Finland

Flag

On a white background, it features a blue Nordic cross, which represents Christianity.

Coat of armys

A crowned lion on a red field, the right foreleg replaced with an armoured human arm brandishing a sword, trampling on a sabre with the hindpaws.

Finland is a Nordic country located in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the west, Russia to the east, Norway to the north, and is defined by the Gulf of Bothnia to the west, and the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea across Estonia to the south.

The politics of Finland take place within the framework of a parliamentary representative democracy. Finland is a republic whose head of state is President Sauli Niinistö, who leads the nation's foreign policy and is the supreme commander of the Finnish Defence Forces.

Finland joined the Third Phase of the Economic and Monetary Union in May 1998 and adopted the common currency, the euro, in 1999. Euro coins and notes were introduced in the beginning of 2002 in 12 Member States of the European Union.

Located on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, it is the seat of the region of Uusimaa in southern Finland

Helsinki

Helsinki is the most populous urban area in Finland as well as the country's most important center for politics, education, finance, culture, and research. It has one of the world's highest urban standards of living.

Other big cities than Helsinki are Rovaniemi, Kuusamo, Pargas and Kuhmo.

Rovaniemi is the capital of Lapland.In Rovaniemi you can visit Santa Claus and cross the Arctic Circle every day of the year!

Kuusamo is a major center for winter sports and receives approximately a million tourists every year. One of the largest ski resorts in Finland, Ruka, is situated in Kuusamo

Pargas is a town and municipality of Finland, in the Archipelago Sea. The big limestone mine in Pargas is the base of the main industry and except for the central parts, the municipality is still mostly rural.

Vartius, one of the border crossing points between Finland and Russia, is located in northern Kuhmo.

A Finn’s mother tongue is either Finnish, Swedish or Saami.English is widely spoken in Finland and in the business community some companies use it as their house language.

Interesting places

Tampere

Founded in 1779 as an industrial settlement, Tampere is Finland's third largest town, but doesn't feel like a large urban center. It lies between two lakes: Näsijärvi, to the north, and Pyhäjärvi, to the south, which are linked by the Tammerkoski, a stretch of rapids nearly a kilometer long. Along with its industry, Tampere is known for its active cultural life with an open-air theater and frequent festivals.

Northern Lights

For most people, seeing the Northern Lights is a once-in-a-lifetime treat. Finland is perhaps the top country in the world for seeing these blazing curtains of light drape across the sky. Although, at times, the lights can be seen even in the southern most regions of the nation, the best place to see them is in the region close to or north of the Arctic Circle. Here, between September and March, visitors are almost guaranteed a show if the sky is clear. A wide range of hotels in the north cater specifically to people wanting to see the lights. Also, the Finnish Meteorological Institute allows you to sign up for free Northern Lights email alerts.

Helsiniki Churches

Three of the top places to visit in Helsinki are churches, two of them cathedrals and the third a landmark of modern architecture. Uspensky Orthodox Cathedral rises dramatically above the east side of the harbor, its 13 green-topped spires ending in gold cupolas. This is western Europe's largest Orthodox church, its interior glowing with gold, icons, crosses, altars, and intricately decorated arches.

Vaasa

Established in the 1300s, Vaasa was an important town in the time that Sweden ruled Finland. The original town burned down in 1852 and was relocated six kilometers northwest near a better harbor. The ruins of the old city are now a giant park (Vanha Vaasa, Gamla Vasa). The town is about 34 percent Swedish speaking and retains many ties to Sweden. Surrounded by a wide range of cafés, restaurants, and shops, the large market place is the center of city life. This peaceful town offers plenty of attractions. Visitors can walk along the waterfront, which begins in front of the town and extends for miles along the coast.

Culture and traditions

Wife-carrying - where a man quite literally carries his wife through a special competition track filled with set obstacles has been around since the dawn of the 19th century.

Sausage and Potatoes - You might’ve had a sausage in your life before but never a sausage and potatoes quite like this. Simple, greasy and delicious; this traditional dish is most commonly consumed during the late-night hours after several drinks.

Vihta/Vasta - Sauna plays a special role in the cultural traditions of Finland, and no visit to the country can be made without experiencing the true nature of sauna – the purifying act of using vihta or vasta. These two words mean the same thing: a twig bundle made of birch twigs, bundled together with natural material. This tradition is mostly cultivated during the summertime when fresh birch twigs and leaves are available everywhere. Once you have made it to Finnish sauna and have been handed a vihta, you are ready to start hitting yourself gently with this object, leaving your skin red, slightly sore and smelling like a summer forest.

Natural landmarks

Oulanka National Park

The many trail options and hanging bridges of the Oulanka National Park will take you to the most impressive waterfalls in Finland. The jumps of wild brown trout, the dives of European dippers, the unlimited beauty of the aapa mires and the lovely calypso will challenge even the experienced nature photographer.

Nuuksio National Park

Verdant forests and shimmering blue lakes are easily accessed thanks to the network of well-groomed and marked trails. Apart from hiking, cycling, and kayaking, visitors can enjoy picking berries and mushrooms, swimming and horse riding. During the warmer months, adventurous types can pack their backpacks for a memorable campout. Note that the large campsites within the park boundaries are free and equipped with fire pits where you can cook on an open fire.

Pihlajasaari Recreational Park

At Pihlajasaari Recreational Park you can swim at sandy beaches or jog and hike through wooded areas. This island was once a villa resort with small cottages scattered throughout its forests and seafronts.Visit the beach by boat and spend a day surrounded by diverse wildlife and colorful cottages, or swim in the clear sea. You can also camp at a designated area. If you're hungry, visit the restaurant inside a 19th-century wooden villa for some smoked Finnish salmon.

