Context of Finland

Finland (Finnish: Suomi [ˈsuo̯mi] (listen); Swedish: Finland [ˈfɪ̌nland] (listen)), officially the Republic of Finland (Finnish: Suomen tasavalta; Swedish: Republiken Finland (listen to all)), 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, across from Estonia. Finland covers an area of 338,455 square kilometres (130,678 sq mi) with a popula...Read more

Finland (Finnish: Suomi [ˈsuo̯mi] (listen); Swedish: Finland [ˈfɪ̌nland] (listen)), officially the Republic of Finland (Finnish: Suomen tasavalta; Swedish: Republiken Finland (listen to all)), 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, across from Estonia. Finland covers an area of 338,455 square kilometres (130,678 sq mi) with a population of 5.6 million. Helsinki is the capital and largest city. The vast majority of the population are ethnic Finns. Finnish and Swedish are the official languages, Swedish is the native language of 5.2% of the population. Finland's climate varies from humid continental in the south to the boreal in the north. The land cover is primarily a boreal forest biome, with more than 180,000 recorded lakes.

Finland was first inhabited around 9000 BC after the Last Glacial Period. The Stone Age introduced several different ceramic styles and cultures. The Bronze Age and Iron Age were characterized by contacts with other cultures in Fennoscandia and the Baltic region. From the late 13th century, Finland became a part of Sweden as a consequence of the Northern Crusades. In 1809, as a result of the Finnish War, Finland became part of the Russian Empire as the autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland, during which Finnish art flourished and the idea of independence began to take hold. In 1906, Finland became the first European state to grant universal suffrage, and the first in the world to give all adult citizens the right to run for public office. After the 1917 Russian Revolution, Finland declared independence from Russia. In 1918, the fledgling state was divided by the Finnish Civil War. During World War II, Finland fought the Soviet Union in the Winter War and the Continuation War, and Nazi Germany in the Lapland War. It subsequently lost parts of its territory, but maintained its independence.

Finland largely remained an agrarian country until the 1950s. After World War II, it rapidly industrialized and developed an advanced economy, while building an extensive welfare state based on the Nordic model; the country soon enjoyed widespread prosperity and a high per capita income. During the Cold War, Finland adopted an official policy of neutrality. Finland joined the European Union in 1995, the Eurozone at its inception in 1999 and NATO in 2023. Finland performs highly in metrics of national performance, including education, economic competitiveness, civil liberties, quality of life and human development.

More about Finland

Basic information
  • Currency Euro
  • Native name Suomi
  • Calling code +358
  • Internet domain .fi
  • Mains voltage 230V/50Hz
  • Democracy index 9.2
Population, Area & Driving side
  • Population 5563970
  • Area 305396
  • Driving side right
History
  • Prehistory
     
    Stone Age bear head gavel found in Paltamo, Kainuu[1][2]

    The area that is now Finland was settled in, at the latest, around 8,500 BC during the Stone Age towards the end of the last glacial period. The artefacts the first settlers left behind present characteristics that are shared with those found in Estonia, Russia, and Norway.[3] The earliest people were hunter-gatherers, using stone tools.[4]

    ...Read more
    Prehistory
     
    Stone Age bear head gavel found in Paltamo, Kainuu[1][2]

    The area that is now Finland was settled in, at the latest, around 8,500 BC during the Stone Age towards the end of the last glacial period. The artefacts the first settlers left behind present characteristics that are shared with those found in Estonia, Russia, and Norway.[3] The earliest people were hunter-gatherers, using stone tools.[4]

    The first pottery appeared in 5200 BC, when the Comb Ceramic culture was introduced.[5] The arrival of the Corded Ware culture in Southern coastal Finland between 3000 and 2500 BC may have coincided with the start of agriculture.[6] Even with the introduction of agriculture, hunting and fishing continued to be important parts of the subsistence economy.

