Finland
The first people arrived in the land that is now Finland around 8500 BC. They were hunter-gatherers who used stone tools to survive the harsh environment after the last Ice Age. These early settlers left behind artifacts that share characteristics with those found in Estonia, Russia, and Norway. The Comb Ceramic culture introduced pottery to the region in 5200 BC. This distinct style of ceramics featured a comb pattern on the vessels. Archaeologists have found these items across the western limits of the culture. Even as agriculture began to appear between 3000 and 2500 BC, hunting and fishing remained vital parts of the subsistence economy. The Corded Ware culture arrived in southern coastal Finland during this transition period. Linguistic evidence suggests Paleo-European languages were spoken before Finno-Ugric peoples migrated into the area. Names like Inari, Saimaa, Päijänne, and Imatra derive from these ancient tongues. The Sámi people retained their hunter-gatherer lifestyle longer than other groups in the north.
Violent times marked the northern Baltic Sea during the 12th and 13th centuries. Finnish tribes such as the Tavastians and Karelians fought frequent conflicts with Novgorod and each other. Danes waged at least three crusades to Finland in 1187, 1191, and 1202. Swedes launched the second Crusade in 1249 against the Tavastians and the third in 1293 against the Karelians. These campaigns gradually made Finland part of the kingdom of Sweden. The Swedish royal council created an administrative structure and fiscal apparatus for the region. Law codes were codified under Magnus Ladulås between 1275 and 1290. Mikael Agricola published the first written works in Finnish during the Protestant Reformation. King Gustav Vasa founded Helsinki in 1555. Queen Christina established the Royal Academy of Turku in 1640 through Count Per Brahe's proposal. A severe famine struck between 1695 and 1697, killing about one-third of the population. Another plague followed a few years later. The Great Wrath period from 1714 to 1721 saw Russian forces occupy Finland twice. Almost an entire generation of young men was lost due to destroyed homes and farms.
The Finnish parliament passed the Power Act after the February Revolution of 1917. This move gave the parliament supreme authority but was rejected by the Russian Provisional Government. New elections resulted in a narrow victory for right-wing parties. Some social democrats refused to accept these results as extra-legal. The October Revolution changed the geopolitical situation once again. Prime Minister P. E. Svinhufvud presented the Declaration of Independence on the 4th of December 1917. The Finnish Parliament officially approved it on the 6th of December. Vladimir Lenin recognized Finland's independence on the 4th of January 1918. Socialists took control of southern Finland and Helsinki while the white government continued in exile in Vaasa. A short but bitter civil war ensued. The Whites prevailed over the Reds with backing from Imperial Germany. Tens of thousands of Reds were interned in camps where thousands died of malnutrition or disease. A deep social and political enmity sown between the two sides lasted until the Winter War. K. J. Ståhlberg became the first president on the 25th of July 1919. He anchored the state in liberal democracy and promoted the rule of law. Miina Sillanpää became the first female minister in Väinö Tanner's cabinet during 1926, 1927.
The Soviet Union launched the Winter War on the 30th of November 1939 to annex Finland. Joseph Stalin set up the Finnish Democratic Republic to govern after conquest. The Red Army was defeated in numerous battles, most notably at Suomussalmi. Heavy losses forced Soviet forces to advance in February and reach Vyborg in March. The Moscow Peace Treaty signed on the 12th of March 1940 ended the conflict. Finland ceded 9% of its territory to the Soviet Union. Hostilities resumed in June 1941 with the Continuation War when Finland allied with Germany. Finnish troops occupied Eastern Karelia from 1941 to 1944. They assisted the German Army in the Siege of Leningrad. A massive Soviet offensive in summer 1944 led to a breakthrough until the Finns repulsed it at Tali, Ihantala. An armistice followed this partial Soviet success. The Lapland War of 1944, 1945 saw Finland fight retreating German forces in the north. Finland lost 12% of its land area and 20% of its industrial capacity. Around 97,000 soldiers were lost during these conflicts. The country avoided occupation by Soviet forces and retained independence. During the Cold War, Finland officially embraced a policy of neutrality. The YYA Treaty recognized Finland's desire to remain outside great-power conflicts.
