As one of countries starting with F, Finland is located in the north of Europe and has land borders with Sweden, Norway and Russia. It is separated from Estonia by the Gulf of Finland. Finland belongs to Scandinavia and is one of the countries in Europe where you can pay with the euro. The country was first settled about 10,000 years ago. From the thirteenth century AD the country becomes part of Sweden and it would remain part of Sweden until the beginning of the nineteenth century when Russia invaded the country. In this way, the Tsar of Russia became Grand Duke of Finland. In 1917, the February Revolution broke out in the country and the country declared itself independent. This was only recognized by Russia a year later. Soon after independence, a civil war broke out that would cost many lives. In 1918 the first king of Finland was crowned who resigned a few months later and since then Finland has been a republic. Despite the fact that Finland was attacked several times by Russia during the Second World War, it has always managed to maintain its independence. The country is still under the influence of Russia to this day. Partly because of this, Finland is still not a member of NATO. Most of the country’s residents are employed in the service sector. The country’s main trade products are metal, wood and paper. In addition, Finland is known for its beautiful design items.
Sights
The vast majority of tourists who travel to Finland come to the country to enjoy the beautiful nature. In addition, the capital Helsinki is a popular tourist destination in Finland. Helsinki is also one of the most beautiful sights in the country. In the city you will find the Lutheran Dom Church, the Uspensky Cathedral and the museum of modern art Kaisma. One of the most beautiful places in the city is the Senate Square or Senaatintori. In the southeast of the country near the town of Savolinna is the castle of Olavinlinna. This magnificent castle from the 15th century is the most visited castle in the country. Every year a big operetta festival is held in the castle. Finland, like the other Scandinavian countries, is famous for its saunas. One of the most beautiful and largest saunas in the country can be found near the city of Kuopio. The Jätkänkämppä sauna. The only northern city in Finland, Oulu is also known as the capital of the north. Known for its vibrant nightlife. It seems to be the best place in Finland after Helsinki to indulge in the nightlife. This will mainly be due to the fact that there is a university in the city. The autonomous archipelago of Åland are also a popular destination within Finland. The islands are known for their beautiful nature and their intense tranquility. In total, this archipelago consists of 6,500 islands. Santa Claus lives in the northern city of Rovaniemi. The house of Santa Claus and the nearby park can be visited all year round.
UNESCO
In total, Finland has seven inscriptions on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Of these, it must share one with neighboring Sweden and one with nine other countries. It concerns six cultural and one natural heritage. First, in 1991, the wooden center of the city of Rauma was added, followed by the Suomenlinna fortress. A few years later, the Old Church of Petäjävesi was added. Verla’s Wood and Cardboard Mill followed in 1996. In 1999, the Tomb Field of Sammallahdenmäki in Lappi was added. This funerary monument was built in the Bronze Age. In 2000 the High Coast and Kvarken Archipelago of Finland was added, the islands belonging to it are partly located in Sweden. In 2005, the Struve Arch was added to the list. This arc runs through ten countries. It starts in Hammerfest and runs to the Black Sea.
Climate
Finland has a continental climate. In the southern part of the country, warm pleasant summer months occur with temperatures averaging around twenty degrees Celsius. The winters are cold. In the winter period, the mercury will almost never rise above freezing. The summer period is the wettest in this part of Finland. In the winter period the precipitation here will consist exclusively of snow. In the high summer months, the sun never sets here. In the more northern part of Finland, the summer period is considerably shorter and the average temperatures during this period are several degrees Celsius lower. The winter period is long and there are months where the temperature does not exceed minus ten degrees Celsius. During this period it is only a few hours a day here. The late summer months are the wettest of the year here. Most of the precipitation in the northern part of Finland consists of snow and sleet. Despite the fact that Finland is on the same latitude as Russia and Canada, the average temperature here is a lot higher than you would expect. This is partly due to the lack of mountains that can hold back the warmer air from the south. This does not alter the fact that it can become icy cold, especially in the north of the country. Temperatures of minus twenty degrees Celsius are certainly no exception here. If you want to go to Finland in winter, March is the month best time to travel to Finland. For a summer holiday, it is best to choose the months of June, July or August. The weather is generally lovely in Finland then.
Geography
Finland is located in the north of Europe and belongs to the Scandinavian countries. It is separated from Estonia by the Gulf of Finland and for most of Sweden by the Bothnian Sea, and it borders the Baltic Sea to the south. Geologically, you can divide the country into three parts. A low-lying coastal strip that runs between thirty and one hundred and thirty kilometers inland. Some of the largest cities in the country such as Helsinki, Kotka, Turku and Pori are located in this part of Finland. This makes it one of the most densely populated parts of the country. More inland, the landscape here gradually changes into the Finnish Lakes Plain. This immense area consists of more than 60,000 lakes and covers more than 100,000 square meters. The landscape here consists mainly of coniferous forests. There are no real big cities in this part of Finland. The largest lake in Finland, Lake Saimaa, is located in the Finnish Lake District. The two other most important lakes in Finland can also be found here, Lake Inari and Lake Päijänne. North of the Finnish Lakes Plain is Lapland, which in addition to part of Finland also covers parts of Sweden, Norway and Russia. In Lapland you can find the Scandinavian highlands where the mountain Halti is located. At 1,328 metres, this is the highest point in Finland. Finland’s three main rivers are the Tornionjoki, the Kemijoki and the Oulujoki. Besides the capital Helsinki, the cities of Oulu, Lahti, Kuopio and Jyväskylä are the largest and most important in Finland.
Travel advice
There are no special security risks for a trip to Finland. Finland, along with the other Scandinavian countries, has been one of the safest countries in the world for years. Serious crime is virtually non-existent here and there are no areas that can be seen as unsafe. It may be a very safe country, but pickpockets or pickpockets can occur in the capital Helsinki or in one of the other cities of the country, so always pay close attention to your belongings, especially in public transport. No special vaccinations are required for a visit to Finland.
Travel documents
Finland is one of the Schengen countries, which ensures that residents of other Schengen countries can travel freely between the different countries. Tourists from outside one of the Schengen countries can apply for a standard visa, which has a duration of 3 months and money for all Schengen countries. However, you must be in possession of a valid ID and since 2012 this also applies to children.
Info table
| apital city | Helsinki |
| Phone (country code) | 358 |
| Internetdomein | .fi |
| Language(s) (official) | Finnish and Swedish |
| Language(s) (colloquial) | Finnish, Swedish and Sami |
| Religion(s) | Protestants |
| Time zone(s) | UTC+2 |
| Time difference summer | In Finland it is 1 hour later than in the Netherlands |
| Time difference winter | In Finland it is 1 hour later than in the Netherlands |
| Daylight Saving Time Control | and |
| Currency | euro |