    In the Bronze Age permanent all-year-round cultivation and animal husbandry spread, but the cold climate phase slowed the change.[7] The Seima-Turbino phenomenon brought the first bronze artefacts to the region and possibly also the Finno-Ugric languages.[7][8] Commercial contacts that had so far mostly been to Estonia started to extend to Scandinavia. Domestic manufacture of bronze artefacts started 1300 BC.[9]

    In the Iron Age population grew. Finland Proper was the most densely populated area. Commercial contacts in the Baltic Sea region grew and extended during the eighth and ninth centuries. Main exports from Finland were furs, slaves, castoreum, and falcons to European courts. Imports included silk and other fabrics, jewelry, Ulfberht swords, and, in lesser extent, glass. Production of iron started approximately in 500 BC.[10] At the end of the ninth century, indigenous artefact culture, especially weapons and women's jewelry, had more common local features than ever before. This has been interpreted to be expressing common Finnish identity.[11]

     
    An ancient Finnish man's outfit. The interpretation is based on the findings of the cemetery which dates from the late 13th century to the early 15th century.

    An early form of Finnic languages spread to the Baltic Sea region approximately 1900 BC. Common Finnic language was spoken around Gulf of Finland 2000 years ago. The dialects from which the modern-day Finnish language was developed came into existence during the Iron Age.[12] Although distantly related, the Sami people retained the hunter-gatherer lifestyle longer than the Finns. The Sami cultural identity and the Sami language have survived in Lapland, the northernmost province.

    The name Suomi (Finnish for 'Finland') has uncertain origins, but a common etymology with saame (the Sami) has been suggested.[13][14] In the earliest historical sources, from the 12th and 13th centuries, the term Finland refers to the coastal region around Turku. This region later became known as Finland Proper in distinction from the country name Finland.[15] (See also Etymology of Finns.

    Swedish era

    The 12th and 13th centuries were a violent time in the northern Baltic Sea. The Livonian Crusade was ongoing and the Finnish tribes such as the Tavastians and Karelians were in frequent conflicts with Novgorod and with each other. Also, during the 12th and 13th centuries several crusades from the Catholic realms of the Baltic Sea area were made against the Finnish tribes. Danes waged at least three crusades to Finland, in 1187 or slightly earlier,[16] in 1191 and in 1202,[17] and Swedes, possibly the so-called second crusade to Finland, in 1249 against Tavastians and the third crusade to Finland in 1293 against the Karelians. The so-called first crusade to Finland, possibly in 1155, is most likely an unreal event.[18]

    As a result of the crusades (mostly with the second crusade led by Birger Jarl) and the colonization of some Finnish coastal areas with Christian Swedish population during the Middle Ages,[19] Finland gradually became part of the kingdom of Sweden and the sphere of influence of the Catholic Church.[20] Under Sweden, Finland was annexed as part of the cultural order of Western Europe.[21]

     
    Now lying within Helsinki, Suomenlinna is a UNESCO World Heritage Site consisting of an inhabited 18th-century sea fortress built on six islands. It is one of Finland's most popular tourist attractions.

    Swedish was the dominant language of the nobility, administration, and education; Finnish was chiefly a language for the peasantry, clergy, and local courts in predominantly Finnish-speaking areas. During the Protestant Reformation, the Finns gradually converted to Lutheranism.[22]

    In the 16th century, a bishop and Lutheran Reformer Mikael Agricola published the first written works in Finnish;[23] and Finland's current capital city, Helsinki, was founded by King Gustav Vasa in 1555.[24] The first university in Finland, the Royal Academy of Turku, was established by Queen Christina of Sweden at the proposal of Count Per Brahe in 1640.[25][26]

    The Finns reaped a reputation in the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) as a well-trained cavalrymen called "Hakkapeliitta".[27][28] Finland suffered a severe famine in 1695–1697, during which about one third of the Finnish population died,[29] and a devastating plague a few years later.

    In the 18th century, wars between Sweden and Russia twice led to the occupation of Finland by Russian forces, times known to the Finns as the Greater Wrath (1714–1721) and the Lesser Wrath (1742–1743).[30][29] It is estimated that almost an entire generation of young men was lost during the Great Wrath, due mainly to the destruction of homes and farms, and the burning of Helsinki.[31]

    Grand Duchy of Finland

    The Swedish era ended in the Finnish War in 1809. On 29 March 1809, having been taken over by the armies of Alexander I of Russia, Finland became an autonomous Grand Duchy in the Russian Empire with the recognition given at the Diet held in Porvoo. This situation lasted until the end of 1917.[30] In 1812, Alexander I incorporated the Russian Vyborg province into the Grand Duchy of Finland. In 1854, Finland became involved in Russia's involvement in the Crimean War, when the British and French navies bombed the Finnish coast and Åland during the so-called Åland War.[32]

     
    Edvard Isto, The Attack, 1899. The Russian eagle is attacking the Finnish Maiden, trying to steal her book of laws.

