyone knows that he has a passport, which says that he was born a long time ago, and his name in Finnish is Joloupuki, which means “Christmas goat.” Santa Claus has a wife, Yoloumarri, which translates to "old lady Christmas," and his own residence. What other interesting facts about Finland can you find out?

Geographical location of the country

It is located in the north of Europe and partly in the east. The map of Finland is very unusual, since the country is a narrow and long strip: it stretches from north to south for more than a thousand kilometers, and from west to east - 540 kilometers. It ranks 64th in size in the world and is one of the most sparsely populated - just over 5 million people live there, almost all in the southern part of the country. About a quarter of the territory is located. This is where the residence of Santa Claus is located. In this part of the country, in Lapland, it is very cold, and the climate of the rest of the territory is reminiscent of Russia. And this is not surprising: for more than 1000 kilometers, the Finnish border runs along Russian territory. It is also adjacent to Sweden and Norway. This state is often called the Land of the Midnight Sun, because the sun does not set all summer - this is the time of white nights.

Nature of Finland

The Finns are very respectful and careful about their nature: the country has more than 30 national parks, access to which is open to everyone. You can meet hares and even bears right on the streets of small towns. There are about 200 resort areas throughout the country, where not only local residents, but also visitors like to relax from the bustle of cities.

Finland is the greenest country in Europe, almost 80% of its territory is covered by forests. But they are not the only attraction of the state. In Finnish the country is called Suomi, which translates as “land of swamps”. And this is no coincidence: about a third of the territory is occupied by them, and they are not drained. Finns try not to interfere in the affairs of nature and even use renewable energy sources to cause as little harm to it as possible. Therefore, into the water. Even infants can drink it straight from the tap. The lakes of Finland are another of its attractions. There are more than 180 thousand of them in total. The fourth largest lake in Europe is located there - Saimaa. The cleanest bodies of water are dotted with many islands. This is also one of the attractions that Finland is rich in. A bird's eye view of the country presents an amazing picture: a fancifully indented coastline, and among the continuous carpet of forest there are spots of blue lakes and ribbons of rivers. Finland does not mine mineral resources, but it is still one of the first in the world in terms of living standards.

Interesting facts about Finland and state politics

How do Finns feel about food?

The influence of Sweden and Russia is very noticeable in Finland. After all, for a long time it was part of first one, then another country. This is also reflected in the Finns' attitude towards food. For them, the main thing is that the food is simple but of high quality. The most popular dish in the country is round rye bread with a hole in the middle. Fish dishes are also very common: crayfish, trout and salmon in its own juice. Finns also love pancakes, berries and coffee. They consume the most of this drink in the world. Livestock farming is well developed in Finland, so the milk there is very tasty. Finnish dairy products are known in many countries. For example, Viola cheese is very popular with Russian consumers. But they drink little alcohol in this country, perhaps because it is very expensive there.

Sports in Finland

The Finns take sports seriously; for them it is a means of uplifting. Auto racing, hockey and football are popular among them. The country has been one of the leaders in the Summer Olympic Games for many years. And even ordinary people are fond of sports. Walking with ski poles is very common.

Residents of the country also love funny competitions, for example, throwing cell phones or carrying women weighing more than 50 kilograms. But the Finns' favorite pastime is visiting the sauna. They are considered its creators and even came up with an extreme competition: who can stay in the sauna longer at a temperature of 110 degrees. In a country with 5 million inhabitants, there are almost 2 million of these establishments. They consider the best vacation to be outdoors, in a country cottage, where there is always a sauna.

Transport in Finland

This country probably has the most law-abiding drivers: they don’t drive drunk and don’t break traffic rules. The fines there are not fixed, but are calculated in accordance with the level of income. Gasoline is very expensive in Finland, but tickets for public transport are not expensive, especially if you buy a single monthly pass. An adult accompanying a small child travels for free. Transport in Finland is also something amazing. Buses and trams run like clockwork, they are never crowded, and are probably the shortest in the world - only 10 stations that can be covered in 20 minutes. But most of all, Finns love to get around on bicycles. They are used by children to go to school and adults on business. Cities have special bicycle paths for this purpose.

Interesting facts about Finland and its inhabitants

Finns are very reserved and shy people, they are slow and prefer simplicity in everything, especially in clothing. Residents of small towns love sporty style and soft colors, most often dressed in trousers and a T-shirt, even women. About 20% of Finns are non-believers, most of the rest are Protestants. In relationships, they value calm and correctness; they may be dissatisfied with the violation of rules that they themselves strictly observe.

Finland is an amazing country. If you don't like to fry on the beach during your vacation, definitely go there - you won't be disappointed.