Finland

Finland,officially theRepublic of Finland,is aNordic countryinNorthern Europe. It bordersSwedento the northwest,Norwayto the north, andRussiato the east, with theGulf of Bothniato the west and theGulf of Finlandto the south, oppositeEstonia. Finland has a population of 5.6 million.Helsinkiis the capital and largest city. The majority of the population areethnic Finns. The official languages areFinnishandSwedish; 84.9 percent of the population speak the first as their mother tongue and 5.1 percent the latter.Finland's climate varies fromhumid continentalin the south toborealin the north. The land cover is predominantlyboreal forestbiome, withmore than 180,000 recorded lakes.
Finland was first settled around 9000 BC after thelast Ice Age.During theStone Age, various cultures emerged, distinguished by different styles of ceramics. TheBronze AgeandIron Ageswere marked by contacts with other cultures inFennoscandiaand theBaltic region.From the late 13th century, Finland became part of Sweden as a result of theNorthern Crusades. In 1809, as a result of theFinnish War, Finland was captured from Sweden and becamean autonomous grand duchywithin theRussian Empire. During this period,Finnish art flourishedand theindependence movementbegan to take hold. Finland became the first territory in Europe to grantuniversal suffragein 1906, and the first in the world to give all adult citizens the right to run for public office.Following theRussian Revolutionof 1917, Finlanddeclared its independence.A civil warwas fought in Finland the following year, with theWhitesemerging victorious. Finland's status as arepublicwas confirmed in 1919. DuringWorld War II, Finland fought against theSoviet Unionin theWinter Warand theContinuation War, and later againstNazi Germanyin theLapland War. As a result, it lost parts of its territory to the Soviet Union but retained its independence and democracy.
Finland remained a largelyagricultural countryuntil the 1950s. After World War II, it industrialised quickly and established an advanced economy, with awelfare statebuilt on theNordic model. This allowed the country to experience overall prosperity and highper capita income.During theCold War, Finland officially embraced a policy of neutrality. Since then, it has become a member of theEuropean Unionin 1995, theEurozonein 1999, and following theRussian invasion of Ukraine, joinedNATOin 2023. Finland is a member of various international organisations, such as theNordic Council, theSchengen Area, and theOrganisation for Economic Co-operation and Development(OECD). The nation performs extremely well innational performance metrics, includingeducation, economic competitiveness, civil liberties, quality of life, and human development.
The area that is now Finland was settled in, at the latest, around 8,500 BC during theStone Agetowards the end of thelast glacial period. Theartefactsthe first settlers left behind present characteristics that are shared with those found inEstonia, Russia, and Norway.The earliest people werehunter-gatherers, using stone tools.
The first pottery appeared in 5200 BC, when theComb Ceramic culturewas introduced.The area of present-day Finland was in the western limits of the culture, which produced pottery with a distinctcomb pattern.The arrival of theCorded Ware culturein the south of coastal Finland between 3000 and 2500 BC may have coincided with the start of agriculture.Even with the introduction of agriculture, hunting and fishing continued to be important parts of the subsistence economy.
In theBronze Age, permanent all-year-round cultivation andanimal husbandryspread, but the cold climate slowed the change.TheSeima-Turbino phenomenonbrought the first bronze artefacts to the region and possibly also theFinno-Ugric languages.Commercial contacts that had so far mostly been to Estonia started to extend to Scandinavia. Domestic manufacture of bronze artefacts started 1300 BC.
In theIron Age, population grew.Finland Properwas the most densely populated area. Commercial contacts in theBaltic Searegion grew and extended during the eighth and ninth centuries. Main exports from Finland were furs, slaves,castoreum, and falcons to European courts. Imports included silk and other fabrics, jewelry,Ulfberht swords, and, in lesser extent, glass. Production of iron started approximately in 500 BC.At the end of the ninth century, indigenous artefact culture, especially weapons and women's jewelry, had more common local features than ever before. This has been interpreted to be expressing common Finnish identity.
An early form ofFinnic languagesspread to the Baltic Sea region approximately 1900 BC. Common Finnic language was spoken aroundGulf of Finland2000 years ago. The dialects from which the modern-day Finnish language was developed came into existence during the Iron Age.Contacts with the ancientBalticand easternGermanic peoplesgreatly influenced theProto-Finnic language.Although distantly related, theSami peopleretained the hunter-gatherer lifestyle longer than the Finns. The Sami cultural identity and theSami languagehave survived inLapland, the northernmost province.
The nameSuomi(Finnishfor 'Finland') has uncertain origins, but a common etymology withsaame(the Sami) has been suggested.In the earliest historical sources, from the 12th and 13th centuries, the term Finland refers to the coastal region aroundTurku. This region later became known as Finland Proper in distinction from the country name Finland.(See alsoEtymology of Finns.)
The 12th and 13th centuries were a violent time in the northern Baltic Sea. TheLivonian Crusadewas ongoing and theFinnish tribessuch as theTavastiansandKarelianswere infrequent conflictswithNovgorodand with each other. Also, during the 12th and 13th centuries several crusades from the Catholic realms of the Baltic Sea area were made against the Finnish tribes.Daneswaged at least three crusades to Finland, in 1187 or slightly earlier,in 1191 and in 1202,andSwedes, possibly the so-calledsecond Crusade to Finland, in 1249 against Tavastians and thethird Crusade to Finlandin 1293 against the Karelians. The so-calledfirst Crusade to Finland, possibly in 1155, most likely never occurred.
As a result of the Crusades, mostly with the Second Swedish Crusade led byBirger Jarl, and thecolonization of some Finnish coastal areaswith ChristianSwedesduring the Middle Ages,Finland gradually became part of the kingdom of Sweden and the sphere of influence of theCatholic Church.Under Sweden, Finland was annexed as part of the cultural order ofWestern Europe.The Swedes built fortresses inHämeandTurku, while a Swedish royal council was instituted, an administrative structure and fiscal apparatus was created, and law codes were codified during the reigns ofMagnus Ladulås(1275–1290) andMagnus Eriksson(1319–1364).As a result, the Finnish lands were firmly integrated into the Swedish realm.
Swedishwas the dominant language of the nobility, administration, and education;Finnishwas chiefly a language for thepeasantry, clergy, and localcourtsin predominantly Finnish-speaking areas.During theProtestant Reformation, theFinnsgradually converted toLutheranism.The end of theKalmar Unionushered in an era of religious, social, and economic changes.Gustav Vasa(r.1523–1560) made his second sonJohantheduke of Finland, whileGustav Adolf(r.1611–1632) created the office ofgovernor-generalfor Finland as part of his restructuring of the administration of the Swedish realm.
In the 16th century, a bishop and Lutheran ReformerMikael Agricolapublished the first written works in Finnish;and Finland's current capital city,Helsinki, was founded by KingGustav Vasain 1555.The first university in Finland, theRoyal Academy of Turku, was established by QueenChristina of Swedenat the proposal of CountPer Brahein 1640.
The Finns reaped a reputation in theThirty Years' War(1618–1648) as a well-trainedcavalrymencalled "Hakkapeliitta".Finland suffered a severefamine in 1695–1697, during which about one third of the Finnish population died,and adevastating plague a few years later.
In the 18th century, wars between Sweden and Russia twice led to the occupation of Finland by Russian forces, times known to the Finns as theGreater Wrath(1714–1721) and theLesser Wrath(1742–1743).It is estimated that almost an entire generation of young men was lost during the Great Wrath, due mainly to the destruction of homes and farms, and the burning of Helsinki.
The Swedish era ended with theFinnish Warof 1809. On 29 March 1809, after being conquered by the armies ofAlexander I of Russia, Finland becamean autonomous grand duchywithin theRussian Empire, as recognised by theDiet of Porvoo.This situation continued until the end of 1917.In 1812, Alexander I incorporated the Russianprovince of Vyborginto the Grand Duchy of Finland. In 1854, Finland became involved in Russia's involvement in theCrimean Warwhen the British and French navies bombed the Finnish coast andÅlandduring the so-calledÅland War.
