Overview
Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, opposite Estonia. The capital and largest city is Helsinki.
Geography and Climate
Finland's climate varies from humid continental in the south to boreal in the north. The country's land is predominantly covered by boreal forest, with over 180,000 recorded lakes.
Population and Languages
Finland has a population of 5.7 million. The official languages are Finnish and Swedish, with Finnish being the mother tongue of 83.5 percent of the population and Swedish of 5.0 percent.
Early History
The area that is now Finland was settled around 8500 BC during the Stone Age towards the end of the last glacial period. The earliest people were hunter-gatherers using stone tools. The first pottery appeared in 5200 BC with the introduction of the Comb Ceramic culture.
In the Bronze Age, permanent cultivation and animal husbandry spread, and the Seima-Turbino phenomenon brought the first bronze artifacts to the region. During the Iron Age, population grew and commercial contacts in the Baltic Sea region expanded significantly. Main exports from Finland included furs, slaves, castoreum, and falcons.
Swedish Era
From the late 13th century, following the Northern Crusades, Finland gradually became part of the kingdom of Sweden and came under the influence of the Catholic Church. The Swedes built fortresses and established administrative structures, integrating Finnish lands firmly into the Swedish realm. During the Protestant Reformation, the Finns gradually converted to Lutheranism.
In the 16th century, bishop and Lutheran Reformer Mikael Agricola published the first written works in Finnish. Helsinki, Finland's current capital city, was founded by King Gustav Vasa in 1555.
Russian Rule and Independence
In 1809, as a result of the Finnish War, Finland was captured from Sweden and became an autonomous grand duchy within the Russian Empire. During this period, Finnish art flourished and an independence movement gradually developed.
Following the Russian Revolution of 1917, Finland declared its independence. A civil war ensued the following year, with the anticommunist Whites emerging victorious. Finland's status as a republic was confirmed in 1919.
World War II and Cold War
During World War II, Finland fought against the Soviet Union in the Winter War and the Continuation War, and later against Nazi Germany in the Lapland War. As a result, it lost parts of its territory to the Soviet Union but retained its independence and democracy.
During the Cold War, Finland embraced an official policy of neutrality. After the Cold War, Finland became a member of the European Union in 1995 and the Eurozone in 1999. Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Finland joined NATO in 2023.
Modern Development and International Standing
Finland became the first country in Europe to grant universal suffrage in 1906, and the first in the world to give all adult citizens the right to run for public office. The country remained largely rural and agrarian until the 1950s, when it pursued rapid industrialisation and a Nordic-style welfare state, resulting in an advanced economy and high per capita income.
Finland consistently ranks highly in international rankings across various categories, including education, economic competitiveness, happiness, and prosperity. Finnish cultural values, including egalitarianism, secularism, human rights, and environmentalism, are actively promoted through membership in multiple international forums.