Republic of Finland. History of Finland. Modern Finland. What is Finland's history? Finland is

For many foreigners, Finland, which, by the way, the Finns themselves call “Suomi,” is the birthplace of Santa Claus, who lives on Mount Korvatunturi in Lapland. However, most tourists do not come to Finland to meet Santa Claus - they are primarily interested in Finnish nature, fishing, and first-class Finnish ski resorts.

Geography of Finland

Finland is located in Scandinavia in northern Europe. Finland borders Sweden in the west, Norway in the north, and Russia in the east. The Gulf of Finland separates Finland from Estonia. In the west and south, Finland is washed by the Baltic Sea.

86% of Finland's territory is occupied by forest, which is dominated by pine, spruce and birch trees. The Finnish landscape is mostly plains and hills with some mountains. The largest peaks in Finland are Mount Halti (1,328 m) and Mount Ridnitsohkka (1,316 m).

Finland is a country of “a thousand islands and lakes”. Indeed, this is a true statement, because Finland has 179,584 islands and 187,888 lakes. The largest Finnish lake is Saimaa.

Most of the Finnish islands are located in the southwest of the Turku archipelago, and further from the coast are the Åland Islands.

Capital

The capital of Finland is Helsinki, which is now home to about 600 thousand people. Helsinki was founded by the Swedes in 1550.

Official language

Finland has two official languages – Finnish and Swedish. The Sami language has a special status in the country.

Religion

More than 78% of Finns are Lutherans (Protestants), belonging to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. More than 1% of the Finnish population consider themselves Orthodox Christians.

Government structure of Finland

According to the Constitution of 2000, Finland is a parliamentary republic, the head of which is the President, elected by direct universal suffrage for a 6-year term.

Legislative power belongs to the unicameral Parliament (Eduskunta), consisting of 200 deputies. Members of the Finnish Parliament are elected for 4 years.

The main political parties in Finland are the Social Democratic Party, the Real Finns Party, the Center Party, the Union of the Left, and the Green Party.

Climate and weather

Finland is located at the same latitudes as Siberia and Greenland, but in this Scandinavian country the climate is much milder due to air flows from the Atlantic. The climate in Finland is continental and maritime in coastal areas. Winters in Finland are cold with a lot of precipitation (snow), and summers are warm.

The warmest month in Finland is July (average air temperature +22C), and the coldest months are January and February (average air temperature -9C).

Average air temperature in Finland:

January – -8C
February - -7C
March - -5C
April - +3C
May - +11C
June - +9C
July - +14C
August - +17C
September - +15C
October - +11C
November – 0C
December - -4C

Sea in Finland

In the west and south, Finland is washed by the Baltic Sea. The Gulf of Finland separates Finland from Estonia, and the Gulf of Bothnia separates Finland from Sweden. The temperature of the Baltic Sea largely depends on the warm Gulf Stream current. The average water temperature of the Baltic Sea off the coast of Finland in winter is about 0C, and in summer - +15-17C.

Rivers and lakes

Finland is a country of “a thousand islands and lakes”. There are 179,584 islands and 187,888 lakes in Finland. The largest Finnish lake is Saimaa.

Many tourists come to Finland to go fishing. Finnish rivers and lakes contain large quantities of grayling, rainbow trout, pike, perch, and whitefish. There are a lot of salmon in the rivers of Lapland. To fish in Finland, you need to obtain a special permit (you need to pay a certain amount of money for this).

But, of course, fish in Finland are also caught in the Baltic Sea (perch, sea trout, salmon, whitefish).

History of Finland

People appeared on the territory of modern Finland in the Stone Age. Around 5000 BC. people on the territory of modern Finland already knew how to make pottery. In 2500 BC. Agriculture appeared in the coastal areas of Finland. In the Bronze Age, the inhabitants of Finland had contacts with various tribes of Scandinavia, which is confirmed by archaeological finds.

Although Finland is located in Scandinavia, the ancestors of modern Finns can hardly be called Vikings. Historians consider the Vikings to be the military squads of the ancestors of modern Danes, Swedes and Norwegians.

