   #copyright

Finland

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Countries; European
Countries

   Suomen tasavalta
   Republiken Finland
   Republic of Finland

   Flag of Finland Coat of arms of Finland
   Flag            Coat of arms
   Motto: none
   (the words vapaa, vankka, vakaa, i.e., "free, tough, stable," were
   suggested as addition to the coat of arms, but were dropped)
   Anthem: Maamme ( Finnish) / Vårt land ( Swedish)
   (English: Our Land)
   Location of Finland
   Capital
   (and largest city) Helsinki
   60°10′N 24°56′E
   Official languages Finnish, Swedish
   Government Parliamentary democracy ^1
    - President Tarja Halonen
    - Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen
   Independence From Bolshevist Russia
    - Declared December 6, 1917
    - Recognised January 3, 1918
   Accession to EU January 1, 1995
   Area
    - Total 338,145 km² ( 65th)
   130,558 sq mi
    - Water (%) 9.4
   Population
    - 2006 estimate 5,274,820 ( October 2006) ( 112th)
    - 2000 census 5,181,115
    - Density 16/km² ( 190th)
   40/sq mi
   GDP ( PPP) 2005 estimate
    - Total $163 billion ( 52nd)
    - Per capita $31,208 ( 13th)
   GDP (nominal) 2005 estimate
    - Total $193.491 billion ( 32nd)
    - Per capita $37,504 ( 11th)
   HDI  (2004) 0.947 (high) ( 11th)
   Currency Euro ( €)^2 ( EUR)
   Time zone EET ( UTC+2)
    - Summer ( DST) EEST ( UTC+3)
   Internet TLD .fi ^3
   Calling code +358
   ^1 Semi-presidential system
   ^2 Prior to 2002: Finnish markka.
   ^3 The .eu domain is also used, as it is shared with other European
   Union member states.

   The Republic of Finland ( Finnish: Suomi, Suomen tasavalta, Swedish:
   Republiken Finland ), is one of the Nordic countries. Situated in
   Northern Europe, it shares land borders with Sweden to the west, Russia
   to the east and Norway to the north while Estonia lies to its south.
   Finland is bounded by the Baltic Sea with the Gulf of Finland to the
   south and the Gulf of Bothnia to the west. The Åland Islands, off the
   south-western coast, are an autonomous province of Finland.

   Finland has a population of 5,274,820 people spread over more than
   330,000 km² (127,000  sq. mi) making it one of the most sparsely
   populated countries in the world.

   Finland is ranked 11th on the 2006 United Nations Human Development
   Index.

   Along with Estonian, Hungarian and Maltese, Finnish is one of the few
   official languages of the European Union that is not of Indo-European
   origin.

History

Prehistory (8500 BCE– )

   According to archaeological evidence, the area now comprising Finland
   was first settled around 8500 BCE during the Stone Age as the ice
   shield of the last ice age receded. The earliest people were probably
   hunter-gatherers, living primarily off what the tundra and sea could
   offer. Pottery is known from around the 5300 BCE (see Comb Ceramic
   Culture). It has been postulated and held probable that the speakers of
   the Finno-Ugric language arrived in the area during the Stone Age (see
   Finno-Ugric peoples), and were possibly even among the first Mesolithic
   settlers. The arrival of the Battle-Axe Culture (or Cord-Ceramic
   Culture) in southern coastal Finland around 3200 BCE may have coincided
   with the start of agriculture. However, the earliest certain records of
   agriculture are from the late 3rd millennium B.C. Hunting and fishing
   continued to be important parts of the subsistence economy, especially
   in the northern and eastern parts of the country.

   The Bronze Age ( 1500– 500 BCE) and Iron Age (500 BCE– 1200 CE) were
   characterised by extensive contacts with Scandinavia, northern Russia
   and the Baltic region. Inhabitants of Finland - like the Kvens - and
   their "kings" are mentioned in some historic chronicles and other
   writings such as the Scandinavian sagas. There are also some written
   documents from the 13th century.

The Swedish reign (1154–1809)

   Olavinlinna (the medieval St. Olaf's Castle) in Savonlinna, the venue
   for the annual Savonlinna Opera Festival. Built in 1475.
   Enlarge
   Olavinlinna (the medieval St. Olaf's Castle) in Savonlinna, the venue
   for the annual Savonlinna Opera Festival. Built in 1475.

   The beginning of Finland's nearly 700-year association with the Kingdom
   of Sweden is traditionally connected with the year 1154 and the
   hypothesised introduction of Christianity by Sweden's King Erik.
   However, archaeological evidence points to prior Christian influences
   in south-western and south-eastern Finland and include both western and
   eastern Christian artefacts. Historically (more documented), the union
   began upon Birger jarl's expedition to Finland in 1249. Swedish became
   the dominant language of administration and education; Finnish chiefly
   a language for the peasantry, clergy and local courts in predominantly
   Finnish-speaking areas. The society was divided in four estates of the
   realm: nobility, clergy, burghers and peasants, who represented the
   majority. Not until the 16th century were the first written works
   published in Finnish by Mikael Agricola.

   The Swedish Kingdom strove to push the borders eastward, which led to
   wars of varying success with Novgorod. The expansion was halted by the
   unification of Russia and was eventually rolled back. During the 18th
   century, virtually all of Finland was twice occupied by Russian forces
   (1714–1721 and 1742–1743), known by the Finns as the Greater Wrath and
   the Lesser Wrath. During this time "Finland" became the predominant
   term for the whole land area from the Gulf of Bothnia to the Russian
   border; both in domestic Swedish debate and by Russians promising
   protection from "Swedish oppression."

   The earlier Finland – i.e. the south-western area – was from then on
   called "Finland Proper." The Finnish areas ceded to Russia in 1721 and
   1743 (excluding Ingria) were called "Old Finland." In these areas the
   traditional freedom of peasants was constantly pushed towards the
   oppressed position peasants had in other parts of Russia.

