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. Its capital and largest city is Helsinki. The majority of the population are ethnic Finns. The official languages are Finnish and Swedish; 84.9 percent of the population speak the first as their mother tongue and 5.1 percent the latter. 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 Sweden as a result of 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 the independence movement began to take hold. Finland became the first territory in Europe to grant universal suffrage in 1906, 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 independence. A civil war was fought in Finland the following year, with the Whites emerging victorious. Finland's status as a republic was confirmed in 1919. 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 to the Soviet Union but retained its independence and democracy. (Full article...)

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Finnish Guards' Rifle Battalion (Finnish: Henkikaartin 3. Suomen Tarkk’ampujapataljoona, Swedish: Livgardets 3:e finska skarpskyttebataljon, Russian: Лейб-гвардии 3-й стрелковый Финский батальон, romanized: Leib-gvardii 3-j strelkovyi Finski bataljon), colloquially known as just Finnish Guards (Finnish: Suomen kaarti, Swedish: Finska gardet) was a Grand Duchy of Finland light infantry during 1829–1905 based in Helsinki. Continuing the legacy of the Finnish Training Battalion (1817), it was part of the Imperial Russian Army and the only Finnish unit of the Russian Imperial Guard. For the most of its history, the battalion also functioned as the only operational Finnish military unit. Because of its status as both a national showpiece and as a part of the Imperial Guard, it had a visible role in Finland.

The Finnish Guards' Battalion participated in four campaigns outside Finland. Two of these included actual combat: first in 1831 during the Polish November Uprising and for the second time, on the Balkan front of the Russo-Turkish War. The most famous of the battles it participated in was the battle of Gorni Dubnik in 1877. The unit was also deployed in 1849 to assist in quelling the Hungarian Uprising and later during the Crimean War to guard the western border of Russia. However, it did not engage in combat during these deployments. During peace time, the battalion was responsible for guard duty in Helsinki and participated in the Russian military exercises held annually in Krasnoye Selo. (Full article...)

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Photo credit: Petteri Sulonen
The VR warehouses in Helsinki on fire on May 5th 2006.

Did you know (auto-generated)

... that Sodankylä Old Church is one of the oldest preserved wooden churches in Finland?
... that Matti Lehtinen, a baritone of the Finnish National Opera and professor of singing at the Sibelius Academy, was the voice of God at age 93?
... that records of transgender people in Finland stretch back to the 19th century?
... that Charlotte Haining was an International Jury Member for the selection of Finland's 2020 Eurovision Song Contest entry?
... that politician Kalervo Kummola introduced karaoke to Finland?
... that the 1972 Finnish film The Sheep Eaters gathered more than a million viewers opposite the 1975 Ice Hockey World Championships match between Finland and the Soviet Union?

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You are invited to participate in Finland WikiProject, a WikiProject dedicated to developing and improving articles about Finland.

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...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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Helena Aalto (b. 1898) and Elli Vuokko (b. 1890) of the Turku Women's Guard, both executed in May 1918

All-female units of the paramilitary Red Guards served in the 1918 Finnish Civil War. The first Women's Guards units formed in early February in the main Finnish cities. More than 15 female Guards units were established by the end of March 1918, with a total of about 2,000 women serving. The female Guards units consisted of young industrial workers, maids, and servants. Their average age was about 20, but some were as young as 14. The women served in auxiliary units in combat.

By joining the Red Guards, women stepped out of their traditional role in Finnish society and were demonized by the Whites, the anti-Communist paramilitary. The Red commanders were reluctant to commit the female Guards units to battle and usually held them in reserve. Towards the end of the war, several saw combat. During the Battle of Tampere, the city hall was the last pocket of Red resistance; there is a legend that this was because while the male defenders wanted to capitulate, the Tampere Women's Red Guard insisted on fighting to the end. (Full article...)