In 1155, the first missionaries from Sweden arrived in Finland, and the country became part of the Kingdom of Sweden.

In the 16th century, Swedish was the main language among the Finnish nobility, and Finnish was spoken by local peasants. During the Protestant Reformation, Finns gradually became Lutherans. In 1640, the first Finnish university was founded in Turku.

In the 18th century, as a result of two wars between Sweden and Russia, the territory of modern Finland was occupied by Russian troops.

In 1809, as a result of another war between Sweden and Russia, the lands of Finland became part of the Russian Empire.

On December 4, 1917, after the October Revolution in Russia of 1917, the Finnish Senate signed the Declaration of Finnish Independence, which was approved by Parliament on December 6. Thus the Republic of Finland was formed.

From November 1939 to March 1940, the Finnish-Soviet war continued, as a result of which Finland had to return part of its territory to the USSR. Wanting to return lost lands and acquire new territories, Finland entered the war against the USSR on the side of Germany in 1941. However, in 1944 Finland emerged from the war and made peace with the USSR.

In 1955, Finland became a member of the UN, and in 1991 it was admitted to the EU.

Culture

Finland is the birthplace of Santa Claus (aka Joulupukki, in Russia and Ukraine he is known as Father Frost). Every Finnish child is sure that Santa Claus lives on Mount Korvatunturi in the city of Savukoski in Lapland. There are a lot of reindeer in Lapland. In fact, why shouldn't Santa Claus live where his reindeer come from?

Finns celebrate Christmas from December 24th to 26th. A traditional Christmas dish is rice pudding.

Now Finnish Christmas traditions have been borrowed from more than 140 different countries, and every year they become more and more popular.

Finnish cuisine

The main products of Finnish cuisine are fish, meat, mushrooms, potatoes, rye bread, vegetables, and dairy products. Swedish, German and Russian culinary traditions have had a noticeable influence on Finnish cuisine.

Mammi – oven-baked porridge with milk and sugar;
Kalakukko – fish baked in bread;
Mustamakkara – blood sausage with lingonberry jam;
Mykyrokka – soup with dumplings;
Lihapullat – salmon fish soup;
Perunamuusi – mashed potatoes;
Leipäjuusto – cow cheese;
Hernekeitto – dried pea soup;
Kaalikääryleet – cabbage rolls with beef or pork.

Traditional alcoholic drinks in Finland are Lakka (berry liqueur), Kilju ("homemade" Finnish vodka), and Sahti beer.

Sights of Finland

The Finns have always been very careful about their history. Therefore, we advise tourists in Finland to definitely see:

Cities and resorts

The largest Finnish cities are Helsinki, Tampere, Vantaa, Espoo, and Turku.

Finland is known for its magnificent ski resorts. Every winter, hundreds of thousands of tourists come to Finland to ski in this Scandinavian country. In our opinion, the top ten best Finnish ski resorts include the following:

Levi
Ruka (Hand)
Pyha
Yllas
Talma (Talma)
Himos (Himos)
Tahko (Tahko)
Pallas
Ounasvaara
Luosto

Souvenirs/shopping

Tourists from Finland usually bring products made of wood, glass, antlers and deer skins, scissors, clothes, dishes, glassware, Sami hats with national patterns, children's slippers from Lapland, Lapland folk dolls, Lapland sweaters and pullovers, plaid made of reindeer wool, Santa Claus figurines, Sami beads and bracelet, Finnish knives, Finnish fishing set, Finnish berry liqueur.

Office hours

👁 7.3k (96 per week) ⏱️ 1 min.

The name of the country Finland in Russian and many languages comes from the Swedish Finland. The origin of this name has several versions. According to the first, it came from the word Fennit (poor hunter), was borrowed from Germanic languages and meant wanderers and seekers. According to another version, from the word Fen, which translated meant “swamp”.

The Finns themselves do not call their country Finland. Finnish doesn't even have the "f" sound. The Finnish name for Finland is Suomi. Besides the Finns, only Latvians, Lithuanians and Estonians recognize this name.
For the first time it is recorded on the pages of Russian chronicles in the form of Sum (from the beginning of the 12th century). Initially, this was the name of the territory of what is now southwestern Finland (coastal areas).

