Washing the seas and oceans of Finland. Finland: form of government and political structure. Finland as a destination for Russian outbound tourism

The main attraction of Finland is its amazing nature, where national parks are the best place to relax. Travelers with children and anyone in search of colorful Nordic backdrops for a photo shoot usually rush to Urho Kekkonen, overlooking the Korvatunturi fell, where, according to rumors, the Finnish brother of the Russian Santa Claus lives. You can take part in a husky safari, go skiing and snowboarding, go down into a real mine and arrange a social competition to collect lingonberries in Pyhä-Luosto. People usually come to Linnansaari to kayak through narrow straits and skate a free program on lakes bound by a dense layer of ice. Oulanka Park, located almost on the border with Russia, is worth a look if you are interested in the nature of North Karelia, but it is recommended to look for fabulous hills and inspiring panoramas of Lake Pielinen in Koli Park.

As part of the cultural program, Helsinki is ahead of all. The Finnish capital is quiet and good-looking, unlike other European megacities, which makes it even more conducive to leisurely excursions. Of the iconic places of the “daughter of the Baltic”, it is worth highlighting the Senaatintori square, the Sveaborg citadel, the Temppeliaukio mountain church and Cathedral Tuomiokirkko. An indelible impression is made by the island of Seurasaari, which attracts travelers with its ethnographic museum under the open sky and winding forest routes.

Numerous parks and ancient forts made a good advertisement for the surroundings of the port city of Kotka. Be sure to look for the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker here, whose exteriors in the style of Russian classicism copy the architecture of St. Petersburg churches to the smallest detail. The oldest city in the country, Turku, also has something to catch the eye. The head of the short list of attractions of the ancient port is Abo Castle, which was built as a military fort, but later became famous not for heroic defense, but for knightly revels. By the way, if you have several hundred euros lying around in your pocket, the palace halls can be rented for a fun banquet or a pompous wedding ceremony.

Bypassing local museums will also bring a lot of impressions. Those who know a lot about avant-garde trends and ordinary lovers to criticize the creations of contemporary artists have a direct road to the Kiasma Museum. To see the paintings of Shishkin, Repin and Van Gogh, buy a ticket to the Ateneum Museum. A visit to the open-air exposition "Karelian House" is usually recommended to anyone interested in ancient life. The Tsar's House Museum, whose building was built specifically for Alexander III, also has an interesting fate: it was here that the Russian autocrat fished while European ambassadors languished in anticipation of his audience.

You can also roam from city to city by bus. Several major carriers operate in Finland, united in the ExpressBus company. The cost of tickets is quite reasonable, in addition, there is a pleasant system of discounts for children, pensioners and students. Those who want to ride around the provinces and save a little can purchase a Bus Pass (150 EUR - a weekly option, 250 EUR - a two-week one). For more information on bus routes, tickets and discounts, please visit the expressbus.fi website.

A fairly common way of communicating port cities- ferry crossings. The same transport is convenient to get to the Aland Islands. You can find out about ferry routes and schedules on the website finferries.fi.

Within the Finnish capital, it is convenient to travel by bus, tram, metro and taxi. Tickets here are universal and operate in any type of public transport: you can limit yourself to a one-time option (about 2-2.7 EUR), or you can take a daily (8 EUR), three-day (16 EUR) or five-day (24 EUR) travel card.

A free taxi in Helsinki is identified by a yellow light on the top of the car. Payment is made at the counter, through the cash register installed in the salon. On average, landing costs from 5.3 to 8.3 EUR, and a kilometer of the way - from 1.4 to 2 EUR.

The most active and indefatigable will be able to rent a bike without any problems: for only 2 EUR, CityBike parking lots in the capital will provide you with a serviceable “two-wheeled horse”. In other cities, the tariffs are higher: 10-15 EUR per day of vehicle operation.

Car rental in Finland

The roads in Finland are excellent, and the most interesting sights are scattered throughout the country, so it is definitely worth renting a car here. The only thing that can slightly spoil the impression of the trip is the local prices for gasoline. For a liter of diesel fuel at Finnish gas stations, they demand from 1.13 EUR, the 95th goes for 1.34 EUR, but a liter of the 98th will cost 1.41 EUR.