Finland as a Grand Duchy of Russia (1809–1917)

   The 13 of 19 women elected to Parliament in 1907. The Finnish
   Parliament is celebrating its centenary in 2006–2007.
   Enlarge
   The 13 of 19 women elected to Parliament in 1907. The Finnish
   Parliament is celebrating its centenary in 2006–2007.

   On March 29, 1809, after being conquered by the armies of Russian
   Emperor Alexander I, Finland became an autonomous Grand Duchy under the
   Russian Empire until the end of 1917. Old Finland was returned to the
   Grand Duchy in 1812. During the Russian era, the Finnish language
   started to gain recognition by both the imperial court and the
   governing bodies, first probably to sever the cultural and emotional
   ties with Sweden and thereafter, from the 1860s onwards, as a result of
   a strong nationalist movement, known as the Fennoman movement.
   Milestones included the publication of what would become Finland's
   national epic, the Kalevala, in 1835; and the Finnish language
   achieving equal legal status with Swedish in 1892.

   In 1906, Universal suffrage was adopted in the Grand Duchy of Finland.
   However, the relationship between the Grand Duchy and the Russian
   Empire gradually soured when the Russian government made moves to
   restrict the Finnish autonomy. Wishes for national independence gained
   ground, first among radical nationalists and Socialists.

The independent republic, Civil War (1917–1918)

   On December 6, 1917, shortly after the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia,
   Finland declared its independence. The independence was approved by
   Bolshevist Russia but the Civil Wars that followed in Russia and in
   Finland and activist expeditions (see Heimosodat), including the ones
   to White Karelia and Aunus, complicated relations.

   In 1918, the country experienced a brief but bitter Civil War that
   coloured domestic politics for many years. The Civil War was fought
   between "the whites," who gained support from Imperial Germany, and
   "the reds," supported by Bolshevist Russia. The reds consisted mostly
   of leftist property–less rural and industrial workers who, despite
   universal suffrage in 1906, felt that they lacked political influence.
   The white forces were mostly made up of bourgeoisie and wealthy
   peasantry, politically more to the right. Eventually, the whites
   overcame the reds. The deep social and political dividing line and
   mutual enmity between the Reds and Whites remained.

The inter-war era (1918–1939)

   Despite the Declaration of Independence calling Finland a Republic
   after the Civil War, the parliament, cleared of its Social Democrat
   members, voted with a narrow majority to establish the Kingdom of
   Finland. Frederick Charles of Hesse, a German prince, was elected King,
   putatively with the name Väinö I of Finland, with Pehr Evind Svinhufvud
   and General Mannerheim serving as Regents. However, Germany's defeat in
   World War I meant that the idea was abandoned. Finland instead became a
   republic, with Kaarlo Juho Ståhlberg elected as its first President in
   1919.

   The Finnish–Russian border was agreed upon in the Treaty of Tartu in
   1920, largely following the historic border but granting Pechenga (
   Finnish: Petsamo) and its Barents Sea harbour to Finland.

   Finnish democracy survived the upsurge of the extreme right and
   financial crisis during the early 30´s. However, legislators reacted
   against Communism and the relationship between Finland and the Soviet
   Union remained tense.

Finland in World War II (1939–1945)

   Fokker D.XXI planes of the Finnish Air Force during World War II.
   Enlarge
   Fokker D.XXI planes of the Finnish Air Force during World War II.

   During World War II, Finland fought the Soviet Union twice: in the
   Winter War of 1939–1940 and in the Continuation War of 1941–1944 in
   accordance with Operation Barbarossa in which Germany invaded the
   Soviet Union. This was followed by the Lapland War of 1944–1945, when
   Finland forced the Germans out of northern Finland. After the wars
   there were land mine clearance operations in Karelia and Lapland plus
   the enormous task of sea mine clearance in the Gulf of Finland and the
   Baltic Sea during 1944 - 1950. The mines in Lapland especially slowed
   down the rebuilding and caused casualties.

   Treaties signed in 1947 and 1948 with the Soviet Union included
   obligations, restraints, and reparations on Finland vis-à-vis the
   Soviet Union as well as further Finnish territorial concessions (cf.
   the Moscow Peace Treaty of 1940). Finland ceded most of Finnish
   Karelia, Salla, and Petsamo, which amounted to 10% of its land area,
   20% of industrial capacity and 400,000 evacuees. Establishing trade
   with the Western powers, such as Great Britain, and the reparations to
   the Soviet Union caused Finland to transform itself from a primarily
   agrarian economy to an industrialised one. Even after reparations were
   fulfilled, Finland continued to trade with the Soviet Union in the
   framework of bilateral trade. Ultimately, the Soviet Union had a
   national debt to Finland. Russia assumed the debt after the dissolution
   of the Soviet Union and finally cleared it in 2006.

The post-war era and modern history

   After the Second World War, neutral Finland lay in the grey zone
   between the western countries and the Soviet Union. The " 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 in instances such as the 1958 crisis in Finno-Soviet
   relations (the so-called "night frost," yöpakkaset, in the relations).
   There was also a tendency of self-censorship regarding Finno-Soviet
   relations. This phenomenon was given the name Finlandisation by the
   German press. However, Finland maintained a democratic government and a
   market economy unlike most other countries bordering the Soviet Union.

   The post-war era was a period of rapid economic growth and increasing
   wealth and stability for Finland. In all, the war-ravaged agrarian
   country was transformed into a technologically advanced market economy
   with a sophisticated social welfare system. When the Soviet Union fell
   in 1991, the bilateral trade disappeared overnight, and Finland was
   simultaneously hit by a "home-cooked" severe recession. This left a
   mass unemployment problem, but the economy survived and began growing
   at a high rate after the recession. Finland joined the European Union
   in 1995, where it is an advocate of federalism contrary to the other
   Nordic countries that are predominantly supportive of confederalism.