One theory states that the root of the name Suomi is the proto-Baltic word zeme, earth. Over time, in Finnish dialects, zeme was transformed into säme, and from it into saame (Sami) and soome, which is where the modern name of Finland - Suomi - came from.

There are other versions of the origin of the Finnish name of the country Suomi:
Some believe that the word Suomi comes from the Finnish word suomu (“scales”), because there lived people who made clothes from beautiful and elastic salmon fish skin.
According to another theory, the word Suomi was originally a proper noun. Indeed, the name Suomi was borne by a certain Danish nobleman who made peace with Charlemagne. The nobleman's name was preserved in the king's papers.
According to another version, the word Suomi is of Estonian origin. It is assumed that there was once an area called Sooma (Estonian soo - “swamp”, maa - “land”; literally: “land of swamps”). Settlers from this area transferred the name of their homeland to southwestern Finland, which also became known as Suomi.
From the analysis of hydronyms, a version emerged that Suomi is a Singing Country, like the Lithuanian Dainava (“singing land”). Like Perm - Per-maa - Country of Husbands, so Suu-maa - Singing Country. This version is confirmed not only by Indo-European vocabulary, but also by Finnish: so-i-da - to sound, to ring; play"; so-i-nti - “sound; tone"; su-hina - “the sound of leaves”

Estimate!

Give your rating!

10 0 1 1 Read also:

The main attraction of Finland is its amazing nature, for which national parks are the best place to relax. Travelers with children and anyone looking for a colorful Nordic backdrop for a photo shoot usually flock to Urho Kekkonen, overlooked by the Korvatunturi hill, where the Finnish brother of the Russian Father Frost is rumored to live. You can take part in a husky safari, go skiing and snowboarding, go down into a real mine and organize a social competition to pick lingonberries in Pyhä-Luosto. People usually come to Linnansaari to kayak through the narrow straits and skate a free program on lakes bound by a dense layer of ice. Oulanka Park, located almost on the border with Russia, is worth a look if you are interested in the nature of North Karelia, and it is recommended to look for fabulous hills and inspiring panoramas of Lake Pielinen in Koli Park.

In terms of cultural program, Helsinki is ahead of everyone else. The Finnish capital is quiet and pleasant, unlike other European cities, which makes it even more conducive to leisurely excursions. Of the iconic places of the “daughter of the Baltic,” it is worth highlighting Senaatintori Square, Sveaborg Citadel, Temppeliaukio Mountain Church and Tuomiokirkko Cathedral. The islet of Seurasaari makes an indelible impression, attracting travelers with its ethnographic open-air museum and winding forest routes.

The surroundings of the port city of Kotka have been well advertised by numerous parks and ancient forts. Be sure to find the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker here, whose exteriors in the style of Russian classicism copy the architecture of St. Petersburg churches to the smallest detail. The oldest city in the country, Turku, also has something to catch your eye. The short list of attractions of the ancient port is headed by Abo Castle, which was built as a military fort, but later became famous not for its heroic defense, but for its knightly revelries. By the way, if you have a few hundred euros lying around in your pocket, the palace halls can be rented for a cheerful banquet or a pompous wedding ceremony.

A visit to local museums will also bring a lot of impressions. Those who know a lot about avant-garde trends and ordinary lovers of criticizing the creations of contemporary artists have a direct route to the Kiasma Museum. To look at the paintings of Shishkin, Repin and Van Gogh, buy a ticket to the Athenaeum Museum. A visit to the open-air exhibition “Karelian House” is usually recommended for everyone interested in ancient life. The “Tsar’s House” museum also has an interesting fate, whose building was built specifically for Alexander III: it was here that the Russian autocrat fished while European ambassadors languished in anticipation of his audience.

You can also travel from city to city by bus. There are several large carriers operating in Finland, united to form the ExpressBus company. Ticket prices are quite reasonable; in addition, there is a pleasant system of discounts for children, pensioners and students. Those who want to travel around the province to their heart's content and save a little money can purchase a Bus Pass (150 EUR - weekly option, 250 EUR - two-week option). It is recommended to look for more complete information about bus routes, tickets and discounts on the company website expressbus.fi.