Any driver over the age of 18 who has an international driver's license, own credit card and a driving experience of 1 year or more can rent a car in Finland. Tariffs of rental offices usually depend on the period for which the car is taken. For example, a day of renting an economy class car will lighten your wallet by as much as 70 EUR. For those who rent a vehicle for a longer period, the prices are more pleasant - about 120 EUR for 3 days of rental. Payment is due on the day you pick up the car, however, if you plan to book a car in advance, be prepared to make a partial prepayment. As for fines for traffic violations, information about them is usually sent to the rental office, which automatically debits the required amount from the deposit blocked on your card.

Connection

The big three Finnish carriers are DNA, Elisa and Sonera. To connect to any of them, it is enough to look into the company salon, supermarket or R-kioski stores, where for 6-18 EUR you will be quickly accepted into the ranks of subscribers. The most economical tariff plans offer Elisa and DNA: SMS and calls for 0.07 EUR, Internet - 0.99 EUR / day, while buying a DNA SIM card costs a couple of euros more. Sonera has slightly higher rates: 0.08 EUR for local calls and 0.16 EUR for a minute of communication with a foreign country.

Such a disappearing form of communication as a payphone is still popular in Finland. You can find the treasured booth with a retro machine on the street, in the subway, hotels and post offices. Calls in them are paid for with cards sold in R-kioski shops, the minimum cost of a call within the country is 0.5 EUR.

With the Internet in the homeland of the Moomins, everything is more than safe. The guests of most hotels receive free and unlimited access to the World Wide Web, while the rest can join the similar benefits of civilization in restaurants and cafes. In Helsinki, you can find a Wi-Fi access point right in the city center: the main post office, city hall building, shopping centers, libraries generously distribute traffic to everyone.

Finland for children

Finns adore children as much as their Swedish neighbors, so the range of entertainment for young travelers here is simply fabulous. The village of Joulupukki and Santa Park (Rovaniemi) continue to hold the palm among the most desirable attractions in Finland. Here your tomboy will be met by the Finnish Santa Claus (the same Joulupukki), elf helpers, reindeer teams and cheerful carousels sparkling with Christmas garlands. Kids and adults who are nostalgic for the wonderful fairy tales of Tove Jansson can ride to the city of Naatali, in the vicinity of which the Moomin trolls, Snufkins and other incredible inhabitants of Moumidol live. It is better to bring young experimenters to the Eureka Popular Science Center, or even “forget” them there for a couple of days (there is a camp for teenagers at the museum) in order to have fun in some adult institution.

beach holiday

The number of well-groomed and top-notch beaches in the Land of a Thousand Lakes is difficult to count, so the tourist always has the opportunity to show off, choosing the very best of them. The coziest and prettiest stretches of the coast usually belong to hotels or are attached as an additional bonus to tourist houses, but there is no shortage of public places for swimming. In the same Helsinki, you will find about 30 beaches, where you can wallow for free.

Among the most developed and visited resorts in Finland is Yuyteri (Pori city): as many as 6 kilometers of the cleanest sandy coast with campsites, spas, extreme entertainment and excellent beach infrastructure. Families with children and lovers of splashing in shallow water are usually recommended to look into Oulu and Tampere, as well as take a closer look at the beaches of lakes Pyhäjärvi and Näsijärvi. You can swim in the Aland Islands, but a suitable place with comfortable descent you have to look: the coast here is rocky.

Skiing

The mountains, or rather the hills of Finland, are not aimed at ski gurus, but rather at beginners and those who have just learned the basics of this sport. With the same success, you can slide down their gentle slopes on a sled or a cheesecake: there is a minimum of risk, but pleasure and adrenaline are the opposite. By the way, local trails are equipped with the latest technology.

Resorts of a more advanced level should be looked for in Lapland. In particular, if you want to hang around among the Finnish business elite, save money for a ski pass in Saariselkä. In Levi, the people are simpler: the complex is famous for its variety of tracks and the cable car, the only one in all of Finland. Families with children, snowboarders and cross-country skiers have chosen Vuokatti, for whom first-class tracks are equipped here. But skiers from the northern capital prefer not to delve too deeply into the Finnish wilds, mastering the slopes of border resorts like Friska, Myllymäki and Uuperinrinteet.

