An interesting story about Finland. Fun and interesting facts about Finland
is a European country located in the northernmost part of the continent. In terms of area, which is approximately 338,144 sq. km, it ranks seventh in Europe. Today, a holiday here is an excellent option for those who want to admire the sights, and numerous lakes and islands will give you the opportunity to admire the serene beauty of the local nature during unforgettable walks along the sands, warmed by the rays of the bright sun. For the adventurous, winter sports, boating, fishing and hiking are available. In short, this is an ideal holiday destination where you can see a lot of interesting things, play sports and relax! In this article you will learn interesting facts about Finland.
Finland is located in Northern Europe, bordering Sweden, Norway and Russia.
Finland is a constitutional republic that became a member of the European Union in 1995.
The capital of Finland is the city of Helsinki. A quarter of the country's total territory lies north of the Arctic Circle.
Forests cover about 75% of Finland's area, and bodies of water, consisting of 188,000 lakes, make up about 10% of the country's area.
The main archipelago and self-governing province of Åland Islsnds lies off the southwest coast, while Finland's main Lake District lies to the east.
In terms of area, Finland ranks seventh in Europe, but the population density is very low (16 people per 1 sq. km.).
Finland has two official languages - Finnish and Swedish. Finnish (or Suomi) is not part of the group of Indo-European languages; together with Estonian and Hungarian, it makes up the Uralic language family.
Most residents of Finland belong to the Evangelical Lutheran Church, and some of them consider themselves to be members of the Finnish Orthodox Church.
Finland declared independence from Russia in 1917 and became a republic in 1919.
In 1955, Finland joined the United Nations, and in 1956 it became a member of the Nordic Council.
In Finland there are 187,888 lakes (with an area of more than 500 sq. m.) and 179,584 islands.
The country's official currency is the euro, which is divided into 100 cents (sentti).
Finnish President Tarja Halonen is a woman, as are 12 of the country's 20 ministers.
Finland is the birthplace of Santa Claus. He has his office in northern Finland, in the Arctic Circle.
Finland adopted Christianity in the 12th century, one of the last regions in Europe to convert to Christianity.
According to the World Audit Survey 2006, Finland is recognized as the least corrupt and most democratic country in the world.
The World Economic Forum's 2006 Country Competitiveness Report ranked Finland as the most competitive country in the world and ranked second in the Future Competitiveness Index.
The Finnish company Nokia Corporation is one of the world's largest manufacturers of mobile phones.
Finland is the only country in the world where radio news can be heard in Latin.
Donald Duck comics were banned in Finland because Donald doesn't wear trousers.
The highest point in Finland is the Arctic mountain Halti, located in Northern Finland. Its height reaches 1327 meters.
There are 1.8 million saunas in Finland, of which about 500 are traditional smoke saunas.
According to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), in 2007 Finland ranked first in the world in terms of children's educational achievements in reading, mathematics and science. However, the country has the lowest percentage of children who “really enjoy school” (just 8%).
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// 13.09.2011
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Finland cannot boast of large deposits of ore or nickel or an excellent climate. Finland's history is also quite fascinating and complex. But still, today Finland is among the TOP developed countries and deservedly occupies one of the top positions in the TOP of the most favorable countries in the world for permanent residence. And I would like to note that if our 25 facts interest you and you have an irresistible desire to visit this country - this can be done quite easily, I’ll say more, you can go to Finland for a weekend from St. Petersburg, but this is described in detail on the website www.finartvillage .com.
1. Residents of Finland consume a lot of coffee. Research has shown that each Finn drinks approximately 14 kg of coffee beans per year, which is proportional to the daily consumption rate of 9 cups of coffee daily. That's a lot. No other country in the world drinks so much coffee.
2. Finland has the best water. Approximately 80% of the total volume of Finnish poda is considered crystal clear. Finns are not afraid to drink tap water. Even representatives of a special UN commission noted the cleanliness of the water.
3. Santa Claus lives in the famous Lapland. The Finns call it Joulupukki. He really exists and lives in Korvatunturi. He has an office and a mailbox, where letters arrive 365 days a year. Joulupukki even has a Finnish citizen's passport, but instead of the date of birth, the passport says a long time ago.
4. In Finland, deer can walk right on the streets. Animals appear especially often in the northern regions. 
5. Finns respect ancient traditions. Every resident of the country is born and dies in a sauna.
6. At first, a Finnish citizen will seem aloof and reserved, but in fact Finns are reliable and sociable.
7. A true Finn will not pick mushrooms. Finnish citizens love mushrooms and chanterelles, which are sold in local markets.
