Portal:Finland

The Finland Portal

Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, opposite Estonia. Finland has a population of 5.6 million. Its capital and largest city is Helsinki. The majority of the population are ethnic Finns. The official languages are Finnish and Swedish; 84.1 percent of the population speak the first as their mother tongue and 5.1 percent the latter. Finland's climate varies from humid continental in the south to boreal in the north. The land cover is predominantly boreal forest biome, with more than 180,000 recorded lakes.

Finland was first settled around 9000 BC after the last Ice Age. During the Stone Age, various cultures emerged, distinguished by different styles of ceramics. The Bronze Age and Iron Ages were marked by contacts with other cultures in Fennoscandia and the Baltic region. From the late 13th century, Finland became part of Sweden as a result of the Northern Crusades. In 1809, as a result of the Finnish War, Finland was captured from Sweden and became an autonomous grand duchy within the Russian Empire. During this period, Finnish art flourished and the independence movement began to take hold. Finland became the first territory in Europe to grant universal suffrage in 1906, and the first in the world to give all adult citizens the right to run for public office. Following the Russian Revolution of 1917, Finland declared its independence. A civil war was fought in Finland the following year, with the Whites emerging victorious. Finland's status as a republic was confirmed in 1919. During World War II, Finland fought against the Soviet Union in the Winter War and the Continuation War, and later against Nazi Germany in the Lapland War. As a result, it lost parts of its territory to the Soviet Union but retained its independence and democracy. (Full article...)

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Finnic languages at the beginning of the 20th century

The Baltic Finnic peoples, often simply referred to as the Finnic peoples, are the peoples inhabiting the Baltic Sea region in Northern and Eastern Europe who speak Finnic languages. They include the Finns, Estonians (including Võros and Setos), Karelians (including Ludes and Livvi), Veps, Izhorians, Votes, and Livonians. In some cases the Kvens, Ingrians, Tornedalians and speakers of Meänkieli are considered separate from the Finns.

The bulk of the Finnic peoples (more than 98%) are ethnic Finns and Estonians, who reside in the two independent Finnic nation states—Finland and Estonia. (Full article...)

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Photo credit: Christopher Batt
Juuso Pykälistö in his Peugeot 206 WRC during the 2003 Swedish Rally.

Did you know (auto-generated)

... that among the fossils of Finland are the remains of a woolly mammoth and a woolly rhinoceros?
... that Finland won its first Olympic ice hockey medal under the leadership of Kai Hietarinta?
... that a song about an esports team went viral in Finland?
... that Joe Wirkkunen coached the Finland men's national ice hockey team after receiving a recommendation from Canada?
... that Venla Luukkonen is the first Finnish person to win the World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship at black belt level?
... that the United States severed diplomatic ties with Finland in 1944 because of a personal letter sent to Hitler?

WikiProjects

You are invited to participate in Finland WikiProject, a WikiProject dedicated to developing and improving articles about Finland.

More did you know - show different entries

...that the career of Tiia Piili, four-time FISAF World Champion in sport aerobics, was threatened when she got food poisoning attending a competition in Morocco?
...that Erkki Karu founded both Suomi-Filmi and Suomen Filmiteollisuus, the two largest film production companies during the 'Golden Age' of Finnish cinema?
...that "Blooddrunk", a track by Finnish band Children of Bodom about self-destructive behaviour, debuted at number one in Finland?
...that Taisto Mäki, one of the so-called Flying Finns, was the first man to run 10,000 metres in under half an hour?
...that when called by the opposition to quit after the Kauhajoki school shooting, Finnish politician Anne Holmlund refused and compared resigning her post as Interior Minister to "desertion"?

... that the asteroid 1536 Pielinen is named after Pielinen Lake (pictured) in Finland?

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Selänne with the Anaheim Ducks in November 2010

Teemu Ilmari Selänne (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈteːmu ˈselænːe]; born July 3, 1970) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey winger. He began his professional career in 1989–90 with Jokerit of the SM-liiga and played 21 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Winnipeg Jets, Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks, and Colorado Avalanche. Nicknamed "the Finnish Flash", Selänne is the highest scoring Finn in NHL history, and one of the highest overall; he retired in 2014 11th all-time with 684 goals and 15th with 1,457 points. He holds numerous team scoring records for both the Winnipeg/Arizona franchise and the Anaheim Ducks. His jersey number 8 was retired by the Ducks in 2015. In 2017 Selänne was named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in history. On June 26, 2017, Selänne was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame as the second Finn after Jari Kurri.

Selänne was a first-round selection of the Jets, tenth overall, at the 1988 NHL Entry Draft, but initially remained in Finland. He led the SM-liiga in scoring as part of Jokerit's Kanada-malja winning team in 1991–92 before moving to North America. He broke into the NHL by scoring 76 goals and 132 points in the 1992–93. It remains the league record for most goals and points by a rookie and earned him the Calder Memorial Trophy as the top first-year player in the NHL. He has scored 50 goals in a season three times and topped 100 points on four occasions. He played in 10 NHL All-Star Games, was named to four post-season All-Star teams and won the inaugural Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy in 1998–99 as the league's leading goal scorer. He was named recipient of the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy in 2005–06 for perseverance and dedication to the game and was a member of the Ducks' 2007 Stanley Cup championship team. (Full article...)