Fishing in Finnish waters is possible only with a license in hand. Fishing with an ordinary fishing rod without a reel and spinners is possible without obtaining documentary permission. To obtain a license, a tourist needs to acquire, firstly, a certificate of payment of the state fee for fishing (can be bought at a bank, post office, R-kioski network and on the official website), and secondly, a receipt for payment of a local license (purchased at gas stations, in stores). Each of the documents is valid only on the territory of one province, that is, if you are going to arrange a fishing tour in all the lakes of Finland, you will have to acquire a fresh license in each area.

As for the catch, it will be equally rich everywhere, differing only in species diversity. For example, for salmon and grayling, it is better to go to the Lapland rivers Näätämöjoki, Simojoki, Tenojoki and Tornionjoki. Pike is most often caught in lakes Kemijärvi and Porttipahta, and for brown trout you will have to ride to Inari and Väsari. The coolest place in eastern Finland is the Kuusamo region, in particular, the Tornio River. You should come here for salmon, as well as pike and perch that flooded the surrounding lakes.

In the west of the country, you can get hold of trout, grayling and the same salmon (rivers Kiiminkijoki, Simojoki, Iijoki), but for whitefish you should look at the lakes and rapids of the Savo region, which has gained fame as the cleanest corner of Finland.

Where to stay

Traditional Finnish hotels do not have stars, which does not affect the level of their service. For those who are used to traveling on a grand scale and prefer apartments in the “expensive-rich” style, we can recommend options such as Hilton Helsinki Kalastajatorppa (Helsinki), Arctic Light (Rovaniemi).

Incorrigible misanthropes, last romantics and seeking solitude couples will like wooden cottages scattered across the most secluded and picturesque corners of Finland:,. Almost all houses are built from ecological materials and equipped with fireplaces and saunas. By the way, such apartments are in demand in ski resorts.

You can relax with your body and soul in spa complexes that have recently flooded the shores of Finnish lakes and rivers (, Cumulus Rukahovi, Ruissalo, Santa "s Resort & Spa Hotel Sani). If the tourist budget is bursting at the seams and there is not enough money for a decent hotel, you should look into local hostels and campsites.

Despite the fact that Finland is considered to be an expensive country, housing prices here are very mixed. If in pretentious hotels the most modest room will cost 75 EUR, then in hotels of a lower rank there will always be a room for 50 EUR. In hostels, the situation is even more positive - up to 45 EUR per room. The most ridiculous (by European standards) rates in campsites: from 3 to 20 EUR per night. The owners of eco-cottages have not yet decided on prices, so you can rent a nice house for a week for either 250 or 800 euros.

shopping

Global shopping in Finland can cost a pretty penny, so travelers planning to stock up on branded items should better time their trip to Christmas or Juhannus (the Finnish equivalent of Ivan Kupala Day), when large-scale sales start in all malls in the country. You can understand that the store has begun to liquidate the collection by the signs “Alennusmyynt” and “Ale”.

The most suitable places for acquiring a stylish European outfit in Finland are showrooms and outlets in Helsinki, Turku and Tampere. Do not neglect local textile products, which will cost an order of magnitude cheaper than their French or English counterpart. In particular, the youth brand Jack & Jones, sports equipment manufacturer Luhta and exclusive designer clothes Halonen have gained a good reputation. It is best to look for original children's things, toys and vintage accessories at the Kirputoria flea markets. If the second-hand does not cause negative associations, in such places you can save a lot.

Those who like to buy memorable souvenirs should save up a certain amount on their account in advance: the assortment of funny little things and gift products in Finland is luxurious. Here you will find national dolls, reindeer skins, Moomin figurines, and elite Lapponia Jewelry, skillfully stylized as handicrafts, locally produced porcelain and ceramics, Scandinavian puukko knives, as well as a bunch of other things, the possession of which will warm the soul, becoming a material reminder of the trip. Gourmets usually bring smoked fish, berry liqueur, cheeses, Fazer chocolate, Salmiakki licorice candies, Piparkakkuja biscuits and Mintu mint liqueur from Finland.

tax free

VAT on most goods in Finland is as much as 22%, so looking for a store that supports the Tax free system is by no means a whim, but a real way to save on purchases. As practice shows, you can return from 12 to 16% of the cost of the goods, but only if the amount of your purchases exceeded 40 EUR. And one more thing: go on a shopping tour with your passport, as the store employees will definitely require you to present it before filling out the check.