The first modern democracy

   The Parliament of Finland is celebrating its centenary in 2006 and
   2007. The 100th anniversary of the approval of the Parliament Act and
   Election Act by the Diet was on 1 June 2006. On 23 May 2007 is the
   100th anniversary of the first plenary session of Finland's unicameral
   parliament. The theme of the centenary is "The right to vote – trust in
   law. One hundred years of Finnish democracy." The anniversary
   festivities focus on the parliamentary reform of the early 20th century
   and the introduction of equal and universal suffrage and full political
   rights for women. These reforms included the introduction of a
   proportional representation, open list voting system as well as the
   right to vote and to also be elected for all citizens, including women.
   A total of 19 female MPs were elected in the first election.

   On May 23rd 2006, a statue was unveiled to honour the work of female
   MPs.

   A hundred years ago, Finland was an autonomous part of the Russian
   Empire. The members of the four estates in the then autonomous
   legislative assembly, the diet, represented only a small fraction of
   the population. A reform of the parliamentary system and electoral law
   gave Finland the first modern representative institution and democracy
   in the world. Universal and equal suffrage was introduced and Finnish
   women became the first in the world to enjoy full political rights,
   resulting in 19 elected women in the first modern democratic election.

Etymology

   The name Suomi has uncertain origins but a strong candidate for a
   cognate is the Baltic word zeme meaning "ground, earth, country." In
   another approach, Finnish suo means " fen," which is one of the
   characteristic biotypes of Finland; it is thought that Finland might
   have been called Suomaa by the early Finns. In Finnish, suomaa means
   Fen Land (Land of the Fens).

   The exonym Finland has resemblance with e.g. the Scandinavian
   placenames Finnmark, Finnveden and Finnskogen and all are thought to be
   derived from finn, a Germanic word for nomadic " hunter-gatherers" (as
   opposed to sedentary farmers). How, why and when this designation would
   have started to mean the Finns in particular is largely unknown. Among
   the first written documents mentioning a "land of the Finns" are two
   rune stones. There is one in Söderby, Sweden, with the inscription
   finlont ( U 582 †) and one in Gotland, a Swedish island in the Baltic
   Sea, with the inscription finlandi ( G 319 M) dating from the 11th
   century.

Geography and nature

   Koli, one of the many national parks of Finland.
   Enlarge
   Koli, one of the many national parks of Finland.
   Lake Päijänne, one of the largest lakes. Päijätsalo island on the right
   belongs to the Päijänne National Park.
   Enlarge
   Lake Päijänne, one of the largest lakes. Päijätsalo island on the right
   belongs to the Päijänne National Park.

Topography

   Finland is a country of thousands of lakes and islands; 187,888 lakes
   (larger than 500 m²) and 179,584 islands to be precise . One of these
   lakes, Saimaa, is the 5th largest in Europe. The Finnish landscape is
   mostly flat with few hills and its highest point, the Halti at 1,328
   metres, is found in the extreme north of Lapland. Besides the many
   lakes the landscape is dominated by extensive boreal forests (about 75
   per cent of land area) and little arable land. The greater part of the
   islands are found in south-west, part of the archipelago of the Åland
   Islands, and along the southern coast in the Gulf of Finland. Finland
   is one of the few countries in the world that is still growing. Owing
   to the post-glacial rebound that has been taking place since the last
   ice age, the surface area of the country is growing by about 7 square
   kilometres a year.

Climate

   The climate in Southern Finland is a northern temperate climate. In
   Northern Finland, particularly in the Province of Lapland, a subarctic
   climate dominates, characterised by cold, occasionally severe, winters
   and relatively warm summers. Finland is near enough to the Atlantic to
   be continuously warmed by the Gulf Stream, which explains the unusually
   warm climate considering the absolute latitude.

   A quarter of Finland's territory lies above the Arctic Circle, and as a
   consequence the midnight sun can be experienced — for more and more
   days, the further up north one comes. At Finland's northernmost point,
   the sun does not set for 73 days during summer, and does not rise at
   all for 51 days in winter.

Administrative divisions

Municipalities and regions

   Legally, Finland has two levels of democratic government: the state,
   and 432 municipalities. The municipality is the same as a "city" level
   of government, except that rural municipalities are not called
   "cities." Since 1977, no legal or administrative distinction is made
   between towns, cities and other municipalities. Although a municipality
   must follow the laws set by the state, it makes independent decisions.
   That is, the decisions of a municipal council, if legal, cannot be
   appealed. People often identify with their municipality, although their
   nationality is usually more important.

   Municipalities co-operate in 74 sub-regions and 20 regions. These are
   governed by the member municipalities. The Åland region has a
   permanent, democratically elected regional council, as a part of the
   autonomy. In the Kainuu region, there is a pilot project underway, with
   similar regional elections.

Largest municipalities

   In the following chart, the number of inhabitants includes those living
   in the entire municipality (kunta), not just in the built-up area. The
   land area is given in km², and the density in inhabitants per km² (land
   area). The figures are as of December 31, 2005. Notice that the capital
   area - comprising Helsinki, Vantaa, Espoo and Kauniainen - forms a
   continuous conurbation and might sometimes be considered as a single
   city in economic terms although the four of them are all independent
   cities.
                                 Rank Municipality Population Land Area  Density

  1.

                                      Helsinki        564,643    184.47 3,060.89

  2.

                                      Espoo           234,520       312   751.66

  3.

                                      Tampere         206,171     523.4    393.9

  4.

                                      Vantaa          189,694    240.84   787.63

  5.

                                      Turku           175,508     243.4   721.06

  6.

                                      Oulu            129,960    369.43   351.78

  7.

                                      Lahti            98,721    134.95   731.53

  8.

                                      Kuopio           91,087   1,127.4    80.79

  9.

                                      Jyväskylä        84,916     105.9   801.85

  10.

                                      Pori             76,195    503.17   151.42

  11.

                                      Lappeenranta     59,121       758    77.99

  12.

