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General information


Population : 5.5 milion people (114th in the World,25th in Europe)
Total Area : 338,424 km^2 (64th in the World,8th in Europe)
Official languages : Finnish, Swedish
Official currency : Euro(EUR)
Capital : Helsinki
Population density : 16 people/km^2 (201st in the World,53th in Europe)
Top 5 biggest cities : Helsinki,Espoo,Tampere,Vantaa,Oulu

Finland is a parliamentary republic with a central government based in the capital city of Helsinki, local governments in 311 municipalities,and one autonomous region, the Åland Islands. Over 1.4 million people live in the Greater Helsinki metropolitan area, which produces one third of the country's GDP.

Finland is part of Fennoscandia, a geographical region that also includes Scandinavia. They are NOT a Scandinavian country, because the Finnish language is NOT related to other Nordic languages like Swedish,Danish etc. In fact, the Finnish language is not even Indo-European, but Uralic, along with Estonian and Hungarian.




National sports : Pesäpallo (commonly known as Finnish baseball)

Ice hockey





National animals : Brown bear (Ursus arctos)

Whooper swan(Cygnus cygnus)




National plant: Lily of the valley(Convallaria majalis)





The significance of the 6th of December


6 December celebrates Finland’s declaration of independence from the Russian Republic in 1917.

The movement for Finland's independence started after the revolutions in Russia, caused by disturbances inside Russia from hardships connected to the First World War. This gave Finland an opportunity to withdraw from Russian rule. After several disagreements between the non-socialists and the social-democrats over who should have the power in Finland, on 4 December 1917, the Senate of Finland, led by Pehr Evind Svinhufvud, finally made a Declaration of Independence which was adopted by the Finnish parliament two days later.

It is traditional for Finnish families to light two candles in each window of their home in the evening. This custom dates to the 1920s; but even earlier, candles had been placed in Finnish windows on poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg's birthday as a silent protest against Russian oppression. A popular legend has it that two candles were used as a sign to inform young Finnish men on their way to Sweden and Germany to become jägers that the house was ready to offer shelter and keep them hidden from the Russians.




Today marks 100 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE!








Time to mention Finland’s most famous literary work:


Kalevala is a 19th-century work of epic poetry compiled by Elias Lönnrot from Karelian and Finnish oral folklore and mythology.
It is regarded as the national epic of Karelia and Finland and is one of the most significant works of Finnish literature. The Kalevala was instrumental in the development of the Finnish national identity, the intensification of Finland's language strife and the growing sense of nationality that ultimately led to Finland's independence from Russia in 1917.
The Kalevala begins with the traditional Finnish creation myth, leading into stories of the creation of the earth, plants, creatures and the sky. Creation, healing, combat and internal story telling are often accomplished by the character(s) involved singing of their exploits or desires. Many parts of the stories involve a character hunting or requesting lyrics (spells) to acquire some skill, such as boat-building or the mastery of iron making.
As well as magical spell casting and singing, there are many stories of lust, romance, kidnapping and seduction. The protagonists of the stories often have to accomplish feats that are unreasonable or impossible which they often fail to achieve leading to tragedy and humiliation.
The Sampo is a pivotal element of the whole work. Many actions and their consequences are caused by the Sampo itself or a character's interaction with the Sampo. It is described as a magical talisman or device that brings its possessor great fortune and prosperity, but its precise nature has been the subject of debate to the present day.
The poems in Kalevala are ordered in a number of cycles, usually revolving around a certain character, with exceptions awarded to poems revolving around certain events.
Major characters in Kalevala include Väinämöinen, a shamanistic hero with a magical power of song and music similar to that of Orpheus; Lemminkäinen, a handsome, arrogant and reckless ladies-man ; Kullervo, a misguided and troubled youth, at odds with himself and his situation and many others like Ilmarinen, Marjatta, Joukahainen and others.
Väinämöinen:


Lemminkäinen:


Kullervo:



Kalevala Day is celebrated in Finland on 28 February, to match Elias Lönnrot's first version of The Kalevala in 1835.It is on the same day as the Finnish Culture Day.The Kalevala has been translated over one-hundred and fifty times into over sixty different languages.J.R.R. Tolkien claimed The Kalevala as one of his sources for The Silmarillion. For example, Kullervo is the basis of Túrin Turambar in Narn i Chîn Húrin, including the sword that speaks when the anti-hero uses it to commit suicide. Echoes of The Kalevala's characters, Väinämöinen in particular, can be found in Tom Bombadil of The Lord of the Rings.