    During the Russian era, the Finnish language began to gain recognition. From the 1860s onwards, a strong Finnish nationalist movement known as the Fennoman movement grew. One of its most prominent leading figures of the movement was the philosopher and politician J. V. Snellman, who pushed for the stabilization of the status of the Finnish language and its own currency, the Finnish markka, in the Grand Duchy of Finland.[32][33] Milestones included the publication of what would become Finland's national epic – the Kalevala – in 1835, and the Finnish language's achieving equal legal status with Swedish in 1892. In the spirit of the notion of Adolf Ivar Arwidsson (1791–1858) – "we are not Swedes, we do not want to become Russians, let us therefore, be Finns" – a Finnish national identity was established.[34] Still there was no genuine independence movement in Finland until the early 20th century.[35]

    The Finnish famine of 1866–1868 occurred after freezing temperatures in early September ravaged crops,[36] and it killed approximately 15% of the population, making it one of the worst famines in European history. The famine led the Russian Empire to ease financial regulations, and investment rose in the following decades. Economic development was rapid.[37] The gross domestic product (GDP) per capita was still half of that of the United States and a third of that of Britain.[37]

    From 1869 until 1917, the Russian Empire pursued a policy known as the "Russification of Finland". This policy was interrupted between 1905 and 1908. In 1906, universal suffrage was adopted in the Grand Duchy of Finland. However, the relationship between the Grand Duchy and the Russian Empire soured when the Russian government made moves to restrict Finnish autonomy. For example, universal suffrage was, in practice, virtually meaningless, since the tsar did not have to approve any of the laws adopted by the Finnish parliament. The desire for independence gained ground, first among radical liberals[38] and socialists, driven in part by a declaration called the February Manifesto by the last tsar of the Russian Empire, Nicholas II, on 15 February 1899.[39]

    Civil war and early independence

    After the 1917 February Revolution, the position of Finland as part of the Russian Empire was questioned, mainly by Social Democrats. The Parliament, controlled by social democrats, passed the so-called Power Act to give the highest authority to the Parliament. This was rejected by the Russian Provisional Government which decided to dissolve the Parliament.[40] New elections were conducted, in which right-wing parties won with a slim majority. Some social democrats refused to accept the result and still claimed that the dissolution of the parliament (and thus the ensuing elections) were extralegal. The two nearly equally powerful political blocs, the right-wing parties, and the social-democratic party were highly antagonized.

     
    Finnish military leader and statesman C. G. E. Mannerheim as general officer leading the White Victory Parade at the end of the Finnish Civil War in Helsinki, 1918

    The October Revolution in Russia changed the geopolitical situation once more. Suddenly, the right-wing parties in Finland started to reconsider their decision to block the transfer of the highest executive power from the Russian government to Finland, as the Bolsheviks took power in Russia. The right-wing government, led by Prime Minister P. E. Svinhufvud, presented Declaration of Independence on 4 December 1917, which was officially approved on 6 December, by the Finnish Parliament. The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR), led by Vladimir Lenin, recognized independence on 4 January 1918.[41]

    On 27 January 1918 the government's began to disarm the Russian forces in Pohjanmaa. The socialists gained control of southern Finland and Helsinki, but the White government continued in exile from Vaasa.[42][43] This sparked the brief but bitter civil war. The Whites, who were supported by Imperial Germany, prevailed over the Reds,[44] and their self-proclaimed Finnish Socialist Workers' Republic.[45] After the war, tens of thousands of Reds were interned in camps, where thousands were executed or died from malnutrition and disease. Deep social and political enmity was sown between the Reds and Whites and would last until the Winter War and even beyond.[46][47] The civil war and the 1918–1920 activist expeditions called "Kinship Wars" into Soviet Russia strained Eastern relations.[48][49]

