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 covers an area of 338,145 square kilometres (130,559 sq mi) and has a population of 5.6 million. Helsinki is the capital and largest city. The vast majority of the population are ethnic Finns. The official languages are Finnish and Swedish, of which 84.9 percent and 5.1 percent of the population speak the first as their mother tongue. 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 the Swedish Empire as a result of the Northern Crusades. In 1809, as a result of the Finnish War, Finland was captured from Sweden and became a Grand Duchy of Finland, an autonomous state ruled by the Russian Empire. During this period, Finnish art flourished and the idea of full independence began to take hold. In 1906, Finland became the first European state to grant universal suffrage, 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 full independence. In 1918 the young nation was divided by the Finnish Civil War. 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 but retained its independence. (Full article...)
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Beherit is a Finnish black metal band from Rovaniemi. The band was formed in 1989 by Nuclear Holocausto Vengeance (Marko Laiho), Jari Vaarala (Demonic Fornication) and Sodomatic Slaughter (Jari Pirinen), with the purpose of performing "the most primitive, savage, hell-obsessed black metal imaginable". "Beherit" is the Syriac word for Satan. Through the uncommercial nature of their music, visuals, and live performances, the band quickly attracted a cult following. Besides the "raw" sound, the band's music is noted for its avant-garde side and emphasis on atmosphere. Beherit are now regarded as a pioneer in their genre.
As a full band, Beherit released one full-length album and many demos and compilations of raw and minimalistic black metal. They disbanded soon after the release of the experimental 1993 album Drawing Down the Moon, which is now considered a classic of the genre. Laiho, the group's frontman, continued as a solo project and released two more albums under the band's name, H418ov21.C in 1994 and Electric Doom Synthesis in 1995. These albums are usually categorized as dark ambient. Although they were completely electronic, the albums carried the atmosphere of the band's black metal recordings. Original members Nuclear Holocausto and Sodomatic Slaughter reformed the band in 2008, now a four-piece featuring new members Ancient Corpse Desekrator and Abyss. (Full article...)Selected image -
Did you know (auto-generated)
- ... that politician Kalervo Kummola introduced karaoke to Finland?
- ... that Kuappi in Iisalmi, Finland, holds the Guinness world record for the smallest restaurant?
- ... 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 Mika Kares returned to Finland to perform the title role of Boito's opera Mefistofele at the Savonlinna Opera Festival?
- ... that records of transgender people in Finland stretch back to the 19th century?
- ... that the United States severed diplomatic ties with Finland in 1944 because of a personal letter sent to Hitler?
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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 -
- ...that according to Lapsiporno.info, a blacklist of websites compiled by the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation included those containing legal pornography?
- ...that Ismo Alanko Säätiö's accordionist Kimmo Pohjonen has been dubbed the "Jimi Hendrix of the accordion" by the Finnish music press?
- ...that the Christmas carol Personent hodie, first published in the 1582 Finnish song book Piae Cantiones, is thought to be a parody of a 12th-century carol?
- ...that Anssi Koivuranta is leading the 2008–09 Nordic Combined World Cup right now?
- ...that the Finnish tango is an established variation of the Argentine tango and one of the most enduring and popular music forms in Finland?
Henri Pauli Toivonen (25 August 1956 – 2 May 1986) was a Finnish rally driver born in Jyväskylä, the home of Rally Finland. His father, Pauli, was the 1968 European Rally Champion for Porsche and his brother, Harri, became a professional circuit racer.
Toivonen's first World Rally Championship victory came with a Talbot Sunbeam Lotus at the 1980 Lombard RAC Rally in Great Britain, just after his 24th birthday. He had the record of being the youngest driver ever to win a world rally until his countryman Jari-Matti Latvala won the 2008 Swedish Rally at the age of 22. After driving for Opel and Porsche, Toivonen was signed by Lancia. Despite nearly ending up paralysed at the Rally Costa Smeralda early in 1985, he returned to rallying later that year. He won the last event of the season, the RAC Rally, as well as the 1986 season opener, the Monte Carlo Rally, which his father had won exactly 20 years earlier. (Full article...)General images
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Kalmar Union in 1400s (from History of Finland)
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Helsinki Accords Treaty (from History of Finland)
- The ruins of
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Finnish Guards' Rifle Battalion, 1850s (from History of Finland)
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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)The
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Mustamäki, Finland (from Culture of Finland)Finnish folk dancers in a 1907 postcard sent from
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Battle of Gangut (Hanko) was part of the Great Northern War during 1700–1721. (from History of Finland)
- Women in sauna with
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K. J. Ståhlberg in his office in 1919 (from History of Finland)President
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Hanko harbor in 1893, with 509 emigrants on board on their way to America (from History of Finland)S/S Urania in
- Grand Duchy of Finland, 75 kopek assignat (1824) (from
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Turku Cathedral and its surroundings from 1814 (from History of Finland)
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Swedish empire at its largest. Most of present-day Finland was part of Sweden proper, rike, shown in dark green. (from History of Finland)The
- The area of Finland in the years 1920–1940. The 1935 county and municipality division on the map. (from
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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)In the middle is the patron saint of Finland,
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Lapua Movement supporters beating the "red officer" Eino Nieminen in front of the Vaasa courthouse during the 4 June 1930 riot. (from History of Finland)
- A group of Finnish soldiers operating a
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Mannerheim Cross Knights of Parikkala, Finland (from History of Finland)Memorial of the
- Pieces of the
- Map of Finnish areas ceded to the Soviet Union in 1944, after the Continuation War (from
