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, the majority being ethnic Finns. Its capital and largest city is Helsinki. The official languages are Finnish and Swedish, the mother tongues of 84.1 percent and 5.1 percent of the population, respectively. Finland's climate varies from humid continental in the south to boreal in the north. Its land is predominantly covered by boreal forest, with over 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 following 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. (Full article...)

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Helsingfors Skeppsdockas Aktiebolag was a shipbuilding company that operated out of Hietalahti shipyard in Helsinki, Grand Duchy of Finland, between 1865 and 1894.

The company was founded in 1865 by industrialist Adolf Törngren, who fell under financial difficulties during construction work. The ownership was transferred to Tampere Linen and Iron Industry, which had to complete the investments totalling over one million Finnish marks. The company built an over 90 metres long dry dock and a number of workshops. The dock was used for repairs and newbuilding projects, and the workshops produced various machinery parts and consumer products. (Full article...)

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Photo credit: commons:User:Joonasl
Sun setting over Lake Päijänne at Sysmä, Finland. On the right is Päijätsalo island which is part of the Päijätsalo nature park.

Did you know (auto-generated)

... that Kaija Saariaho's 2021 opera Innocence includes traditional Finnish cow-herding calls?
... that politician Kalervo Kummola introduced karaoke to Finland?
... that Charlotte Haining was an International Jury Member for the selection of Finland's 2020 Eurovision Song Contest entry?
... that Finnish-American model Selene Mahri married three millionaires and is credited with inventing the saying "Marriage is a question of give and take. You give. I take"?
... that among the fossils of Finland are the remains of a woolly mammoth and a woolly rhinoceros?
... that the filmmakers of 100 Litres of Gold brewed 20 litres of sahti at the Finnish embassy in Rome for its premiere?

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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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A sign which the Germans left in Muonio, Lapland, written on it: 'As thanks for not demonstrating brotherhood in arms!'

During World War II, the Lapland War (Finnish: Lapin sota; Swedish: Lapplandskriget; German: Lapplandkrieg) saw fighting between Finland and Nazi Germany – effectively from September to November 1944 – in Finland's northernmost region, Lapland. Though the Finns and the Germans had been fighting together against the Soviet Union since 1941 during the Continuation War (1941–1944), peace negotiations between the Finnish government and the Allies of World War II had been conducted intermittently during 1943–1944, but no agreement had been reached. The Moscow Armistice, signed on 19 September 1944, demanded that Finland break diplomatic ties with Germany and expel or disarm any German soldiers remaining in Finland.

The Wehrmacht had anticipated this turn of events and planned an organised withdrawal to Nazi-occupied Norway, as part of Operation Birke (Birch). Despite a failed offensive landing operation by Germany in the Gulf of Finland, the evacuation proceeded peacefully at first. The Finns escalated the situation into warfare on 28 September after Soviet pressure to adhere to the terms of the armistice. The Finnish Army was required by the Soviet Union to push Wehrmacht troops out of Finnish territory. After a series of minor battles, the war came to an effective end in November 1944, when all of the Wehrmacht troops had reached Norway or the border area and took fortified positions. The last Wehrmacht soldiers left Finland on 27 April 1945, shortly before the end of World War II in Europe. (Full article...)

