Finland - Useful information for your trip

Finland is a country in Northern Europe, situated in Scandinavia. Because of its latitude, Finland's climate is part of the cold temperate climate zone. In winter, when the direction of winds strongly influences the temperature, there is a considerable variation between continental climates of the large Russian- Siberian territories and ocean climates of the West Atlantic regions. 

Finland was inhabited by Lapp groups and then invaded by the Finnic people. In 1154, the Swedish domain started, and it lasted almost 7 centuries and it introduced Christianity. Then, in 1809, Finland was conquered by Czar Alexander I, and it remained an autonomous grand duchy connected to the Russian Empire until 1917. In December 1917, Finland declared its independence. Two years later it saw the beginning of its Republic. 

Today Finland is a parliamentary Republic with Helsinki as the capital and the biggest city. Finland's economy, similar to the one of other countries of Western Europe, is highly industrialized and it follows free market principles. The quality of Finland's life is high, but unemployment is still a major problem, more than in other Scandinavian countries. The most important source of income of the country is industry and most developed sectors are those related to wood, metallurgy, shipbuilding and design. Tourism is also growing. 

Finland's culture is closely linked to countryside and nature and to a traditional idea of self-suffiency. The intensity of the urbanization is a relatively recent fact. 

In Lapland, in the north of Finland, the northern lights are visible from the end of August to April, while the midnight sun remains above the horizon for more than two months, from the middle of May to the end of July.