     
    Helsinki Olympic Stadium in 1938

    After brief experimentation with monarchy, when an attempt to make Prince Frederick Charles of Hesse King of Finland was unsuccessful, Finland became a presidential republic, with K. J. Ståhlberg elected as its first president in 1919. As a liberal nationalist with a legal background, Ståhlberg anchored the state in liberal democracy, supported the rule of law, and embarked on internal reforms.[50] Finland was also one of the first European countries to strongly aim for equality for women, with Miina Sillanpää serving in Väinö Tanner's cabinet as the first female minister in Finnish history in 1926–1927.[51] The Finnish–Russian border was defined in 1920 by the Treaty of Tartu, largely following the historic border but granting Pechenga (Finnish: Petsamo) and its Barents Sea harbour to Finland.[30] Finnish democracy did not experience any Soviet coup attempts and likewise survived the anti-communist Lapua Movement.

    In 1917, the population was three million. Credit-based land reform was enacted after the civil war, increasing the proportion of the capital-owning population.[37] About 70% of workers were occupied in agriculture and 10% in industry.[52]

    World War II
     
    Finnish troops raise a flag on the cairn in April 1945 at the close of the World War II in Finland.

    The Soviet Union launched the Winter War on 30 November 1939 in an effort to annex Finland.[53] The Finnish Democratic Republic was established by Joseph Stalin at the beginning of the war to govern Finland after Soviet conquest.[54] The Red Army was defeated in numerous battles, notably at the Battle of Suomussalmi. After two months of negligible progress on the battlefield, as well as severe losses of men and materiel, the Soviets put an end to the Finnish Democratic Republic in late January 1940 and recognized the legal Finnish government as the legitimate government of Finland.[55] Soviet forces began to make progress in February and reached Vyborg in March. The fighting came to an end on 13 March 1940 with the signing of the Moscow Peace Treaty. Finland had successfully defended its independence, but ceded 9% of its territory to the Soviet Union.

     
    Areas ceded by Finland to the Soviet Union during World War II. The Porkkala land lease was returned to Finland in 1956.

    Hostilities resumed in June 1941 with the Continuation War, when Finland aligned with Germany following the latter's invasion of the Soviet Union; the primary aim was to recapture the territory lost to the Soviets scarcely one year before.[56] Finnish forces occupied East Karelia from 1941 to 1944. Finnish resistance to the Vyborg–Petrozavodsk offensive in the summer of 1944 led to a standstill, and the two sides reached an armistice. This was followed by the Lapland War of 1944–1945, when Finland fought retreating German forces in northern Finland. Famous war heroes of the aforementioned wars include Simo Häyhä,[57][58] Aarne Juutilainen,[59] and Lauri Törni.[60]

    The Armistice and treaty signed with the Soviet Union in 1944 and 1948 included Finnish obligations, restraints, and reparations, as well as further Finnish territorial concessions in addition to those in the Moscow Peace Treaty. As a result of the two wars, Finland ceded Petsamo, along with parts of Finnish Karelia and Salla; this amounted to 12% of Finland's land area, 20% of its industrial capacity, its second-largest city, Vyborg (Viipuri), and the ice-free port of Liinakhamari (Liinahamari). Almost the whole Finnish population, some 400,000 people, fled these areas. Finland lost 97,000 soldiers and was forced to pay war reparations of $300 million ($3.7 billion in 2021); nevertheless, it avoided occupation by Soviet forces and managed to retain its independence.

    For a few decades after 1944, the Communists were a strong political party. The Soviet Union persuaded Finland to reject Marshall Plan aid. However, in the hope of preserving Finland's independence, the United States provided secret development aid and helped the Social Democratic Party.[61]

    After the war
     
    Urho Kekkonen was Finland's longest-serving president in 1956–1982.

    Establishing trade with the Western powers, such as the United Kingdom, and paying reparations to the Soviet Union produced a transformation of Finland from a primarily agrarian economy to an industrialized one. Valmet (originally a shipyard, then several metal workshops) was founded to create materials for war reparations. After the reparations had been paid off, Finland continued to trade with the Soviet Union in the framework of bilateral trade.

    In 1950, 46% of Finnish workers worked in agriculture and a third lived in urban areas.[62] The new jobs in manufacturing, services, and trade quickly attracted people to the towns. The average number of births per woman declined from a baby boom peak of 3.5 in 1947 to 1.5 in 1973.[62] When baby boomers entered the workforce, the economy did not generate jobs quickly enough, and hundreds of thousands emigrated to the more industrialized Sweden, with emigration peaking in 1969 and 1970.[62] Finland took part in trade liberalization in the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.