You can get part of your money back at Helsinki Airport, as well as at return points located on the Finnish-Russian border: border crossings Valimaa-Torfyanovka, Imatra-Svetogorsk, Nuijamaa-Brusnichnoye, Niirala-Vyartsilya and others. To apply for Tax free, you must first “stamp” the goods with customs officers (in no case open the package), after which you can safely go to any of the nearest offices involved in the return of funds.

Shop opening hours

Small shops and boutiques work on weekdays from 9:00 to 18:00, while large shopping centers serve visitors until 20:00-21:00. On Saturday, all outlets work on a reduced schedule, until 15:00. On a holiday, you won’t be able to buy anything, since except for the R-kioski chain pavilions, all stores in the country are closed.

Holidays and events

In Finland, you can celebrate both classic religious holidays like Christmas and Easter, and take part in all kinds of festivals that go on in this country in an endless series. Of the winter holidays, the most significant are New Year, the Day of the Sami people and the Day of the Kalevala - the Karelian-Finnish poetic epic. In the spring, crispy brushwood is baked everywhere in the country for May Day (Vappu) and stocked with bouquets and gifts for Mother's Day, which is celebrated on the second Sunday of May.

Summer in Finland is the holiday of Ivan Kupala (Juhannus), a military parade on the Day of Defensive Forces, a daring Flow Festival and a gay pride that is unchanged for all European countries. The heavy rock festival Tuska Open Air in Helsinki also falls in the summer months: an amazingly large and equally deafening event is held in the industrial zone of the capital and gathers up to 30,000 spectators at its venues. In October, all tourists and metropolitan gourmets flock to market square Helsinki, to celebrate Herring Day, and at the same time try all varieties of this truly Scandinavian delicacy.

Visa Information

To obtain permission to enter Finland, tourists from Russia and the CIS will have to apply for a visa. The procedure for issuing a pass can be completed at the consulates or visa centers. In this case, a standard all-Schengen package of documents will be required: a passport with a validity period of at least three months after the end of the trip, a 36 × 47 mm color photo, a completed online application form, hotel reservation confirmation, copies of round-trip air tickets and medical insurance covering expenses from 30,000 EUR.

In some cases, the consulate may require the tourist to confirm financial solvency and a certificate of employment. When traveling with children under the age of 14, a copy of the birth certificate must be provided, as well as a notarized copy of the permission to leave from the mother/father if the child is traveling with only one of the parents.

Customs

Without the need to fill out a declaration, only 1500 USD can be brought to Finland. Concerning hand luggage, then its cost should not exceed 430 EUR. Age restrictions apply to the import of alcohol:

• for persons under the age of 18 and tourists whose stay in the country will be less than 3 days - a complete ban;
• for tourists aged 18 to 20 years - drinks are not stronger than 22 °.

In total, you can carry 16 liters of beer, 4 liters of wine and up to 1 liter of strong alcohol (over 22 °) or 2 liters of other drinks with a strength of less than 22 ° without paying a fee. Restrictions on tobacco products are the same as in other European countries: 200 cigarettes/50 cigars/250 g of tobacco. A more detailed list of limits applicable to the import and export of certain categories of goods can be found on the official website of the Finnish Customs Administration: tulli.fi.

How to get there

Airplane. You can fly from Moscow to Helsinki without transfers with Aeroflot and Finnair. Travel time - 1 hour 50 minutes. Norra offers direct flights from the northern capital (time in the air - 1 hour 10 minutes), and it is better to look for options with transfers from Rossiya, Aeroflot and AirBaltic (flight duration from 3 hours 30 minutes).

Train. Every day from the Leningradsky railway station in Moscow to Helsinki departs branded train"Leo Tolstoy", which residents of St. Petersburg can also get to. The entire journey of the locomotive takes no more than 14 hours. A more efficient option is the Allegro high-speed train from the northern capital, which will take a tourist to Finland in just 3 hours and 40 minutes.

Bus from St. Petersburg. Buses to Helsinki depart from Vosstaniya Square. The trip usually takes about 6 hours.

Ferry. lovers sea ​​cruises can sail to Finland on the ferries "Princess Maria" and "Princess Anastasia", departing from the Marine Station of St. Petersburg. The duration of this trip is 14 hours.