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General images

The following are images from various Finland-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1The public education system founded during earlier Swedish rule resulted the literacy of Grand Duchy of Finland being higher than its host country Russian Empire (map of 1897 census literacy data) (from History of Finland)
Image 2Pekka Halonen's painting "against persecutors" from 1896 depicts the warfare of the ancient Finns. (from History of Finland)
Image 3The area controlled by Finland at its largest, in 1942 (from History of Finland)
Image 4S/S Urania in Hanko harbor in 1893, with 509 emigrants on board on their way to America (from History of Finland)
Image 5Prehistoric red ochre painted rock art of moose, human figures, and boats in Astuvansalmi, Finland, from ca. 3800–2200 BC (from Culture of Finland)
Image 6Map of Finnish areas ceded to the Soviet Union in 1944, after the Continuation War (from History of Finland)
Image 7Battle of Gangut (Hanko) was part of the Great Northern War during 1700–1721. (from History of Finland)
Image 8Battle of Valkeala was part of the Russo-Swedish War (1788–1790). (from History of Finland)
Image 9Northern Europe in 814 (from History of Finland)
Image 10The Finno-Soviet Treaty (from History of Finland)
Image 11Identification document and tag of a Finnish war child (from History of Finland)
Image 122007 Formula One World Champion Kimi Räikkönen celebrating victory at the 2007 Brazilian Grand Prix (from Culture of Finland)
Image 13Paavo Nurmi at the 1920 Summer Olympics (from Culture of Finland)
Image 14President K. J. Ståhlberg in his office in 1919 (from History of Finland)
Image 15Marshal of Finland Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim visit in Germany, 1942 (from History of Finland)
Image 16Eero Järnefelt, Burning the Brushwood, 1893 (from History of Finland)
Image 17Janne Ahonen is considered one of the best and most successful currently active ski jumpers. (from Culture of Finland)
Image 18Painting of Lalli killing Henry. Painting by C. A. Ekman. (from History of Finland)
Image 19Apocalyptica's Perttu Kivilaakso playing metal music live (from Culture of Finland)
Image 20Finnish Guards' Rifle Battalion, 1850s (from History of Finland)
Image 21Linus Torvalds, a famous Fennoswede software engineer, best known for initiating the development of the Linux kernel (from Culture of Finland)
Image 22Memorial of the Mannerheim Cross Knights of Parikkala, Finland (from History of Finland)
Image 23Turku Cathedral and its surroundings from 1814 (from History of Finland)
Image 24An old drawing of the city of Turku in the 18th century (from History of Finland)
Image 25Alvar Aalto, Viipuri Library (1927–35) (from Culture of Finland)
Image 26A reconstruction of a 12th-century Perniö costume (from History of Finland)
Image 27Mikael Agricola hands over the Finnish Translation of the New Testament to King Gustav Wasa. (from History of Finland)
Image 28Three Finnish Romani women in Helsinki, Finland, in 1930s (from Culture of Finland)
Image 29The Swedish empire at its largest. Most of present-day Finland was part of Sweden proper, rike, shown in dark green. (from History of Finland)
Image 30Erkki Karu, one of the pioneers of the Finnish cinema, with cinematographer Eino Kari in 1927 (from Culture of Finland)
Image 31A summer cottage (mökki) on a lake island (from Culture of Finland)
Image 32Wehrmacht soldiers with a local Sámi reindeer herder, Lappland, Sodankylä, Finland 1942 (from History of Finland)
Image 33Sámi family in traditional costumes from Finland. (from Culture of Finland)
Image 34Finnish folk dancers in a 1907 postcard sent from Mustamäki, Finland (from Culture of Finland)
Image 35Winter War Monument in Suomussalmi, Kainuu, Finland (from History of Finland)
Image 36The first government of independent Finland. P. E. Svinhufvud, the first Prime Minister of Finland, sitting at the head of the table. (from History of Finland)
Image 37Karjalanpiirakka, a traditional Finnish pastry (from Culture of Finland)
Image 38(1809 Diet of Porvoo) The sovereign's pledge, printed in Finnish (from History of Finland)
Image 39Kreeta Haapasalo Playing the Kantele in a Peasant Cottage (1868), by Robert Wilhelm Ekman (from History of Finland)
Image 40Midsummer bonfire (kokko) in Mäntsälä (from Culture of Finland)
Image 41Pieces of the Antrea Net (8,300 BC), the oldest-known fishing net in the world. (from History of Finland)
Image 42In 2011 figure skater Kiira Korpi was ranked 4th in the world. (from Culture of Finland)
Image 43President Urho Kekkonen's funeral procession in 1986 (from History of Finland)
Image 44The part of Finland controlled by the Reds at its largest in February–March 1918 (from History of Finland)
Image 45Women dressed in Finnish folk costumes (from Culture of Finland)
Image 46This 1825 map of the Grand Duchy of Finland is from a larger work, geographical atlas of the Russian Empire. (from History of Finland)
Image 47Jean Sibelius at work in his study (from History of Finland)
Image 48Portrait of Finnish poet Elias Lönnrot who wrote "the Kalevala" (1802 - 1884) (from History of Finland)
Image 49Badge of the Finnish White/Civil Guard (from History of Finland)
Image 50Jussipaita (transl. Jussi sweater); a traditional sweater from the Finnish region of Southern Ostrobothnia (from Culture of Finland)
Image 51Kastelli Giant's Church in Pattijoki by Pöljä culture [fi] (from History of Finland)
Image 52The decision of the Soviet of the People's Comissars' to recognise Finnish independence, signed by Vladimir Lenin, Leon Trotsky, Grigory Petrovsky, Joseph Stalin, Isaac Steinberg, Vladimir Karelin, and Alexander Schlichter (from History of Finland)
Image 53People gathered in the Senate Square for a demonstration against the February Manifesto in March 1899. (from History of Finland)
Image 54A smoke sauna (savusauna) in Enonkoski (from Culture of Finland)
Image 55Stone Age dwelling named Kierikki 5000–3000 BC (from History of Finland)
Image 56A group of Finnish soldiers operating a Bofors gun during the Continuation War in 1943 (from History of Finland)
Image 57A triptych by Akseli Gallen-Kallela, depicting the Aino Story of Kalevala on three panes (from Culture of Finland)
Image 58Ancylus Lake covered major part of Finland (7,500–6,000 BC) (from History of Finland)
Image 59Stone Age stone axe engraved with human face found from Kiuruvesi. (from History of Finland)
Image 60Finland Ostrobothnia regiment uniforms in 1705 (from History of Finland)
Image 61The area of Finland in the years 1920–1940. The 1935 county and municipality division on the map. (from History of Finland)
Image 62In the sauna, by Pekka Halonen, 1925 (from Culture of Finland)
Image 63Imagery collage of Birger Jarl conquering Häme and the construction of Häme Castle (from History of Finland)
Image 64The ruins of Vammala burned by the Reds, during the Civil war (from History of Finland)
Image 65Women in sauna with Vihtas
Image 66Students on Helsinki's Esplanadi wearing their caps on Vappu (from Culture of Finland)
Image 67Captain Aarne Juutilainen at the front at Kollaa during the Winter War (from History of Finland)
Image 68Helsinki Accords Treaty (from History of Finland)
Image 69Homann's map of the Scandinavian Peninsula and Fennoscandia with their surrounding territories: northern Germany, northern Poland, the Baltic region, Livonia, Belarus, and parts of Northwest Russia. Johann Baptist Homann (1664–1724) was a German geographer and cartographer; map dated around 1730. (from History of Finland)
Image 70Grand Duchy of Finland, 75 kopek assignat (1824) (from History of Finland)
Image 71Signing the Helsinki Accords are the West German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt, East Germany's leader Erich Honecker, US president Gerald Ford and the Austrian chancellor Bruno Kreisky (from History of Finland)
Image 72In the middle is the patron saint of Finland, Saint Henry, on the right side of him is Bishop Konrad Bitz and on the left is Dean Magnus Stjernkors; from Missale Aboense (1488) (from History of Finland)
Image 73A view of Pohjoisesplanadi in the center of Helsinki in 1891 (from History of Finland)
Image 74Kalmar Union in 1400s (from History of Finland)
Image 75The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957), a significant figure in the history of classical music (from Culture of Finland)
Image 76A peasant girl and a woman in traditional dress from Ruokolahti, eastern Finland, as depicted by Severin Falkman in 1882 (from Culture of Finland)
Image 77Lapua Movement supporters beating the "red officer" Eino Nieminen [fi] in front of the Vaasa courthouse during the 4 June 1930 riot. (from History of Finland)

