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The Finland Portal

Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, 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, opposite Estonia. Finland covers an area of 338,145 square kilometres (130,559 sq mi) and has a population of 5.6 million. Helsinki is the capital and largest city. The vast majority of the population are ethnic Finns. The official languages are Finnish and Swedish, of which 84.9 percent and 5.1 percent of the population speak the first as their mother tongue. Finland's climate varies from humid continental in the south to boreal in the north. The land cover is predominantly boreal forest biome, with more than 180,000 recorded lakes.

Finland was first settled around 9000 BC after the last Ice Age. During the Stone Age, various cultures emerged, distinguished by different styles of ceramics. The Bronze Age and Iron Ages were marked by contacts with other cultures in Fennoscandia and the Baltic region. From the late 13th century, Finland became part of the Swedish Empire as a result of the Northern Crusades. In 1809, as a result of the Finnish War, Finland was captured from Sweden and became a Grand Duchy of Finland, an autonomous state ruled by the Russian Empire. During this period, Finnish art flourished and the idea of full 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. Following the Russian Revolution of 1917, Finland declared its full independence. In 1918 the young nation was divided by the Finnish Civil War. During World War II, Finland fought against the Soviet Union in the Winter War and the Continuation War, and later against Nazi Germany in the Lapland War. As a result, it lost parts of its territory but retained its independence. (Full article...)

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Koivu in 2019

Saku Antero Koivu (pronounced [ˈsɑku ˈkoi̯ʋu]; born November 23, 1974) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). He began his NHL career with the Montreal Canadiens in 1995–96 after three seasons with TPS of the Finnish SM-liiga. Koivu served as the Canadiens' captain for ten of his 14 years with the club, which makes him the longest captaincy tenure in team history, tied with Jean Béliveau. Koivu was the first European player to captain the Montreal Canadiens. He also served as captain of the Finnish national men's ice hockey team from 1998 to 2010, and was inducted into IIHF Hall of Fame in 2017. (Full article...)

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Photo credit: fi:User:Neofelis Nebulosa
The Central Park of Helsinki during the summer

Did you know (auto-generated)

... that the Finnish 7th Division was formed in 1940 by renumbering another unit to make it appear to the Soviets that it had been replaced with fresh troops?
... that tourists on holiday trips arranged by the Finland travel agency Keihäsmatkat were encouraged to drink alcoholic beverages, partly to avoid culture shock?
... that Finnish politician Kaarina Suonio answered the world's first GSM phone call?
... that Sodankylä Old Church is one of the oldest preserved wooden churches in Finland?
... that the 1992 documentary film Daddy and the Muscle Academy, which focuses on the life of gay erotic artist Tom of Finland, has been broadcast on Finnish television multiple times?
... that Turku remained the largest city in Finland after three quarters of it burned down?

WikiProjects

You are invited to participate in Finland WikiProject, a WikiProject dedicated to developing and improving articles about Finland.

More did you know - show different entries

...that the prototypes for the WW II German U-boat fleet (Type II pictured) were designed by a Dutch company and built in Finland at the Crichton-Vulcan shipyard?
...that while repelling Soviet advances across the frozen Lake Suvanto, Finland managed to capture 12 anti-tank guns, 140 machine guns, 200 light machine guns and 1500 rifles in the Battle of Kelja in 1939?
...that Major Carl Mothander, the leader of Swedish volunteers in the Estonian War of Independence, later wrote books on Estonian politics that were banned in Finland?
...that the Korpela movement was a short-lived cult during the 1930s in Northern Sweden and Finland whose controversial sexual rituals eventually led to the arrest of 60 followers?
...that in 1745, Daniel Juslenius, a Finnish Fennoman, finished the first formal Finnish dictionary?

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This is a Good article, an article that meets a core set of high editorial standards.

A sign which the Germans left in Muonio, Lapland, written on it: 'As thanks for not demonstrating brotherhood in arms!'