8. Even in the summer, residents of Finland wear “skis”. Walking with ski poles is popular in this country. Thanks to this walking, there is an increased load on the body. Special walking poles are used. Such walking in sports is called Nordic walking (Nordic walking). 
9. The majority of the inhabitants of Finland are fair-haired people with fair skin and blue eyes. It’s rare to see a dark-haired and, even more so, a dark-skinned Finn on the street. 
10. Real Finns drink alcohol. Statistics have shown that Finns drink significantly less than Italians or French.
11. In this country they do not give tips. Such a surcharge may be included in the cost of the product or service. If you really liked the service, you can reward the seller with a check or pay him with a credit card.
12. A unique northern lights are observed in Finland. Locals call it Aurora Borealis. This phenomenon is observed in the northern regions, closest to the North Pole. In the southern regions or in Helsinki, observing the northern lights is quite rare. 
13. Residents of Finland are very patriotic. They purchase everything that is made in their country, and neglect foreign products.
14. Every third resident of this country has his own personal sauna. The total number of saunas is 2 million, while the population of the country slightly exceeds 5 million people.
15. Since February 2000, the Finnish government has been headed by a woman. 
16. Same-sex marriages can be officially registered. The corresponding law came into force in 2002.
17. There are 190,000 lakes in Finland, which occupy approximately 10% of the total area of the state.
18. The well-known Nokia brand, according to documents, is the property of Japan, but the company was created by the Finns in the 19th century and is located in the province of Nokia. 
19. In the middle of the last century, Jacqueline Kennedy, before the elections in which her husband participated, bought 7 dresses from the Finnish brand Marrimekko. The manufacturer was previously unknown. The purchased outfits were highly appreciated, and John Kennedy was elected President of the United States.
20. Finnish designers became successful in the middle of the last century. The best Finnish design creations were created in the post-war period and are still in demand.
21.In Finland, its own currency was introduced before it received the status of an independent state. Until 1860, payments in Finland were made using the Swedish krona, but Alexander 2 ordered the issuance of a separate monetary unit. 
22. A small fragment of Finland is located in the northwestern part of the Scandinavian Peninsula.
23. In Finland you can speak both Finnish and Swedish.
24. The Finnish economy is one of the strongest. Throughout 2015-2016, the country's economy was in 2nd place in the ranking of the strongest economies in the world, and in 2003-2004 the country took 1st place in the ranking.
25. Freedom of the seas was built in Finland in 2006, which is recognized as the largest liner in history. 
Have you ever thought about traveling to Finland? If such thoughts have not crossed your mind, then you should definitely find out how exciting this country is. There's a lot more to Finland than just cold weather and dark winters! In addition to the natural beauty of nature, Finland has many unique attractions, a distinctive culture and an interesting way of life of people. Finnish traditions, tastes and thoughts often seem both strange and funny. To make you understand this country, this list of 11 interesting facts about Finland was created.
Finns love the sauna
Almost every home in Finland is equipped with a sauna. There are a total of 2.2 million saunas (according to the Encyclopedia of Religion and Nature, published in 2005) for a population of approximately 5.4 million people. It has been an incredibly important part of Finnish culture for many centuries. Finns go to the sauna to relax and feel healthier. There is also a social component, as a reason to meet friends or family. While the Italians get together and eat pasta for dinner and the Brits drink their afternoon tea, the Finns invite each other over for an evening of sauna. Many Finns prefer to go to the sauna naked, so don't be surprised to find some nudity here. Severe northern people willingly jump into snowdrifts right after leaving a warm room. Sometimes, instead of snowdrifts, an artificial pond specially created near the sauna is used.
Drunkenness is not a stereotype
When going to a party or a bar, Finns love to drink well. And this is not a stereotype at all - Finns really drink a lot. However, they are not in first place in Europe in terms of alcohol consumption, behind Russia, Ukraine, Hungary and Portugal. But the amount of alcohol the average Finn consumes per year is much higher than the international average.
Love for coffee
Despite the statistics, Finns still prefer coffee to alcohol. While few people usually associate coffee with Finland, Finns love this drink just as much as Italians, maybe even more. According to the ranking of the largest coffee consumers in the world, Finland is the country with the largest consumption of coffee and coffee drinks in the world.
Dark winter and sunny summer
The climate in Finland is quite strange to say the least. During the winter there is very little sunlight, especially in the northernmost part of the country. In summer, on the other hand, the sunshine never stops. In the northernmost part of the country, the sun shines for 60 days in a row. This phenomenon is known as the midnight sun and occurs in areas north of the Arctic Circle, with a quarter of Finland's landmass lying far to the north.