- A view of
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Wehrmacht soldiers with a local Sámi reindeer herder, Lappland, Sodankylä, Finland 1942 (from History of Finland)
- The decision of the Soviet of the People's Comissars' to recognise Finnish independence, signed by
- A summer cottage (mökki) on a lake island (from
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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)Homann's map of the
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Jean Sibelius at work in his study (from History of Finland)
- Identification document and tag of a
- Badge of the Finnish
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Pekka Halonen's painting "against persecutors" from 1896 depicts the warfare of the ancient Finns. (from History of Finland)
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Kreeta Haapasalo Playing the Kantele in a Peasant Cottage (1868), by Robert Wilhelm Ekman (from History of Finland)
- In the
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Janne Ahonen is considered one of the best and most successful currently active ski jumpers. (from Culture of Finland)
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Helmut Schmidt, East Germany's leader Erich Honecker, US president Gerald Ford and the Austrian chancellor Bruno Kreisky (from History of Finland)Signing the Helsinki Accords are the West German Chancellor
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Mikael Agricola hands over the Finnish Translation of the New Testament to King Gustav Wasa. (from History of Finland)
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Urho Kekkonen's funeral procession in 1986 (from History of Finland)President
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Kierikki 5000–3000 BC (from History of Finland)Stone Age dwelling named
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Sámi / Laplander family in traditional costumes from Finland. (from Culture of Finland)
- Northern Europe in 814 (from
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Perniö costume (from History of Finland)A reconstruction of a 12th-century
- A peasant girl and a woman in traditional dress from Ruokolahti, eastern Finland, as depicted by Severin Falkman in 1882 (from
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triptych by Akseli Gallen-Kallela, depicting the Aino Story of Kalevala on three panes (from Culture of Finland)A
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Senate Square for a demonstration against the February Manifesto in March 1899. (from History of Finland)People gathered in the
- Jussipaita (transl. Jussi sweater); a traditional sweater from the Finnish region of
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Diet of Porvoo) The sovereign's pledge, printed in Finnish (from History of Finland)(1809
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folk costumes (from Culture of Finland)Women dressed in Finnish
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the Reds at its largest in February–March 1918 (from History of Finland)The part of Finland controlled by
- Winter War Monument in
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Turku in the 18th century (from History of Finland)An old drawing of the city of
- Imagery collage of
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Jean Sibelius (1865–1957), a significant figure in the history of classical music (from Culture of Finland)The Finnish composer
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Karjalanpiirakka, a traditional Finnish pastry (from Culture of Finland)
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red ochre painted rock art of moose, human figures, and boats in Astuvansalmi, Finland, from ca. 3800–2200 BC (from Culture of Finland)Prehistoric
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Erkki Karu, one of the pioneers of the Finnish cinema, with cinematographer Eino Kari in 1927 (from Culture of Finland)
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Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim visit in Germany, 1942 (from History of Finland)Marshal of Finland
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- Eero Järnefelt, Burning the Brushwood, 1893 (from
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Kiira Korpi was ranked 4th in the world. (from Culture of Finland)In 2011 figure skater
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smoke sauna (savusauna) in Enonkoski (from Culture of Finland)A
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Vappu (from Culture of Finland)Students on Helsinki's Esplanadi wearing their caps on
- Finland Ostrobothnia regiment uniforms in 1705 (from
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Ancylus Lake covered major part of Finland (7,500–6,000 BC) (from History of Finland)
- The area controlled by Finland at its largest, in 1942 (from
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2007 Formula One World Champion Kimi Räikkönen celebrating victory at the 2007 Brazilian Grand Prix (from Culture of Finland)
- Midsummer bonfire (kokko) in Mäntsälä (from
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Russian Empire. (from History of Finland)This 1825 map of the Grand Duchy of Finland is from a larger work, geographical atlas of the
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Linus Torvalds, a famous Fennoswede software engineer, best known for initiating the development of the Linux kernel (from Culture of Finland)
In the news
- 22 May 2024 – Russia–NATO relations
- The Russian Ministry of Defence proposes to unilaterally adjust Russia's maritime border in the Baltic Sea, prompting comments of concern made by Baltic members of NATO, including Finland and Lithuania. The Ministry of Defense later retracts the proposal. (Reuters) (BBC News)
- 2 April 2024 – Viertola school shooting
- A student is killed and two others are injured in a shooting at a school in Vantaa, Uusimaa, Finland. A 12-year-old student is detained. (AP) (Yle)
- 1 March 2024 – 2024 Finnish presidential election
- Alexander Stubb is sworn in as the 13th President of Finland. (Reuters)
- 11 February 2024 – 2024 Finnish presidential election
- Alexander Stubb is elected President of Finland with 51.6% of the vote.(Yle)
- 27 January 2024 – Israel–Hamas war
- The United Kingdom, United States, Australia, Italy, Canada, Finland, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Germany suspend humanitarian aid to UNRWA over allegations that some UNRWA staff members were involved in the Hamas-led attack on Israel. (BBC News) (CBS News)
- 14 December 2023 – Finland–United States relations
- Finland announces the creation of a defense cooperation agreement with the United States. The agreement will grant Finland access to American military resources for use in defensive operations, while the US will gain military access to Finland in the event of conflict. (Reuters)
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