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Basic FactsBasic Facts Official Name: Official Name: Suomen Tasavalta (fin) Suomen Tasavalta (fin)

Republiken Finland (swe)Republiken Finland (swe)

Form of goverment: Form of goverment: Republic, 1919 Republic, 1919

Capital: Capital: Helsinki Helsinki Helsingfors (swe)Helsingfors (swe)

Origin of State: Origin of State: Independent since 1917 Independent since 1917

Population: Population: 5 203 800 (2003) 5 203 800 (2003)

Population Density: Population Density: 17 per km 17 per km²²

Religion: Religion: Lutheran 85,6 % Lutheran 85,6 % Eastern Orthodox 1,1 %Eastern Orthodox 1,1 %

Official languages: Official languages: Finnish 92 % Finnish 92 % Swedish 6 %Swedish 6 %

Currency: Currency: Euro Euro

ClimateClimate The Atlantic Ocean, The Gulf The Atlantic Ocean, The Gulf

StreamStreamTemperate climateTemperate climate

Summer: Warm, brightSummer: Warm, bright Midnight SunMidnight Sun

Winter: Very coldWinter: Very cold Twilight seasonTwilight season

Low humidityLow humidityTemperatures feel Temperatures feel

warmer warmer

Considerable temperature Considerable temperature variationsvariations

Rainfall distributed throughout Rainfall distributed throughout the yearthe year

LaplandLapland

The LakesThe Lakes

About 10% of the About 10% of the total area are lakes.total area are lakes.

There are 187 888 There are 187 888 lakes in Finland.lakes in Finland.

And 5 100 rapids.And 5 100 rapids.

The largest lake is The largest lake is called Saimaa.called Saimaa.

The Finnish ArchipelagoThe Finnish Archipelago

81 000 islands 81 000 islands (>100m(>100m²)²)

One of the natural One of the natural trasures of Finlandtrasures of Finland

Breef HistoryBreef History

Human settlement for more than a 100 000 years ago.Human settlement for more than a 100 000 years ago.

1150 – 1300: Swedish crusades to Finland.1150 – 1300: Swedish crusades to Finland.

Late 13th century – 1809: Finland as a part of SwedenLate 13th century – 1809: Finland as a part of Sweden

1809: Sweden loses Finland to Russia in the Finnish War.1809: Sweden loses Finland to Russia in the Finnish War.

1809 – 1917 Finland as an autonomous part of Russia.1809 – 1917 Finland as an autonomous part of Russia.

1917: Revolution in Russia; Finland declares itself independent.1917: Revolution in Russia; Finland declares itself independent.

1918: Civil War in Finland1918: Civil War in Finland

1939: The Soviet Red Army attacks Finland.1939: The Soviet Red Army attacks Finland.

1939 – 1948: The Finnish forces fight against the Soviet Union. 1939 – 1948: The Finnish forces fight against the Soviet Union.

Aurora BorealisAurora Borealis

The Finnish PeopleThe Finnish People Two genetical groups:Two genetical groups:

The FinnsThe Finns The Sami (the Lapps)The Sami (the Lapps)

OriginsOrigins The Finns: “The great The Finns: “The great

bend of the river Volga”.bend of the river Volga”. The Sami: Old The Sami: Old

population, origin not population, origin not established.established.

Genes of the modern Finns:Genes of the modern Finns: 25 – 50% Baltic25 – 50% Baltic 25% Siberian25% Siberian 25 – 50% Germanic25 – 50% Germanic

LanguagesLanguages Two official languages:Two official languages:

Finnish 92 %Finnish 92 % Swedish 6 %Swedish 6 %

Finnish (5 000 000 speakers): Finno-Ugric Finnish (5 000 000 speakers): Finno-Ugric language language Other Finno-Ugric languages: Other Finno-Ugric languages:

Hungarian (14 000 000)Hungarian (14 000 000) Estonian (1 000 000)Estonian (1 000 000)

Swedish (9 000 000 speakers): North Swedish (9 000 000 speakers): North Germanic languageGermanic language

Sami: (34 000 speakers): Finno-Ugric Sami: (34 000 speakers): Finno-Ugric languagelanguage

Swedish in FinlandSwedish in Finland

294 000 Swedish 294 000 Swedish speakers in Finland speakers in Finland (6%)(6%)

Came to Finland Came to Finland during the Swedish during the Swedish era of the history era of the history of Finland.of Finland.

Official languageOfficial language

Finnish MusicFinnish Music

The RasmusThe Rasmus

HIMHIM

Bomfunk Mc´sBomfunk Mc´s

DarudeDarude

SaunaSauna

About 2 000 000 About 2 000 000 saunas in Finland.saunas in Finland.

One sauna for One sauna for every three every three inhabitants.inhabitants.

70 to 100 degrees 70 to 100 degrees celsiuscelsius

Very healthyVery healthy

Famous CompaniesFamous Companies

SportSport F1F1

Mika HäkkinenMika Häkkinen Kimi RäikkönenKimi Räikkönen

SoccerSoccer Jari LitmanenJari Litmanen Sami HyypiäSami Hyypiä Mikael ForssellMikael Forssell

IcehockeyIcehockey Teemu SelänneTeemu Selänne Saku KoivuSaku Koivu

HelsinkiHelsinki

Capital of FinlandCapital of Finland

Largest cityLargest city

500 000 inhabitants500 000 inhabitants 1,2 mill. In the 1,2 mill. In the

captal areacaptal area Economic and Economic and

cultural centrecultural centre

Finnish FoodFinnish Food Combines traditional Combines traditional

Finnish country food Finnish country food with modern with modern continental cookingcontinental cooking

Spices from both East Spices from both East and Westand West

Light and healthy foodLight and healthy food

Different dishes Different dishes depending on the depending on the season. season.

Some facts you possibly didn`tSome facts you possibly didn`tknow about Finland know about Finland

Quality of lifeQuality of life

Finland is ranked Finland is ranked sixth in the latest sixth in the latest United Nations United Nations survey of quality of survey of quality of life life

ConsumptionConsumption

The Finns drink more The Finns drink more coffee than any other coffee than any other nation in the worldnation in the world

14 kg of coffee 14 kg of coffee anually, per personanually, per person

Ranked third in the Ranked third in the world on buying world on buying newspapers.newspapers.

456 newspapers per 456 newspapers per 1000 inhabitants1000 inhabitants

LifestyleLifestyle

Finland (naturally) Finland (naturally) tops the list in tops the list in number of saunas number of saunas

Vacation cabins in Vacation cabins in the archipelago or the archipelago or by a lakeby a lake

Forest and paperForest and paper

70% of the area of 70% of the area of Finland is covered Finland is covered by forest (highest by forest (highest proportion in the proportion in the world)world)

Second in the world Second in the world in production and in production and exportation of paperexportation of paper

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