The official name of the country is the Republic of Finland (Fin. Suomen tasavalta). The inhabitants themselves call their country Suomi. Finland is located in the north of Europe and neighbors Russia in the east, Norway in the north, and Sweden in the northwest. The northwestern part of Finland lies on the Scandinavian Peninsula, sharing it with Sweden and Norway. Finland is washed by the waters of the Baltic Sea, as well as its two bays - Finnish, forming a maritime border with Estonia in the south, and Bothnia in the west. 1/3 of the country lies beyond the Arctic Circle.

The territory of the country is 338,430.53 km², providing the seventh place in Europe in this indicator. Time zone - UTC + 2 (in summer time+ 3). In summer, Moscow and Finnish time coincide, in winter Finnish time is one hour behind Moscow.

Landscape

Perhaps the most recognizable Finnish landscape is associated with lakes. Their number is 187,888, with most of the lakes in the central part. Saimaa is the largest lake in Suomi (1800 km 2, depth - 82 m). Another component of the picturesque landscapes is the islands, 179,584.

In Finland, there is an island city - Pargas. It is the only city in the country surrounded by water on all sides.

71.6% of Finland's territory is covered with forests, which makes the country the first in Europe in terms of forest resources.

Climate

The climate in the country is temperate and varies from maritime to continental, with continental type predominating in the north of Finland. Due to the influence of the North Atlantic Current, a balance of cold winters and warm summers can be observed in the country. The average annual temperature calculated in the capital Helsinki is 5.3 degrees.

Nature

More than 70% of Finland's territory is covered with forests, which makes the country the first in Europe in terms of forest resources. Finnish forests are rich in blueberries, raspberries, lingonberries, cranberries, and, of course, mushrooms - porcini, boletus, boletus, chanterelles.

The pristine nature of Finland is a natural habitat for numerous wild animals and birds: bears, wolves, lynxes, eagles, cranes and swans, as well as for the rarest species of the Saimaa seal. This seal lives only in Lake Saimaa.

An ideal way to get acquainted with the amazing fauna and flora of Suomi is to visit one of the country's 37 national parks, which are open to tourists all year round.

About 250 species of birds live in the forests of Suomi, such as partridge, black grouse, hazel grouse, black grouse, capercaillie. Salmon, perch, whitefish, zander, pike, vendace are found in rivers and lakes.

The snow-white whooper swan is the national bird of Finland.

Population

The population of Finland is 5,577,917 people. The vast majority of the inhabitants of Finland are Christians, belonging mainly to the Evangelical Lutheran (from 84.2 to 88%) or Orthodox churches (1%). The gender composition of the residents is 49% men and 51% women.

Cities

Music

There are enough festivals dedicated to opera and choral performances. In the city of Vaasa, located in western Finland, an international festival of choral music takes place at the end of May. In Espoo, every two years, in early June, the VocalEspoo festival takes place, and the Urkuyö&Aaria festival lasts throughout the summer. The Savonlinna International Opera Festival gathers opera fans from July to August, and the Chamber Music Festival takes place in Kuhmo in July.

Events dedicated to jazz can be singled out in a separate category. At the end of April, the April Jazz festival takes place in Espoo, in July the oldest jazz festival Finland Pori Jazz, in August, residents and guests of Turku gather at the Turku Jazz festival. And in Tampere, famous jazzmen and rising stars perform at the annual November Tampere Jazz Happening festival.

Among the many festival events, everyone will find something to their liking. Folk lovers can drop by the Helsinki Etno-Espa festival in August, pop music and dance lovers gather in July at the Suomipop festival in Jyväskylä. Theater fans come to Tampere every summer for the Theater Arts Festival. There are also mixed events: Jyväskylä Arts Festival, Turku Music Festival, Kotka Sea Festival, Helsinki International Flow Festival, which combines music and visual arts.

Movie

cellular

The three main companies in the cellular market in Finland are Saunalahti, DNA and Sonera. If you often visit Finland and actively use mobile communications, consider purchasing a prepaid card from one of the local operators. These are prepaid SIM cards, when buying which you do not need to fill out an agreement and register, you do not need a subscription fee. Their validity period, as a rule, is limited and amounts to several months, but when replenishing an account for a certain amount, the action is automatically extended. SIM cards are sold in R-Kioski, in shopping centers or in specialized communication stores, the cost is quite affordable, despite the crisis. The most economical option is not to buy additional packages of calls and Internet, since the basic package provides an excellent connection in terms of price and quality. Read more about the offers of Finnish operators in our article.