Finns listen to metal
Among Finnish musical preferences, metal is at the top of the list. Perhaps it's because of the gloomy weather or the mysterious nature, but whatever the reason - Finns love to play and listen to metal music. Some of the world's biggest names in the genre come from Finland, including Nightwish, Stratovarius and Children of Bodom. Inspired by world-famous superstars, Finns continue to create new groups, many of which also become famous. There are four and a half metal bands per 100,000 Finns, making them the European champion in this genre. In this regard, only the Swedes can compete with the Finns.
Love for silence
With such a love for metal, it is surprising that silence and silence are valued among Finns. You don't have to worry about moments of silence in Finnish company and feel awkward. In fact, Finns prefer silence to small talk and idle chatter. It is absolutely normal for them to just sit and not talk. If you have nothing to say, you don't have to open your mouth to break the silence. Many people find it awkward at first, especially if you come from a completely different culture, but Finnish silence is an absolutely good thing. You also have peace of mind when they answer your questions briefly and simply. It's not because Finns don't want to talk to you - they're just used to expressing their thoughts briefly.
Finns seem shy
Since they are not really talkative, they can seem a little shy and withdrawn. This is indeed characteristic of them in some ways, but is not as obvious as one might think. As mentioned above, there are reasons for Finnish silence. They may be quiet not because they are shy, but simply because they do not feel like talking. Here it is not customary to hug and kiss strangers, and sometimes even say hello. People like to keep their personal space private, so don't be surprised by the lack of friendliness in every encounter.
Finnish tango
Finns can be a little shy and reserved, but they are by no means insensitive. On the contrary, they can be very sensitive and passionate. This is confirmed by many examples, but let's focus on one - the Finnish love tango, one of the most sensual dances imaginable. They love it so much that they even created their own Finnish tango. Finland hosts many dance events, including the Tangomarkkinat festival. This is the oldest tango festival in the world!
Thousands of rivers and lakes
Some people romantically say that Finland is the “Land of a Thousand Lakes”. In fact, they are wrong - Finland has 187,888 lakes. It is one of the countries with the largest number of lakes in the world. As if that weren't enough, Finland also has numerous islands. 789 islands exceed 1 square kilometer in area, but only 455 of them are inhabited. If you count tiny islands, their number will be much higher. Now imagine these lakes and islands, add here mysterious forests, rivers and swamps, northern lights and tons of snow in winter, endless sun and warm beaches in summer - and you get a country of extraordinary beauty. Finland's attractions number in the thousands, so this country is definitely interesting for tourists.
Strange celebrations
Finns like to celebrate all kinds of events and have competitions for many strange reasons. They have, for example, an annual Failure Day on October 13th. They organize world championships in such strange disciplines as wife carrying, mosquito catching or cell phone throwing. The Anthill Sitting Championship, the American Snowshoe Football World Cup, and a sex festival are just some of the many kinky events held in Finland.
Best education system
Finns are not very serious when it comes to festivals and competitions, but they are definitely serious when it comes to education. The country's education has been rated as the best in the world. There are no tuition fees, students and schoolchildren are fed and transported to school for free. Finnish universities can be divided into two groups: traditional universities and universities of applied sciences, which provide students with all areas of study.
Finland is the most sparsely populated country in the European Union, often overshadowed in the media by its powerful neighbors Sweden and Norway. But amazing nature with clear lakes, picturesque islands, dense forests, taciturn but very friendly people, interesting traditions attract more and more guests here every year. We hope that some of the facts about Finland below will get you ready to travel soon.
- Finland is one of the last regions of Europe where pagan beliefs lasted the longest. Christianity was adopted here in the 12th century.
- The country only became independent in 1918. Before that, it belonged alternately to Sweden and Russia.
- The Finnish language (so-called Suomi) belongs to the Finno-Ugric group of the Uralic language branch. Along with Finnish, Swedish is the official language of communication. There are about 40 words for snow in the Finnish language, for example "tykky" means large accumulations of snow on tree branches.
- The sauna forms a significant part of Finnish culture. In the country, their number reaches 2.2 million (one for every 2.5 people), which significantly exceeds the number of cars in the country. Having a sauna in the house is the norm, as is diving into a lake after a hot procedure at any time of the year. Wearing clothes in the sauna is tactless (swimsuit is clothing).
- In Finland, slot machines are installed in almost every store, but they are monopolized by a non-profit company. All proceeds go to charitable causes (including the treatment of gambling addiction).