A fairly common method of communication between port cities is ferry crossings. The same transport is also convenient for getting to the Åland Islands. You can find out about ferry routes and schedules on the website finferries.fi.

It is convenient to travel within the Finnish capital by buses, trams, metro and taxi. Tickets here are universal and valid for any type of public transport: you can limit yourself to a one-time option (about 2-2.7 EUR), or you can take a daily (8 EUR), three-day (16 EUR) or five-day (24 EUR) pass.

An available taxi in Helsinki is identified by a yellow light on the roof of the car. Payment is made by meter, through a cash register installed in the salon. On average, landing costs from 5.3 to 8.3 EUR, and a kilometer of travel costs from 1.4 to 2 EUR.

The most active and tireless people will be able to rent a bicycle without any problems: for just 2 EUR, the capital’s CityBike parking lots will provide you with a working “two-wheeled horse.” In other cities, tariffs are higher: 10-15 EUR per day of vehicle operation.

Car rental in Finland

The roads in Finland are excellent, and the most interesting sights are scattered throughout the country, so renting a car here is definitely worth it. The only thing that can slightly spoil the impressions of the trip is the local gasoline prices. For a liter of diesel fuel at Finnish gas stations they demand from 1.13 EUR, the 95th goes for 1.34 EUR, and a liter of the 98th will cost 1.41 EUR.

Any driver over the age of 18 who has an international license, his own credit card and at least 1 year of driving experience can rent a car in Finland. Tariffs of rental companies usually depend on the period for which the car is rented. For example, renting an economy class car for a day will lighten your wallet by as much as 70 EUR. For those who rent a vehicle for a longer period, the prices are more favorable - about 120 EUR for 3 days of rental. Payment is made on the day you receive the car, however, if you plan to book the car in advance, be prepared to make a partial prepayment. As for fines for traffic violations, information about them is usually sent to the rental office, which automatically debits the required amount from the deposit blocked on your card.

Connection

The big three Finnish telecom operators are DNA, Elisa and Sonera. To connect to any of them, just look into a company salon, supermarket or R-kioski stores, where for 6-18 EUR you will be quickly accepted into the ranks of subscribers. The most economical tariff plans are offered by Elisa and DNA: SMS and calls for 0.07 EUR, Internet - 0.99 EUR/day, while purchasing a DNA SIM card costs a couple of euros more. Sonera rates are slightly higher: 0.08 EUR for local calls and 0.16 EUR per minute of communication with foreign countries.

Such an endangered form of communication as the payphone is still popular in Finland. You can find the treasured booth with a retro device on the street, in the subway, hotels and post offices. Conversations there are paid for with cards sold in R-kioski stores; the minimum cost of a call within the country is 0.5 EUR.

Everything is more than fine with the Internet in the homeland of the Moomins. Guests of most hotels receive free and unlimited access to the World Wide Web, while others can experience similar benefits of civilization in restaurants and cafes. In Helsinki, you can find a Wi-Fi hotspot right in the city center: the main post office, city hall, shopping centers, and libraries generously distribute traffic to everyone.

Finland for children

The Finns adore children no less than their Swedish neighbors, so the range of entertainment for young travelers here is simply fabulous. The village of Joulupukki and Santa Park (Rovaniemi) continue to hold the crown among the most desirable attractions in Finland. Here your little one will be greeted by the Finnish Santa Claus (the same Joulupukki), elf helpers, reindeer sleighs and merry carousels sparkling with Christmas garlands. Kids and adults, nostalgic for the wonderful fairy tales of Tove Jansson, can take a ride to the city of Naatali, in the vicinity of which live the Moomins, Snufkin and other incredible inhabitants of Moomidol. It’s better to take young experimenters to the Eureka Popular Science Center, or even “forget” them there for a couple of days (there is a camp for teenagers at the museum) in order to have fun in some adult establishment.