Prices in Finland

Finland is one of the most expensive countries Eurozone, according to Eurostat. IN last years in Suomi, prices for food, services and clothing grew faster than the European average, and now the country is consistently ranked among the top four EU countries with the highest level of consumer prices.

What prices should be guided by when traveling to Finland in 2017?

The average price of a liter of gasoline is 1.5 euros, diesel fuel - 1.4 euros. Travel to public transport Helsinki costs from 2.9 euros. For a ticket to the museum you will have to pay from 5 to 10 euros.

To drink a cup of cappuccino in a cafe, you need to pay 2.5-3 euros. An inexpensive lunch for one person will cost 10-15 euros, a dinner for two with alcohol - from 60 euros.

A Big Mac, which is sometimes used to determine the price level in a particular country, costs 4.1 euros in Finland.

The cost of rooms in the hotel starts from 70 euros. You can spend the night in a common room in a hostel for a fee of 20 euros.

In order to estimate the cost of a food basket, below are the average prices of basic foods in supermarkets:

• Milk, 1 liter - 0.8-1.2 euros
• White bread, 750 g - 1.9 euros
• Eggs, 10 pieces - 1.5-2 euros
• Salmon, 1 kg - 15-20 euros
• Potatoes, 1 kg - 1 euro
• Apples, 1 kg - 1.5 euros
• Juice, 1 liter - 0.8-1.8 euros.

For many goods and services, prices are reduced during sales and promotions held by trading companies, hotels, museums, etc. Also, when going shopping in Finland, do not forget about the possibility of returning part of the VAT. Read more about invoice processing, tax-free and electronic tax-free in our articles.

What to buy in Finland

Products

First of all, you should pay attention to Finnish food products, which are distinguished by a wide range, consistent quality, freshness, and sometimes a unique local taste.

In Finland, it is worth buying salted or smoked red fish, herring and red caviar. This can be done at any hypermarket or fish stores located near the Russian-Finnish border - Disa's Fish and Laplandia Market.

Almost as popular as fish, a Finnish product is coffee. The most recognizable and purchased types of coffee are Juhla Mokka, Presidentti and Kulta Katriina.

From dairy products, you should choose traditional Finnish sour-milk products - Lapland (another name is bread) cheese and salted butter.

One of the most popular edible souvenirs from Suomi is Fazer chocolate. First of all, these are sweets with Geisha nut crumbs, with Fazermint mint filling, Marianne mint caramel with chocolate filling, Dumle chocolate glazed toffee. You can buy tiles with a more original taste, for example, with salted cashews, pears and cranberries.

A signature Finnish treat is unusual black sweets with licorice or salmiakki. The sweet-salty taste of licorice sweets is reminiscent of cough mixture; in salmiyakki, the aroma of ammonia is added to it.

If you find yourself at some city holiday or festival in Finland, you definitely need to buy a Finnish “meter candy”. Licorice cord is cut into pieces and each is packed in a bag. You won’t find such a souvenir in ordinary supermarkets, it will be a great gift.

It is worth bringing jam from northern forest berries from Suomi, first of all - cloudberries and sea buckthorn. Culinary lovers should pay attention to the varied assortment of Finnish sugar, flour and spices.

As a present for a man, you can buy Finnish flavored vodka Koskenkorva, Saimaa or Finlandia. Connoisseurs of good beer will be happy with Lapin Kulta, and lovers of sweet alcoholic drinks will be happy with cloudberry, cranberry, lingonberry or sea buckthorn liqueurs. Do not forget that alcohol stronger than 4.7% can only be bought in specialized Alko stores.

From November to the end of January, the symbol of Finnish Christmas can be included in the shopping list - Gloggi, a non-alcoholic drink made from juice and spices, intended for making mulled wine.

Popular Finnish snacks will also become wonderful gastronomic souvenirs: Porkkanalaatikko carrot casserole, Lihapullat meatballs, Mustamakkara black pudding, Perunalastuja natural potato chips, as well as Karelian pies (they are also Finnish pies, kalitki).