     
    The Finlandia Hall, designed by Alvar Aalto, where the president Urho Kekkonen hosted the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe in 1975.

    Officially claiming to be neutral, Finland lay in the grey zone between the Western countries and the Soviet bloc during the Cold War. The military YYA Treaty (Finno-Soviet Pact of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance) gave the Soviet Union some leverage in Finnish domestic politics. This was extensively exploited by president Urho Kekkonen against his opponents. He maintained an effective monopoly on Soviet relations from 1956 on, which was crucial for his continued popularity. In politics, there was a tendency to avoid any policies and statements that could be interpreted as anti-Soviet. This phenomenon was given the name "Finlandization" by the West German press.[63]

    Finland maintained a market economy. Various industries benefited from trade privileges with the Soviets. Economic growth was rapid in the postwar era, and by 1975 Finland's GDP per capita was the 15th-highest in the world. In the 1970s and 1980s, Finland built one of the most extensive welfare states in the world. Finland negotiated with the European Economic Community (EEC, a predecessor of the European Union) a treaty that mostly abolished customs duties towards the EEC starting from 1977. In 1981, President Urho Kekkonen's failing health forced him to retire after holding office for 25 years.

    Miscalculated macroeconomic decisions, a banking crisis, the collapse of its largest trading partner (the Soviet Union), and a global economic downturn caused a deep early 1990s recession in Finland. The depression bottomed out in 1993, and Finland saw steady economic growth for more than ten years.[64] After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Finland began increasing integration with the West.[65] Finland joined the European Union in 1995, and the Eurozone in 1999. Much of the late 1990s economic growth was fueled by the success of the mobile phone manufacturer Nokia.[21]

    21st century
     
    Prime Minister Sanna Marin and President Sauli Niinistö at the press conference announcing Finland's intent to apply to NATO on 15 May 2022

    The Finnish population elected Tarja Halonen in the 2000 Presidential election, making her the first female President of Finland.[66] Financial crises paralyzed Finland's exports in 2008, resulting in weaker economic growth throughout the decade.[67][68] Sauli Niinistö has subsequently been elected the President of Finland since 2012.[69]

    Finland's support for NATO rose enormously after the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[70][71][72] On 11 May 2022, Finland entered into a mutual security pact with the United Kingdom.[73] On 12 May, Finland's president and prime minister called for NATO membership "without delay".[74] Subsequently, on 17 May, the Parliament of Finland decided by a vote of 188–8 that it supported Finland's accession to NATO.[75][76] On 18 May the president and foreign minister submitted the application for membership.[77] Finland became a member of NATO on 4 April 2023.[78]