                                      Rovaniemi        58,072  7,600.73     7.64

  13.

                                      Joensuu          57,851   1,173.4    49.30

  14.

                                      Vaasa            57,664       183   315.10

  15.

                                      Kotka            54,680       272   201.02

Subdivisions and provinces

   Provinces of Finland

   The state organization is divided into 6 administrative provinces
   (lääni, pl. läänit) The provinces are further divided into 90 state
   local districts. The provincial authority is part of the executive
   branch of the national government, and is not democratically controlled
   except through the national parliament. This system was created in
   1634, and underwent few major changes until the redivision of the
   country into "greater provinces" in 1997. Since then, the six provinces
   have been – referring to the picture on the right:
    1. Southern Finland
    2. Western Finland
    3. Eastern Finland
    4. Oulu
    5. Lapland
    6. Åland

   These provinces are merely administrative divisions. Western Finland,
   for example, spans four major linguistic and dialectal areas
   (Ostrobothnian dialects, Southwestern dialects, Savo in mideast, and
   some Swedish speakers in the area around Vaasa).

   The Åland Islands enjoy a degree of autonomy. According to
   international treaties and Finnish laws, the regional government for
   Åland handles some matters which belong to the province authority in
   Mainland Finland.

   Another kind of provinces are those echoing the pattern of colonization
   of Finland. Dialects, folklore, customs, and people's feeling of
   affiliation are associated with these historical provinces of Finland,
   although the re-settlement of 420,000 Karelians during World War II and
   urbanisation in the latter half of the 20th century have made
   differences less pronounced.

   The old provinces or counties (1634-1997) survive in the telephone
   numbering areas.

Demographics

   Detailed map of Finland
   Enlarge
   Detailed map of Finland

Population

   Finland numbers 5.2 million inhabitants and has an average population
   density of 17 inhabitants per square kilometre. This makes it, after
   Norway and Iceland, the most sparsely populated country in Europe.
   Finland's population has always been concentrated in the southern parts
   of the country, which is even more pronounced after the 20th century
   urbanisation. The biggest and most important cities in Finland are the
   Greater Helsinki metropolitan area (including the cities of Helsinki,
   Espoo and Vantaa), Tampere, Turku, and Oulu.

   After the Winter War (1939) (and confirmed by the outcome of the
   Continuation War) 12% of Finland's population had to be re-settled. War
   reparations, unemployment, and uncertainty regarding Finland's chances
   to remain sovereign and independent of the Soviet Union contributed to
   considerable emigration, abating first in the 1970s. Until then, some
   500,000 Finns had emigrated, chiefly to Sweden, although half of the
   emigrants ultimately immigrated back.

   Since the late 1990s, Finland has received refugees and immigrants at a
   rate comparable with the other Nordic countries, although the total
   ethnic-minority population remains far lower in Finland than the rest.
   A considerable number of immigrants have come from the former Soviet
   Union claiming ethnic ( Finnic) kinship. However, over 20 languages are
   now spoken in Finland by immigrant groups of significant size — that
   is, with at least a thousand speakers.

Language

   Most Finns (92%) speak Finnish as their mother tongue, while the
   largest minority language is Swedish (5.5%). To the north, in Lapland,
   are found the Sami, numbering less than 7,000, who like the Finns speak
   a Finno-Ugric language. There are three Sami languages that are spoken
   in Finland: Northern Sami, Inari Sami and Skolt Sami.

   The majority of Finns also learn enough English in school to be
   proficient in that language. Other common secondary languages are
   German, French, and Swedish; knowledge of Estonian, Russian, or
   Norwegian is rare.

   Swedish has an official language status in Finland, and the right of
   other minority groups (in particular Sami people) to cherish their
   culture and language is protected by law. Swedish-speaking Finns are
   considered the same ethnicity as the Finnish-speaking majority.
   Culturally, the Swedish-speaking Finns represent a combination of
   Swedish and Finnish cultures and have more coastal-oriented traditions.

   Immigrants represent 2% of the population. Largest immigrant groups are
   Russians, Estonians, Swedish, Somali and various Yugoslavs. A small
   population of Finland also speak English as their secondary native
   language.

   There is a Tatar-speaking minority, about one thousand speakers of the
   language, whose ancestors came to the country during the Russian rule.
   They are the most assimilated of the Muslim minorities in the country.
   All are fluent speakers of Finnish, and their mosques serve rather as
   centers of community life than as places of worship. Interethnic
   marriages to ethnic Finns are common, and it is possible that the
   minority will disappear entirely after a couple of generations.

Indigenous peoples

   The Sami are an indigenous people living in Finland, Sweden, Norway and
   Russia. Known widely in the past as Lapps, the term "Lapp" is now
   considered derogatory by many Sami. In addition to their own Sami
   language, they have their own way of life, identity and culture. Common
   history, traditions, livelihoods and customs unite the Sami living in
   different countries. In total, there are about 75,000 to 100,000 Samis,
   of which about 7,000 live in Finland. That is about 0.14% of the
   population of Finland.

Religion

   Most people are secular in their views, and religion plays no
   significant part in everyday life in Finland. Most Finns (83.1%) are
   members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, with a minority
   of 1.1% belonging to the Finnish Orthodox Church (see Eastern Orthodox
   Church). These two churches are the official churches of Finland. The
   remainder of the population consists of relatively small groups of
   other Protestant denominations, Catholics, Muslims and Jews beside the
   growing population of unaffiliated (14.7%). Church attendance however
   is much lower than these figures may suggest: most Finns 'rarely or
   never' visit a church, and even then it is mostly for occasions like
   weddings.

