I.

Introduction

Finland, country in northwestern Europe on the Baltic Sea. Finland is one of Europe’s most northerly countries, with about one-third of its area lying north of the Arctic Circle. Finland is a land of vast green forests and sparkling lakes, of ultramodern buildings and old, walled castles. Its woodlands, which are its most important natural resource, are often referred to as Finland’s “green gold.” Helsinki is the capital and largest city of Finland.

Finland is generally a low-lying country. Great sheets of ice covered Finland until a few thousand years ago. The movement of the ice sheets ground down the terrain, leaving a landscape dotted with thousands of lakes. The country’s official name is the Republic of Finland, but the Finns call their country Suomi—a word that means “land of lakes and marshes.”

Finland is landlocked to the north, where it borders Norway, and to the east, where it borders Russia. To the south lies the Gulf of Finland and to the west lies the Gulf of Bothnia. Thousands of small, rocky islands fringe Finland’s southwestern coast. Few of the islands are inhabited. The most important island group is an extensive archipelago called Ahvenanmaa, (Åland Islands), located at the mouth of the Gulf of Bothnia.

In Finland’s Arctic region, there is almost continuous daylight from May through July. During these months of “midnight sun,” Finland’s scenic coastal areas draw thousands of boaters. In the interior, Finland’s large tracts of unspoiled wilderness attract hikers from around the world.

Finland is sometimes grouped with the countries of Scandinavia, with which it maintains close ties. However, for centuries, Finland was a border zone between the rival powers of Sweden and Russia. After 700 years of Swedish domination, Finland fell to Russia in 1809. It first became an independent state in 1917, after the Russian Revolution. From the end of World War II to 1991, Finland was bound to the Soviet Union by strong economic ties and by a treaty of friendship and cooperation signed in 1948. After 1991, Finland moved toward closer relations with Europe and became a full member of the European Union (EU) in 1995.

Although Finland is one of the youngest nations in Europe, it is renowned for its distinct cultural traditions. Finland is especially noted for its contributions to modern architecture and industrial design. The sauna, or Finnish steam bath, is world-famous and part of the Finnish way of life.