Beach holiday

The number of well-groomed and top-quality beaches in the Land of a Thousand Lakes is difficult to count, so tourists always have the opportunity to be capricious, choosing the best one from them. The most cozy and attractive areas of the coast usually belong to hotels or are attached as an additional bonus to tourist houses, but there is no shortage of public places for swimming. In Helsinki, too, there are about 30 beaches, where you can lie on for free.

Among the most developed and visited resorts in Finland is Yyteri (the city of Pori): as many as 6 kilometers of pristine sandy shore with campsites, spa complexes, extreme entertainment and excellent beach infrastructure. Families with children and those who like to splash around in shallow waters are usually recommended to visit Oulu and Tampere, as well as take a closer look at the beaches of lakes Pyhäjärvi and Näsijärvi. You can also swim in the Åland Islands, but you will have to look for a suitable place with a convenient descent: the shores here are rocky.

Skiing

The mountains, or rather the hills, of Finland are not aimed at ski gurus, but rather at beginners and those who have just learned the basics of this sport. With the same success, you can slide down their gentle slopes on a sled or cheesecake: the risk is minimal, but the pleasure and adrenaline are the opposite. By the way, local tracks are equipped with the latest technology.

Resorts of a more advanced level are worth looking for in Lapland. In particular, if you want to mingle among the Finnish business elite, save up your money for a ski pass to Saariselkä. In Levi the people are simpler: the complex is famous for its variety of trails and its cable car, the only one in all of Finland. Vuokatti is popular with families with children, snowboarders and cross-country skiers, for whom there are first-class trails. But skiers from the Northern capital prefer not to go too deep into the Finnish wilds, mastering the slopes of border resorts like Friski, Myllymäki and Uuperinrinteet.

You can fish in Finnish waters only with a license. Fishing with a regular fishing rod without a reel and spoon is possible without obtaining a documentary permit. To obtain a license, a tourist must obtain, firstly, a certificate of payment of the state fishing fee (can be purchased at a bank, post office, R-kioski network and on the official website), and secondly, a receipt for payment of a local license (purchased at gas stations, in stores). Each of the documents is valid only in the territory of one province, that is, if you are planning to organize a fishing tour on all the lakes of Finland, you will have to acquire a new license in each region.

As for the catch, it will be equally rich everywhere, differing only in species diversity. For example, for salmon and grayling it is better to go to the Lapland rivers Näätämejoki, Simojoki, Tenojoki and Tornionjoki. Pike are most often caught in lakes Kemijärvi and Porttipahta, and for brown trout you will have to ride to Inari and Vätäri. The coolest place in eastern Finland is the Kuusamo region, in particular the Tornio River. You should come here for salmon, as well as pike and perch, which flood the surrounding lakes.

In the west of the country you can get hold of trout, grayling and the same salmon (the rivers Kiiminkijoki, Simojoki, Iijoki), but for whitefish it is worth looking at the lakes and rapids of the Savo region, which has gained fame as the most ecologically clean corner of Finland.

Where to stay

Traditional Finnish hotels do not have stars, which does not affect the level of their service. For those who are used to traveling on a grand scale and prefer apartments in the “expensive-rich” style, we can recommend such options as, Hilton Helsinki Kalastajatorppa (Helsinki), Arctic Light (Rovaniemi).

Incorrigible misanthropes, ultimate romantics and couples seeking solitude will find wooden cottages scattered throughout the most secluded and picturesque corners of Finland: , . Almost all houses are built from environmentally friendly materials and equipped with fireplaces and saunas. By the way, such apartments are in demand at ski resorts.

You can relax your body and soul in the spa complexes that have recently filled the shores of Finnish lakes and rivers (, Cumulus Rukahovi, Ruissalo, Santa's Resort & Spa Hotel Sani). If the tourist budget is bursting at the seams and there is not enough money for a decent hotel , it's worth checking out the local hostels and campsites.