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General images

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

Image 1Three Finnish Romani women in Helsinki, Finland, in 1930s (from Culture of Finland)
Image 2Sámi family in traditional costumes from Finland. (from Culture of Finland)
Image 3In the sauna, by Pekka Halonen, 1925 (from Culture of Finland)
Image 4Pekka Halonen's painting "against persecutors" from 1896 depicts the warfare of the ancient Finns. (from History of Finland)
Image 5A smoke sauna (savusauna) in Enonkoski (from Culture of Finland)
Image 6Memorial of the Mannerheim Cross Knights of Parikkala, Finland (from History of Finland)
Image 7Badge of the Finnish White/Civil Guard (from History of Finland)
Image 8Erkki Karu, one of the pioneers of the Finnish cinema, with cinematographer Eino Kari in 1927 (from Culture of Finland)
Image 9In 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 10Prehistoric red ochre painted rock art of moose, human figures, and boats in Astuvansalmi, Finland, from ca. 3800–2200 BC (from Culture of Finland)
Image 11People gathered in the Senate Square for a demonstration against the February Manifesto in March 1899. (from History of Finland)
Image 12Students on Helsinki's Esplanadi wearing their caps on Vappu (from Culture of Finland)
Image 13Women dressed in Finnish folk costumes (from Culture of Finland)
Image 14Wehrmacht soldiers with a local Sámi reindeer herder, Lappland, Sodankylä, Finland 1942 (from History of Finland)
Image 15The ruins of Vammala burned by the Reds, during the Civil war (from History of Finland)
Image 16Apocalyptica's Perttu Kivilaakso playing metal music live (from Culture of Finland)
Image 17The part of Finland controlled by the Reds at its largest in February–March 1918 (from History of Finland)
Image 18An old drawing of the city of Turku in the 18th century (from History of Finland)
Image 19Eero Järnefelt, Burning the Brushwood, 1893 (from History of Finland)
Image 20Battle of Gangut (Hanko) was part of the Great Northern War during 1700–1721. (from History of Finland)
Image 21President K. J. Ståhlberg in his office in 1919 (from History of Finland)
Image 22Lapua 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)
Image 23A group of Finnish soldiers operating a Bofors gun during the Continuation War in 1943 (from History of Finland)
Image 24A triptych by Akseli Gallen-Kallela, depicting the Aino Story of Kalevala on three panes (from Culture of Finland)
Image 25Homann'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 26Finnish Guards' Rifle Battalion, 1850s (from History of Finland)
Image 27Alvar Aalto, Viipuri Library (1927–35) (from Culture of Finland)
Image 28Painting of Lalli killing Henry. Painting by C. A. Ekman. (from History of Finland)
Image 29A summer cottage (mökki) on a lake island (from Culture of Finland)
Image 30Jean Sibelius at work in his study (from History of Finland)
Image 31This 1825 map of the Grand Duchy of Finland is from a larger work, geographical atlas of the Russian Empire. (from History of Finland)
Image 32S/S Urania in Hanko harbor in 1893, with 509 emigrants on board on their way to America (from History of Finland)
Image 33Battle of Valkeala was part of the Russo-Swedish War (1788–1790). (from History of Finland)
Image 34Kalmar Union in 1400s (from History of Finland)
Image 35Northern Europe in 814 (from History of Finland)
Image 36Midsummer bonfire (kokko) in Mäntsälä (from Culture of Finland)
Image 37Kreeta Haapasalo Playing the Kantele in a Peasant Cottage (1868), by Robert Wilhelm Ekman (from History of Finland)
Image 38President Urho Kekkonen's funeral procession in 1986 (from History of Finland)
Image 39Women in sauna with Vihtas
Image 402007 Formula One World Champion Kimi Räikkönen celebrating victory at the 2007 Brazilian Grand Prix (from Culture of Finland)
Image 41Winter War Monument in Suomussalmi, Kainuu, Finland (from History of Finland)
Image 42Karjalanpiirakka, a traditional Finnish pastry (from Culture of Finland)
Image 43Imagery collage of Birger Jarl conquering Häme and the construction of Häme Castle (from History of Finland)
Image 44The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957), a significant figure in the history of classical music (from Culture of Finland)
Image 45The 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 46The 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 47Stone Age stone axe engraved with human face found from Kiuruvesi. (from History of Finland)
Image 48Helsinki Accords Treaty (from History of Finland)
Image 49(1809 Diet of Porvoo) The sovereign's pledge, printed in Finnish (from History of Finland)
Image 50A peasant girl and a woman in traditional dress from Ruokolahti, eastern Finland, as depicted by Severin Falkman in 1882 (from Culture of Finland)
Image 51Marshal of Finland Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim visit in Germany, 1942 (from History of Finland)
Image 52Finland Ostrobothnia regiment uniforms in 1705 (from History of Finland)
Image 53A reconstruction of a 12th-century Perniö costume (from History of Finland)
Image 54Ancylus Lake covered major part of Finland (7,500–6,000 BC) (from History of Finland)
Image 55Portrait of Finnish poet Elias Lönnrot who wrote "the Kalevala" (1802 - 1884) (from History of Finland)
Image 56Janne Ahonen is considered one of the best and most successful currently active ski jumpers. (from Culture of Finland)
Image 57In 2011 figure skater Kiira Korpi was ranked 4th in the world. (from Culture of Finland)
Image 58Finnish folk dancers in a 1907 postcard sent from Mustamäki, Finland (from Culture of Finland)
Image 59Captain Aarne Juutilainen at the front at Kollaa during the Winter War (from History of Finland)
Image 60The Finno-Soviet Treaty (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 62Turku Cathedral and its surroundings from 1814 (from History of Finland)
Image 63Pieces of the Antrea Net (8,300 BC), the oldest-known fishing net in the world. (from History of Finland)
Image 64Mikael Agricola hands over the Finnish Translation of the New Testament to King Gustav Wasa. (from History of Finland)
Image 65Stone Age dwelling named Kierikki 5000–3000 BC (from History of Finland)
Image 66Paavo Nurmi at the 1920 Summer Olympics (from Culture of Finland)
Image 67A view of Pohjoisesplanadi in the center of Helsinki in 1891 (from History of Finland)
Image 68The area controlled by Finland at its largest, in 1942 (from History of Finland)
Image 69Identification document and tag of a Finnish war child (from History of Finland)
Image 70The 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 71The 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 72Map of Finnish areas ceded to the Soviet Union in 1944, after the Continuation War (from History of Finland)
Image 73Grand Duchy of Finland, 75 kopek assignat (1824) (from History of Finland)
Image 74Signing 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 75Jussipaita (transl. Jussi sweater); a traditional sweater from the Finnish region of Southern Ostrobothnia (from Culture of Finland)
Image 76Linus Torvalds, a famous Fennoswede software engineer, best known for initiating the development of the Linux kernel (from Culture of Finland)
Image 77Kastelli Giant's Church in Pattijoki by Pöljä culture [fi] (from History of Finland)

In the news

3 October 2025 –: A Finnish court dismisses charges against the crew of the Eagle S tanker, ruling prosecutors failed to prove intent in the 2024 Estlink 2 incident and that negligence must be addressed by the ship's flag state or crew's home countries. (Reuters)
14 September 2025 – EuroBasket 2025: In basketball, Germany defeats Turkey 88–83 in the EuroBasket 2025 final, with Dennis Schröder selected as the MVP. In the third-place match, Greece beats Finland. (FIBA)
5 September 2025 – Finland–Latvia relations, Belarus–European Union border crisis: Finland accepts Latvia's request to deploy border guards at the Belarus–Latvia border to help manage increased migration from Belarus, with Estonia and Lithuania also providing support. (Reuters)
5 September 2025 – Finland–Palestine relations, Diplomatic impact of the Gaza war: Finland joins the New York Declaration calling for the end of the Gaza war and advancing a two-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. (Reuters)
1 September 2025 –: A Finnish court sentences Biafran activist Simon Ekpa to six years in prison for incitement, tax fraud, and terrorism, among other charges. (AP)
19 August 2025 –: Eemeli Peltonen, a 30-year-old Finnish member of parliament, dies by suicide inside the Parliament House in Helsinki. (Yle)

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Panorama of Lake Pielinen from a hill in Koli National Park, Finland

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