During World War II, the Lapland War (Finnish: Lapin sota; Swedish: Lapplandskriget; German: Lapplandkrieg) saw fighting between Finland and Nazi Germany – effectively from September to November 1944 – in Finland's northernmost region, Lapland. Though the Finns and the Germans had been fighting together against the Soviet Union since 1941 during the Continuation War (1941–1944), peace negotiations between the Finnish government and the Allies of World War II had been conducted intermittently during 1943–1944, but no agreement had been reached. The Moscow Armistice, signed on 19 September 1944, demanded that Finland break diplomatic ties with Germany and expel or disarm any German soldiers remaining in Finland.

The Wehrmacht had anticipated this turn of events and planned an organised withdrawal to Nazi-occupied Norway, as part of Operation Birke (Birch). Despite a failed offensive landing operation by Germany in the Gulf of Finland, the evacuation proceeded peacefully at first. The Finns escalated the situation into warfare on 28 September after Soviet pressure to adhere to the terms of the armistice. The Finnish Army was required by the Soviet Union to push Wehrmacht troops out of Finnish territory. After a series of minor battles, the war came to an effective end in November 1944, when all of the Wehrmacht troops had reached Norway or the border area and took fortified positions. The last Wehrmacht soldiers left Finland on 27 April 1945, shortly before the end of World War II in Europe. (Full article...)