Pop culture

Alma-Sofia Miettinen is a Finnish singer and songwriter.Beginning her career in 2013, she placed fifth in the seventh season of the Finnish version of Idol. Her breakthrough came in 2015 when she was featured on the single "Muuta ku mä" by Sini Sabotage.The following year she released the singles "Karma" and "Dye My Hair", both of which became top ten hits in Finland. Her 2017 single "Chasing Highs" repeated this success, and also reached the top twenty in Germany and the United Kingdom. She has collaborated frequently with English singer Charli XCX, Swedish singer Tove Lo, English DJ Digital Farm Animals who produced most of the songs of her debut album and most recently, American singer Miley Cyrus.In a March 2019 article in Gay Times, Alma confirmed she is lesbian and in a relationship.Her partner is the Finnish poet and civil rights activist Natalia Kallio.

Isac Elliot is a Finland-Swedish pop singer, songwriter, dancer and actor. He is best known for his song "New Way Home" and his debut album Wake Up World in 2013, both of which gained success in Finland and Norway. The follow-up album Follow Me was released in 2014 charting in Finland and Norway.He is the son of Fredrik Lundén, the lead singer for the band The Capital Beat.

Robin Packalen is a Finnish singer who started as a teen pop artist. During his career, Robin's certified albums and singles have sold over 370,000 copies, which makes him one of the 70 best-selling artists of all-time in his country.On 16 January 2012, Robin, described as "The Justin Bieber of Finland" by his label, released his first official single "Frontside Ollie". It received instant success, huge following online, and based on digital downloads debuted at number five on the Finnish Singles Chart before reaching the top position.

A GUIDE TO FINNISH CUSTOMS AND MANNERS

Finland is an easy coun try to visit. Finnish customs and manners are clearly European, with only a few national variations, and attitudes are liberal.It is difficult in Finland to make or break a reputation with a single social blunder.Finns place great value on words, which is reflected in the tendency to say little and avoid ‘unnecessary’ small talk. As the Chinese proverb puts it, “Your speech should be better than silence, if it is not, be silent.”Finns have a strong sense of national identity. They would be happy if visitors knew something about the achievements of well-known Finns in sports and culture.Finns love reading things written about them abroad, and visitors should not feel uncomfortable being asked repeatedly what they think of Finland. However, although Finns are ready enough to criticize their own country, they do not necessarily wish to hear visitors doing so.Nevertheless, it is fair to say that Finns have a special attitude to words and speech: words are taken seriously, and people are held to what they say. “Take a man by his words and a bull by its horns,” says a Finnish proverb.When meeting, Finns shake hands and make eye contact. Handshakes are brief and firm, and involve no supporting gestures.Table manners are European.

Finland Food

Finland's food scene has flourished in the last few years, as a wave of gourmet restaurants in the major cities has added gastronomic innovation to the exceptional fresh local produce.

Finnish cuisine has been influenced by both Sweden and Russia and draws on what was traditionally available: fish, game, meat, milk and potatoes, with dark rye used to make bread and porridge, and few spices employed.

Soups are a Finnish favourite and one common in homes and restaurants. Heavy pea, meat or cabbage soups are traditional workers' fare, while creamier fish soups have a more delicate flavour.

Meals

Finns tend to eat their biggest meal of the day at lunchtime, so many cafes and restaurants put on a lounas special from Monday to Friday. This usually consists of soup plus salad or hot meal or both, and includes a soft drink, coffee and sometimes dessert.

Most hotels offer a free buffet breakfast, which includes bread, cheese, cold cuts, pastries, berries, cereals and lots of coffee, and may run to pickled or smoked fish, sausages and eggs.

Finns have dinner as early as 5pm. It's often just a light meal, but eat much later if it’s an organised, ‘going out for dinner’ affair.

Not-so-sweet Sweets

Finns love their sweets, although some of them make the unsuspecting visitor feel like the victim of a novelty-shop joke. Salty liquorice, fiery 'Turkish peppers' and tar-flavoured gumdrops may sound like punishments rather than rewards, but are delicious after the first few times. Finnish chocolates, particularly those made by Fazer, are also excellent.

Karjalanpiirakka

Karjalanpiirakka are a very popular pastry in Finland originally from the region of Karelia. The rye crust is traditionally filled with rice porridge and topped with egg butter. It is eaten in Finland for breakfast, as a snack, and even served at weddings.

Ruisleipa

Rye bread may be nothing new to you, but Finland's version is genuine 100% rye bread made from unique Finnish yeasts to give it a dark, dense character. This bread is one of Finland's staple foods and a part of Finns' cultural identity for thousands of years. Leavened rye breads are often dried into thin crisp for open-faced sandwiches or to be snacked on with butter.

Leipajuusto

Known as Finnish squeaky cheese in the US, Leipajuusto is a fresh cheese traditionally made from cow's beestings - rich milk from a cow that has recently calved. It's often served alongside coffee or with cloudberry jam.

Lihapullat

These meatballs are similar to the ones served in Sweden (hence, IKEA's big seller), but with less spices and herbs. Most importantly, the Finnish recipe calls for kermaviili, a curd cream. Lihapullat is traditionally served with cooked or mashed potatoes, gravy, lingonberry jam and cucumber pickles.

Prepared by Trayana Toncheva and Viktoria Zheliazkova 7g class

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