Education

   The Finnish education system is a comparatively egalitarian Nordic
   system, with no tuition fees for full-time students. Attendance is
   compulsory between the ages of 7 and 16, and free meals are served to
   pupils at primary and secondary levels. The first nine years of
   education (primary and secondary school) are compulsory, and the pupils
   go to their local school. Secondary education is not compulsory; it is
   either a trade school, or preparation for tertiary education. In
   tertiary education, two, mostly separate and non-interoperating sectors
   are found: the higher vocational schools and universities. In the
   OECD's international assessment of student performance, PISA, Finland
   has consistently been among the highest scorers worldwide; in 2003
   Finnish 15-year-olds came first in reading literacy, science, and
   mathematics; and second in problem solving, worldwide. The World
   Economic Forum ranks Finland's tertiary education #1 in the world.

Health

   After having one of the highest death rates from heart disease in the
   world in the 1970s, improvements in the Finnish diet and exercise have
   paid off. Finland is now one of the fittest countries in the world.

   Finland has a public healthcare system. 18.9% of healthcare is funded
   by the households themselves, 76.6% is publicly funded, and the rest of
   the funding comes from elsewhere. There is 307 population for one
   doctor.

   The life expectancy is 82 years for women and 75 years for men.

Government and politics

   The Finnish Parliament House in Helsinki.
   Enlarge
   The Finnish Parliament House in Helsinki.

Political system

   Finland has a semi-presidential system with parliamentarism. The
   president is responsible for foreign policy outside of the European
   Union. Most executive power lies in the cabinet (the Finnish Council of
   State) headed by the prime minister. Responsibility for forming the
   cabinet out of several political parties and negotiating its platform
   is granted to the leader of the party gaining largest support in the
   elections for the parliament. This person also becomes prime minister
   of the cabinet. Any minister and the cabinet as a whole however must
   have continuing trust of the parliament and may be voted out, resign or
   be replaced. The Council of State is made up of the prime minister and
   the ministers for the various departments of the central government as
   well as an ex-officio member, the Chancellor of Justice.

   The 200-member unicameral parliament is called the Eduskunta (Finnish)
   or Riksdag (Swedish). It is the supreme legislative authority in
   Finland. The parliament may alter the Constitution of Finland, bring
   about the resignation of the Council of State, and override
   presidential vetoes. Its acts are not subject to judicial review.
   Legislation may be initiated by the Council of State, or one of the
   Eduskunta members, who are elected for a four-year term on the basis of
   proportional representation through open list multi-member districts.

   The judicial system of Finland is divided between courts with regular
   civil and criminal jurisdiction and administrative courts with
   responsibility for litigation between the individuals and the
   administrative organs of the state and the communities. Their
   jurisdiction can be illustrated with an example: Parents unsatisfied
   with the school placement of their child would appeal against the board
   of education in an administrative court as the school placement is
   subject to an administrative decision. Finnish law is codified and its
   court system consists of local courts, regional appellate courts, and
   the Supreme Court. The administrative branch of justice consists of
   administrative courts and the Supreme Administrative Court. The
   administrative process has more popularity as it is cheaper and has
   lower financial risk to the person making claims. In addition to the
   regular courts, there are a few special courts in certain branches of
   administration. There is also a High Court of Impeachment for criminal
   charges (for an offence in office) against the President of the
   Republic, the justices of the supreme courts, members of the Council of
   State, the Chancellor of Justice and the Ombudsman of Parliament.

   The parliament has, since equal and common suffrage was introduced in
   1906, been dominated by secular Conservatives, the Centre Party (former
   Agrarian Union), and Social Democrats. After 1944 Communists were a
   factor to consider for a few decades. The relative strengths of the
   parties vary only slightly in the elections due to the proportional
   election from multi-member districts but there are some visible
   long-term trends.

   The constitution of Finland and its place in the judicial system are
   unusual in that there is no constitutional court and the supreme court
   does not have an explicit right to declare a law unconstitutional. In
   principle, the constitutionality of laws in Finland is verified by a
   simple vote in the parliament (see Parliamentary sovereignty). However,
   the Constitutional Law Committee of the parliament reviews any doubtful
   bills and recommends changes, if needed. In practice, the
   Constitutional Law Committee fulfils the duties of a constitutional
   court. A Finnish peculiarity is the possibility of making exceptions to
   the constitution in ordinary laws that are enacted in the same
   procedure as constitutional amendments. An example of such a law is the
   State of Preparedness Act which gives the Council of State certain
   exceptional powers in cases of national emergency. As these powers,
   which correspond to US executive orders, affect constitutional basic
   rights, the law was enacted in the same manner as a constitutional
   amendment. However, it can be repealed in the same manner as an
   ordinary law. In addition to preview by the Constitutional Law
   Committee, all Finnish courts of law have the obligation to give
   precedence to the constitution when there is an obvious conflict
   between the constitution and a regular law. That is, however, very
   rare. The only other European countries that lack a constitutional
   court are the Netherlands and the United Kingdom (which does not have a
   codified constitution).

   After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Finland freed itself
   from the last restrictions imposed on it by the Paris peace treaties of
   1947. The Finnish-Soviet Agreement of Friendship, Co-operation, and
   Mutual Assistance (and the restrictions included therein) was annulled
   but Finland recognised the Russian Federation as the successor of the
   USSR and was quick to draft bilateral treaties of goodwill as well as
   reallocating Soviet debts.

   Finland deepened its participation in the European integration by
   joining the European Union with Sweden and Austria in 1995. It could be
   perhaps said that the country's policy of neutrality has been moderated
   to "military non-alignment" with an emphasis on maintaining a competent
   independent defence. Peacekeeping under the auspices of the United
   Nations is the only real extra-national military responsibility which
   Finland undertakes.

   According to Transparency International, Finland has had the lowest
   level of corruption in all the countries studied in their survey for
   the last several years.