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Retrieved 25 August 2020. ^ "Real bridge-builder became Finland's first female government minister – thisisFINLAND". thisisFINLAND. 29 September 2017. Retrieved 7 December 2020. ^ Finland 1917–2007 (20 February 2007). "From slash-and-burn fields to post-industrial society—90 years of change in industrial structure". Stat.fi. Retrieved 26 August 2010. ^ Manninen (2008), pp. 37, 42, 43, 46, 49 ^ Tanner, Väinö (1956). The Winter War: Finland Against Russia, 1939–1940, Volume 312. Palo Alto: Stanford University Press. p. 114. ^ Trotter (2002), pp. 234–235 ^ Michael Jones (2013). "Leningrad: State of Siege". Basic Books. p. 38. ISBN 0-7867-2177-4 ^ Saarelainen, Tapio (31 October 2016). The White Sniper. Casemate. ISBN 978-1-61200-429-7. Retrieved 12 March 2019 – via Google Books. ^ Systems, Edith Cowan University School of Management Information; Australia, Teamlink (12 March 2019). "Journal of Information Warfare". Teamlink Australia Pty Limited. Retrieved 12 March 2019 – via Google Books. ^ Mäkelä, Jukka L. (1969). Marokon Kauhu [Terror of Morocco] (in Finnish). Porvoo: W. Söderström. OCLC 3935082. ^ Cleverley, J. Michael (2008). Born a Soldier: The Times and Life of Larry Thorne. Booksurge. ISBN 978-1-4392-1437-4. OCLC 299168934. ^ Hidden help from across the Atlantic Archived 29 January 2007 at the Wayback Machine, Helsingin Sanomat. ^ a b c Finland 1917–2007 (5 December 2007). "Population development in independent Finland—greying Baby Boomers". Stat.fi. Retrieved 26 August 2010. ^ Ford, Hal (August 1972). ESAU -LVI – FINLANDIZATION IN ACTION: HELSINKI'S EXPERIENCE WITH MOSCOW (PDF). DIRECTORATE OF INTELLIGENCE. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 December 2020. Retrieved 16 August 2020. ^ Uusitalo, Hannu (October 1996). "Economic Crisis and Social Policy in Finland in the 1990s" (PDF). Working Paper Series. SPRC Discussion Paper No. 70. ISSN 1037-2741. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 August 2017. Retrieved 21 January 2019. ^ formin.finland.fi Archived 5 January 2016 at the Wayback Machine; Suurlähettiläs Jaakko Blomberg: Kylmän sodan päättyminen, Suomi ja Viro – Ulkoasiainministeriö: Ajankohtaista. Retrieved 18 May 2016. ^ "TARJA HALONEN – President of Finland (2000–2012)". Council of Women World Leaders. Retrieved 29 April 2022. ^ Holmström, Bengt; Korkman, Sixten; Pohjola, Matti (21 February 2014). "The nature of Finland's economic crisis and the prerequisites for growth". VNK.fi. Retrieved 29 April 2022. ^ Virén, Matti; Vanhala, Juuso (30 June 2015). "Shortage of new firms jams labour market recovery". Bank of Finland Bulletin. Retrieved 29 April 2022. ^ "Poll suggests record-level support for Finnish President". Yle News. 7 September 2019. Retrieved 29 April 2022. ^ "Ukraine War: Finland to decide on Nato membership in weeks says PM Marin". BBC News. 13 April 2022. Retrieved 29 April 2022. ^ Gramer, Robbie (22 April 2022). "'Thanks, Putin': Finnish and Swedish Lawmakers Aim for NATO Membership". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 29 April 2022. ^ Askew, Joshua (29 April 2022). "NATO chief says Finland and Sweden could join 'quickly' as both warm to membership". Euronews. Retrieved 29 April 2022. ^ "UK agrees mutual security deals with Finland and Sweden". BBC. 11 May 2022. The UK has agreed mutual security pacts with Sweden and Finland, agreeing to come to their aid should either nation come under attack. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson visited both countries to sign the deals, amid debate about them joining Nato. ^ "Finland's leaders call for NATO membership 'without delay'". AP NEWS. 12 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022. ^ "Eduskunta äänesti Suomen Natoon hakemisen puolesta selvin äänin 188–8". Yle (in Finnish). 17 May 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2022. ^ "Finland's Parliament approves Nato application in historic vote". Yle News. 17 May 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2022. ^ "Valtioneuvosto ja presidentti viimeistelivät Nato-ratkaisun – ulkoministeri Haavisto allekirjoitti hakemuksen". Yle (in Finnish). 17 May 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2022. ^ Finland and Nato. Finnish Government 3 April 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
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Stay safe
  • Stay safe

    Risks in Finland


    Crime/violence: Low
    Most violence is alcohol-related and/or domestic – walking in the street is usually safe even in the night
    Authorities/corruption: Low
    The police are generally courteous and speak some (or good) English. They don't take bribes.
    Transportation: Low to Moderate
    Icy roads and pavements in the winter, moose and other animals occasionally crossing the roads
    Health: Low
    Tick and mosquito bites
    Nature: Low to Moderate
    Blizzards in the winter, getting lost when hiking in the forests

    ...Read more
    Stay safe

    Risks in Finland


    Crime/violence: Low
    Most violence is alcohol-related and/or domestic – walking in the street is usually safe even in the night
    Authorities/corruption: Low
    The police are generally courteous and speak some (or good) English. They don't take bribes.
    Transportation: Low to Moderate
    Icy roads and pavements in the winter, moose and other animals occasionally crossing the roads
    Health: Low
    Tick and mosquito bites
    Nature: Low to Moderate
    Blizzards in the winter, getting lost when hiking in the forests

    Caution  Note: Although Finland borders to Russia and is sympathetic to Ukraine, there is no threat towards Finland, and should not be towards Russians in Finland. Most people understand that the war is not the fault of the Russian people, but of the regime. Still, you might want to avoid speaking Russian where people may be drunk and aggressive. (Information last updated 07 Mar 2022)
    Crime

    Finland enjoys a comparatively low crime rate and is, generally, a very safe place to travel. Parents often leave their sleeping babies in a baby carriage on the street while visiting a shop, and in the countryside cars and house doors are often left unlocked. There are no no-go neighbourhoods even in the night.