Although Swedish was still widely spoken, the Finnish language began to gain recognition during this period. From the 1860s, a strong Finnishnationalist movement, known as theFennoman movement, grew. One of the movement's most prominent leaders was the philosopher and politicianJ.V. Snellman, who worked to stabilise the status of the Finnish language and its own currency, theFinnish markka, in the Grand Duchy of Finland.Milestones included the publication of what would become Finland'snational epic, theKalevala, in 1835 and the legal equality of the Finnish language with Swedish in 1892. In the spirit ofAdolf Ivar Arwidsson- "we are not Swedes, we do not want to become Russians, so let us be Finns" - a Finnish national identity was established.Nevertheless, there was no real independence movement in Finland until the early 20th century.
TheFinnish famine of 1866–1868occurred after freezing temperatures in early September devastated crops and killed around 15% of the population, making it one of the worstfaminesin European history.The famine led the Russian Empire to relax financial regulations, and investment increased in the following decades. Economic development was rapid.Thegross domestic product(GDP) per capita was still half of that of the United States and a third of that of Britain.
From 1869 to 1917, the Russian Empire pursueda policy of Russification, which was suspended between 1905 and 1908. In 1906,universal suffragewas introduced in the Grand Duchy of Finland. However, relations between the Grand Duchy of Finland and the Russian Empire soured when the Russian government began to take steps to restrict Finland's special status and autonomy. For example, universal suffrage was virtually meaningless in practice, as thetsardid not have to approve any of the laws passed by the Finnish parliament. The desire for independence gained ground, first among radicalliberalsandsocialists, partly driven by a declaration called theFebruary Manifestoby the last tsar of the Russian Empire,Nicholas II, on 15 February 1899.
After theFebruary Revolutionof 1917, Finland's position as a Grand Duchy under the rule of the Russian Empire was questioned. TheFinnish parliament, controlled by theSocial Democrats, passed the so-calledPower Actto give the parliament supreme authority. This was rejected by theRussian Provisional Government, which decided to dissolve the parliament.New elections were held in which the right-wing parties won by a small majority. Some social democrats refused to accept the result, claiming that the dissolution of parliament and the subsequent elections were extra-legal. The two almost equally powerful political blocs, the right-wing parties and the Social Democratic Party, were deeply divided.
TheOctober Revolutionin Russia changed the geopolitical situation once again. Suddenly the right-wing parties in Finland began to reconsider their decision to block the transfer of supreme executive power from the Russian government to Finland when theBolshevikscame to power in Russia. The right-wing government, led by Prime MinisterP. E. Svinhufvud, presented theDeclaration of Independenceon 4 December 1917, which was officially approved by the Finnish Parliament on 6 December. TheRussian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic(RSFSR), led byVladimir Leninwas the first country to recognise Finland's independence on 4 January 1918.
On 27 January 1918, the government began to disarm the Russian forces inOstrobothnia. The socialists took control of southern Finland and Helsinki, but the white government continued in exile inVaasa.This led to a short but bittercivil war. TheWhites, backed byImperial Germany, prevailed over theRedsand their self-proclaimedFinnish Socialist Workers' Republic.After the war, tens of thousands of Reds were interned in camps where thousands were executed or died of malnutrition and disease. A deep social and political enmity was sown between the Reds and the Whites that would last until theWinter Warand beyond.The civil war and the activist expeditions to Soviet Russia in 1918–1920, known as the "Kinship Wars", strained relations with the East.
After abrief experiment with monarchy, when an attempt to makePrince Frederick Charles of Hessethe king of Finland failed, arepublican constitutionwas adopted and Finland became apresidential republic, withK. J. Ståhlbergelected as its first president on 25 July 1919.Aliberal nationalistwith a legal background, Ståhlberg anchored the state inliberal democracy, promoted therule of lawand initiated internal reforms.Finland was also one of the first European countries to strongly promotewomen's equality, withMiina Sillanpääbecoming the first female minister in Finnish history inVäinö Tanner's cabinetin 1926–1927.The Finnish-Russian border was established in 1920 by theTreaty of Tartu, which largely followed the historical border but gave FinlandPechenga(Finnish:Petsamo) and itsBarents Seaport.Finnish democracy survived Soviet coup attempts and the anti-communistLapua movement.
In 1917 there were three million people in the country. After the civil war, a credit-basedland reformwas introduced, increasing the proportion of the population with access to capital.About 70% of the workforce was employed in agriculture and 10% in industry.
TheSoviet Unionlaunched theWinter Waron 30 November 1939 to annex Finland in accordance with theMolotov-Ribbentrop PactwithNazi Germanyto divide Europe into spheres of influence between the two dictatorships.TheFinnish Democratic Republicwas set up byJoseph Stalinat the beginning of the war to govern Finland after Soviet conquest.There was widespread international condemnation of the unprovoked attack and it led to the Soviet Union being expelled from theLeague of Nations.TheRed Armywas defeated in numerous battles, most notably theBattle of Suomussalmi. After two months of negligible progress on the battlefield, as well as heavy losses in men and material,Soviet forces began to advance in February andreached Vyborg(Finnish:Viipuri) in March. TheMoscow Peace Treatywas signed on 12 March 1940, and the war ended the following day. Finland had defended its independence, but ceded 9% of its territory to the Soviet Union.
Hostilities resumed in June 1941 with theContinuation War, when Finland allied itself with Germany following thelatter's invasion of the Soviet Union; the main aim was to regain the territory lost to the Soviets barely a year earlier.Finnish troopsoccupied Eastern Kareliafrom 1941 to 1944. The massive SovietVyborg-Petrozavodsk offensivein the summer of 1944 led to a breakthrough until the Finns finally repulsed it atTali-Ihantala. This partial Soviet success led to a stalemate and later anarmistice. This was followed by theLapland Warof 1944–1945, when Finland fought retreating German forces in northern Finland.
TheArmisticeandtreatysigned with the Soviet Union in 1944 and 1948 included Finnish obligations, restraints, and reparations, as well as further territorial concessions. As a result of the two wars, Finland lost 12% of its land area, 20% of its industrial capacity, its second largest city, Vyborg (Finnish:Viipuri), and the ice-free port ofLiinakhamari(Finnish:Liinahamari). The Finns lost 97,000 soldiers and were forced to paywar reparationsof $300 million ($4.1 billion in 2023). However, the country avoided occupation by Soviet forces and managed to retain its independence. Along with Great Britain, Finland emerged from the war as the only European country to have taken part in hostilities that was never occupied and managed to preserve its democracy throughout.
For a few decades after 1944, theCommunistswere a strong political party. Furthermore, the Soviet Union persuaded Finland to refuseMarshall Planaid. However, in the hope of preserving Finland's independence, the United States provided secret development aid and supported theSocial Democratic Party.
The development of trade with the Western powers, such as the United Kingdom, and the payment of reparations to the Soviet Union led to Finland's transformation from a primarilyagrarian societyto an industrialised one.Valmet, originally a shipyard and then several metal workshops, was established to produce materials for war reparations. After the reparations were paid, Finland continued to trade with the Soviet Union as part ofbilateral trade.
In 1950, 46% of Finnish workers were employed in agriculture and a third lived in urban areas, but new jobs in manufacturing, services and trade quickly attracted people to the cities.The average number of births per woman fell from ababy boompeak of 3.5 in 1947 to 1.5 in 1973. As the baby boomers entered the workforce, the economy failed to create jobs fast enough and hundreds of thousands emigrated to more industrialised Sweden, with emigration peaking in 1969 and 1970.Finland participated in trade liberalisation in theWorld Bank, theInternational Monetary Fundand theGeneral Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.
During theCold War, Finland officially embraced a policy ofneutrality. TheYYA treaty(Finno-Soviet Pact of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance) recognized Finland's desire to remain outside great-power conflicts. From 1956 presidentUrho Kekkonenhad a virtual monopoly on relations with the Soviet Union, which was crucial to his continued popularity. In politics, there was a tendency to avoid any policy or statement that could be interpreted as anti-Soviet. This phenomenon was dubbed "Finlandisation" by the West German press.
Amarket economywas maintained in Finland. Various industries benefited from trade privileges with the Soviets. Economic growth was rapid in the post-war period, and by 1975 Finland's GDP per capita was the 15th highest in the world. During the 1970s and 1980s, Finland built one of the most extensivewelfare statesin the world. Finland negotiated a treaty with theEuropean Economic Community(EEC, a forerunner of the European Union) that largely eliminated tariffs with the EEC from 1977.