Presidents of Finland

               Name             Born–Died  In office
   Kaarlo Juho Ståhlberg        1865– 1952 1919– 1925
   Lauri Kristian Relander      1883– 1942 1925– 1931
   Pehr Evind Svinhufvud        1861– 1944 1931– 1937
   Kyösti Kallio                1873– 1940 1937– 1940
   Risto Heikki Ryti            1889– 1956 1940– 1944
   Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim  1867– 1951 1944– 1946
   Juho Kusti Paasikivi         1870– 1956 1946– 1956
   Urho Kaleva Kekkonen         1900– 1986 1956– 1981
   Mauno Henrik Koivisto        1923–      1982– 1994
   Martti Oiva Kalevi Ahtisaari 1937–      1994– 2000
   Tarja Kaarina Halonen        1943–      2000–

Parliament

   The Finnish Parliament consists of one chamber with 200 members. The
   members are elected for a four-year term by direct popular vote under a
   system of proportional representation.

   After the parliamentary elections on March 16, 2003, the seats were
   divided among eight parties as follows:
                    Party                   Seats % of votes
  The Centre Party

                                                                              55

                                                  24.7

  The Social Democratic Party

                                                                              53

                                                  24.5

  The National Coalition Party

                                                                              40

                                                  18.6

  The Left Wing Alliance

                                                                              19

                                                  9.9

  The Green League

                                                                              14

                                                  8.0

  The Swedish People's Party

                                                                               8

                                                  4.6

  The Christian Democrats

                                                                               7

                                                  5.3

  The True Finns

                                                                               3

                                                  1.6

  Others (province of Åland representative)

                                                                               1

                                                  2.8

   The next Finnish parliamentary election is scheduled to be held on
   March 18, 2007.

Energy policy

   The Ministry of Trade and Industry is responsible for the Government's
   energy policy. Energy policy is of exceptional importance, for Finland
   needs a lot of energy because of its cold climate and the structure of
   its industry. It has thus done pioneering work on developing more
   efficient ways of using energy.

   Until the 1960s, Finnish energy policy relied on the electricity
   produced by hydropower stations and extensive decentralized use of wood
   for energy. Finland's 187,888 lakes do not lie much above sea level –
   less than 80 metres in the case of the two biggest lakes, Saimaa and
   Päijänne. Consequently, Finland has less hydropower capacity than
   Sweden, for example, not to mention Norway.

   Finland started planning the introduction of nuclear power in the '50s.
   In 2001, 18% of all electricity consumed in Finland was produced by the
   country's four nuclear power plants. Energy policy became a burning
   issue in Finland when industry applied for permission to build a new
   nuclear power unit, Finland's fifth. On May 24, 2002, Parliament
   supported the application by 107 votes to 92. After the vote, the The
   Green League resigned from the government where they had held the
   environment portfolio. All the other parties were divided over the
   nuclear issue. The fifth nuclear power station is currently under
   construction.

   About one fifth of all the energy consumed in Finland is still
   wood-based. About 7% of electricity is produced from peat harvested
   from Finland's extensive bogs. In recent years, a varying amount
   (5-17%) of power has been imported from Russia and Sweden.

Foreign relations

   Finland's foreign policy is based on the membership of the European
   Union with its customs union, military non-alliance, and neutrality.
   Finland is also in the Nordic Council, and has long traditions of
   co-operation with the Nordic Countries. Finland has good relations with
   all its neighbors, Sweden, Norway, Russia and Estonia, and is not
   involved in international conflicts or border disputes. The military
   doctrine is strictly self-defensive, and indeed, the Constitution of
   Finland allows participation only in military operations authorized by
   the UN or the OSCE. Public opinion is against joining any military
   alliances, such as NATO, although Finland is involved in the
   Partnership for Peace program with NATO. Foreign trade is highly
   important, as about a third of the gross domestic product comes from
   foreign trade, and Finland depends on imports for most raw materials.

Defence Forces

   The Finnish Defence Forces is a cadre army of 16,500, of which 8,700
   professional soldiers (officers), with a standard readiness strength of
   34,700 people in uniform (27,300 army, 3,000 navy, and 4,400 air
   force). Finland's defence budget equals about 1.4% of the GDP. A
   universal male conscription is in place, under which all men above 18
   years of age serve from 6 to 12 months. However, inhabitants of
   Finland's Åland islands and Jehovah's Witnesses are exempt. Also a
   13-month-long non-military service is possible. As of 1995, women were
   permitted to serve on a voluntary basis. The defence is based on a
   large trained reserve. During the Cold War, Finland could have
   mobilised 490,000 reservists in a conflict, but this number has since
   been reduced to some 350,000 due to ongoing budget cuts.

   The Finnish Defence Forces are under the command of the Chief of
   Defence, who is directly subordinate to the President of the Republic
   in matters related to the military command. The current Chief of
   Defence is Admiral Juhani Kaskeala.

   The military branches are:
     * Finnish Army
     * Finnish Navy
     * Finnish Air Force

   The Border Guard is under the Ministry of the Interior but can be
   incorporated into the Defence Forces when required by defence
   readiness.

Industry, economy and globalisation

   Headquarters of Fortum Corporation in Espoo.
   Enlarge
   Headquarters of Fortum Corporation in Espoo.
   Headquarters of Nokia, the largest company in Finland.
   Enlarge
   Headquarters of Nokia, the largest company in Finland.

General situation

   In the past, Finnish trade relationships and politics were by large
   determined by avoidance of provoking first the feudally ruled Imperial
   Russia and then the totalitarian Soviet Union. Despite the hindrance
   caused by an influential neighbouring country, Finland eventually
   became one of the most globalised nations in the world.

   For decades now, Finland has had a highly industrialised, largely
   free-market economy with a per capita output equal to that of other
   western economies such as for example Sweden, UK, France and Germany.
   Its key economic sector is manufacturing of principally wood, metal,
   engineering, telecommunications and electronic products. Trade is
   important, with exports equalling almost one-third of GDP. Except for
   timber and several minerals, Finland depends on imports of raw
   materials, energy and some components for manufactured goods.