For those who are forced to follow a gluten-free, lactose-free or other diet, it is worth choosing suitable products in any supermarket. Gluten-free products are labeled with a crossed wheat ear in a circle and the word gluteiiniton, lactose-free products are labeled with the word laktoositon.

Cloth

From September 14, 2015, it is mandatory to submit biometric data, which includes 10 fingerprints and a photo (in addition to the photo for the questionnaire). Children under 12 years of age are exempted from submitting biometric data.

The number of trips to Finland should be higher than to other Schengen countries. The fact in which country you opened a visa is not so significant. The maximum stay on a visa is up to 90 days in half a year. Schengen gives you the right to visit other countries-participants of the agreement.

Everything about applying for a visa, including the addresses of the Finnish Embassy and its representative offices in the Russian Federation, can be found and.

• Install apps to help you on your journey. For example, an application with free offline maps from around the world Maps.me and a currency converter XE Currency.
• Free housing in Finland can be found using couchsurfing. Read our article on how to do this.
• If you come to Finland for a couple of days, then choose a hostel and a hotel. For a long period (a week or more) it makes sense to rent an apartment. This option is also great for traveling with children or a large group. An apartment is a regular apartment with a kitchen, so you can cook for yourself. The downside is that when you check in, you will have to adapt to the owner of the apartment, and, for example, it will be problematic to enter the apartment at night or in the early morning. You can rent an apartment both through Booking and using the Airbnb service.
• In Finland, the lowest prices for groceries are in the stores of the German Lidl chain and Prisma supermarkets.
• Many Finnish museums have days when admission is free for all visitors.
• Public toilets are open daily and all year round in parks and city streets. They are marked on the map, which is distributed at tourist information points.

The language barrier

Finns speak English very well, especially young people, so with the knowledge of this language you will feel quite comfortable here. In large shopping centers, the tourist information office and museums, you can also be served in Russian.

For the majority of the population, Finnish is their native language, only 6% speak Swedish.

To feel more confident, you can use our

The official name is the Republic of Finland (Suomen Tasavalta). Located in northern Europe in the eastern part Scandinavian Peninsula. The area is 337 thousand km2 (about 1/3 of it is beyond the Arctic Circle), 9.4% - inland waters, mainly lakes. The population is 5.16 million people. (2002). The official languages ​​are Finnish and Swedish. The capital is Helsinki (500 thousand people, 2002). Public holiday - Independence Day December 6 (since 1917). The monetary unit is the euro (since 2002, before that the Finnish mark).

Member of the UN (since 1955), Northern Council(since 1955), EU (since 1995), etc.

Sights of Finland

Geography of Finland

Finland (Finnish Suomi or Saomeumaa - country of lakes or marshes) is located between 70° 5' 30'' and 59° 30' 10'' north latitude and 20° 33' 27'' and 31° 35' 20'' east longitude. In the south and west, the shores are washed by the waters of the Baltic Sea, its bays - Finnish and Bothnian. The length of the coastline (excluding sinuosity) is 1100 km. It borders in the east with the Russian Federation (the length of the borders is 1269 km), in the north-west with Sweden (586 km) and in the north with Norway (716 km).

The landscape of the country is strongly leveled, the relief is flat. The shores of the Gulf of Finland and the Gulf of Bothnia are predominantly low-lying, strongly dissected by numerous small bays and abound in skerries, especially in the south and southwest. St. 1/3 of the territory below sea level by 100 m, St. 2/3 - lower by 200 m. central part- The lake plateau - is limited by the Salpausselkä ridges, the Suomenselkä upland, and from the east by the Karelian upland. Uplands (height 400-600 m) are concentrated in Lapland, the largest is Manselkya. In the northwest is a small section of the Scandinavian Highlands (altitude up to 1328 m - Mount Haltiatunturi).

There is a dense network of short but full-flowing rivers (Kemi-Yoki, Kyumi-Yoki, Kokemäen-Yoki, Tornio-Yoki) with numerous rapids and waterfalls (including Imatra on the Vuoksa River). The rivers are fed by rain and snow, their flow is often regulated by lakes. Flood in late spring and summer, occasional rain floods in autumn. Lakes (55-75 thousand) are often elongated in the direction of movement of ancient glaciers - from northwest to southeast, winding shores, dotted with numerous islands, interconnected by channels and form large lake systems, incl. Saimaa (area 4.4 thousand km2), Päijänne, Inari, Oulujärvi. Rivers and lakes are covered with ice for 5-7 months, in summer - timber rafting.