Despite the fact that Finland is considered to be an expensive country, housing prices here are very varied. If in pretentious hotels the most modest room will cost 75 EUR, then in hotels of a lower rank there will always be a room for 50 EUR. In hostels the situation is even more positive - up to 45 EUR per room. The most ridiculous (by European standards) prices for campsites: from 3 to 20 EUR per night. The owners of eco-cottages have not yet decided on prices, so you can rent a nice house for a week for either 250 or 800 euros.

Shopping

Global shopping in Finland can cost a pretty penny, so travelers planning to buy branded items should better time their trip around Christmas or Juhannus (the Finnish equivalent of Midsummer Day), when large-scale sales start in all the country's malls. You can tell that the store has started liquidating the collection by looking at the “Alennusmyynt” and “Ale” signs.

The most suitable places to get a stylish European outfit in Finland are showrooms and outlets in Helsinki, Turku and Tampere. Do not neglect locally produced textile products, which will cost an order of magnitude cheaper than their French or English counterparts. In particular, the youth brand Jack & Jones, sports equipment manufacturer Luhta and exclusive designer clothing Halonen have gained a good reputation. The best place to look for original children's clothes, toys and vintage accessories is at Kirputoriya flea markets. If second-hand shopping does not cause negative associations, you can save a lot of money in such places.

Those who like to buy memorable souvenirs should save up a certain amount in their account in advance: the range of funny little things and gift products in Finland is luxurious. Here you will find national dolls, reindeer skins, Moomin figurines, elite Lapponia Jewelry, skillfully stylized as handicrafts, locally produced porcelain and ceramics, Scandinavian puukko knives, as well as a bunch of other things that will warm you up. soul, becoming a material reminder of the trip. Gourmets usually bring smoked fish, berry liqueur, cheeses, Fazer chocolate, Salmiakki licorice candies, Piparkakkuja cookies and Mintu mint liqueur from Finland.

Tax free

VAT on most goods in Finland is as much as 22%, so searching for a store that supports the Tax free system is not a whim, but a real way to save on purchases. As practice shows, you can return from 12 to 16% of the cost of the goods, but only if the amount of your purchases exceeded 40 EUR. And one more thing: go on a shopping tour with a passport, since store employees will definitely require you to show it before filling out the receipt.

You can get part of your money back at Helsinki Airport, as well as at return points located on the Finnish-Russian border: border crossings Valimaa-Torfyanovka, Imatra-Svetogorsk, Nuijamaa-Brusnichnoe, Niirala-Värtsilä and others. To apply for Tax free, you must first “stamp” the goods from customs officers (under no circumstances open the packaging), after which you can safely go to any of the nearest offices that handle refunds.

Store opening hours

Small shops and boutiques are open on weekdays from 9:00 to 18:00, while large shopping centers serve visitors until 20:00-21:00. On Saturday, all retail outlets are open with reduced hours, until 15:00. On a holiday, you won’t be able to buy anything, since except for the R-kioski chain pavilions, all stores in the country are closed.

Holidays and Events

In Finland, you can celebrate both classic religious holidays like Christmas and Easter, and take part in all kinds of festivals, which are an endless series in this country. Of the winter holidays, the New Year, the Day of the Sami People and the Day of “Kalevala” - the Karelian-Finnish poetic epic - are considered especially significant. In the spring, crispy brushwood is baked throughout the country for May Day (Vappu) and stocked with bouquets and gifts for Mother's Day, which is celebrated on the second Sunday in May.

Summer in Finland is the holiday of Ivan Kupala (Juhannus), a military parade for the Day of Defense Forces, a daring Flow Festival and gay pride, which is unchanged for all European countries. The heavy rock festival Tuska Open Air in Helsinki also falls in the summer months: a stunning and equally deafening event is held in the industrial zone of the capital and attracts up to 30,000 spectators at its venues. In October, all tourists and metropolitan gourmets flock to Helsinki Market Square to celebrate Herring Day and at the same time try all varieties of this truly Scandinavian delicacy.

Visa information

To obtain permission to enter Finland, tourists from Russia and the CIS will have to apply for a visa. The procedure for obtaining a pass can be completed at consulates or visa centers. A standard Schengen package of documents will be required: an international passport valid for at least three months after the end of the trip, a color photo 36×47 mm, a completed online application form, confirmation of a hotel reservation, copies of round-trip air tickets and medical insurance covering expenses from 30,000 EUR.