   In 1991, Finland fell into a deep recession caused by economic
   overheating, depressed foreign markets and the dismantling of the
   barter system between Finland and the former Soviet Union. More than
   20% of Finnish trade was with the Soviet Union before 1991, and in the
   following two years the trade practically ceased. 1991 and again in
   1992, Finland devalued the markka to promote export competitiveness.
   This helped stabilise the economy; the recession bottomed out in 1993,
   with continued growth through 1995. Since then the growth rate has been
   one of the highest of OECD countries.

   Because of the northern climate, agricultural development is limited to
   maintaining self-sufficiency. Forestry, an important export earner,
   provides a secondary occupation for the rural population.

   Finland was one of the 11 countries joining the euro monetary system (
   EMU) on January 1, 1999. The national currency markka (FIM) in
   circulation was withdrawn and replaced by euro (EUR) in the beginning
   of 2002. (See also: Finnish euro coins)

   Finland has been declared the most competitive country in the world for
   three consecutive years 2003–2005 (four times in the last five years)
   by the World Economic Forum. In recent years there has been national
   focus on research and product development, with special emphasis on
   information technology. It could be said that Nokia, in its own right,
   is the secret behind the Finns' success in harnessing what is one of
   today's most promising branches of industry, the telecommunications
   sector.

Public transport

   Helsinki-Vantaa Airport.
   Enlarge
   Helsinki-Vantaa Airport.

   The transport system of Finland is developed. As of 2005, the country's
   network of main roads has a total length of 13,258 km, and is mainly
   centred on the capital city of Helsinki. The total length of all public
   roads is 78,186 km, of which 50,616 km are paved. The motorway network
   is still to a great extent under development, and currently totals 653
   km. There are 5,865 km of railways in the country. Helsinki has an
   urban rail network, and light rail systems are currently being planned
   in Turku and Tampere. Finland has 148 airports, the largest being
   Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, and a considerable number of large ports.

   The Finnish rail system is called VR. It offers InterCity and express
   trains throughout the country and the faster Pendolino trains
   connecting the major cities. There are very large discounts (usually
   50%) available for children (7-16 yr), students, senior citizens and
   conscripts. There are international trains to St. Petersburg (Finnish
   and Russian day-time trains) and Moscow (Russian over-night train) to
   Russia. Connections to Sweden are by bus due to rail gauge differences.
   It's possible to take the Silja and Viking Line ferries from Helsinki
   to Mariehamn in the Åland archipelago, Stockholm (Sweden) and Tallinn
   (Estonia). There are about 25 airports in Finland with scheduled
   passenger services. Finnair, Blue1 and Finncomm Airlines provide air
   services both domestically and internationally. Helsinki-Vantaa airport
   is Finland's global gateway with scheduled non-stop flights to such
   places as Bangkok, Beijing, Delhi, Guangzhou, Nagoya, New York, Osaka,
   Shanghai, Hong Kong and Tokyo. Helsinki has an optimal location for
   great circle airline traffic routes between Western Europe and the Far
   East. Hence, many foreign tourists visit Helsinki on a stop-over while
   flying from Asia to Europe or visa versa.

Culture

   Strong Finnish sauna culture is one of the remains of the aboriginal
   Finnish culture.
   Enlarge
   Strong Finnish sauna culture is one of the remains of the aboriginal
   Finnish culture.

   Since its earliest contact with foreign peoples and monarchs, Finns
   have been influenced by Western Europe (particularly Sweden and
   Germany) and, more recently, North America. Especially in Eastern
   Finland and Karelia, many influences from Russia (Orthodox) are
   present. Into the twenty-first century, many Finns have been willing to
   incorporate many other cultural styles from even further abroad, such
   as Asia and Africa. More than just for tourism, Finnish youth in
   particular have been increasing their contact with peoples from the
   outside by travelling abroad to both work and study.

   There are still differences between regions, especially minor
   differences in accents and vocabulary. Minorities maintain their own
   cultural characteristics, such as the Sami and Swedish Finns. Many
   Finns are emotionally connected to the countryside and nature, as
   urbanisation is a relatively recent phenomenon.

Music

   Jean Sibelius (1865-1957), a Finnish composer of classical music.
   Enlarge
   Jean Sibelius ( 1865- 1957), a Finnish composer of classical music.

   Much of the music of Finland is influenced by Karelian traditional
   tunes and lyrics, as comprised in the Kalevala. Karelian culture is
   perceived as the purest expression of the Finnic myths and beliefs,
   less influenced by Germanic influence, in contrast to Finland's
   position between the East and the West. Finnish folk music has
   undergone a roots revival in recent decades, and has become a part of
   popular music. The people of northern Finland, the Sami, have their own
   musical traditions, collectively Sami music.

   Modern Finnish popular music includes a renowned death metal scene, in
   common with other Nordic countries, as well as a number of prominent
   rock bands, jazz musicians and hip hop performers. Iskelmä (coined
   directly from the German word Schlager, meaning hit) is a traditional
   Finnish word for a light popular song. Finnish popular music also
   includes a large amount of opera and various kinds of dance music;
   tango, a style of Argentinian music, is also popular.

   Nightwish, Amorphis, Waltari, Stratovarius, Kotipelto, Sentenced,
   Sonata Arctica, Children of Bodom, Charon, HIM, and The 69 Eyes have
   had success in European and Japanese heavy metal and hard rock scenes
   since the 1990s, and has been gaining popularity rapidly in the United
   States since the late 1990s. In the later 1990s the symphonic metal
   group Apocalyptica played Metallica cover songs as cello quartettos and
   sold half a million records worldwide. The recently retired Timo
   Rautiainen & Trio Niskalaukaus were one of Finland's most popular metal
   acts in the early 2000s, having risen from the ashes of late 1980s –
   early 1990s cult band Lyijykomppania.

   Another band to enjoy recent commercial success is The Rasmus. After
   eleven years together and several domestic releases, the band finally
   captured Europe. Their Dead Letters album sold 1.5 million units
   worldwide and garnered them eight gold and five platinum album
   designations. The single "In The Shadows" placed on Top 10 charts in
   eleven countries and was the most played video on MTV Europe for 2005.

