Information on Finland

Finland, known for the midnight sun, modern architecture, Nokia cell phones and Linus Torvalds, also ranks as the most competitive country in the world according to the World Economic Forum. Finland was once a part of the Russian Empire and became independent on 6th Dec. 1917 and a republic in 1919.

A third of Finland's total area lies within the Arctic Circle, a far higher proportion than its Scandinavian neighbors Sweden and Norway. Finland is a country of some 60,000 lakes. Projecting southwest into the Baltic Sea is the Ahvenanmaa archipelago, which consists of some 6,500 islands. Among the principal rivers are the Tornio, Muonio, Kemijoki, and Oulu, of which only the Oulu is navigable by large vessels. Finland is mostly a tableland that is generally level. Hilly areas are prominent in the north, and mountains are found in the extreme northwest. Haltiatunturi (1,328 m/4,357 ft) in the northwest near the Norwegian border is the highest point. The northernmost part of Finland, which lies above the Arctic Circle, is known as Saamiland

Finland lies in northern Europe and is bounded by Norway in the north, by Russia in the east, by Russia and the Gulf of Finland in the south, by the Baltic Sea in the southwest, and by the Gulf of Bothnia and Sweden in the west.

Despite sharing the same latitudinal location as Alaska, the North Atlantic Drift makes Finland far milder than its North American counterpart. Like many other European countries and much of the United States, Finland enjoys a change of seasons, characterized by short but warm summers and mystical snow covered winters. Finland's unique climate attracts many tourists each year.

72 percent of Finland is forested. The most prominent trees include pine, spruce, and the national tree: birch. Finland has nearly 1,200 species of plants and ferns and some 1,000 varieties of lichens. Wildlife includes bear, wolf, lynx, arctic fox and the Reindeer. Freshwater as well as Saltwater fish are found in abundance.