Finland is located between the Arctic Ocean and the Baltic Sea, separated from Sweden by the Gulf of Bothnia. The country lies on the way from Scandinavia to Russia. For centuries, Sweden and Russia have fought for the ownership of Finnish lands.
1. Northern state
Two-thirds of Finland's territory is located between the 60th and 70th parallels north latitude. The country's capital, Helsinki, is located at the 60th parallel, as are the Norwegian capital Oslo and the Russian St. Petersburg. The remaining third of the territory is located beyond the Arctic Circle. Thanks to this, two natural phenomena can be observed in Finland: polar day and night.
2. Climate
The climatic conditions in Finland are very harsh. However, the south-westerly winds soften the extreme cold. For this reason, even in February, the temperature rarely drops below the minus mark of 15 ° C, while at the same latitude in Siberia the temperature is often -50 ° C.
3. Cluster of islands
More than 6,500 islets continue the territory of Finland in the Gulf of Bothnia. These are primarily the Aland Islands, of which only 80 are inhabited.
4. Land of lakes
There are about 55,000 lakes in Finland. They have narrow isthmuses and are interconnected by canals and rivers. If viewed from a bird's eye view, they resemble a water maze.
5. Forest resources
Finland is rich in forests, covering about 68% of its territory. Many mushrooms grow in them, but the locals rarely pick them, preferring to use store mushrooms. The woodworking industry is well developed in the country. The Finnish forest is famous all over the world.
6. Agriculture
Agricultural lands, sandwiched between forests and lakes, occupy no more than 8% of the entire territory of the country. Farmers in southern Finland grow cereals, beets, and potatoes. The northern farms produce dairy products.
7. Indigenous people
The natives of Finland are Laplanders. At one time they were driven to those lands by the Finno-Ugric tribes.
8. Independence
In 1352, the territory of modern Finland became part of Sweden as the Grand Duchy of Finland. In 1721, after the end of the Northern War, part of the country, the Karelian Isthmus with the city of Vyborg, ceded to Russia. And in 1809, the whole of Finland was already annexed.
The October Revolution of 1917 made it possible for the Finns to declare their independence. They refused to be part of the USSR, However, in 1939, as a result of the short Finnish war, Lapland and Karelia were ceded to the Union. After World War II, the Finns retained their independence, this was facilitated by a firm position of neutrality: the country is not part of the NATO bloc.
9. Well-being
Finland is regularly included in the list of the most prosperous countries in the world. In this regard, it constantly competes with neighboring Norway.