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General images

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

Image 1Finland Ostrobothnia regiment uniforms in 1705 (from History of Finland)
Image 2Alvar Aalto, Viipuri Library (1927–35) (from Culture of Finland)
Image 3The 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 4A smoke sauna (savusauna) in Enonkoski (from Culture of Finland)
Image 5Turku Cathedral and its surroundings from 1814 (from History of Finland)
Image 6Karjalanpiirakka, a traditional Finnish pastry (from Culture of Finland)
Image 7The 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 8Three Finnish Romani women in Helsinki, Finland, in 1930s (from Culture of Finland)
Image 9Map of Finnish areas ceded to the Soviet Union in 1944, after the Continuation War (from History of Finland)
Image 10Jean Sibelius at work in his study (from History of Finland)
Image 11Homann'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 12Pekka Halonen's painting "against persecutors" from 1896 depicts the warfare of the ancient Finns. (from History of Finland)
Image 13Jussipaita (transl. Jussi sweater); a traditional sweater from the Finnish region of Southern Ostrobothnia (from Culture of Finland)
Image 14S/S Urania in Hanko harbor in 1893, with 509 emigrants on board on their way to America (from History of Finland)
Image 15Signing 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 16Finnish folk dancers in a 1907 postcard sent from Mustamäki, Finland (from Culture of Finland)
Image 17Imagery collage of Birger Jarl conquering Häme and the construction of Häme Castle (from History of Finland)
Image 18The ruins of Vammala burned by the Reds, during the Civil war (from History of Finland)
Image 19The Finno-Soviet Treaty (from History of Finland)
Image 20Grand Duchy of Finland, 75 kopek assignat (1824) (from History of Finland)
Image 21Battle of Gangut (Hanko) was part of the Great Northern War during 1700–1721. (from History of Finland)
Image 22Kastelli Giant's Church in Pattijoki by Pöljä culture [fi] (from History of Finland)
Image 23Stone Age stone axe engraved with human face found from Kiuruvesi. (from History of Finland)
Image 24Marshal of Finland Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim visit in Germany, 1942 (from History of Finland)
Image 25The area of Finland in the years 1920–1940. The 1935 county and municipality division on the map. (from History of Finland)
Image 26The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957), a significant figure in the history of classical music (from Culture of Finland)
Image 27Wehrmacht soldiers with a local Sámi reindeer herder, Lappland, Sodankylä, Finland 1942 (from History of Finland)
Image 28President K. J. Ståhlberg in his office in 1919 (from History of Finland)
Image 29Eero Järnefelt, Burning the Brushwood, 1893 (from History of Finland)
Image 30A group of Finnish soldiers operating a Bofors gun during the Continuation War in 1943 (from History of Finland)
Image 31Mikael Agricola hands over the Finnish Translation of the New Testament to King Gustav Wasa. (from History of Finland)
Image 32Paavo Nurmi at the 1920 Summer Olympics (from Culture of Finland)
Image 33Battle of Valkeala was part of the Russo-Swedish War (1788–1790). (from History of Finland)
Image 34A peasant girl and a woman in traditional dress from Ruokolahti, eastern Finland, as depicted by Severin Falkman in 1882 (from Culture of Finland)
Image 35This 1825 map of the Grand Duchy of Finland is from a larger work, geographical atlas of the Russian Empire. (from History of Finland)
Image 36Lapua Movement supporters beating the "red officer" Eino Nieminen in front of the Vaasa courthouse during the 4 June 1930 riot. (from History of Finland)
Image 37Memorial of the Mannerheim Cross Knights of Parikkala, Finland (from History of Finland)
Image 38Identification document and tag of a Finnish war child (from History of Finland)
Image 39Painting of Lalli killing Henry. Painting by C. A. Ekman. (from History of Finland)
Image 402007 Formula One World Champion Kimi Räikkönen celebrating victory at the 2007 Brazilian Grand Prix (from Culture of Finland)
Image 41In 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 42Captain Aarne Juutilainen at the front at Kollaa during the Winter War (from History of Finland)
Image 43Janne Ahonen is considered one of the best and most successful currently active ski jumpers. (from Culture of Finland)
Image 44A triptych by Akseli Gallen-Kallela, depicting the Aino Story of Kalevala on three panes (from Culture of Finland)
Image 45Prehistoric red ochre painted rock art of moose, human figures, and boats in Astuvansalmi, Finland, from ca. 3800–2200 BC (from Culture of Finland)
Image 46Kalmar Union in 1400s (from History of Finland)
Image 47Helsinki Accords Treaty (from History of Finland)
Image 48A summer cottage (mökki) on a lake island (from Culture of Finland)
Image 49Sámi / Laplander family in traditional costumes from Finland. (from Culture of Finland)
Image 50Badge of the Finnish White/Civil Guard (from History of Finland)
Image 51Ancylus Lake covered major part of Finland (7,500–6,000 BC) (from History of Finland)
Image 52The part of Finland controlled by the Reds at its largest in February–March 1918 (from History of Finland)
Image 53(1809 Diet of Porvoo) The sovereign's pledge, printed in Finnish (from History of Finland)
Image 54The 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 55The 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 56A view of Pohjoisesplanadi in the center of Helsinki in 1891 (from History of Finland)
Image 57Students on Helsinki's Esplanadi wearing their caps on Vappu (from Culture of Finland)
Image 58Midsummer bonfire (kokko) in Mäntsälä (from Culture of Finland)
Image 59A reconstruction of a 12th-century Perniö costume (from History of Finland)
Image 60People gathered in the Senate Square for a demonstration against the February Manifesto in March 1899. (from History of Finland)
Image 61Winter War Monument in Suomussalmi, Kainuu, Finland (from History of Finland)
Image 62An old drawing of the city of Turku in the 18th century (from History of Finland)
Image 63In 2011 figure skater Kiira Korpi was ranked 4th in the world. (from Culture of Finland)
Image 64Linus Torvalds, a famous Fennoswede software engineer, best known for initiating the development of the Linux kernel (from Culture of Finland)
Image 65Women dressed in Finnish folk costumes (from Culture of Finland)
Image 66Women in sauna with Vihtas
Image 67Portrait of Finnish poet Elias Lönnrot who wrote "the Kalevala" (1802 - 1884) (from History of Finland)
Image 68President Urho Kekkonen's funeral procession in 1986 (from History of Finland)
Image 69The area controlled by Finland at its largest, in 1942 (from History of Finland)
Image 70Pieces of the Antrea Net (8,300 BC), the oldest-known fishing net in the world. (from History of Finland)
Image 71Finnish Guards' Rifle Battalion, 1850s (from History of Finland)
Image 72Kreeta Haapasalo Playing the Kantele in a Peasant Cottage (1868), by Robert Wilhelm Ekman (from History of Finland)
Image 73Northern Europe in 814 (from History of Finland)
Image 74Apocalyptica's Perttu Kivilaakso playing metal music live (from Culture of Finland)
Image 75Erkki Karu, one of the pioneers of the Finnish cinema, with cinematographer Eino Kari in 1927 (from Culture of Finland)
Image 76In the sauna, by Pekka Halonen, 1925 (from Culture of Finland)
Image 77Stone Age dwelling named Kierikki 5000–3000 BC (from History of Finland)

