Portal:Finland

The Finland Portal

Finland, or 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. Its capital and largest city is Helsinki. Finland has a population of 5.6 million. 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...)

Selected article -

The coat of arms of Finland is a crowned lion on a red field, the right foreleg replaced with an armoured human arm brandishing a sword, trampling on a sabre with the hindpaws. The Finnish coat of arms was originally created around the year 1580. (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 records of transgender people in Finland stretch back to the 19th century?
... that a book about a Finnish Santa figure sold particularly well in Germany and Japan?
... that Joe Wirkkunen coached the Finland men's national ice hockey team after receiving a recommendation from Canada?
... 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?
... that a 1981 article about the disease of Turku claimed that the city council of Turku was made up of Finnish Freemasons?
... that Kaija Saariaho's 2021 opera Innocence includes traditional Finnish cow-herding calls?

WikiProjects

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

More did you know -

...that the prototypes for the WW II German U-boat fleet (Type II pictured) were designed by a Dutch company and built in Finland at the Crichton-Vulcan shipyard?
...that while repelling Soviet advances across the frozen Lake Suvanto, Finland managed to capture 12 anti-tank guns, 140 machine guns, 200 light machine guns and 1500 rifles in the Battle of Kelja in 1939?
...that Major Carl Mothander, the leader of Swedish volunteers in the Estonian War of Independence, later wrote books on Estonian politics that were banned in Finland?
...that the Korpela movement was a short-lived cult during the 1930s in Northern Sweden and Finland whose controversial sexual rituals eventually led to the arrest of 60 followers?
...that in 1745, Daniel Juslenius, a Finnish Fennoman, finished the first formal Finnish dictionary?

Good article -

This is a Good article, an article that meets a core set of high editorial standards.

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 1Alvar Aalto, Viipuri Library (1927–35) (from Culture of Finland)
Image 2A smoke sauna (savusauna) in Enonkoski (from Culture of Finland)
Image 3Map of Finnish areas ceded to the Soviet Union in 1944, after the Continuation War (from History of Finland)
Image 4Memorial of the Mannerheim Cross Knights of Parikkala, Finland (from History of Finland)
Image 5Badge of the Finnish White/Civil Guard (from History of Finland)
Image 6Jean Sibelius at work in his study (from History of Finland)
Image 7Kalmar Union in 1400s (from History of Finland)
Image 8The ruins of Vammala burned by the Reds, during the Civil war (from History of Finland)
Image 9Homann'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 10Pieces of the Antrea Net (8,300 BC), the oldest-known fishing net in the world. (from History of Finland)
Image 11Winter War Monument in Suomussalmi, Kainuu, Finland (from History of Finland)
Image 12Women in sauna with Vihtas
Image 13Linus Torvalds, a famous Fennoswede software engineer, best known for initiating the development of the Linux kernel (from Culture of Finland)
Image 14People gathered in the Senate Square for a demonstration against the February Manifesto in March 1899. (from History of Finland)
Image 152007 Formula One World Champion Kimi Räikkönen celebrating victory at the 2007 Brazilian Grand Prix (from Culture of Finland)
Image 16Pekka Halonen's painting "against persecutors" from 1896 depicts the warfare of the ancient Finns. (from History of Finland)
Image 17A view of Pohjoisesplanadi in the center of Helsinki in 1891 (from History of Finland)
Image 18Kastelli Giant's Church in Pattijoki by Pöljä culture (from History of Finland)
Image 19A summer cottage (mökki) on a lake island (from Culture of Finland)
Image 20(1809 Diet of Porvoo) The sovereign's pledge, printed in Finnish (from History of Finland)
Image 21Wehrmacht soldiers with a local Sámi reindeer herder, Lappland, Sodankylä, Finland 1942 (from History of Finland)
Image 22President K. J. Ståhlberg in his office in 1919 (from History of Finland)
Image 23Identification document and tag of a Finnish war child (from History of Finland)
Image 24Mikael Agricola hands over the Finnish Translation of the New Testament to King Gustav Wasa. (from History of Finland)
Image 25Finnish folk dancers in a 1907 postcard sent from Mustamäki, Finland (from Culture of Finland)
Image 26Turku Cathedral and its surroundings from 1814 (from History of Finland)
Image 27Eero Järnefelt, Burning the Brushwood, 1893 (from History of Finland)
Image 28Signing 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 29Grand Duchy of Finland, 75 kopek assignat (1824) (from History of Finland)
Image 30In 2011 figure skater Kiira Korpi was ranked 4th in the world. (from Culture of Finland)
Image 31A peasant girl and a woman in traditional dress from Ruokolahti, eastern Finland, as depicted by Severin Falkman in 1882 (from Culture of Finland)
Image 32The area controlled by Finland at its largest, in 1942 (from History of Finland)
Image 33Jussipaita (transl. Jussi sweater); a traditional sweater from the Finnish region of Southern Ostrobothnia (from Culture of Finland)
Image 34Battle of Gangut (Hanko) was part of the Great Northern War during 1700–1721. (from History of Finland)
Image 35Paavo Nurmi at the 1920 Summer Olympics (from Culture of Finland)
Image 36A reconstruction of a 12th-century Perniö costume (from History of Finland)
Image 37S/S Urania in Hanko harbor in 1893, with 509 emigrants on board on their way to America (from History of Finland)
Image 38This 1825 map of the Grand Duchy of Finland is from a larger work, geographical atlas of the Russian Empire. (from History of Finland)
Image 39The 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 40The 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 41Prehistoric red ochre painted rock art of moose, human figures, and boats in Astuvansalmi, Finland, from ca. 3800–2200 BC (from Culture of Finland)
Image 42Sámi family in traditional costumes from Finland. (from Culture of Finland)
Image 43Imagery collage of Birger Jarl conquering Häme and the construction of Häme Castle (from History of Finland)
Image 44Ancylus Lake covered major part of Finland (7,500–6,000 BC) (from History of Finland)
Image 45Northern Europe in 814 (from History of Finland)
Image 46The 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 47Painting of Lalli killing Henry. Painting by C. A. Ekman. (from History of Finland)
Image 48An old drawing of the city of Turku in the 18th century (from History of Finland)
Image 49Finland Ostrobothnia regiment uniforms in 1705 (from History of Finland)
Image 50A group of Finnish soldiers operating a Bofors gun during the Continuation War in 1943 (from History of Finland)
Image 51Janne Ahonen is considered one of the best and most successful currently active ski jumpers. (from Culture of Finland)
Image 52Lapua 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 53Erkki Karu, one of the pioneers of the Finnish cinema, with cinematographer Eino Kari in 1927 (from Culture of Finland)
Image 54In the sauna, by Pekka Halonen, 1925 (from Culture of Finland)
Image 55Apocalyptica's Perttu Kivilaakso playing metal music live (from Culture of Finland)
Image 56In 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 57Midsummer bonfire (kokko) in Mäntsälä (from Culture of Finland)
Image 58Portrait of Finnish poet Elias Lönnrot who wrote "the Kalevala" (1802 - 1884) (from History of Finland)
Image 59The 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 60President Urho Kekkonen's funeral procession in 1986 (from History of Finland)
Image 61Women dressed in Finnish folk costumes (from Culture of Finland)
Image 62Marshal of Finland Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim visit in Germany, 1942 (from History of Finland)
Image 63Kreeta Haapasalo Playing the Kantele in a Peasant Cottage (1868), by Robert Wilhelm Ekman (from History of Finland)
Image 64Students on Helsinki's Esplanadi wearing their caps on Vappu (from Culture of Finland)
Image 65The area of Finland in the years 1920–1940. The 1935 county and municipality division on the map. (from History of Finland)
Image 66Three Finnish Romani women in Helsinki, Finland, in 1930s (from Culture of Finland)
Image 67Karjalanpiirakka, a traditional Finnish pastry (from Culture of Finland)
Image 68The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957), a significant figure in the history of classical music (from Culture of Finland)
Image 69Stone Age stone axe engraved with human face found from Kiuruvesi. (from History of Finland)
Image 70Helsinki Accords Treaty (from History of Finland)
Image 71Stone Age dwelling named Kierikki 5000–3000 BC (from History of Finland)
Image 72Captain Aarne Juutilainen at the front at Kollaa during the Winter War (from History of Finland)
Image 73A triptych by Akseli Gallen-Kallela, depicting the Aino Story of Kalevala on three panes (from Culture of Finland)
Image 74The Finno-Soviet Treaty (from History of Finland)
Image 75The part of Finland controlled by the Reds at its largest in February–March 1918 (from History of Finland)
Image 76Battle of Valkeala was part of the Russo-Swedish War (1788–1790). (from History of Finland)
Image 77Finnish Guards' Rifle Battalion, 1850s (from History of Finland)