Top 5 visited places by tourists


Helsinki

*Uspenski Cathedral







As the country’s capital, Helsinki is the most popular place to visit in Finland and a destination you won’t want to miss. If Helsinki looks a lot like St. Petersburg, it is because it was built to replicate the Russian city’s style in 1812. Today, some of the main attractions in Helsinki include the many churches, the three most important of which include the Lutheran Cathedral, the Church in the Rock and the Uspenski Cathedral. The stadium that served as the site of the 1952 Olympics is worth a visit, as is the art deco architecture of the Parliament House. While there are dozens of excellent museums and galleries in Helsinki, one of the best to see is the National Museum of Finland, which does a great job of tracing Finnish history over time.




Rovaniemi






If you want to experience the beauty of Lapland, then Rovaniemi is the ultimate gateway to it all. The capital of Finnish Lapland, Rovaniemi was completely destroyed at the end of the Second World War. As a result, much of the architecture is mid-century and brutalist in design. While Rovaniemi is home to a number of wonderful attractions, a highlight is undoubtedly that it serves as the official Finnish home to Santa Claus. Visitors can tour Santa Claus Village, get stamps from the Santa Claus Post Office and even visit the Santa-themed underground amusement park. None-Christmas attractions in Rovaniemi include the Korundi House of Culture, the Pilke Science Center and the engineering feat known as the Jätkänkynttilä Bridge.

I have to admit it, this is my personal favorite so far in 31 articles… I mean, Santa !!



Savonlinna





A small city in the heart of Finnish Lakeland, Savonlinna is a charming historic destination worth a visit on your next trip to Finland. Located in the middle of Lake Saimma on a series of islands, the area’s biggest attraction is unquestionably Olavinlinna, or St. Olaf’s Castle, which was built in the 15th century. Since the castle’s location wasn’t militarily or politically important for centuries, it has withstood the test of time and remains largely intact and furnished. Also worth checking out in Savonlinna is the Orthodox Museum, the Savonlinna Provincial Museum and nearby Kerimäki, where the world’s biggest wooden church is located. In Savonlinna’s market square, be sure to dig into muikku, or a local herring dish, from one of the many vendors in the area.


Porvoo







The second-oldest town in all of Finland is Porvoo, a destination known for its unique and picturesque wooden homes. As you stroll through the cobblestone streets of Old Porvoo, known to locals as Vanha Porvoo, you can see landmarks from the 13th century, although much of the wooden architecture was constructed at the end of the 19th century. Other great ways to pass the time in Porvoo include touring the 11th century Porvoo Cathedral, exploring local art and heritage at the Porvoo Museum and indulging in delicious local pastries and candies at the Brunberg shop, an iconic business in the city.


Kemi snow castle





Industrially, Kemi is a city in Finnish Lapland that is known best for its pulp mills. Travelers, however, know Kemi best as the location of the iconic snow castle. The castle is built yearly, and it can be three stories tall and serve as the venue for weddings and live musical performances. Guests can even stay overnight in the snow hotel, should they choose! Kemi also has a bustling nightlife scene, and the destination is where you can board the arctic icebreaker tour that winds through the arctic waters in search of breathtaking icebergs and incredible views.








Top 3 locations suggested by the locals

Koli National Park







The summer and winter routes take the wanderer from the Koli national landscape to the fells, open fields, forests, and beaches.



Archipelago of Turku








The Turku Archipelago is certainly one of the most prolific in the worl😛 a total of some 20,000 islands and skerries, most in their pristine natural state, are scattered from Turku all the way out to the Åland Islands.


Kalajoki







Kalajoki is a well known tourist attraction place in Finland due to long sandy beaches (sea) and related activities.







Inventions Finland gave to the world!

*Molotov cocktail!



*Sauna!



*Nokia!



*Angry Birds!



*Xylitol!