    Use common sense at night, particularly on Friday and Saturday when the youth of Finland hit the streets to get drunk and in some unfortunate cases look for trouble. Don't leave valuables or your drink unguarded at night clubs.

    Racism is generally a minor concern for tourists, especially in the cosmopolitan major cities, but some drunk people looking for trouble may be more likely to target foreign looking people. Avoiding arguments with drunk gangs may be more important if you fit that description. Immigration to Finland was quite limited before the 1990s and not everybody has got used to the globalisation.

    Pickpockets used to be rare, but nowadays the situation has changed, especially in the busy tourist months in the summer, when organised pickpockets arrive from Eastern Europe. In restaurants, do not ever leave your phone, laptop, tablet, keys or wallet unattended. There have been some cases in Helsinki where thieves have been targeting breakfast buffets in hotels, where people often leave valuables unguarded for a few minutes. Regardless of that, most Finns carry their wallets in their pockets or purses and feel quite safe while doing it.

    Bicycle thieves are everywhere, never leave your bike unlocked even for a minute.

    Finnish police (poliisi/polis) are respected by the public, respectful even to drunkards and thieves, and not corrupt. Should something happen, do not hesitate to get in contact with them. In addition to the police proper, the border guard (rajavartiolaitos/gränsbevakningsväsendet) and customs officials (tulli/tull) have police powers; the border guard acts on behalf of the police in some sparsely populated areas. All these should normally be in uniform.

    In the case a police officer actually approaches you, staying calm and polite will help keep the situation on the level of discussion. They have the right to check your identity and your right to stay in the country. They might ask strange questions like where are you coming from, where are you heading next, where you stay or whether you have seen, met or know somebody. If you feel that some question could compromise your privacy, feel free to politely say so. Finnish police have wide powers for arrest and search, but they are unlikely to abuse them. If the situation deteriorates, however, they will probably take you in custody, with force if needed.

    Whatever happens, remember that Finland is one of the world's least corrupt countries. Suggestion of bribes will be met by astonishment or worse. If you get fined, payment on the spot is never expected or even possible. A "police" asking for money would be a dead giveaway that they aren't real police.

    Customs and the police are strict on drugs, including cannabis. Sniffer dogs are used in ports and airports and a positive marking will always result in a full search. Cannabis use is not generally tolerated among the population.

    Prostitution is not illegal and is mostly unregulated. However, there are no brothels, as pimping is illegal. It is also illegal to use the services of a prostitute who is a victim of human trafficking.

    Nature
     
    You don't want to get lost here! Some snow remaining in late July, 20 km to nearest village

    There are few serious health risks in Finland. Your primary enemy will be the cold, especially in wintertime and at sea.

    Finland is a sparsely populated country and, if heading out into the wilderness, it is imperative that you register your travel plans with somebody who can inform rescue services if you fail to return. Always keep your mobile phone with you if you run into trouble. Dress warmly in layers and bring along a good pair of sunglasses in the snowy times to prevent snow blindness, especially in the spring and if you plan to spend whole days outdoors. Always keep a map, a compass and preferably a GPS with you while trekking in the wilderness. Take extra precautions in Lapland, where it can be several days' hike to the nearest house or road. Weather can change rapidly, and even though the sun is shining now, you can have a medium sized blizzard on your hands (no joke!) an hour or two later. Although weather forecast generally are of good quality, there are circumstances where the weather is hard to predict, especially in regions with fells or islands. Also remember that many forecasts only cite day temperatures, while it often is 10–15°C (20–30°F) colder in the night and early morning.