   Most recently, the Finnish hard rock/heavy metal band Lordi won the
   2006 Eurovision Song Contest with a record 292 points, giving Finland
   its first ever victory. The song they used was the controversial " Hard
   Rock Hallelujah" and they celebrated the victory with a free concert in
   the Market Square in Helsinki, Finland, on May 26, 2006.

Cuisine

   A bowl of mämmi.
   Enlarge
   A bowl of mämmi.

   Finnish cuisine is a mixture of European, Scandinavian (Denmark,
   Norway, Finland and Sweden) and Russian elements; table manners are
   European. The food is traditionally simple; fish, meat, potatoes and
   vegetables play prominent roles. Spices are usually sparse in Finnish
   cuisine. Finnish breakfast can be quite substantial. The prototypical
   breakfast is oatmeal. Lunch is usually taken between 11.00 and 13.00. A
   typical lunch break at work lasts less than one hour. Lunch is usually
   a full warm meal, served by a canteen at workplaces. Dinner is eaten at
   around 17.00–18.00 at home; in restaurants, evening meals are served at
   around 19.00–20.00. Many restaurants stop serving some time before they
   actually close, so it is worthwhile checking the opening hours when
   booking a table. Concerts and theatre performances usually begin at
   19.00 or 19.30, and audiences adjourn to restaurants at around 22.00.

Public holidays

   All official holidays in Finland are established by acts of Parliament.
   The official holidays can be divided into Christian and secular
   holidays, although some of the Christian holidays have replaced
   holidays of pagan origin. The main Christian holidays are Christmas,
   Epiphany, Easter, Ascension Day, Pentecost, and All Saints Day. The
   secular holidays are New Year's Day, May Day, Midsummer Day, and
   Independence Day.

   In addition to this all Sundays are official holidays but they are not
   as important as the special holidays. The names of the Sundays follow
   the liturgical calendar and they can be categorised as Christian
   holidays. When the standard working week in Finland was reduced to 40
   hours by an act of Parliament it also meant that all Saturdays became a
   sort of de facto public holidays, though not official ones. Easter
   Sunday and Pentecost are Sundays that form part of a main holiday and
   they are preceded by a kind of special Saturdays. Retail stores are
   prohibited by law from doing business on Sundays, except during the
   summer months (May through August) and in the pre-Christmas season
   (November and December). Business locations that have less than 400
   square metres of floor space are allowed Sunday business throughout the
   year, with the exception of official holidays and certain Sundays, such
   as Mother's Day and Father's Day.

Sports

   Sport is considered a national pastime in Finland and many Finnish
   people regularly visit different sporting events. The most popular
   sport in Finland is ice hockey and the Finnish ice hockey team is
   considered one of the best in the world. Football and Finnish baseball
   are also very popular and Finland is the home for Kimi Räikkönen and
   Mika Häkkinen who are both well-known in Formula 1. Historically,
   Finland has produced the worlds best rally drivers with ex-world
   champion drivers Ari Vatanen, Hannu Mikkola, Tommi Mäkinen and Marcus
   Grönholm among others all hailing from Finland. During the past century
   there has been a rivaly in sporting between Finland and Sweden, mostly
   in ice hockey and athletics ( Finnkampen).

Facts and figures

   Linus Torvalds, a famous Finnish software engineer.
   Enlarge
   Linus Torvalds, a famous Finnish software engineer.

International rankings

   Organization Survey Year Ranking
   A.T. Kearney /
   Foreign Policy Globalization Index 2004
   2005 Rank 5 out of 62 countries
   Rank 10 out of 62 countries
   Heritage Foundation /
   The Wall Street Journal Index of Economic Freedom 2006 Rank 12 out of
   157 countries
   IMD International World Competitiveness Yearbook 2004
   2006 Rank 8 out of 60 economies (countries and regions)
   Rank 10 out of 61 economies
   NationMaster Technological Achievement 2001 Rank 1 out of 68 countries
   OECD Programme for International
   Student Assessment 2003 Rank 1 out of 41 countries in mathematics
   Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Ranking 2002
   2003
   2004
   2005
   2006 Rank 1 out of 139 countries (tied with Iceland, Netherlands and
   Norway)
   Rank 1 out of 166 countries (tied with Iceland, Netherlands and Norway)
   Rank 1 out of 167 countries (tied with Denmark, Iceland, Ireland,
   Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia and Switzerland)
   Rank 1 out of 167 countries (tied with Denmark, Iceland, Ireland,
   Netherlands, Norway and Switzerland)
   Rank 1 out of 168 countries (tied with Iceland, Ireland and
   Netherlands)
   Save the Children State of the World’s Mothers 2004
   2005 Rank 2 out of 119 countries (tied with Denmark)
   Rank 3 out of 109 countries
   Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index 1999
   2000
   2001
   2002
   2003
   2004
   2005
   2006 Rank 2 out of 85 countries
   Rank 2 out of 99 countries
   Rank 1 out of 91 countries
   Rank 1 out of 102 countries
   Rank 1 out of 133 countries
   Rank 1 out of 146 countries
   Rank 2 out of 158 countries (tied with New Zealand)
   Rank 1 out of 163 countries (tied with Iceland and New Zealand)
   UNDP Human Development Index 2005 Rank 13 out of 177 countries
   World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Report 2005–2006
   2006–2007 Growth Competitiveness Index Ranking – Rank 1 out of 117
   countries
   Growth Competitiveness Index Ranking – Rank 2 out of 125 countries
   WorldAudit.org World Democracy Audit 2006 Rank 1 out of 150 countries

Neighbouring countries

   Flag of Norway  Norway
   Flag of Sweden  Sweden
   Gulf of Bothnia North Flag of Russia  Russia
   West    Flag of Finland  Finland     East
   South
   Baltic Sea Gulf of Finland
   Flag of Estonia  Estonia
   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finland"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
