Finland, the quiet sibling of the
Nordic countries, has a down-to-earth
natural purity that makes it an exceptionally rewarding place to visit.
Across the south, cultural differences reflect a turbulent history. The picturesque Swedish-speaking
wooden towns of the west coast and the
onion-domed Orthodox churches of Karelia in the east speak of Finland’s oft-repeated role as the rope in a tug of war between
Sweden and
Russia. In the middle were the stoic Finns, a loyal and
warmhearted people with a gloriously independent and idiosyncratic
streak. Even the urban technocrats love to get back to basics, chopping wood or hunting for mushrooms from their
lakeside cabins.
In far-northern
Lapland, the Sámi people still herd their
reindeer in the vast swathes of sparsely populated
wilderness - at least when they’re not podcasting: Finland is one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world. It is also renowned for its
design and architecture, particularly strong in the capital
Helsinki, a clean, modern and buzzy place, with a strong tradition of artistic and musical innovation and a
beautiful coastline and harbor.
Finland is shaped by its climate, and Finns take advantage of their short but
intense summers. The country explodes into life with a bewildering array of
festivals and celebrations, ranging from Savonlinna’s prestigious opera extravaganza to the tongue-in-cheek humor of the Air Guitar World Championships.
Fabulous
forests and lakes cover almost 80% of the country and this, plus the excellent network of
national parks, makes it a tempting destination for outdoor enthusiasts. Trekking and canoeing are obvious choices, but a trip in winter can offer cross-country skiing, ice-fishing, snowmobiling or a
sled safari with a team of huskies or reindeer. And it is hard to beat a traditional
wood-fired sauna at the end of the day.
GeographyFinland is situated in the far north of Europe, bordered to the west by Sweden and the Gulf of Bothnia, to the north by Norway, to the east by the Russian Federation and to the south by the Gulf of Finland. It is often (wrongly) referred to as part of Scandinavia. There are about 30,000 islands off the Finnish coast, mainly in the south and southwest, and some 188,000 inland lakes containing a further 98,000 islands. The Saimaa Lake area is the largest inland water system in Europe. Of the total land area, 10% is under water, and 69% is forest; Finland is situated almost entirely in the northern coniferous zone. In the south and southwest, the forest is mainly pine, fir and birch; most of the forest is managed for timber. In Lapland, in the far north, trees become more sparse and are mainly dwarf birch. Around 8% of the land is agricultural.
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