In the news

5 February 2026 – 2026 Winter Olympics: The match between Finland and Canada in the women's ice hockey tournament at the Winter Olympics is postponed to February 12 after a norovirus outbreak affected 13 members of the Finnish team. (NBC)
21 January 2026 – Greenland crisis, Tariffs in the second Trump administration: United States president Donald Trump announces he will cancel the planned tariffs on Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom after reaching an agreement with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte for a Greenland framework. He also stated at the World Economic Forum that he has ruled out sending forces amidst invasion fears. (BBC News) (Fortune)
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)

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Panoramic photo shot from the water tower in Hanko, Finland

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Featured pictures

Albert Edelfelt - Louis Pasteur - 1885
Anefo 932-2378 Keke Rosberg, Zandvoort, 03-07-1982 - Restoration
Eero-Saarinen (cropped)
FIN-A36b-Finlands Bank-20 Markkaa (1862)
Hankopan
Helsinki July 2013-14
Helsinki July 2013-27a
Kaleva Church 4
Kolmen valtakunnan rajapyykki 27.4.1945
Lutheran Cathedral Helsinki edit
Makasiinit tulessa
Neste Oil Rally 2010 - Jari-Matti Latvala in shakedown
Nils Torvalds MEP, Strasbourg - Diliff
Omakuva Ellen Thesleff 1894-1895 Ateneum
Peugeot 206 WRC
Rally Finland 2010 - shakedown - Nasser Al-Attiyah 1
Scandinavia.TMO2003050
Silja Serenade in Stockholm
The Wounded Angel - Hugo Simberg
VR Sr1 3015 Kuopio Drawbridge
Vexi Salmi

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Picture of the day pictures

Albert Edelfelt - Louis Pasteur - 1885
Anefo 932-2378 Keke Rosberg, Zandvoort, 03-07-1982 - Restoration
Eero-Saarinen (cropped)
FIN-A36b-Finlands Bank-20 Markkaa (1862)
Hankopan
Helsinki July 2013-14
Helsinki July 2013-27a
Kaleva Church 4
Kolmen valtakunnan rajapyykki 27.4.1945
Lutheran Cathedral Helsinki edit
Makasiinit tulessa
Neste Oil Rally 2010 - Jari-Matti Latvala in shakedown
Nils Torvalds MEP, Strasbourg - Diliff
Peugeot 206 WRC
Rally Finland 2010 - shakedown - Nasser Al-Attiyah 1
Scandinavia.TMO2003050
Silja Serenade in Stockholm
VR Sr1 3015 Kuopio Drawbridge
Vexi Salmi

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