Miscalculated macroeconomic decisions, abanking crisis, the collapse of its largest trading partner, the Soviet Union, and a global economic downturn caused a deep recession in Finland in theearly 1990s. The recession bottomed out in 1993 and Finland enjoyed more than a decade of steady economic growth.After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Finland began to integrate more closely with the West.FinlandjoinedtheEuropean Unionin 1995 and theeuro zonein 1999. Much of the economic growth of the late 1990s was fuelled by the success of mobile phone manufacturerNokia.
The Finnish people electedTarja Halonenin the2000 Presidential election, making her the first female President of Finland.Her predecessor, PresidentMartti Ahtisaari, later won theNobel Peace Prizein 2008.Financial crisesparalysed  Finland's exports in 2008, leading to weaker economic growth throughout the decade.Sauli Niinistöwas elected President of Finland from 2012 until 2024, whenAlexander Stubbtook over.
Finnish support forNATOrose sharply after theRussian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Before February 2022, opinion polls showed a narrow but decisive majority against NATO membership;by April, a supermajority was in favour of membership.On 11 May 2022, Finland signed a mutual security pact with the United Kingdom.On 12 May, Finland's president and Prime Minister called for NATO membership "without delay".Subsequently, on 17 May, the Finnish Parliament voted 188–8 in favour of Finland's accession to NATO.Finland became a member of NATOon 4 April 2023.
Lying approximately between latitudes60°and70° N, and longitudes20°and32° E, Finland is one of the world's northernmost countries. Of world capitals, onlyReykjavíklies more to the north than Helsinki. The distance from the southernmost point –Hankoin Uusimaa – to the northernmost –Nuorgamin Lapland – is 1,160 kilometres (720 mi).
Finland has about 168,000 lakes (of area larger than 500 mor 0.12 acres) and 179,000 islands.Its largest lake,Saimaa, is the fourth largest in Europe. TheFinnish Lakelandis the area with the most lakes in the country;many of the major cities in the area, most notablyTampere,JyväskyläandKuopio, are located near the large lakes. The Finnish coastline is speckled with the world's largest archipelago, encompassing more than 50,000 islands, greatest concentration of which is found in the southwest, in theArchipelago Seabetween continental Finland and the main island ofÅland.
Much of the geography of Finland is a result of the Ice Age. The glaciers were thicker and lasted longer inFennoscandiacompared with the rest of Europe. The eroding effects have contributed to a mostly flat landscape in Finland, characterized by hills. However, in the northern regions, including areas bordering theScandinavian Mountains, the terrain features mountainous elevations. At 1,324 metres (4,344 ft),Haltiis the highest point in Finland. It is found in the north of Lapland at the border between Finland and Norway. The highest mountain whose peak is entirely in Finland isRidnitšohkkaat 1,316 m (4,318 ft), directly adjacent to Halti.
The retreating glaciers have left the land withmorainicdeposits in formations ofeskers. These are ridges of stratified gravel and sand, running northwest to southeast, where the ancient edge of the glacier once lay. Among the biggest of these are the threeSalpausselkäridges that run across southern Finland.
Having been compressed under the enormous weight of the glaciers, terrain in Finland is rising due to thepost-glacial rebound. The effect is strongest around the Gulf of Bothnia, where land steadily rises about 1 cm (0.4 in) a year. As a result, the old sea bottom turns little by little into dry land: the surface area of the country is expanding by about 7 square kilometres (2.7 sq mi) annually.Relatively speaking, Finland is rising from the sea.
The landscape is covered mostly by coniferoustaigaforests andfens, with little cultivated land. Of the total area, 10% is lakes, rivers, and ponds, and 78% is forest. The forest consists ofpine,spruce,birch, and other species.Finland is the largest producer of wood in Europe and among the largest in the world. The most common type of rock isgranite. It is a ubiquitous part of the scenery, visible wherever there is no soil cover. Moraine ortillis the most common type of soil, covered by a thin layer ofhumusof biological origin.Podzolprofile development is seen in most forest soils except where drainage is poor.Gleysolsand peatbogsoccupy poorly drained areas.
Phytogeographically, Finland is shared between the Arctic, central European, and northern European provinces of theCircumboreal Regionwithin theBoreal Kingdom. According to theWWF, the territory of Finland can be subdivided into threeecoregions: theScandinavian and Russian taiga,Sarmatic mixed forests, andScandinavian Montane Birch forest and grasslands.Taiga covers most of Finland from northern regions of southern provinces to the north of Lapland. On the southwestern coast, south of the Helsinki-Raumaline, forests are characterized by mixed forests, that are more typical in the Baltic region. In the extreme north of Finland, near thetree lineand Arctic Ocean, Montane Birch forests are common. Finland had a 2018Forest Landscape Integrity Indexmean score of 5.08/10, ranking it 109th globally out of 172 countries.
Similarly, Finland has a diverse and extensive range of fauna. There are at least sixty nativemammalianspecies, 248 breeding bird species, over 70 fish species, and 11 reptile and frog species present today, many migrating from neighbouring countries thousands of years ago.
Large and widely recognized wildlife mammals found in Finland are thebrown bear,grey wolf,wolverine, andelk. Three of the more striking birds are thewhooper swan, a large European swan and the national bird of Finland; theWestern capercaillie, a large, black-plumaged member of thegrousefamily; and theEurasian eagle-owl. The latter is considered an indicator ofold-growth forestconnectivity, and has been declining because of landscape fragmentation.Around 24,000 species of insects are prevalent in Finland some of the most common beinghornetswith tribes ofbeetlessuch as theOnciderinialso being common. The most common breeding birds are thewillow warbler,common chaffinch, andredwing.Of some seventy species of freshwater fish, thenorthern pike,perch, and others are plentiful.Atlantic salmonremains the favourite offly rodenthusiasts.
The endangeredSaimaa ringed seal, one of only three lake seal species in the world, exists only in theSaimaalake system of southeastern Finland, down to only 390 seals today.The species has become the emblem of the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation.
A third of Finland's land area originally consisted ofmoorland, about half of this area has been drained for cultivation over the past centuries.
The main factor influencing Finland's climate is the country's geographical position between the60thand70th northern parallelsin theEurasiancontinent's coastal zone. In theKöppen climate classification, the whole of Finland lies in theboreal zone, characterized by warm summers and freezing winters. Within the country, thetemperatenessvaries considerably between the southern coastal regions and the extreme north, showing characteristics of both amaritimeand acontinental climate. Finland is near enough to the Atlantic Ocean to be continuously warmed by theGulf Stream. The Gulf Stream combines with the moderating effects of the Baltic Sea and numerous inland lakes to explain the unusually warm climate compared with other regions that share the samelatitude, such asAlaska,Siberia, and southernGreenland.
Winters in southern Finland (when mean daily temperature remains below 0 °C or 32 °F) are usually about 100 days long, and in the inland the snow typically covers the land from about late November to April, and on the coastal areas such as Helsinki, snow often covers the land from late December to late March.Even in the south, the harshest winter nights can see the temperatures fall to −30 °C (−22 °F) although on coastal areas like Helsinki, temperatures below −30 °C (−22 °F) are rare. Climatic summers (when mean daily temperature remains above 10 °C or 50 °F) in southern Finland last from about late May to mid-September, and in the inland, the warmest days of July can reach over 35 °C (95 °F).Although most of Finland lies on thetaigabelt, the southernmost coastal regions are sometimes classified ashemiboreal.
In northern Finland, particularly in Lapland, the winters are long and cold, while the summers are relatively warm but short. On the most severe winter days in Lapland can see the temperature fall to −45 °C (−49 °F). The winter of the north lasts for about 200 days with permanent snow cover from about mid-October to early May. Summers in the north are quite short, only two to three months, but can still see maximum daily temperatures above 25 °C (77 °F) during heat waves.No part of Finland hasArctic tundra, butAlpine tundracan be found at thefellsLapland.
The Finnish climate is suitable for cereal farming only in the southernmost regions, while the northern regions are suitable foranimal husbandry.
A quarter of Finland's territory lies within theArctic Circleand themidnight suncan be experienced for more days the farther north one travels. At Finland's northernmost point, the sun does not set for 73 consecutive days during summer and does not rise at all for 51 days during winter.