In the news

14 January 2025 – 2024 Baltic Sea submarine cable disruptions, NATO operations: At the Summit of Baltic Sea Allies in Helsinki, Finland, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announces the establishment of the Baltic Sentry military mission, which will strengthen the protection of critical infrastructure in the region, such as energy and communication cables, from "destabilizing acts". (NATO News)
3 January 2025 – 2024 Estlink 2 incident: A district court in Helsinki, Finland, denies a request to release the impounded oil tanker Eagle S, suspected of damaging the Estlink 2 submarine power cable and carrying sanctioned Russian oil. (Al Jazeera)
26 December 2024 – 2024 Baltic Sea submarine cable disruptions, Finland–Russia relations: 2024 Estlink 2 incident; Finnish border guards and police detain a Russian vessel suspected of damaging the Estlink-2 submarine power cable yesterday. (AP)
25 December 2024 – 2024 Estlink 2 incident: HVDC submarine power cable Estlink 2, which connects the power grids of Estonia and Finland, suffers an unexplained outage with Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo stating that an investigation into the incident is underway. (AP)
18 November 2024 – 2024 Baltic Sea submarine cable disruptions: The C-Lion1 submarine communications cable across the Baltic Sea between Finland and Germany is damaged in what German officials suspect is sabotage. (The Guardian)

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