In some cases, the consulate may require the tourist to provide proof of financial solvency and a certificate of employment. When traveling with children under the age of 14, you must provide a copy of the birth certificate, as well as a notarized copy of the travel permit from the mother/father if the child is traveling with only one of the parents.

Customs

Without having to fill out a declaration, you can bring only 1,500 USD to Finland. As for hand luggage, its cost should not exceed 430 EUR. Age restrictions apply for the import of alcohol:

for persons under 18 years of age and tourists whose stay in the country is less than 3 days - a complete ban;
for tourists aged 18 to 20 years – drinks no stronger than 22°.

In total, you can carry 16 liters of beer, 4 liters of wine and up to 1 liter of strong alcohol (over 22°), or 2 liters of other drinks with a strength of less than 22°, without paying a duty. Restrictions on tobacco products are the same as in other European countries: 200 cigarettes/50 cigars/250 g of tobacco. A more detailed list of limits applicable to the import and export of certain categories of goods can be found on the official website of the Finnish Customs Administration: tulli.fi.

How to get there

Airplane. You can fly from Moscow to Helsinki without transfers with Aeroflot and Finnair. Travel time – 1 hour 50 minutes. Direct flights from the Northern capital are offered by Norra (air time - 1 hour 10 minutes), and it is better to look for options with transfers from Rossiya, Aeroflot and AirBaltic (flight duration from 3 hours 30 minutes).

Train. Every day the branded train “Lev Tolstoy” departs from the Leningradsky station in Moscow to Helsinki, which residents of St. Petersburg can also get on. The entire journey of the locomotive takes no more than 14 hours. A more efficient option is the Allegro high-speed train from the Northern capital, which will take a tourist to Finland in just 3 hours 40 minutes.

Bus from St. Petersburg. Bus services towards Helsinki depart from Vosstaniya Square. The trip usually takes about 6 hours.

Ferry. Fans of sea cruises can sail to Finland on the Princess Maria and Princess Anastasia ferries departing from the St. Petersburg Marine Station. The duration of such a trip is 14 hours.

Finland is a country in the northern part of Europe. It holds the title of the best and most stable country in the world. What characteristics and features does Finland have? For the form of government and description of the population, see later in the article.

Geography

Finland borders Norway, Russia, and Sweden. It shares sea waters (the Gulf of Finland) and Sweden (the Gulf of Bothnia). The area of Finland is 338,430,053 square kilometers. More than 20% of the country's territory is located beyond the Arctic Circle.

The coastline of the continental part stretches for 46 thousand kilometers. In addition, Finland owns more than 80 thousand islands and archipelagos. The most famous are the Turku archipelago and the Åland Islands.

In the area between the Gulf of Finland and the Gulf of Bothnia is the Archipelago Sea. This is an area in which many small islands, uninhabited rocks and skerries are concentrated. Their total number reaches 50,000, making the archipelago the largest in the country.

The territory of the state is elongated in the meridian direction. The length from north to south is 1030 kilometers, the distance from west to east is 515 kilometers. The country shares its highest point, Mount Halti, with Norway. In Finland its height is 1324 meters.

Finland: form of government and political structure

Finland is a unitary state where the Åland Islands have partial autonomy. The special status of the islands exempts the inhabitants of this territory from military service (unlike the rest of Finland), allows them to have their own parliament and much more.

Finland is a parliamentary-presidential republic. The head of state is the president, whose term of office lasts six years. The main ruling structures of the country are located in the capital - the city of Helsinki. The judicial system has several branches and is divided into civil, criminal and administrative courts.

Laws in the country are based on Swedish or civil law. Considering that the country is a parliamentary-presidential republic, the parliament and the president are responsible for the legislative branch. Executive power belongs to the President and the State Council.

What territorial units is Finland divided into? The country's form of government involves a slightly complicated division. The entire territory is divided into regions, they are divided into cities, which, in turn, are divided into communes. Each unit has its own controls. There are 19 regions in the country.