Finland is ranked 4th inEnvironmental Performance Indexfor year 2024.This Index combines various indicators around known issues around the world and measures how good they fit in among each countries on a scale. Finland scores good in parameters like Climate Change Mitigation, Waste Management, Air pollution, Air quality etc.
Finland consists of 19 regions (maakunta). The counties are governed by regional councils which serve as forums of cooperation for themunicipalitiesof a county. The main tasks of the counties are regional planning and development of enterprise and education. In addition, the public health services are usually organized based on counties. Regional councils are elected by municipal councils, each municipality sending representatives in proportion to its population. In addition to inter-municipal cooperation, which is the responsibility of regional councils, each county has a state Employment and Economic Development Centre which is responsible for the local administration of labour, agriculture, fisheries, forestry, and entrepreneurial affairs. Historically, counties are divisions ofhistorical provinces of Finland, areas that represent local dialects and culture more accurately.
SixRegional State Administrative Agenciesare responsible for one of the counties calledaluein Finnish; in addition, Åland was designated a seventh county.
The county ofEastern Uusimaa (Itä-Uusimaa)was consolidated with Uusimaa on 1 January 2011.
The fundamental administrative divisions of the country are themunicipalities, which may also call themselves towns or cities. They account for half of the public spending. Spending is financed by municipal income tax, state subsidies, and other revenue. As of 2021, there are 309 municipalities,and most have fewer than 6,000 residents.
In addition to municipalities, two intermediate levels are defined. Municipalities co-operate in seventysub-regionsand nineteencounties. These are governed by the member municipalities and have only limited powers. The autonomous province of Åland has a permanent democratically elected regional council. Sami people have a semi-autonomousSami native regionin Lapland for issues on language and culture.
Health,socialandemergency servicesare organised by theWellbeing services counties. Finland has 21 Wellbeing services counties and the county structure is mainly based on the region structure. TheCounty council, which is responsible for the operation, administration and finances of the area, is the highest decision-making body in the Wellbeing services county. The delegates and deputy commissioners of the county council are elected in the county elections for a term of office of four years. Wellbeing services counties are self-governing. However, they do not have the right to levy taxes and their funding is based on central government funding.
Thecapital region– comprising Helsinki,Vantaa,EspooandKauniainen– forms a continuousconurbationof approximately 1.27 million people. However, common administration is limited to voluntary cooperation of all municipalities, e.g. inHelsinki Metropolitan Area Council.
TheConstitution of Finlanddefines the political system; Finland is aparliamentary republicwithin the framework of arepresentative democracy. ThePrime Ministeris the country's most powerful person. Citizens can run and vote in parliamentary, municipal, presidential, andEuropean Union elections.
Finland'shead of stateis thePresident of the Republic. Finland had, for most of its independence asemi-presidential systemof government, but in the last few decades the powers of the president have become more circumscribed, and consequently the country is now considered aparliamentary republic.A new constitution, enacted in 2000, made the presidency primarily a ceremonial office. The president appoints theprime ministeras elected byParliament, appoints and dismisses the other ministers of theFinnish Governmenton the recommendation of the prime minister, opens parliamentary sessions, and confers state honors. Nevertheless, the president remains responsible for Finland'sforeign relations, including the making of war and peace, but excluding matters related to theEuropean Union.Moreover, the president exercises supreme command over theFinnish Defence Forcesas commander-in-chief. In the exercise of his or her foreign and defense powers, the president is required to consult theFinnish government, but the government's advice is not binding. In addition, the president has several domesticreserve powers, including the authority to veto legislation, to grant pardons, and to appoint several public officials.The president is also required by the Constitution to dismiss individual ministers or the entire government upon a parliamentary vote of no confidence.
The president is directly elected viarunoff votingand may serve for a maximum of two consecutive 6-year terms. The current president isAlexander Stubb, who took office on1 March 2024. His predecessors wereKaarlo Juho Ståhlberg(1919–1925),Lauri Kristian Relander(1925–1931),Pehr Evind Svinhufvud(1931–1937),Kyösti Kallio(1937–1940),Risto Ryti(1940–1944),Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim(1944–1946),Juho Kusti Paasikivi(1946–1956),Urho Kekkonen(1956–1982),Mauno Koivisto(1982–1994),Martti Ahtisaari(1994–2000),Tarja Halonen(2000–2012), andSauli Niinistö(2012–2024).
The 200-memberunicameralParliament of Finland (Finnish:Eduskunta) exercises supreme legislative authority in the country. It may alter the constitution and ordinary laws, dismiss the cabinet, and override presidential vetoes. Its acts are not subject to judicial review; the constitutionality of new laws is assessed by the parliament'sconstitutional law committee. The parliament is elected for a term of four years using the proportionalD'Hondt methodwithin several multi-seat constituencies through themost open listmulti-member districts. Various parliament committees listen to experts and prepare legislation.
Significantparliamentary partiesareCentre Party,Christian Democrats,Finns Party,Green League,Left Alliance,National Coalition Party,Social DemocratsandSwedish People's Party.
After parliamentary elections, the parties negotiate among themselves on forming a new cabinet (theFinnish Government), which then has to be approved by a simple majority vote in the parliament. The cabinet can be dismissed by a parliamentary vote of no confidence, although this rarely happens, as the parties represented in the cabinet usually make up a majority in the parliament.
The cabinet exercises most executive powers and originates most of the bills that the parliament then debates and votes on. It is headed by thePrime Minister of Finland, and consists of him or her, other ministers, and theChancellor of Justice. Each minister heads his or her ministry, or, in some cases, has responsibility for a subset of a ministry's policy. After the prime minister, the most powerful minister is often theminister of finance.
As no one party ever dominates the parliament, Finnish cabinets are multi-party coalitions. As a rule, the post of prime minister goes to the leader of the biggest party and that of the minister of finance to the leader of the second biggest.
TheOrpo Cabinetis the incumbent 77th government of Finland. It took office on 20 June 2023. The cabinet is headed byPetteri Orpoand is a coalition between the National Coalition Party, Finns Party, the Swedish People's Party, and the Christian Democrats.
The judicial system of Finland is acivil lawsystem divided betweencourtswith regular civil and criminal jurisdiction andadministrative courtswith jurisdiction over litigation between individuals and the public administration. Finnish law is codified and based onSwedish lawand in a wider sense, civil law orRoman law. The court system for civil and criminal jurisdiction consists of local courts,regional appellate courts, and theSupreme Court. The administrative branch of justice consists of administrative courts and theSupreme Administrative Court. In addition to the regular courts, there are a few special courts in certain branches of administration. There is also aHigh Court of Impeachmentfor criminal charges against certain high-ranking officeholders.
Around 92% of residents have confidence in Finland's security institutions.The overallcrime rate of Finlandis not high in the EU context. Some crime types are above average, notably the highhomiciderate for Western Europe.Aday finesystem is in effect and also applied to offenses such asspeeding. Finland has a very low number of corruption charges;Transparency Internationalranks Finland as one of the least corrupt countries in Europe.
According to the 2012 constitution, the president leads foreign policy in cooperation with the government, except that the president has no role in EU affairs.In 2008, presidentMartti Ahtisaariwas awarded theNobel Peace Prize.
Finland'srelationship with Russiadeteriorated following the 2022Russian invasion of Ukraine, with a number of Russian diplomats expelled for spying, Russians restricted from visiting Finland and the general opinion immediately changing forFinland to join NATO,while it has also had a significant impact on the increasing strengthold ofrelations between the United States and Finland.According to the 2024Global Peace Index, Finland is the 13th most peaceful country in the world.
The Finnish Defence Forces consist of acadreof professional soldiers (mainly officers and technical personnel), currently serving conscripts, and a large reserve. The standard readiness strength is 34,700 people in uniform, of which 25% are professional soldiers. A universal maleconscriptionis in place, under which all male Finnish nationals above 18 years of age serve for 6 to 12 months of armed service or 12 months ofcivilian(non-armed) service.
Voluntary post-conscription overseas peacekeeping service is popular, and troops serve around the world in UN, NATO, and EU missions. Women are allowed to serve in all combat arms. In 2022, 1211 women entered voluntary military service.The army consists of a highly mobile field army backed up by local defence units. With a high capability ofmilitary personnel,arsenalandhomeland defencewillingness, Finland is one of Europe's militarily strongest countries.