Trade with Western powers and reparations payments transformed Finland from an agrarian society into an industrialized one. Valmet was established as a shipyard to produce materials for war reparations. In 1950, 46% of workers were employed in agriculture while only a third lived in urban areas. New jobs in manufacturing quickly attracted people to cities. The average number of births per woman fell from a peak of 3.5 in 1947 to 1.5 in 1973. Hundreds of thousands emigrated to Sweden when the economy failed to create jobs fast enough. Emigration peaked in 1969 and 1970. Rapid economic growth occurred in the post-war period. By 1975, Finland's GDP per capita ranked 15th highest in the world. The country built one of the most extensive welfare states between the 1970s and 1980s. A deep recession hit Finland in the early 1990s due to banking crises and the collapse of its largest trading partner. The recession bottomed out in 1993 before over a decade of steady growth began. Much of the late 1990s growth was fueled by mobile phone manufacturer Nokia.
Finland lies approximately between latitudes 60° and 70° N. It has about 168,000 lakes larger than 500 square meters and 179,000 islands. Saimaa is the fourth largest lake in Europe. The Finnish Lakeland area contains the most lakes in the country. Cities like Tampere, Jyväskylä, and Kuopio are located near these large bodies of water. The world's largest archipelago lies off the coast with more than 50,000 islands. Glaciers left terminal moraine deposits running northwest to southeast across southern Finland. Three Salpausselkä ridges mark where the ancient edge of the glacier once lay. Post-glacial rebound causes land to rise steadily around the Gulf of Bothnia. About 78% of the total area consists of forest covered by pine, spruce, birch, and other species. Finland is the largest producer of wood in Europe. Granite serves as the most common type of rock visible wherever soil does not cover it. Podzol profile development appears in most forest soils except where drainage is poor. Gleysols and peat bogs occupy poorly drained areas.
Finland became a member of NATO on the 4th of April 2023 after decades of neutrality. Opinion polls showed a narrow majority against membership before February 2022. By April, a supermajority supported joining the alliance following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Finnish Parliament voted 188, 8 in favor of accession on the 17th of May 2022. Alexander Stubb took office as president on the 1st of March 2024. Tarja Halonen was elected President in 2000 making her the first female leader. Martti Ahtisaari won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2008 for his diplomatic work. The country maintains universal male conscription under which all males above 18 serve for 6 to 12 months. Women entered voluntary military service in 2022 with 1,211 recruits. Finland has five commercial nuclear reactors producing 40% of the country's energy. The Olkiluoto Nuclear Power Plant hosts three reactors while Loviisa houses two Soviet-designed VVER-440 units. The Onkalo spent nuclear fuel repository is under construction at Eurajoki. Tourism grossed approximately €15.0 billion in 2017 with foreign visitors contributing €4.6 billion.
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Common questions
When did the first people arrive in Finland?
The first people arrived in the land that is now Finland around 8500 BC. They were hunter-gatherers who used stone tools to survive the harsh environment after the last Ice Age.
Who founded Helsinki and when was it established?
King Gustav Vasa founded Helsinki in 1555. The city later became the capital of Finland following its independence from Russia.
What date did Finland officially declare independence?
The Finnish Parliament officially approved the Declaration of Independence on the 6th of December 1917. Vladimir Lenin recognized Finland's independence on the 4th of January 1938.
How many lakes does Finland have larger than 500 square meters?
Finland has about 168,000 lakes larger than 500 square meters. Saimaa is the fourth largest lake in Europe located within the Finnish Lakeland area.
When did Finland become a member of NATO?
Finland became a member of NATO on the 4th of April 2023 after decades of neutrality. The Finnish Parliament voted 188 to 8 in favor of accession on the 17th of May 2022.