Information

Republic

Capital: Helsinki

Area: 338 000 km2

Population: 5,4 millions

Population density/km2: 16

Member of the EU since: 1995

National holiday: December 6th

National anthem: Oi Maamme
currency: euro

• The Finnish national anthem is an ode to nature. The colours of the national flag are symbolised in the verse of the poet Topelius: "The blue of our lakes and our winter snow, these are the colours of Finland".

• In Lapland, you can see the midnight sun from May to July but in winter polar nights set in, and you will never see the sun between November and January.

• Every year the land mass increases by 10km2 as melting glaciers raise the land level and the sea level falls.

• 70% of the land is covered by forests and 54.7% of them are privately-owned. Finland is known as "the land of the thousand lakes" (there are actually 187 888)and water covers about 10% of the area.

• There are more saunas than cars in Finland (1,6 millions)

• Finnish is a Finno-Ugric language. In Finland, it is called Suomi.

• Finland has a Swedish minority (5,9%). Swedish is one of its official languages.

• 1.8 is the number in millions of saunas (approx 500 are traditional smoke saunas), including sauna-buses and sauna-bars. As the joke goes, the only establishment in Finland with no sauna is the Finnish plane. 

This magnificient Castle of Olavinlinna was built in 1475. Its importance lies in its strategic position on the canal linking many lakes. It used to form part of the frontier defences against Russia. With its summer opera season, the castle has become an increasingly popular meeting place for East and West.

You may not know this but Father Christmas's official home is the Artic Circle in Finnish Lapland where he and his elves busy themselves in workshops every December.

Helsinki

There are more than 300 islands off the coast of Helsinki.

From the airport

Bus: The number 615 picks up from Helsinki-Vantaa every 15 minutes and stops at Rautatientori.

Controversial Finnish architect Alvar Aalto designed many buildings in Helsinki.

Rebuilt from scratch, Kamppi is full of stylish restaurants, bohemian bars and arty nightclubs. It is alo home of the sleek Kamppi Shopping Centre.

Visit: 

Kiasma Museum of Comteporary Art. One of the most visited museums in the country, Kiasma displays experimental art including quirky installations created by Finnish and international artists. The gift shop of the Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art stocks up on rare art catalogues, quirky Tshirts and posters, and even a book that can be read in a sauna.

Suomenlinna Sea fortress

Degero canal

Korkessaari zoo

the Finnisg icebreakers

the cruise ship harbour

Kaivopuisto, old district

Eira, old district

Ateneum Art Museum, houses the oldest most significant and extensive art colection in the country from the years 1750-1960. The collection comprises approximately 17500 works of art.

Day trip

Salmi. About 40 kilometres from Helsinki, Salmi is a popular skiing and camping destination. If you are brave enough, you can also follow the locals and try a Finn's favourite sport, swimming in an ice-pool.