Finnish defence expenditure per capita is one of the highest in the European Union.The branches of the military arethe army,the navy, andthe air force. Theborder guardis under the Ministry of the Interior but can be incorporated into the Defence Forces when required for defence readiness.
Finland became a member ofNATOon 4 April 2023,though it participated in theNATO Response Forcebefore becoming a member. Before NATO membership, Finland has been part of theJoint Expeditionary Force(JEF) since 2017.Finland also contributes to theEU Battlegroup.Finland sent personnel to theKosovo Forceand theInternational Security Assistance Forcein Afghanistan.On 18 December 2023, Finland signed theDCA agreementwith the United States, which regulates the presence of the US armed forces and their dependents on the territory of Finland, as well as the presence and activities of US suppliers.
Finland has one of the world's most extensivewelfare systems, one that guarantees decent living conditions for all residents. The welfare system was created almost entirely during the first three decades after World War II.
Section 6 of theFinnish Constitutionstates: "No one shall be placed in a different position on situation of sex, age, origin, language, religion, belief, opinion, state of health, disability or any other personal reason without an acceptable reason".
Finland has been ranked above average among the world's countries indemocracy,press freedom,andhuman development.Amnesty Internationalhas expressed concern regarding some issues in Finland, such as the imprisonment ofconscientious objectors, andsocietal discriminationagainstRomani peopleand members of other ethnic and linguistic minorities.
In the report of the European umbrella organizationILGA-Europepublished in May 2023, Finlandranked sixthin a European comparison ofLGBTQ+ rights.
As of 2022, Finland ranks 16th globally in nominal GDP per capita according to theIMF. Additionally, Finland boasts a well-developed welfare system that encompasses free education and universal healthcare, contributing to its reputation as one of the wealthiest nations.
Theservice sectorconstitutes the largest segment of the economy, amounting to 66% of the GDP, while manufacturing and refining make up 31%.Primary productionaccounts for 2.9% of the economy.Manufacturing is the primary economic sector concerningforeign trade.The predominant industrial sectors in 2007 were electronics (22%), machinery, vehicles, and other engineered metal products (21.1%), forest industry (13%), and chemicals (11%). The gross domestic product reached its peak in 2021.Finland has been ranked seventh in theGlobal Innovation Indexof 2023 and 2024.
Finland has considerable timber, mineral (includingiron,chromium,copper,nickelandgold) and freshwater resources. Finland's gold production in 2015 was 9 metric tons.For the rural population,forestry, paper mills and agriculture are important. TheHelsinki metropolitan areaarea accounts for roughly one-third of Finland's GDP. Private services represent the largest employer in Finland.
Finland's soil and climate pose particular challenges for crop production, with harsh winters and relatively short growing seasons, often interrupted by frost. However, the prevalence of the Gulf Stream and the North Atlantic Drift Current in Finland's temperate climate allows for half of the world's arable land north of the 60° north latitude. Although annual precipitation is generally adequate, it mostly transpires during winter, which poses a continuous risk of summer droughts. Farmers have adapted to the climate by relying on quick-ripening and frost-resistant crop varieties. They cultivate south-facing slopes and rich bottomlands to ensure year-round production, even during summer frosts. Drainage systems are often utilized to remove excess water. Finland's agricultural sector has demonstrated remarkable efficiency and productivity, particularly in comparison to its European counterparts.
Forests are crucial to the nation's economy, making it one of the world's foremost wood producers and offering raw materials at competitive prices to thewood processingindustries. The government has played an important role in forestry for a considerable period similar to that in agriculture. It has regulated tree cutting, sponsored technical improvements, and established long-term plans to guarantee the sustainability of the country's forests in supplying the wood-processing industries.
As of 2008, the average level of income, adjusted for purchasing power, was comparable to that of Italy, Sweden, Germany and France.In 2006, 62% of the labour force was employed by firms with fewer than 250 workers, which generated 49% of total business revenue.The employment rate of women is high. Gender segregation between male-dominated professions and female-dominated professions is higher than in the US.The proportion of part-time workers was one of the lowest in OECD in 1999.As of 2013, the 10 largest private sector employers in Finland wereItella,Nokia,OP-Pohjola,ISS,VR,Kesko,UPM-Kymmene,YIT,Metso, andNordea.As of 2022, the unemployment rate was 6.8%.
As of 2022, 46% of households consist of a single person, 32% two persons and 22% three or more persons.The average residential space is 40 square metres (430 sq ft) per person.In 2021, Finland's GDP reached €251 billion.In 2022, altogether 74 per cent of employed persons worked in services and administration, 21 per cent in industry and construction, and four per cent in agriculture and forestry.
Finland has the highest concentration ofcooperativesrelative to its population.The largest retailer, which is also the largest private employer,S-Group, and the largest bank, OP-Group, in the country are both cooperatives.
The free and largely privately owned financial and physicalNordic energy marketstraded inNASDAQ OMX Commodities EuropeandNord Pool Spotexchanges, have provided competitive prices compared with other EU countries. As of 2022, Finland has the lowest non-household electricity prices in the EU.
In 2021, the energy market was around 87 terawatt hours and the peak demand around 14gigawattsin winter.Industry and construction consumed 43.5% of total consumption, a relatively high figure reflecting Finland's industries.Finland'shydrocarbon resourcesare limited topeatand wood. About 18% of the electricity is produced byhydropowerIn 2021,renewable energy(mainly hydropower and various forms of wood energy) was high at 43% compared with the EU average of 22% in final energy consumption.About 20% of electricity is imported, especially from Sweden due to its lower cost there.As of February 2022, Finland'sstrategic petroleum reservesheld 200 days worth of net oil imports in the case of emergencies.
Finland has five privately owned nuclear reactors producing 40% of the country's energy.TheOnkalo spent nuclear fuel repositoryis currently under construction at theOlkiluoto Nuclear Power Plantin the municipality ofEurajoki, on the west coast of Finland, by the companyPosiva.
Finland's road system is utilized by most internal cargo and passenger traffic. The annual state operated road network expenditure of around €1 billion is paid for with vehicle and fuel taxes which amount to around €1.5 billion and €1 billion, respectively. Among theFinnish highways, the most significant and busiest main roads include theTurku Highway(E18), theTampere Highway(E12), theLahti Highway(E75), and the ring roads (Ring IandRing III) of the Helsinki metropolitan area and theTampere Ring Roadof theTampere urban area.
The main international passenger gateway isHelsinki Airport, which handled about 15.3 million passengers in 2023.Another26 airportshave scheduled passenger services.The Helsinki Airport-basedFinnair,Blue1, andNordic Regional Airlines,Norwegian Air Shuttlesell air services both domestically and internationally.
The Government annually spends around €350 million to maintain the 5,865-kilometre-long (3,644 mi) network of railway tracks. Rail transport is handled by the state-ownedVR Group.Finland's first railway was opened in 1862,and today it forms part of theFinnish Main Line, which is more than 800 kilometers long. Helsinki opened the world's northernmostmetro systemin 1982.
The majority of international cargo shipments are handled at ports.Vuosaari Harbourin Helsinki is the largest container port in Finland; others includeKotka,Hamina,Hanko,Pori,Rauma, andOulu. There is passenger traffic from Helsinki and Turku, which have ferry connections toTallinn,Mariehamn,StockholmandTravemünde. The Helsinki-Tallinn route is one of the busiest passenger sea routes in the world.
Finland rapidly industrialized after World War II, achieving GDP per capita levels comparable to that of Japan or the UK at the beginning of the 1970s. Initially, most of the economic development was based on two broad groups of export-led industries, the "metal industry" (metalliteollisuus) and "forest industry" (metsäteollisuus). The "metal industry" includes shipbuilding, metalworking, theautomotive industry, engineered products such as motors andelectronics, and production of metals and alloys includingsteel,copperandchromium. Many of the world's biggestcruise ships, includingMS Freedom of the Seasand theOasis of the Seashave been built in Finnish shipyards.The "forest industry" includes forestry, timber, pulp and paper, and is often considered a logical development based on Finland's extensive forest resources, as 73% of the area is covered by forest. In thepulp and paper industry, many major companies are based in Finland;Ahlstrom-Munksjö,Metsä Board, andUPMare all Finnish forest-based companies with revenues exceeding €1 billion. However, in recent decades, the Finnish economy has diversified, with companies expanding into fields such as electronics (Nokia), metrology (Vaisala), petroleum (Neste), andvideo games(Rovio Entertainment), and is no longer dominated by the two sectors of metal and forest industry. Likewise, the structure has changed, with the service sector growing. Despite this, production for export is still more prominent than in Western Europe, thus making Finland possibly more vulnerable to global economic trends.