Population of the country

The country has a population of approximately 5.5 million people. The majority of Finland's population lives on just five percent of the country's territory. Overall population growth is negative, the birth rate is lower than the death rate. However, the total number of inhabitants is increasing.

In recent years, citizens of other countries have made up approximately 4%. The population of Finland is 89% Finnish. The largest national minority is the Finnish Swedes. Russians represent 1.3%, almost 1% belongs to Estonians. The Sami and Gypsies have the smallest numbers.

The first most common language is Finnish, spoken by more than 90% of the population. Together with Swedish, it is official. Swedish is spoken by only 5.5% of residents, mainly on the Åland Islands, in the western and southern regions of the state. Russian, Somali, Arabic and English are spoken among immigrants.

Economy

Finland's share in the world economy is modest, in trade it is 0.8%, in manufacturing - approximately 5%. This small highly developed GDP per capita is about 45 thousand dollars. The national currency of Finland is the euro; until 2002, the Finnish mark was in force.

The industry accounts for the largest share of the country's economy (33%). The main industries are mechanical engineering, metallurgy, woodworking, light and food industries. Agriculture is focused on growing grain crops and meat and dairy farming. It accounts for 6%, forestry - 5%.

In Finland, the Internet technology sector is rapidly developing, and investment attractiveness is increasing. Negative factors of the economy are the large and undeveloped domestic market.

Almost half of the residents are employed in the service sector, industrial sector and trade, 28% work in forestry, 12% in fishing. In Finland, there is a trend towards an aging population, which also negatively affects the development of the country's economy.

Nature

Finland is often called there are more than 180 thousand here. Most of them, along with swamps and swamps, are located in the central part of the country. The largest are Oulujärvi, Saimaa, and Päijänne. All lakes are connected by small rivers, in which waterfalls, rapids and rapids often form.

Finland's area is 60% covered by forests. The relief is represented by hilly plains and plateaus in the east. The highest point is in the north; in the rest of the country, elevations do not exceed three hundred meters. The formation of the relief was significantly influenced by glaciation.

The country has a temperate climate, continental in the northern part, in the rest of the territory it is transitional from continental to maritime. Active precipitation occurs throughout the year. Summer days are especially long and cool, lasting until 19:00. In remote northern areas, sunset does not occur for 73 days. Winters, on the contrary, are short and cold.

Animal and plant life

Finland is characterized by a variety of flora and fauna. Forests cover more than 20 million hectares of the country. These are mainly pine forests located in the central part. They grow a large number of berries (blueberries, cranberries, raspberries, etc.) and mushrooms. Beech forests predominate in the southern regions.

In the northern part of the country, vegetation is low. There are no forests here, but cloudberry grass is actively growing, forming entire thickets. Spring vegetation is represented by various herbs, such as liverwort and coltsfoot.

The fauna is widely represented by birds. Finland is home to whooper swans, which have become a symbol of the country. Here you can meet finches, lapwings, thrushes, starlings, herons, and cranes. The list of mammals includes wolverines, lynxes, flying squirrels, beavers, brown bears, bats, wolves, ferrets and, of course, reindeer.

There are 38 national parks in Finland, where walking is legally permitted freely. Within their boundaries there are many overnight stops.
Tap water in this country is considered the cleanest in the world.
You don't have to travel far to see the Northern Lights. It can be observed even in the southern part of the country.

The local sport is Nordic walking. It is a regular race walk with ski poles for weighting. They do it even in the summer.
On average, each Finn drinks more than two thousand cups of coffee per year. For this, they have earned the title of world coffee lovers.
In a small town in Finland, it is quite possible to meet a deer or a bear right on the street.

Conclusion

The land of a thousand lakes and the “midnight sun” is Finland. The form of government of the state is a republic. This is a unitary country, which includes a territory with a special status. The main city of the country is Helsinki.

The ecological situation in Finland is considered one of the best in the world. Even the taps here flow clean water. The country's hilly terrain is covered with pine and beech forests, berry bushes and numerous lakes. And the state carefully protects its unique landscapes.