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Finland

✨ The land of a thousand lakes and Santa Claus

Finland is a Northern European country between Sweden, Norway and Russia, with a long coastline on the Baltic Sea. Its territory, including marine areas, covers about 390,906 km², while the land area is about 338,491 km². The capital, Helsinki, lies in the south on the Gulf of Finland. The country stretches roughly 1,157 km from Hanko in the southwest to Utsjoki in the far north. Much of Finland is relatively flat or gently rolling, although the terrain rises toward Lapland. The highest point is Halti, at 1,324 metres above sea level.

Finland is also known for its abundance of water: there are about 168,000 lakes measuring at least 500 m², and Lake Saimaa is the largest, covering about 1,393 km². The landscape also includes numerous islands, forests, wetlands and rocky shores shaped by the Baltic Sea. Finland's landscape was strongly shaped by the last Ice Age. Moving ice sheets scraped the bedrock, deepened existing depressions and helped form many lakes, while meltwater deposited long ridges of sand and gravel. Forests cover about 77% of the country's land area, with conifers especially common in the northern taiga zone.

The climate has four distinct seasons, but conditions vary greatly with latitude: winters are generally cold, while summers can be warm and very bright. In northern Lapland, the Sun can remain above the horizon around the summer solstice, creating the midnight sun; in winter, the polar night brings a long period without the Sun rising. The country's longest river is the Kemijoki, about 500 km long. Finland is a member of the European Union, and its two national languages are Finnish and Swedish.

The southwestern coast has a complex archipelago, while the autonomous Åland Islands lie between Finland and Sweden in the Baltic Sea. Finland's position far north gives it striking differences in daylight through the year. Around midsummer, nights are very short in the south and the Sun does not set in the far north; during winter, daylight becomes limited. These seasonal contrasts influence vegetation, wildlife and everyday life. The country is part of the boreal zone, and its wetlands are also an important feature of the landscape.

💡 Did you know?

Did you know that Santa Claus officially lives in Finland? His home is in Rovaniemi, Lapland, on the Arctic Circle line. You can visit his village year-round, meet his reindeer, and even go to his special post office to see the millions of letters sent by children from all over the world. Since it's far north, there is snow almost year-round, making the place truly magical!

In Finland, the sauna is much more than just a steam bath: it's a way of life! They say there are more than 3 million saunas for only 5 million inhabitants. There are saunas in homes, offices, and even in some buses! The Finns' favorite winter tradition is to heat their bodies in the sauna and then run outside to jump into a frozen lake or the snow. It's very surprising but excellent for health!

Did you know that some of the most famous video games were invented in Finland? This is the case for the game Angry Birds and the building game Clash of Clans! Finland is a very modern country that loves technology. Before smartphones, the famous phone brand Nokia also came from here. Despite their love for nature, Finns are true champions of digital and innovation.