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General images

The following are images from various Finland-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1Battle of Gangut (Hanko) was part of the Great Northern War during 1700–1721. (from History of Finland)
Image 2In the middle is the patron saint of Finland, Saint Henry, on the right side of him is Bishop Konrad Bitz and on the left is Dean Magnus Stjernkors; from Missale Aboense (1488) (from History of Finland)
Image 3Mikael Agricola hands over the Finnish Translation of the New Testament to King Gustav Wasa. (from History of Finland)
Image 4Jussipaita (transl. Jussi sweater); a traditional sweater from the Finnish region of Southern Ostrobothnia (from Culture of Finland)
Image 5Linus Torvalds, a famous Fennoswede software engineer, best known for initiating the development of the Linux kernel (from Culture of Finland)
Image 6Badge of the Finnish White/Civil Guard (from History of Finland)
Image 7Erkki Karu, one of the pioneers of the Finnish cinema, with cinematographer Eino Kari in 1927 (from Culture of Finland)
Image 8Battle of Valkeala was part of the Russo-Swedish War (1788–1790). (from History of Finland)
Image 9People gathered in the Senate Square for a demonstration against the February Manifesto in March 1899. (from History of Finland)
Image 10Alvar Aalto, Viipuri Library (1927–35) (from Culture of Finland)
Image 11A summer cottage (mökki) on a lake island (from Culture of Finland)
Image 12An old drawing of the city of Turku in the 18th century (from History of Finland)
Image 13The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957), a significant figure in the history of classical music (from Culture of Finland)
Image 14Midsummer bonfire (kokko) in Mäntsälä (from Culture of Finland)
Image 15Imagery collage of Birger Jarl conquering Häme and the construction of Häme Castle (from History of Finland)
Image 16The part of Finland controlled by the Reds at its largest in February–March 1918 (from History of Finland)
Image 17Paavo Nurmi at the 1920 Summer Olympics (from Culture of Finland)
Image 18Captain Aarne Juutilainen at the front at Kollaa during the Winter War (from History of Finland)
Image 19Eero Järnefelt, Burning the Brushwood, 1893 (from History of Finland)
Image 20Uspenski Cathedral in Helsinki (from Culture of Finland)
Image 21Helsinki Accords Treaty (from History of Finland)
Image 22A smoke sauna (savusauna) in Enonkoski (from Culture of Finland)
Image 23Prehistoric red ochre painted rock art of moose, human figures, and boats in Astuvansalmi, Finland, from ca. 3800–2200 BC (from Culture of Finland)
Image 24Winter War Monument in Suomussalmi, Kainuu, Finland (from History of Finland)
Image 25Finland Ostrobothnia regiment uniforms in 1705 (from History of Finland)
Image 26Students on Helsinki's Esplanadi wearing their caps on Vappu (from Culture of Finland)
Image 27A view of Pohjoisesplanadi in the center of Helsinki in 1891 (from History of Finland)
Image 28Homann's map of the Scandinavian Peninsula and Fennoscandia with their surrounding territories: northern Germany, northern Poland, the Baltic region, Livonia, Belarus, and parts of Northwest Russia. Johann Baptist Homann (1664–1724) was a German geographer and cartographer; map dated around 1730. (from History of Finland)
Image 29Ancylus Lake covered major part of Finland (7,500–6,000 BC) (from History of Finland)
Image 30The area controlled by Finland at its largest, in 1942 (from History of Finland)
Image 31Finnish folk dancers in a 1907 postcard sent from Mustamäki, Finland (from Culture of Finland)
Image 32Women dressed in Finnish folk costumes (from Culture of Finland)
Image 33The Swedish empire at its largest. Most of present-day Finland was part of Sweden proper, rike, shown in dark green. (from History of Finland)
Image 34Turku Cathedral and its surroundings from 1814 (from History of Finland)
Image 35Stone Age stone axe engraved with human face found from Kiuruvesi. (from History of Finland)
Image 36The area of Finland in the years 1920–1940. The 1935 county and municipality division on the map. (from History of Finland)
Image 37This 1825 map of the Grand Duchy of Finland is from a larger work, geographical atlas of the Russian Empire. (from History of Finland)
Image 38In the sauna, by Pekka Halonen, 1925 (from Culture of Finland)
Image 39Marshal of Finland Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim visit in Germany, 1942 (from History of Finland)
Image 40Pieces of the Antrea Net (8,300 BC), the oldest-known fishing net in the world. (from History of Finland)
Image 41Kastelli Giant's Church in Pattijoki by Pöljä culture [fi] (from History of Finland)
Image 42A triptych by Akseli Gallen-Kallela, depicting the Aino Story of Kalevala on three panes (from Culture of Finland)
Image 43S/S Urania in Hanko harbor in 1893, with 509 emigrants on board on their way to America (from History of Finland)
Image 44Identification document and tag of a Finnish war child (from History of Finland)
Image 45The ruins of Vammala burned by the Reds, during the Civil war (from History of Finland)
Image 46Three Finnish Romani women in Helsinki, Finland, in 1930s (from Culture of Finland)
Image 47Karjalanpiirakka, a traditional Finnish pastry (from Culture of Finland)
Image 48Finnish Guards' Rifle Battalion, 1850s (from History of Finland)
Image 49Painting of Lalli killing Henry. Painting by C. A. Ekman. (from History of Finland)
Image 50Memorial of the Mannerheim Cross Knights of Parikkala, Finland (from History of Finland)
Image 51Women in sauna with Vihtas
Image 52Signing the Helsinki Accords are the West German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt, East Germany's leader Erich Honecker, US president Gerald Ford and the Austrian chancellor Bruno Kreisky (from History of Finland)
Image 53Apocalyptica's Perttu Kivilaakso playing metal music live (from Culture of Finland)
Image 542007 Formula One World Champion Kimi Räikkönen celebrating victory at the 2007 Brazilian Grand Prix (from Culture of Finland)
Image 55In 2011 figure skater Kiira Korpi was ranked 4th in the world. (from Culture of Finland)
Image 56Kreeta Haapasalo Playing the Kantele in a Peasant Cottage (1868), by Robert Wilhelm Ekman (from History of Finland)
Image 57Northern Europe in 814 (from History of Finland)
Image 58Stone Age dwelling named Kierikki 5000–3000 BC (from History of Finland)
Image 59Map of Finnish areas ceded to the Soviet Union in 1944, after the Continuation War (from History of Finland)
Image 60President Urho Kekkonen's funeral procession in 1986 (from History of Finland)
Image 61A group of Finnish soldiers operating a Bofors gun during the Continuation War in 1943 (from History of Finland)
Image 62Janne Ahonen is considered one of the best and most successful currently active ski jumpers. (from Culture of Finland)
Image 63President K. J. Ståhlberg in his office in 1919 (from History of Finland)
Image 64Wehrmacht soldiers with a local Sámi reindeer herder, Lappland, Sodankylä, Finland 1942 (from History of Finland)
Image 65The Finno-Soviet Treaty (from History of Finland)
Image 66The first government of independent Finland. P. E. Svinhufvud, the first Prime Minister of Finland, sitting at the head of the table. (from History of Finland)
Image 67Pekka Halonen's painting "against persecutors" from 1896 depicts the warfare of the ancient Finns. (from History of Finland)
Image 68A reconstruction of a 12th-century Perniö costume (from History of Finland)
Image 69A peasant girl and a woman in traditional dress from Ruokolahti, eastern Finland, as depicted by Severin Falkman in 1882 (from Culture of Finland)
Image 70Sámi / Laplander family in traditional costumes from Finland. (from Culture of Finland)
Image 71Grand Duchy of Finland, 75 kopek assignat (1824) (from History of Finland)
Image 72Kalmar Union in 1400s (from History of Finland)
Image 73The decision of the Soviet of the People's Comissars' to recognise Finnish independence, signed by Vladimir Lenin, Leon Trotsky, Grigory Petrovsky, Joseph Stalin, Isaac Steinberg, Vladimir Karelin, and Alexander Schlichter (from History of Finland)
Image 74Lapua Movement supporters beating the "red officer" Eino Nieminen in front of the Vaasa courthouse during the 4 June 1930 riot. (from History of Finland)
Image 75(1809 Diet of Porvoo) The sovereign's pledge, printed in Finnish (from History of Finland)
Image 76Jean Sibelius at work in his study (from History of Finland)