In 2017, the Finnish economy was estimated to consist of approximately 2.7% agriculture, 28.2% manufacturing, and 69.1% services.In 2019, the per-capita income of Finland was estimated to be $48,869. In 2020, Finland was ranked 20th on theease of doing business index, among 190 jurisdictions.
Finnish politicians have often emulated the Nordic model.Nordics have been free-trading for over a century. The level of protection in commodity trade has been low, except for agricultural products.Finland is ranked 16th in the 2008 globalIndex of Economic Freedomand ninth in Europe.According to the OECD, only fourEU-15countries have less regulatedproduct marketsand only one has less regulatedfinancial markets.The 2007IMDWorld Competitiveness Yearbook ranked Finland 17th mostcompetitive.TheWorld Economic Forum2008 index ranked Finland the sixth most competitive.
The legal system is clear and business bureaucracy less than most countries.Property rights are well protected and contractual agreements are strictly honoured.Finland is rated the least corrupt country in the world in theCorruption Perceptions Indexand 13th in theEase of doing business index.
In Finland,collective labour agreementsare universally valid. These are drafted every few years for each profession and seniority level, with only a few jobs outside the system. The agreement becomes universally enforceable provided that more than 50% of the employees support it, in practice by being a member of a relevant trade union. The unionization rate is high (70%), especially in the middle class (AKAVA, mostly for university-educated professionals: 80%).
In 2017, tourism in Finland grossed approximately €15.0 billion. Of this, €4.6 billion (30%) came from foreign tourism.In 2017, there were 15.2 million overnight stays of domestic tourists and 6.7 million overnight stays of foreign tourists.Tourism contributes roughly 2.7% to Finland's GDP.
Laplandhas the highest tourism consumption of any Finnish region.Above theArctic Circle, in midwinter, there is apolar night, a period when the sun does not rise for days or weeks, or even months, and correspondingly,midnight sunin the summer, with no sunset even at midnight (for up to 73 consecutive days, at the northernmost point). Lapland is so far north that theaurora borealis,fluorescencein the high atmosphere due tosolar wind, is seen regularly in the fall, winter, and spring. Finnish Lapland is also locally regarded as the home ofSanta Claus, with several theme parks, such asSanta Claus VillageandSanta ParkinRovaniemi.Other significant tourist destinations in Lapland also includeski resorts(such asLevi,RukaandYlläs)andsleighrides led by eitherreindeerorhuskies.
Tourist attractions in Finland include the natural landscape found throughout the country as well as urban attractions. Finland contains 40national parks(such asKoli National ParkinNorth Karelia), from the Southern shores of theGulf of Finlandto the highfellsof Lapland. Outdoor activities range fromNordic skiing, golf, fishing,yachting, lake cruises, hiking, andkayaking, among many others.Bird-watchingis popular for those fond of avifauna, however,huntingis also popular.
The most famoustourist attractions in Helsinkiinclude theHelsinki Cathedraland theSuomenlinnasea fortress.The most well-known Finnish amusement parks includeLinnanmäkiin Helsinki andSärkänniemiinTampere.St. Olaf's Castle(Olavinlinna) inSavonlinnahosts the annualSavonlinna Opera Festival,and themedievalmilieus of the cities ofTurku,RaumaandPorvooalso attract spectators.Commercial cruisesbetween major coastal and port cities in the Baltic region play a significant role in the local tourism industry.
The population of Finland is about 5.6 million. Thebirth rateis 7.8 per 1,000 residents, for afertility rateof 1.26 children born perwoman,one of the lowest in the world, significantly below the replacement rate of 2.1. In 1887 Finland recorded its highest rate, 5.17 children born per woman.Finland has one of the oldest populations in the world, with a median age of 42.6 years.Approximately half of voters are estimated to be over 50 years old.Finland has an average population density of 18 inhabitants per square kilometre. This is the third-lowest population density of any European country, behind those of Norway andIceland, and the lowest population density of any European Union member country. Finland's population has always been concentrated in the southern parts of the country, a phenomenon that became even more pronounced during 20th-century urbanization. Three of the four largest cities in Finland are situated in theHelsinki metropolitan area—Helsinki,EspooandVantaa.In the largest cities of Finland,Tampereholds the third place after Helsinki and Espoo while also Helsinki-neighbouringVantaais the fourth. Other cities with population over 100,000 areTurku,Oulu,Jyväskylä,Kuopio, andLahti.
Finland's immigrant populationis growing.As of 2023, there were 571,268 people with a foreign background living in Finland (10.2% of the population), most of whom are from the former Soviet Union, Estonia, Sweden, Iraq, China and India.The children of foreigners are not automatically given Finnish citizenship, as Finnish nationality law practices and maintainjus sanguinispolicy where only children born to at least one Finnish parent are granted citizenship. If they are born in Finland and cannot get citizenship of any other country, they become citizens.Additionally, certain persons of Finnish descent who reside in countries that were once part ofSoviet Union, retain theright of return, a right to establish permanent residency in the country, which would eventually entitle them to qualify for citizenship.As of 2023, 535,451 people in Finland were born in another country, representing 9,6 % of the population. The 10 largest foreign born groups are (in order) from Estonia, Sweden, Iraq, Russia, China, Ukraine, India, Somalia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and Turkey.
Finland's national minorities include the Sami,Romani people, theJewsand theTatars. Romani people of theFinnish Kalegroup settled in the country at the end of the sixteenth century.
FinnishandSwedishare the official languages of Finland. Finnish predominates nationwide while Swedish is spoken in some coastal areas in the west and south (with towns such asEkenäs,Pargas,Närpes,Kristinestad,JakobstadandNykarleby.) and in the autonomous region ofÅland, which is the only monolingual Swedish-speaking region in Finland.As of 2023, thenative languageof 84.9% of the population was Finnish,which is part of the Finnic subgroup of theUralic language. The language is one of only four officialEU languagesnot ofIndo-Europeanorigin, and has no relation through descent to the othernational languagesof theNordics. Conversely, Finnish is closely related toEstonianandKarelian, and more distantly toHungarianand theSami languages.
Swedish is the native language of 5.1% of the population (Swedish-speaking Finns).Swedish is a compulsory school subject and general knowledge of the language is good among many non-native speakers.Likewise, a majority of Swedish-speaking non-Ålanders can speak Finnish.The Finnish side of the land border with Sweden is unilingually Finnish-speaking. The Swedish across the border is distinct from the Swedish spoken in Finland. There is a sizeable pronunciation difference between the varieties of Swedish spoken in the two countries, although theirmutual intelligibilityis nearly universal.
Finnish Romaniis spoken by some 5,000–6,000 people; there are 13,000-14,000 Romani people in FinlandRomani andFinnish Sign Languageare also recognized in the constitution. There are two sign languages: Finnish Sign Language, spoken natively by 4,000–5,000 people,andFinland-Swedish Sign Language, spoken natively by about 150 people.Tataris spoken by aFinnish Tatarminority of about 800 people whose ancestors moved to Finland mainly between the 1870s and 1920s.
TheSámi languageshave an official status in parts of Lapland, where theSámi, numbering over 10,000are recognized as anindigenous people. About a quarter of them speak a Sami language as their mother tongue.The Sami languages that are spoken in Finland areNorthern Sami,Inari Sami, andSkolt Sami.The rights of minority groups (in particular Sami, Swedish speakers, and Romani people) are protected by the constitution.TheNordiclanguages andKarelianare also specially recognized in parts of Finland.
As of 2023, the most common foreign languages areRussian(1.8%),Estonian(0.9%),Arabic(0.7%),English(0.6%) andUkrainian(0.5%).
English is studied by most pupils as a compulsory subject from the first grade (at seven years of age), formerly from the third or fifth grade, in the comprehensive school (in some schools other languages can be chosen instead).German, French, Spanish and Russian can be studied as second foreign languages from the fourth grade (at 10 years of age; some schools may offer other options).
