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Finland

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Finland is a Nordic country located in Northern Europe.

EU-Finland
EU-Finland

It sits near several other places like Sweden, Norway, and Russia. To the west, you will find the Gulf of Bothnia. To the south, the Gulf of Finland sits across from Estonia. The capital and largest city is Helsinki. About 5.6 million people live in this country.

Helsinki Cathedral before Helsinki Pride Parade 2022-07-02
Helsinki Cathedral before Helsinki Pride Parade 2022-07-02

Most people speak Finnish or Swedish. Finnish is the main language for 84.1 percent of the people. Swedish is the mother tongue for 5.1 percent of the population.

The land in Finland has a very special look. Most of the ground is covered by boreal forest.

Share Of Forest Area In Total Land Area, Top Countries (2021)
Share Of Forest Area In Total Land Area, Top Countries (2021)

There are more than 180,000 recorded lakes across the country. The weather changes depending on where you go. The south has a humid continental climate. The north is much colder with a boreal climate.

Finland Köppen
Finland Köppen

In the northern part called Lapland, you might see reindeer.

Reindeer near Purnulahti of Säytsjärvi in Inari, Lapland, Finland, 2021 September
Reindeer near Purnulahti of Säytsjärvi in Inari, Lapland, Finland, 2021 September

The country has moved from being a rural place to a very advanced economy.

People have lived in Finland for a very long time. The first settlers arrived around 9000 BC after the last Ice Age.

Kivikautinen karhunpäänuija
Kivikautinen karhunpäänuija

During the Stone Age, people used stone tools and made pottery. Some pottery had a special comb pattern on it. Later, people began to use bronze and iron. In the Iron Age, the population grew larger. People traded things like furs and falcons for silk and jewelry.

Pre-Finno-Ugric
Pre-Finno-Ugric

This shows how people were connecting with other lands.

Finland's history has many big changes. In the 13th century, it became part of the kingdom of Sweden.

Swedish Empire
Swedish Empire

Later, in 1809, Finland became an autonomous part of the Russian Empire. This lasted until the Russian Revolution in 1917. After that, Finland declared its independence.

Suomineito
Suomineito

The country had to fight in a civil war and during World War II. Even after losing some land to the Soviet Union, Finland kept its independence. It became a republic in 1919.

Today, Finland is a very important member of many groups. It joined the European Union in 1995.

EU-Finland (orthographic projection)
EU-Finland (orthographic projection)

It also joined the Eurozone in 1999. In 2023, Finland joined NATO. The country is well known for many good things. It ranks very high for happiness and great education.

Nobel Peace Prize 2008 Ole Danbolt Mjøs & Martti Ahtisaari 1
Nobel Peace Prize 2008 Ole Danbolt Mjøs & Martti Ahtisaari 1

Finland was also a leader in voting rights. It was the first country in Europe to let everyone vote. It was also the first in the world to let all adults run for office.

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🖼️ Images & Media (45)
United States Navy Band - Maamme.ogg
File:EU-Finland (orthographic projection).svg
EU-Finland (orthographic projection).svg
File:EU-Finland.svg
EU-Finland.svg
File:Kivikautinen karhunpäänuija.jpg
Kivikautinen karhunpäänuija.jpg
File:Pre-Finno-Ugric.png
Pre-Finno-Ugric.png
File:Erik den helige och biskop Henrik.jpg
Erik den helige och biskop Henrik.jpg
File:Swedish Empire.svg
Swedish Empire.svg
File:Suomineito.jpg
Suomineito.jpg
File:Eduskunta1907.jpg
Eduskunta1907.jpg
File:The victory parade of the White Army 1918.jpg
The victory parade of the White Army 1918.jpg
File:Helsinki Olympic stadium and stadium tower, 1938 (29438954721).jpg
Helsinki Olympic stadium and stadium...
File:Kolmen valtakunnan rajapyykki 27.4.1945.png
Kolmen valtakunnan rajapyykki 27.4.1945.png

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