In the news

2 April 2024 – Viertola school shooting: A student is killed and two others are injured in a shooting at a school in Vantaa, Uusimaa, Finland. A 12-year-old student is detained. (AP) (Yle)
1 March 2024 – 2024 Finnish presidential election: Alexander Stubb is sworn in as the 13th President of Finland. (Reuters)
11 February 2024 – 2024 Finnish presidential election: Alexander Stubb is elected President of Finland with 51.6% of the vote.(Yle)
27 January 2024 – Israel–Hamas war: The United Kingdom, United States, Australia, Italy, Canada, Finland, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Germany suspend humanitarian aid to UNRWA over allegations that some UNRWA staff members were involved in the Hamas-led attack on Israel. (BBC News) (CBS News)
14 December 2023 – Finland–United States relations: Finland announces the creation of a defense cooperation agreement with the United States. The agreement will grant Finland access to American military resources for use in defensive operations, while the US will gain military access to Finland in the event of conflict. (Reuters)
29 November 2023 – Finland–Poland relations, Finland–Russia relations: National Security Bureau chief Jacek Siewiera announces that Poland will send "a team of military advisors" to the Finland–Russia border in response to an official request for allied support. Finland says it was unaware of the Polish offer. Russia warns against the move, viewing the concentration of troops on the border as a threat. (Reuters)

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Panorama of Lake Pielinen from a hill in Koli National Park, Finland

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Albert Edelfelt - Louis Pasteur - 1885
Anefo 932-2378 Keke Rosberg, Zandvoort, 03-07-1982 - Restoration
Eero-Saarinen (cropped)
FIN-A36b-Finlands Bank-20 Markkaa (1862)
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Helsinki July 2013-14
Helsinki July 2013-27a
Kaleva Church 4
Kolmen valtakunnan rajapyykki 27.4.1945
Lutheran Cathedral Helsinki edit
Makasiinit tulessa
Neste Oil Rally 2010 - Jari-Matti Latvala in shakedown
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Albert Edelfelt - Louis Pasteur - 1885
Anefo 932-2378 Keke Rosberg, Zandvoort, 03-07-1982 - Restoration
FIN-A36b-Finlands Bank-20 Markkaa (1862)
Hankopan
Helsinki July 2013-14
Helsinki July 2013-27a
Kaleva Church 4
Kolmen valtakunnan rajapyykki 27.4.1945
Lutheran Cathedral Helsinki edit
Makasiinit tulessa
Neste Oil Rally 2010 - Jari-Matti Latvala in shakedown
Nils Torvalds MEP, Strasbourg - Diliff
Peugeot 206 WRC
Rally Finland 2010 - shakedown - Nasser Al-Attiyah 1
Scandinavia.TMO2003050
Silja Serenade in Stockholm
VR Sr1 3015 Kuopio Drawbridge
Vexi Salmi

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