Famous people from Finland

Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim - Finnish military leader and statesman.Mannerheim served as the military leader of the Whites in the Finnish Civil War, Regent of Finland (1918–1919), commander-in-chief of Finland's defence forces during World War II, Marshal of Finland, and the sixth president of Finland (1944–1946).
(1867-1951)

Simo Häyhä - nicknamed White Death, was a Finnish sniper.Using a Finnish-produced M/28-30 rifle (a variant of the Mosin–Nagant rifle) and the Suomi KP/-31 submachine gun, he is reported by western sources to have killed 505 men during the 1939–40 Winter War, the highest recorded number of sniper kills in any major war.
(1905-2002)

Jean Sibelius - Finnish composer and violinist of the late Romantic and early-modern periods. He is widely recognized as his country's greatest composer and, through his music, is often credited with having helped Finland to develop a national identity during its struggle for independence from Russia.
(1865-1957)

Mikael Agricola - was a Lutheran clergyman who became the de facto founder of literary Finnish and a prominent proponent of the Protestant Reformation in Sweden, including Finland, which was a Swedish territory at the time. He is often called the "father of literary Finnish".
(1510-1557)

Linus Benedict Torvalds - Finnish-American software engineer who is the creator, and for a long time, principal developer of the Linux kernel, which became the kernel for operating systems such as the Linux operating system, Android, and Chrome OS.
(born 1969)








Traditional food


Karjalanpiirakka



Rice porridge in a rye crust. Best served with munavoi, a mixture of hard boiled eggs and butter.

Sautéed reindeer





Perhaps the best known traditional meal from Lapland, especially in Finland, Sweden, Norway and Russia. Usually steak or the back of the reindeer is used. It is sliced thinly , fried in fat, spiced with black pepper and salt, and finally some water, cream, or beer is added and cooked until tender. The dish is served with mashed potatoes and lingonberry preserves or, more traditionally, with raw lingonberries mashed with sugar.


Kalakukko




A fish pie baked in a thick rye bread crust.


Mustamakkara



Sausages made from pork, pig blood, rye seeds and flour. Served with lingonberry jam.

Silakat



Very salty, fried herring.

Pyttipannu



Diced and fried potatos, onions and sausage, served with fried eggs.

Merimiespata



A stew made up on beef, potatoes, onions and beer.

Lanttulaatikko



Kind of like mashed potatoes, but with turnip.


Traditional deserts

Mämmi



A traditional Easter porridge, with a strong molasses flavour. Typically served with milk.


Leipäjuusto



Oven-cooked cheese that squeaks when you bite into it. Best served hot with cloudberry jam.


Kiisseli



A cross between a berry soup and a berry jelly.

Pannukakku



Oven cooked pancakes, traditionally served with forest berries.

Joulutorttu




Traditional drinks

Jaloviina



Cut brandy.

Sahti



Sahti is a traditional beer from Finland made from a variety of grains, malted and unmalted, including barley, rye, and oats.







Interesting facts about Finland


1.There are about two million saunas in Finland, enough for the entire Finnish population to take a sauna at the same time.
2.Finland hosts the Wife Carrying World Championships every year. In which men attempt to carry their wives through an obstacle course the fastest, with the grand prize being his woman’s weight in beer.
3.During the Winter War, Soviet foreign minister Vyacheslav Molotov said the soviet planes over Finland were not bombers but humanitarian food drops. The Finns responded by naming their improvised explosives Molotov Cocktails, “A drink to go with the food.”
4.Finland is one of the only two countries in the world that have earned a medal at every Olympic game since 1908.
5.Finland has the most number of heavy metal bands per capita in the world. While Sweden and Norway have only 27 heavy metal bands per 100,000 inhabitants, Finland boasts double as much, 54 bands per 100,000.
6.Finland has been ranked to have world’s most free press 12 times since 2002 by Reporters Without Borders.
7.The Sami people of Northern Finland have a unit of measurement called the ‘poronkusema’ – the distance a reindeer can walk before needing to urinate.
8.34% of all alcohol sold at liquor stores in the entire country of Estonia are bought by people from Finland. Also, roughly 2% of the Finnish population visits Estonia up to 3 times a month to buy alcohol.
9.Angry Birds and Clash of Clans have helped rejuvenate Finland’s economy after Nokia’s downfall.
10. In Finland, they mostly don’t have the restriction of ‘trespassing’. You can roam across and camp on nearly all land, pick berries and mushrooms and catch fish.






My 5 words when I hear about Finlan😛
#Sauna,#Hockey,#Helsinki,#Christmas,#Lapland

What are your 5?
Honorable mention to Moomins!:








Special thanks to MonkeyManFIN and the finnish community and a time to learn a little finnish:









And last but not least..this one needs practice, trust me...




Waiting for feedback , comments , opinions and if there is anyone that thinks I missed something , I could do something better or just wants to help me with this project , PM me !

Special thanks to Kariky for the spacers !!



Hope you enjoyed and see you next time!

P.S. Article 31/74!






P.S.2. Don't forget to push the flags !