In the news

14 January 2025 – 2024 Baltic Sea submarine cable disruptions, NATO operations: At the Summit of Baltic Sea Allies in Helsinki, Finland, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announces the establishment of the Baltic Sentry military mission, which will strengthen the protection of critical infrastructure in the region, such as energy and communication cables, from "destabilizing acts". (NATO News)
3 January 2025 – 2024 Estlink 2 incident: A district court in Helsinki, Finland, denies a request to release the impounded oil tanker Eagle S, suspected of damaging the Estlink 2 submarine power cable and carrying sanctioned Russian oil. (Al Jazeera)
26 December 2024 – 2024 Baltic Sea submarine cable disruptions, Finland–Russia relations: 2024 Estlink 2 incident; Finnish border guards and police detain a Russian vessel suspected of damaging the Estlink-2 submarine power cable yesterday. (AP)
25 December 2024 – 2024 Estlink 2 incident: HVDC submarine power cable Estlink 2, which connects the power grids of Estonia and Finland, suffers an unexplained outage with Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo stating that an investigation into the incident is underway. (AP)
18 November 2024 – 2024 Baltic Sea submarine cable disruptions: The C-Lion1 submarine communications cable across the Baltic Sea between Finland and Germany is damaged in what German officials suspect is sabotage. (The Guardian)

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