    If out on the lakes and sea, remember that wind and water will cool you faster than cold air, and keeping dry means keeping warm. A person that falls into water close to freezing has to be saved quickly, and even in summer water will cool you pretty soon. If you jump into water, first check there isn't any half-submerged log to hit with your head. Safety in small boats: Don't drink alcohol, keep seated and wear a life vest at all times. If your boat capsizes – keep clothes on to stay warm and cling to the boat. Small boats are made to be unsinkable.

    In winter, lakes and the sea are frozen. Walking, skating or even driving a car on the ice is commonly seen, but fatal accidents are not unheard of either, so ask and heed local advice. If the ice fails, it is difficult to get back out of the water, as the ice will be slippery. Ice picks are sold as safety equipment (a pair of steel needles with bright plastic grips, connected with a safety line). Stay calm, shout for help, break the ice in the direction you came from, get up, creep away and get indoors with no delay. Help from somebody with a rope, a long stick or any similar improvised aid might be needed (no use having both of you in the water).

    The most important poisonous insects in Finland are wasps (ampiainen/geting), hornets (herhiläinen/bålgeting), bees (mehiläinen/bi) and bumblebees (kimalainen/humla). Their stings can be painful, but are not dangerous, unless you receive many stings or a sting by the trachea (do not lure a wasp onto your sandwich!) or if you are extremely allergic to it. In late summer, wasps can become a nuisance, but otherwise these insects tend to leave people alone if not disturbed.

    There is only one type of poisonous snake in Finland, the European adder (Finnish: kyy or kyykäärme/huggorm). Their bites are very rarely fatal (although dangerous to small children and allergic persons), but one should be careful in the summertime. If you are bitten by a snake, always get medical assistance; stay calm and call 112 to get advice.

    As for other dangerous wildlife, brown bears (karhu/björn), wolves (susi/varg), lynxes (ilves/lo), and wolverines (ahma/järv) occur across Finland, but you are lucky if you see any of these large carnivores! Talking with your company while in the forest should be enough to make them keep away, especially to avoid getting between a bear and her cubs. If you do see a bear, back off calmly.

    Also keep your distance to other wildlife, such as elk. Bulls can become aggressive and charge at humans, as can cows defending their calves. The worst risk is however running into one on the road. In Lapland, Northern Ostrobothnia, and Kainuu there is risk for reindeer collisions. They often linger peacefully on the road; if you see one reindeer anywhere near the road, reduce your speed immediately and understand there are more of them around. Always call 112 after a collision even if you did not get hurt, as the animal probably did.

    In case of emergency

    112 is the national phone number for all emergency services, including police and social services, and it does not require an area code, regardless of what kind of phone you are using. The number works on any mobile phone, whether it is keylocked or not, and with or without a SIM card. If a cellphone challenges you with a PIN code, you can simply type in 112 as a PIN code – most phones will give a choice to call the number (or call without asking). The operator will answer in Finnish or Swedish, but your switching to English should be no problem.

    There is a 112 app, which will use your GPS to get your position when you use it to call the emergency services. The app knows also some related phone numbers. The updated version is available for android and iPhone in the respective app stores. Have it installed before you need it! It relies on mobile data, so is not reliable in some remote areas, and the GPS position is unreliable unless the GPS has been on for some time. But along the main roads, where you are most likely not to know your position, mobile coverage is good.

    For inquiries about poisons or toxins (from mushrooms, plants, medicine or other chemicals) call the national Toxin Information Office at +358 9 471-977. Finns often have an "adder kit" (kyypakkaus, 50 mg hydrocortisone) at their cottages, although this is not enough by itself except perhaps for bee or wasp stings; with an adder bite, one should call 112 with no undue delay.

    The time for help to arrive can be quite long in sparsely populated areas (around an hour, more in extreme areas; in cities just minutes), so it makes sense to have basic first-aid supplies at hand when visiting cottages or the wilderness. First aid training is quite common, so amateur help may be available. In case of cardiac arrest, public defibrillators (Finnish: defibrillaattori) are often available; still begin CPR immediately to the best of your ability, after telling someone to call 112.

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Phrasebook

Hello
Hei
World
Maailman
Hello world
Hei maailma
Thank you
Kiitos
Goodbye
Hyvästi
Yes
Joo
No
Ei
How are you?
Mitä kuuluu?
Fine, thank you
Hyvin kiitos
How much is it?
Paljonko se on?
Zero
Nolla
One
Yksi

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