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| | |map2 =Finland location.png | | |map2 =Finland location.png |
| | |flag =Flag of Finland.png | | |flag =Flag of Finland.png |
| − | |arms =Finish Coat of Arms.PNG | + | |arms = Finnish Coat of Arms.PNG |
| | |capital =Helsinki | | |capital =Helsinki |
| | |capital-raw = | | |capital-raw = |
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| | |tld =.fi | | |tld =.fi |
| | }} | | }} |
| − | '''Republic of Finland''' (''Suomi'' or ''Suomen tasavalta'' in Finnish, ''Republiken Finland'' in Swedish) is a [[NATO]] [[vassal state]] of northern [[Europe]] known for its largely [[social democracy|social democratic]] economic system. Its national flag consists of the [[Christian]] [[Cross]]. Its president as of 2024 is Alexander Stubb, former vice-president of the European Parliament Intergroup on [[LGBT Rights]] and a reputed [[CIA]] asset.<ref>[https://www.weforum.org/people/alexander-stubb/ World Economic Forum]. Retrieved March 3, 2024. www.weforum.org</ref> | + | '''Republic of Finland''' (''Suomi'' or ''Suomen tasavalta'' in Finnish, ''Republiken Finland'' in Swedish) is a [[NATO]] [[vassal state]] of northern [[Europe]] known for its largely [[social democracy|social democratic]] economic system. Its national flag consists of the [[Christian]] [[Cross]]. Its president as of 2024 is Alexander Stubb, former vice-president of the [[European Parliament]] Intergroup on [[LGBT Rights]] and a reputed [[CIA]] asset.<ref>[https://www.weforum.org/people/alexander-stubb/ World Economic Forum]. Retrieved March 3, 2024. www.weforum.org</ref> |
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| − | The state capital is [[Helsinki]] and the principal exports are machines, electronics and forestry products. [[Finnish]] is the principal language spoken, a [[Finno-Ugric]] language. Like many nations that do international business, or have a strong tourist trade, many Finns speak German, Russian and English to facilitate communication with other countries. The second official language is Swedish, which has the same status as Finnish in the country. Finland is known as "the land of lakes." | + | The state capital is [[Helsinki]], and the principal exports are machines, electronics, and forestry products. [[Finnish]] is the principal language spoken, a [[Finno-Ugric]] language. Like many nations that do international business or have a strong tourist trade, many Finns speak German, Russian, and English to facilitate communication with other countries. The second official language is Swedish, which has the same status as Finnish in the country. Finland is known as "the land of lakes." |
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| | ==Geography== | | ==Geography== |
| | [[File:Mantyluoto, Pori, Finland..jpg|thumb|left|Mäntyluoto, Pori.]] | | [[File:Mantyluoto, Pori, Finland..jpg|thumb|left|Mäntyluoto, Pori.]] |
| − | The area of Finland is 390 908 square kilometers, consisting of 303 919 km2 of land, 34 533 km2 of lakes and 52 456 km2 of sea. The north-south axis is 1157 kilometers and the west-east axis is 542 km. Most of the landscape is covered with lakes and forests. Finland is often called the "Land of Thousands of Lakes", which is true because the number of lakes in the country exceeds 188 000, of which about 56 000 have an area of one hectare or more. In the sea, there are more than 3 000 islands. Cultivated land and habitation only account for 17% of the land area, the rest being mainly [[Norway spruce]] forests. Around 75% of the land is covered by forest and 10% is covered by water. The tallest mountain is Halti with a height of 1324 meters. The longest river is Kemijoki with a length of 500 km. | + | The area of Finland is 390 908 square kilometers, consisting of 303 919 km2 of land, 34 533 km2 of lakes and 52 456 km2 of sea. The north-south axis is 1157 kilometers and the west-east axis is 542 km. Most of the landscape is covered with lakes and forests. Finland is often called the "Land of Thousands of Lakes", which is true because the number of lakes in the country exceeds 188 000, of which about 56 000 have an area of one hectare or more. In the sea, there are more than 3 000 islands. Cultivated land and habitation only account for 17% of the land area, the rest being mainly [[Norway spruce]] forests. Around 75% of the land is covered by forest and 10% is covered by water. The tallest mountain is Halti, with a height of 1324 meters. The longest river is Kemijoki with a length of 500 km. |
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| | Finland is bound by 614 km of common border with [[Sweden]] in the Northwest, 736 km with [[Norway]] in the North, 1,340 km with [[Russia]] in the East, the [[Gulf of Finland]] in the South and the [[Gulf of Bothnia]] in the West. | | Finland is bound by 614 km of common border with [[Sweden]] in the Northwest, 736 km with [[Norway]] in the North, 1,340 km with [[Russia]] in the East, the [[Gulf of Finland]] in the South and the [[Gulf of Bothnia]] in the West. |
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| | The USSR invaded on 30 November 1939.<ref>[https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/a-short-history-of-the-winter-war "A Short History of the Winter War". Imperial War Museum]</ref> | | The USSR invaded on 30 November 1939.<ref>[https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/a-short-history-of-the-winter-war "A Short History of the Winter War". Imperial War Museum]</ref> |
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| − | The Continuation War was the war between the Soviet Union and Finland in the period 1941–44, when in alliance with Germany Finland sought to reverse its losses in the Winter War of 1939–40. The [[Siege of Leningrad]] began in September 1941 when [[Nazi Germany]] and Finnish armies surrounded the [[Russia]]n city of Leningrad (now [[St. Petersburg]]). During the winter of 1941-42 people in Leningrad began to die in large numbers because the Germans and Finns would not allow food into the city. During the siege 1.2 million people died of starvation caused by the Germans and Finns. Some historians describe this as genocide. | + | The Continuation War was the war between the Soviet Union and Finland in the period 1941–44, when, in alliance with Germany, Finland sought to reverse its losses in the Winter War of 1939–40. The [[Siege of Leningrad]] began in September 1941 when [[Nazi Germany]] and Finnish armies surrounded the [[Russia]]n city of Leningrad (now [[St. Petersburg]]). During the winter of 1941-42 people in Leningrad began to die in large numbers because the Germans and Finns would not allow food into the city. During the siege 1.2 million people died of starvation caused by the Germans and Finns. Some historians describe this as genocide. |
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| | Finland's basic foreign policy goal from the end of the [[Continuation War]] with the Soviet Union in 1944 until 1991 was to avoid great-power conflicts and to build mutual confidence with the Soviet Union. Although the country was culturally, socially, and politically Western, Finns realized they must live in peace with the Soviet Union and take no action that might be interpreted as a security threat. The dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 opened up dramatic new possibilities for Finland and has resulted in the Finns actively seeking greater participation in Western political and economic structures. Finland joined the European Union in 1995 and euro in 2002. | | Finland's basic foreign policy goal from the end of the [[Continuation War]] with the Soviet Union in 1944 until 1991 was to avoid great-power conflicts and to build mutual confidence with the Soviet Union. Although the country was culturally, socially, and politically Western, Finns realized they must live in peace with the Soviet Union and take no action that might be interpreted as a security threat. The dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 opened up dramatic new possibilities for Finland and has resulted in the Finns actively seeking greater participation in Western political and economic structures. Finland joined the European Union in 1995 and euro in 2002. |