- Official sports in Finland include: throwing mobile phones, catching mosquitoes, carrying wives on the shoulders while overcoming obstacles. By the way, in the latter case, the winner will receive a prize - an amount of beer equal to the weight of his wife.
- Since 2010, Finland has celebrated National Failure Day - let's learn from mistakes and not repeat them.
- The PISA international student assessment program, which conducts research once every 3 years, has recognized that the best level of education among European countries exists in Finland. Schoolchildren showed better knowledge not only in academic disciplines, for example, mathematics and speed reading, but also demonstrated better skills in cooking and creative activities. Finnish schools practice sports, but there are no sports teams. Competition is not valued. The goal is to achieve equality in perfection. Children go to school from the age of 7. Students are not graded until 8th grade.
- According to 2012 statistics, Finland is ruled by the least corrupt government in the world.
- The fine for violating traffic rules depends not only on the severity of the offense, but also on the level of income of the perpetrator. In 2003, a millionaire paid a €170,000 fine for driving at 80 km/h in a 40 km/h speed limit zone.
- When traveling by train in Finland, a foreigner may be surprised by the images of a six-fingered palm on the doors. This is not a designer's mistake at all. The idea is to attract attention and get people to push the door in that area rather than the glass area. This reduces the cost of cleaning glass.
Finns are the most future-obsessed nation. Finland is the first country in the world to have a master's degree in futuristic studies and has a special parliamentary committee on the future, which is obliged to provide an official review of the future every 4 years. Plans for the next 20 years include projects such as the creation of a national “Silicon Valley” for social innovation; cleaning a large number of lakes (in which the water will be suitable for drinking); export of educational programs. A visit to this wonderful country today leaves tourists with an unforgettable impression. Can you imagine what awaits them in two decades?
Reading time: 3 minutes. Views 207 Published Aug 20, 2013
Finland, our long-time northern neighbor. And therefore it is very familiar to many Russians. And yet, I think some interesting facts about Finland are still worth posting.
1. Finland is called “the land of a thousand lakes” without any exaggeration. There are about 190,000 lakes in the country! They occupy approximately 9% of the total area of Finland.
2. Well, once we started talking about water. So Finland has the cleanest drinking water. Of course, you can safely drink it from the tap. And for peace of mind, you can remember that the UN Water Committee recognized tap water in Finland as the cleanest in the world.
3. Finns also treat their police very well. The level of public trust in the police is almost 90%. For reference, in Russia the level of trust in the police at the beginning of 2013 was 13-15%.
4. Finland can also be safely called the country of a thousand islands. According to the latest data, there are 179,584 islands in the country!
5. In 2010, it was in first place in the list of “Best Countries in the World” according to Newsweek magazine, and in 2012 it became “the most stable country in the world” according to the American Fund for Peace. It is also the country with the lowest level of corruption in Europe!
6. Finns are very big and passionate lovers of baths and saunas. Thus, for 5.1 million inhabitants there are 1.7 million baths and saunas. It turns out that there is approximately one bathhouse for three Finns.
7. By the way, who would have known. But it is the Finns who are considered the biggest coffee lovers in the world. On average, they drink 2 times more coffee per year than Italians and 3 times more than Americans.
8. About a quarter of the country is located beyond the Arctic Circle. But, despite the sometimes harsh climate, Finland is very popular among tourists. About 7-8 million tourists visit the country every year. And here you can see the northern lights and deer on the city streets)
9. Despite the fact that Finland is a very democratic country, at various times comics about Donald Duck (because Donald walks around without pants) and Well, Wait! (for excessive cruelty).
10. And also Finland, or rather its northern part Lapland, is the birthplace of Santa Claus, the bourgeois Father Frost. Here it is called Joulupukki. Literally – Christmas goat))
11. Finns are famous organizers of wonderful championships. It is here that competitions are held in carrying wives, throwing mobile phones at a distance, football in the mud, competitions in catching mosquitoes, throwing boots and other funny competitions.
12. Since 2000, Finland has been ruled by a woman - Tarja Halonen. And at the moment, 12 out of 20 Finnish ministers are women.
13. Vacation for Finns working in the civil service is 9 weeks. It is one of the longest in Europe!
14. In Finnish cities you can easily meet hares. They are not afraid of people and are slightly larger in size than their forest brothers.
15. In Finland there are 2 official languages - Finnish and Swedish. At the same time, many Finns understand English and German well. So tourists usually don’t have problems in this country)
If you know more interesting facts about Finland, welcome to the comments!