With 3.5 million members,theEvangelical Lutheran Church of Finlandis Finland's largest religious body; at the end of 2023, 63.6% of Finns were members of the church.The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland has seen its share of the country's population declining by roughly one percent annually in recent years. The decline has been due to both church membership resignations and falling baptism rates.The second largest group, accounting for 26.3% of the populationin 2017, has no religious affiliation. A small minority belongs to theFinnish Orthodox Church(1.1%). OtherProtestantdenominations and theRoman Catholic Churchare significantly smaller, as are theJewishand other non-Christian communities (totalling 1.6%). ThePew Research Centerestimated theMuslimpopulation at 2.7% in 2016.
Finland's state church was the Church of Sweden until 1809. As an autonomous Grand Duchy under Russia from 1809 to 1917, Finland retained the Lutheran State Church system, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland was established. After Finland had gained independence in 1917, religious freedom was declared in the constitution of 1919, and a separate law on religious freedom in 1922. Through this arrangement, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland gained a constitutional status as a national church alongside the Finnish Orthodox Church, whose position however is not codified in the constitution. The main Lutheran and Orthodox churches have special roles such as in state ceremonies and schools.
In 2016, 69.3% of Finnish children werebaptizedand 82.3% wereconfirmedin 2012 at the age of 15,and over 90% of the funerals are Christian. However, the majority of Lutherans attend church only for special occasions like Christmas ceremonies, weddings, and funerals. The Lutheran Church estimates that approximately 1.8% of its members attend church services weekly.The average number of church visits per year by church members is approximately two.
According to a 2010Eurobarometerpoll, 33% of Finnish citizens responded that they "believe there is a God"; 42% answered that they "believe there is some sort of spirit or life force"; and 22% that they "do not believe there is any sort of spirit, God, or life force".According to ISSP survey data (2008), 8% consider themselves "highly religious", and 31% "moderately religious". In the same survey, 28% reported themselves as "agnostic" and 29% as "non-religious".
Life expectancywas 79 years for men and 84 years for women in 2017.The under-five mortality rate was 2.3 per 1,000 live births in 2017, ranking Finland's rate among the lowest in the world.Thefertility ratein 2014 stood at 1.71 children born/per woman and has been belowthe replacement rateof 2.1 since 1969.With a low birth rate women also become mothers at a later age, the mean age at first live birth being 28.6 in 2014.A 2011 study published inThe Lancetmedical journal found that Finland had the loweststillbirthrate out of 193 countries.
There has been a slight increase or no change in welfare and health inequalities between population groups in the 21st century. Lifestyle-related diseases are on the rise. More than half a million Finns suffer fromdiabetes,type 1 diabetesbeing globally the most common in Finland. Many children are diagnosed withtype 2 diabetes. The number ofmusculoskeletal diseasesandcancersare increasing, although the cancer prognosis has improved. Allergies and dementia are also growing health problems in Finland. One of the most common reasons for work disability are due to mental disorders, in particulardepression.Withoutage standardization, the suicide rates were 13 per 100 000 in 2015, close to the North European average.Age-standardized suicide rates are still among the highest among developed countries in the OECD.
There are 307 residents for each doctor.About 19% of health care is funded directly by households and 77% by taxation.
In April 2012, Finland was ranked second in Gross National Happiness in a report published by The Earth Institute.Since 2012, Finland has every time ranked at least in the top 5 of world's happiest countries in the annualWorld Happiness Reportby theUnited Nations,as well as ranking as the happiest country since 2018.
Most pre-tertiary education is arranged at the municipal level. Around 3 percent of students are enrolled in private schools (mostly specialist language and international schools).Formal education is usually started at the age of 7. Primary school takes normally six years and lower secondary school three years.
The curriculum is set by theMinistry of Education and Cultureand the Education Board. Education is compulsory between the ages of 7 and 18. After lower secondary school, graduates may apply to trade schools orgymnasiums(upper secondary schools). Trade schools offer avocational education: approximately 40% of an age group choose this path after the lower secondary school.Academically oriented gymnasiums have higher entrance requirements and specifically prepare forAbiturand tertiary education. Graduation from either formally qualifies for tertiary education.
In tertiary education, two mostly separate and non-interoperating sectors are found: the profession-oriented polytechnics and the research-oriented universities. Education is free and living expenses are to a large extent financed by the government throughstudent benefits. There are 15 universities and 24 Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS) in the country.TheUniversity of Helsinkiis ranked 75th in the Top University Ranking of 2010.Other reputable universitiesof Finland includeAalto UniversityinEspoo, bothUniversity of TurkuandÅbo Akademi UniversityinTurku,University of Jyväskylä,University of Oulu,LUT UniversityinLappeenrantaandLahti,University of Eastern FinlandinKuopioandJoensuu, andTampere University.
TheWorld Economic Forumranks Finland's tertiary education No. 1 in the world.Around 33% of residents have a tertiary degree, similar to Nordics and more than in most other OECD countries except Canada (44%), United States (38%) and Japan (37%).In addition, 38% of Finland's population has a university orcollege degree, which is among the highest percentages in the world.Adult education appears in several forms, such as secondary evening schools, civic and workers' institutes, study centres, vocational course centres, andfolk high schools.
More than 30% of tertiary graduates are in science-related fields. Forest improvement, materials research, environmental sciences, neural networks, low-temperature physics, brain research, biotechnology, genetic technology, and communications showcase fields of study where Finnish researchers have had a significant impact.Finland is highly productive in scientific research. In 2005, Finland had the fourth most scientific publications per capita of the OECD countries.In 2007, 1,801 patents were filed in Finland.
Written Finnish could be said to have existed sinceMikael Agricolatranslated theNew Testamentinto Finnish during theProtestant Reformation, but few notable works of literature were written until the 19th century and the beginning of a Finnish nationalRomantic Movement. This promptedElias Lönnrotto collect Finnish and Karelian folk poetry and arrange and publish them as theKalevala, the Finnishnational epic. The era saw a rise of poets and novelists who wrote in Finnish, notably the national writer of Finland,Aleksis Kivi(The Seven Brothers), andMinna Canth,Eino Leino, andJuhani Aho. Many writers of the national awakening wrote in Swedish, such as the national poetJ. L. Runeberg(The Tales of Ensign Stål) andZachris Topelius.
After Finland became independent, there was a rise ofmodernist writers, most famously the Swedish-speaking poetEdith Södergran. Finnish-speaking authors explored national and historical themes. Most famous of them wereFrans Eemil Sillanpää, who was awarded theNobel Prize in Literaturein 1939, historical novelistMika Waltari, andVäinö Linnawith hisThe Unknown SoldierandUnder the NorthStar trilogy. Beginning withPaavo Haavikko, Finnish poetry adopted modernism. Besides Lönnrot'sKalevalaand Waltari, the Swedish-speakingTove Jansson, best known as the creator ofThe Moomins, is the most translated Finnish writer;her books have been translated into more than 40 languages.
The visual arts in Finland started to form their characteristics in the 19th century whenRomantic nationalismwas rising in autonomic Finland. The best known Finnish painters,Akseli Gallen-Kallela, started painting in anaturaliststyle but moved to national romanticism. Other notable painters of the era includePekka Halonen,Eero Järnefelt,Helene SchjerfbeckandHugo Simberg. In the late 20th century, the homoerotic art of Touko Laaksonen, pseudonymTom of Finland, found a worldwide audience.
Finland's best-known sculptor of the 20th century wasWäinö Aaltonen, remembered for his monumentalbustsand sculptures. The works ofEila HiltunenandLaila Pullinenexemplifies themodernismin sculpture.
Finns have made major contributions tohandicraftsandindustrial design: among the internationally renowned figures areTimo Sarpaneva,Tapio WirkkalaandIlmari Tapiovaara. Finnish architecture is famous around the world, and has contributed significantly to several styles internationally, such asJugendstil(orArt Nouveau),Nordic Classicismandfunctionalism. Among the top 20th-century Finnish architects to gain international recognition areEliel Saarinenand his sonEero Saarinen. ArchitectAlvar Aaltois regarded as among the most important 20th-century designers in the world;he helped bring functionalist architecture to Finland, but soon was a pioneer in its development towards anorganicstyle.Aalto is also famous for his work in furniture, lamps, textiles, andglassware, which were usually incorporated into his buildings.
