For 700 years Finland was a Province of the Kingdom of Sweden, equal in status to any other Swedish Province. This common history is the basis of the similarities between the Finnish and Swedish societies - similarities that can be seen as well in the culture as in the political and legal structures. Swedish continues to be an official language in Finland, in addition to Finnish, even though native Swedish speakers now comprise only six per cent of the population.
All legislation is published simultaneously in both languages.
The common legal heritage can be seen e.g. in the introductions to the Finnish and Swedish lawbooks, both of which still contain the ethical and judicial rules for judges compiled in the 16th Century by Olaus Petri, a Swedish clergyman and legal scholar. Furthermore, certain parts of the codification of laws completed in the Kingdom of Sweden in 1734, the first of its kind in Europe, have remained in force in Finland for over 250 years. In addition to the western neighbour, also Central Europe and especially Germany were an early influence in the development of Finnish learning. Since 1640 Finland had a University of its own in Turku, with extensive links to a number of German and French Universities. In Sweden, the first enacted codes were compiled already in the Middle Ages, separately for the towns and for the general law of the realm.