Finland Guide
Introduction to Finland
Mainland Scandinavia's most culturally isolated and least understood country, Finland has been independent only since 1917, having been ruled for hundreds of years by imperial powers: first the Swedes and then the tsarist Russians. Much of its history involves a struggle simply for recognition and survival.
Today, though, the battle has been won and the Finns are the proudest of all the Nordic nations, trumpeting the fact that this little-known country on the very edge of Europe is truly one of the continent's best-kept secrets. Finland is without a doubt the most welcoming of all of the Scandinavian countries; Finns of all ages are inordinately proud of their nation's achievements (it is, after all, only by a quirk of history that Finland was not invaded by the Soviet Union and well and truly taken into Moscow's sphere of influence) and are anxious that visitors learn more about their country, where a joy in all things Finnish goes hand in hand with eager participation in the European Union. Forget any lingering perceptions that Finland is mundane, grey or even Communist – today it's a welcoming, honest and prosperous society keen to make up for years of living on the sidelines and, in the capital at least, one whose nightlife scene rivals that of any cosmopolitan European centre.
Topographically, Finland is mainly flat, and filled by huge forests and lakes – you'll need to travel around a lot to appreciate the country's wide regional variations. The south contains the least dramatic scenery, but the capital, Helsinki, more than compensates, with its brilliant architecture and superb museum collections. Stretching from the Russian border in the east to the industrial city of Tampere, the water systems of the Lake Region provide a natural means of transport for the timber industry – indeed, water here is a more common sight than land.
Ostrobothnia, the upper portion of the west coast, is characterized by near-featureless farmlands and long sandy beaches which are – to Finns at least – the region's main draw. Here, too, you'll find the clearest Swedish influence: in parts up to a third of the population are Swedish-speaking – known as "Finland-Swedes" – and there's a rich heritage from the days of Swedish trading supremacy. Kainuu is the thickly forested heart of the country, much of its small population spread among scattered villages. The land begins to rise as you head north from here, folding into a series of fells and gorges that are ripe for spectacular hiking and cross-country skiing. Completely devoid of large towns, Lapland – or Sápmi to the region's indigenous people – contains the most alluring terrain of all, its stark and haunting landscapes able to absorb any number of visitors on numerous hiking routes. This region is home to the Sámi people, sedentary reindeer herders whose traditional ways of life meld relatively smoothly with modern Finnish society.