Finland is a Northern European country with Lapland located north of the Arctic Circle. It borders Sweden, Norway, Russia, and the Gulf of Bothnia, Gulf of Finland, and Baltic Sea. The capital is Helsinki. The country has a population of 5.4 million, with Finnish as the primary language. Famous Finns include Jean Sibelius, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Eero Saarinen, Paavo Nurmi, and Elias Lönnrot. The main industry is manufacturing, with agriculture and fishing also playing a role. Finnish cuisine includes local meats and seafood, as well as regional berries.
Finland is a country in Northern Europe. One third of Finland, the part known as Lapland, lies north of the Arctic Circle. Finland borders the two Scandinavian countries of Sweden, Norway and Russia and in the southern part it borders the Gulf of Bothnia, the Gulf of Finland and the Baltic Sea. The capital is Helsinki.
Officially called the Republic of Finland, the country is home to approximately 5.4 million people. Finnish and Swedish are both official languages of Finland, but Finnish is spoken by 92 percent of the population and Swedish by only 5.6 percent. Some minority populations speak other languages.
Famous Finns include:
composer Jean Sibelius, who wrote seven symphonies and referenced the Kalevala in his work and is particularly known for his tone poem Finland
conductor and composer Esa-Pekka Salonen, principal conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic since 1992
architect Eero Saarinen, who became a U.S. citizen and designed Dulles International Airport, JFK Airport’s TWA Terminal, and Jefferson National Expansion Memorial outside St. Louis
Olympic runner Paavo Nurmi, middle distance runner who won 12 gold and silver medals; And
Elias Lönnrot, who helped preserve the Kalevala, the Finnish national epic.
Finland depends on manufacturing, which is the main sector of its industry. Its agricultural products include barley and wheat, sugar beets, potatoes, dairy products, cattle and fish, while its industrial production includes metalworking, electronics, machinery and wood industries such as shipbuilding, pulp and paper production.
Finnish cuisine includes local meats such as bear, elk and reindeer, as well as seafood, such as pickled herring and freshwater delicacies, such as salmon and prawns. A meal called voileipäpöytä, Americans might recognize by the name smorgasbord. Regional berries are also used, including cranberries, blackberries, and blackberries.
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