Finland is heavily forested and contains thousands of lakes, numerous rivers, and extensive areas of marshland. Except for a small highland region in the extreme northwest, the country is a lowland less than 600 ft (180 m) above sea level. Finland is one of the world's wealthiest nations. According to some measures, Finland has the best educational system in Europe and has recently been ranked as one of the world's most peaceful and economically competitive countries.
Bordered by Norway, Russia, and Sweden, Finland is the most sparsely populated European Union country but is the eighth largest in land mass compared to other countries in Europe. Over two million people reside in Finland's capital Helsinki, which is also Finland's financial, political, cultural, and educational center. Nearly 70 percent of all foreign companies have established their baseline operations in the Helsinki area.
Finland is a wealthy nation and consistently ranks as one of the top five countries in the world in regards to living standards, economic stability, and educational system. Because its comprehensive social welfare system amply provides excellent educational opportunities for everyone as well as health care and other benefits afforded a highly taxed society, Finland's economy remains prosperous due to its ability to give everyone a fair chance in realizing their potential as a viable member of Finnish society. In addition, Finland is a peaceful country that does not spend large amounts of taxes on its military items, which allows it to spend more on the welfare of its citizens.
Essential Facts about Finland
- Finland has 19 maakunta, or regions, that are overseen governmentally by regional councils representing cooperation forums for each region's municipalities.
- Each maakunta has state economic and employment development centers that manage the administration of forestry, agriculture, labor, and fishery affairs in that particular region.
- Finland has nearly 190,000 lakes and 180,000 islands for students and tourists to explore. It also contains the fourth largest lake in Europe - Saimaa.
- Forests of birch, pine, and spruce cover 86 percent of Finland, a factor that contributes to the country being the biggest wood producer in Europe.
- People living in the northernmost area of Finland experience 73 days of perpetual sunlight during the summer and 51 days of 24-hour nighttime during winter.
- As a parliamentary democracy, Finland has a prime minister who is its most influential politician. Alternately, Finland's president is considered the"head of state". Citizens of Finland are permitted to vote and run in presidential, parliamentary, and municipal elections as well as other European Union elections.
- As a member of the EU, Finland uses the euro as its primary currency, which replaced the markka over a decade ago.
Language Information
The official languages of Finland are Finnish and Swedish. Swedish is primarily spoken in coastal areas as well as in the south, west, and the Aland region. Finnish sign language and Finnish Romani are also recognized by the country's constitution. Ninety percent of Finland's population speaks Finnish. Students interested in studying in Finland should be aware that while Finnish is a non-Indo-European language and it is very different from other languages spoken in Europe primarily due to its syntax - it has 15 different noun cases, unusual pronunciations, and non-traditional grammar structure.
Finland's Climate
Because Finland lies close enough to the Atlantic Ocean, it experiences a continuous flow of warmth produced by the Gulf Stream. Finland is also warmer than its neighboring countries because of the moderating influence of the Baltic Sea along with its thousands of inland lakes interacting with Gulf Stream moisture. However, Finland has very cold, very snowy winters that typically see temperatures plunging to -20 degrees Fahrenheit (-30 Celsius), with snow laying on the ground from November to April. Finland's warmest days occur in July when citizens bask in warm sunshine and 90-degree Fahrenheit (35 Celsius) temperatures.
Religion in Finland
Approximately 75 percent of Finns belong to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. The remaining 25 percent have no religious affiliation or consider themselves Protestant, Roman Catholic, or Jewish.
Official Holidays
Acts of Parliament establish Finland's official holidays which include New Year's, Easter, Christmas, Epiphany, All Saints' Day, and Midsummer Day. May Day and Independence Day are considered secular holidays.