Finland

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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 middle of the 13th century, Finland became part of Sweden during 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 an independence movement gradually developed.

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Names and etymology

Finland is known by two unrelated names: Suomi (Finnish for 'Finland'), used in Finnish and, in corresponding forms, in the other Finnic languages; and Finland, of Old Norse origin, used in Swedish and in most other languages. The origin of both is uncertain. Explanations deriving Suomi from suo ('mire') or suomu ('scale') are rejected on semantic and morphological grounds; current discussion centres on a Baltic loan etymology linking Suomi to the province name Häme and the Sámi endonym sápmi, and on the view that Suomi and sápmi continue a common Finno-Samic self-designation.

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History

The area that is now Finland was settled in, at the latest, around 8500 BC during the Stone Age towards the end of the last glacial period. The artefacts the first settlers left behind present characteristics that are shared with those found in Estonia, Russia, and Norway. The earliest people were hunter-gatherers, using stone tools.

The first pottery appeared in 5200 BC, when the Comb Ceramic culture was introduced. The area of present-day Finland was in the western limits of the culture, which produced pottery with a distinct comb pattern.

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Geography

Lying approximately between latitudes 60° and 70° N, and longitudes 20° and 32° E, Finland is one of the world's northernmost countries. Of world capitals, only Reykjavík lies more to the north than Helsinki. The country is geographically stretched strongly in a north–south direction: the distance from the southernmost point – Hanko in Uusimaa – to the northernmost – Nuorgam in Lapland – is 1,160 kilometres (720 mi).

Finland has about 168,000 lakes (of area larger than 500 m2 or 0.12 acres) and 179,000 islands. Its largest lake, Saimaa, is the fourth largest in Europe.

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Government and politics

Modern Finnish values are rooted in egalitarian ideals. The country maintains a Nordic welfare model with significant state intervention in critical economic sectors. Robust LGBT rights, strong efforts to eliminate poverty, broad protections for women's rights, secularism, and environmentalism are indicators of its political and cultural values. According to International IDEA's Global State of Democracy (GSoD) Indices and Democracy Tracker, Finland performs in the high range on overall democratic measures, with particular strengths in political participation, including inclusive freedom of movement, freedom of movement and elected government.

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Economy

As of 2022, Finland ranked 16th globally in nominal GDP per capita according to the IMF. Additionally, Finland boasts a well-developed welfare system that encompasses free education and universal healthcare, contributing to its reputation as a wealthy nation.

In 2018, the service sector constituted the largest segment of the economy, amounting to 66% of the GDP, while manufacturing and refining made up 31%. Primary production accounted for 2.9% of the economy. Manufacturing is the primary economic sector concerning foreign trade.

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Demographics

The population of Finland is approximately 5.7 million. The birth rate is 7.8 per 1,000 inhabitants, giving a fertility rate of 1.26 children born per woman, one of the lowest in the world and well below the replacement rate of 2.1. In 1887, Finland recorded its highest rate, with 5.17 children born per woman. The child mortality rate is 2.1 deaths per every 1,000 births, one of the lowest in the world; this is attributed to a strong medical system and robust maternal care initiatives, including the maternity package programme.

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Culture

Written Finnish can be said to have existed since Mikael Agricola translated the New Testament into Finnish during the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century. However, few notable works of literature were produced until the 19th century, which marked the emergence of a Finnish national Romantic Movement. This period prompted Elias Lönnrot to collect Finnish and Karelian folk poetry and to arrange and publish them as the Kalevala, the Finnish national epic.

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