Finnish folk music can be divided into Nordic dance music and the older tradition of poem singing, poems from which the national epic, theKalevala, was created.
Much of Finland's classical music is influenced by traditional Finnish and Karelian melodies and lyrics, as comprised in theKalevala. In the historical region ofFinnish Karelia, as well as other parts of Eastern Finland, the old poem singing traditions were preserved better than in the western parts of the country. In the 19th centuryNordic folk dance musiclargely replaced the kalevaic tradition. Finnishfolk musichas undergone aroots revivaland has become a part ofpopular music. The people of northern Finland, Sweden, and Norway, theSami, are known primarily for highly spiritual songs calledjoik.
The firstFinnish operawas written by the German-born composerFredrik Paciusin 1852. Pacius also wrote the music to the poemMaamme/Vårt land(Our Country), Finland'snational anthem. In the 1890s Finnish nationalism based on theKalevalaspread, andJean Sibeliusbecame famous for his vocal symphonyKullervo. In 1899 he composedFinlandia, which played an important role in Finland gaining independence. He remains one of Finland's most popular national figures.
Alongside Sibelius, the distinct Finnish style of music was created byOskar Merikanto,Toivo Kuula,Erkki Melartin,Leevi MadetojaandUuno Klami. Important modernist composers includeEinojuhani Rautavaara,Aulis SallinenandMagnus Lindberg, among others.Kaija Saariahowas ranked the world's greatest living composer in a 2019 composers' poll.Many Finnish musicians have achieved international success. Among them are the conductorEsa-Pekka Salonen, the opera singerKarita Mattilaand the violinistPekka Kuusisto.
Iskelmä(coined directly from the German wordSchlager, meaning "hit") is a traditional Finnish word for a light popular song.Finnish popular music also includes various kinds ofdance music;tango, a style ofArgentine music, is also popular.The light music in Swedish-speaking areas has more influences from Sweden. At least a couple of Finnishpolkasare known worldwide, such asSäkkijärven polkkaand "Ievan polkka".
During the 1970s,progressive rockgroupWigwamandrock and rollgroupHurriganesgained respect abroad. The Finnishpunkscene produced some internationally acknowledged names includingTerveet Kädetin the 1980s.Hanoi Rockswas a pioneeringglam rockact.Many Finnishmetal bandshave gained international recognition; Finland has been often called the "Promised Land of Heavy Metal" because there are more than 50 metal Bands for every 100,000 inhabitants – more than any other nation in the world.Modern Finnish popular music includes a number of prominentrock musicians, pop musicians,jazzmusicians,hip hopperformers, and dance music acts.
Finland has won theEurovision Song Contestonce in 2006 whenLordiwon the contest with the song''Hard Rock Hallelujah''.The Finnish pop artistKäärijäalso got second place in the contest in 2023 with his worldwide hit song''Cha Cha Cha''.
In the film industry, notable modern directors include brothersMikaandAki Kaurismäki,Dome Karukoski,Antti Jokinen,Jalmari Helander, andRenny Harlin. Some Finnishdrama seriesare internationally known, such asBordertown.
One of the most internationally successful Finnish films areThe White Reindeer, directed byErik Blombergin 1952, which won theGolden Globe Award for Best Foreign Filmin 1956;The Man Without a Past, directed by Aki Kaurismäki in 2002, which was nominated for theAcademy Award for Best Foreign Language Filmin 2002 and won theGrand Prixat the2002 Cannes Film Festival;andThe Fencer, directed byKlaus Häröin 2015, which was nominated for the73rd Golden Globe Awardsin the Best Foreign Language Film category as a Finnish/German/Estonian co-production.
In Finland, the most significant films includeThe Unknown Soldier, directed byEdvin Lainein 1955.Here, Beneath the North Starfrom 1968, is also one of the most significant works in Finnish history.A 1960crime comedy filmInspector Palmu's Mistake, directed byMatti Kassila, was voted in 2012 the best Finnish film of all time by Finnish film critics and journalists,but the 1984 comedy filmUuno Turhapuro in the Army, the ninth film inUuno Turhapurofilm series, remains Finland's most seen domestic film made since 1968 by Finnish audience.
Today, there are around 200newspapers, 320 popular magazines, 2,100 professional magazines, and 67 commercial radio stations. The largest newspaper isHelsingin Sanomat, its circulation being 339,437 as of 2019.Yle, the Finnish Broadcasting Company, operates fivetelevision channelsand thirteen radio channels. Each year, around 12,000 book titles are published.
Thanks to its emphasis on transparency and equal rights, Finland's press has been rated the freest in the world.Worldwide, Finns, along with other Nordic peoples and the Japanese, spend the most time reading newspapers.In regards totelecommunication infrastructure, Finland is the highest ranked country in the World Economic Forum'sNetwork Readiness Index(NRI) – an indicator for determining the development level of a country's information and communication technologies.
The Finns' love forsaunasis generally associated with Finnish cultural tradition. Sauna is a type of dry steam bath practiced widely in Finland, which is especially evident in the strong tradition aroundMidsummerandChristmas. The word sauna is of Proto-Finnish origin (found in Finnic and Sami languages) dating back 7,000 years.Steam baths have been part of European tradition elsewhere as well, but the sauna has survived best in Finland, in addition to Sweden, Estonia, Latvia, Russia, Norway, and parts of the United States and Canada. Moreover, nearly all Finnish houses have either their own sauna or in multi-story apartment houses, a timeshare sauna. Municipal swimming halls and hotels have often their own saunas. TheFinnish sauna cultureis inscribed on theUNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.
Finnish cuisine generally combines traditional country fare and contemporary style cooking. Potato, meat andfishplay a prominent role in traditional Finnish dishes. Finnish foods often usewholemealproducts (rye,barley,oats) and berries (such asbilberries,lingonberries,cloudberries, andsea buckthorn). Milk and its derivatives likebuttermilkare commonly used as food and drink. The most popular fish food in Finland issalmon.
Finland has the world's second highest per capita consumption ofcoffee.Milk consumption is also high, at an average of about 112 litres (25 imp gal; 30 US gal), per person, per year,even though 17% of the Finns arelactose intolerant.
There are several holidays in Finland, of which perhaps the most characteristic of Finnish culture include Christmas (joulu), Midsummer (juhannus),May Day(vappu) andIndependence Day(itsenäisyyspäivä). Of these, Christmas and Midsummer are special in Finland because the actual festivities take place on eves, such asChristmas EveandMidsummer's Eve,while Christmas Day and Midsummer's Day are more consecrated to rest. Other public holidays in Finland areNew Year's Day,Epiphany,Good Friday,Easter SundayandEaster Monday,Ascension Day,All Saints' DayandSaint Stephen's Day. All official holidays in Finland are established by Acts of Parliament.
Various sporting events are popular in Finland.Pesäpallo, the Finnish equivalent of Americanbaseball, is thenational sportof Finland,although the most popular sport in terms of spectators isice hockey.Other popular sports includeathletics,cross-country skiing,ski jumping,football,volleyball, andbasketball.Association football is the most played team sport in terms of the number of players in the country.Finland's national basketball teamhas received widespread public attention.
In terms of medals and gold medals won per capita, Finland is the best-performing country in Olympic history.Finland first participated as a nation in its own right at theOlympic Gamesin 1908. At the1912 Summer Olympics, three gold medals were won by the original "Flying Finn"Hannes Kolehmainen. In the 1920s and '30s, Finnish long-distance runners dominated the Olympics, withPaavo Nurmiwinning a total of nine Olympic gold medals and setting 22 official world records between 1921 and 1931. Nurmi is often considered the greatest Finnish sportsman and one of the greatest athletes of all time. The1952 Summer Olympicswere held in Helsinki.
Thejavelin throwevent has brought Finland nine Olympic gold medals, five world championships, five European championships, and 24 world records. Finland also has a notable history infigure skating. Finnish skaters have won 8 world championships and 13 junior world cups in synchronized skating.
Finnish competitors have achieved significant success inmotorsport. In theWorld Rally Championship, Finland has produced eightworld champions, more than any other country.InFormula One, Finland has won the mostworld championshipsper capita, withKeke Rosberg,Mika HäkkinenandKimi Räikkönenall having won the title.
Some of the most popular recreational sports and activities includeNordic walking, running, cycling and skiing.Floorballis the most popular youth and workplace sport.
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