The soils are mainly podzolic, alternating with peat-bog, also sod-podzolic, in the north - mountain-forest podzolic. St. 1/3 of the territory is swampy. A high degree of moisture and the presence of glacial boulders hinder agricultural use and require extensive land reclamation. Forests - 87.3% of the territory, mainly of the taiga type (pine, spruce, birch), in the south and southwest with an admixture of broad-leaved species.

Most of fauna belongs to the Palearctic zone, which is also characteristic of the north-west of the Russian Federation: large predatory animals (wolf, wolverine, lynx, bear) and birds (golden eagle, white-tailed eagle). Found in forests ca. 70 species of mammals: elk, fox, squirrel, ermine. Birds are represented by 350 species: crow, magpie, cuckoo, thrush, woodpecker, bullfinch, black grouse. In the waters of rivers and lakes there are 36 species of fish (salmon, trout, whitefish, perch, pike, pike perch). There are 30 more species of fish in the Baltic Sea: herring, flounder, cod and smelt. Gray seals are found near the coast.

Minerals are associated with the main rocks - quartzites and shales in fault zones. In terms of reserves of chromites, vanadium and cobalt - 1st place in Western Europe, titanium and nickel - 2nd, copper and pyrite - 3rd. Deposits of copper-sulfide (Outokumpu, Luikonlahti, Pyhyasalmi and Hammaslahti), copper-nickel (Vuonos, Kotalahti, Stromi, Hitura, Nivala), polymetallic (Vihanti) ores. There are also deposits of apatite, graphite, magnesite, asbestos, talc, marble, granite and peat.

The climate is temperate, transitional from maritime to continental, and continental in the north. The Baltic Sea and the proximity of the Gulf Stream in the Atlantic have a mitigating effect on it. Winter is long, frosty, with strong winds and plenty of snow; summer is relatively warm, but short. The average temperature in February (most cold month- maximum -30°С) -3-6°С in the north and southwest, -12-14°С in the north. The average temperature in July (the warmest month - maximum + 35°С) is + 13-17°С in the south and + 14-15°С in the north. Precipitation per year is 600-650 mm, 1/3 falls in winter. In spring, the snow cover does not disappear until April. In summer, white nights can be observed almost throughout the territory; on the west coast, the water heats up to +20°C. Fog is frequent in the coastal regions of the country.

Population of Finland

The population is increasing slowly, mainly due to a small natural increase (0.4% per year in the 1990s). Infant mortality 5.6 pers. per 1000 newborns. The average life expectancy for men is 74 years, for women - 81.5 years.

Economically active population (2002) 2.16 million people The general trend is the movement of the population to cities. Average density 15 people. per 1 km2, 9/10 of the total population lives in the southwestern and southern parts of the country, south of the line Pori - Tampere - Kumenlaskso - Kotka. Lapland is the most deserted part - 2-3 people. per 1 km2.

The largest cities: Helsinki, Tampere (174 thousand people), Turku (160 thousand), Oulu (102 thousand).

The ethnic composition is homogeneous, St. 90% of the inhabitants are Finns. In the southern and western coastal regions - Swedes (300 thousand people), in the north - 2 thousand Saami (Lapps) speak the Saami language. 100 thousand foreigners live, of which 23 thousand are Russians.

The official languages ​​are Finnish and Swedish. Finnish is spoken approx. 93% of the population, Swedish is the mother tongue for 6% of the country's inhabitants. Finnish is part of the group of Baltic-Finnic languages ​​belonging to the Finno-Ugric, or Uralic, family of languages, which are spoken in total approx. 23 million people

The vast majority of believers belong to the Evangelical Lutheran Church (90%), there are Orthodox (1%).

History of Finland

All R. 1st millennium AD areas of initial settlement of Finno-Ugric tribes were formed. On the basis of the merger of the tribal groups of Sumi, Emi, Korelov, the Finnish people took shape. However, due to economic and geographical reasons, the state-political consolidation of the Finnish tribes was not achieved. All R. 12th c. the conquest of the country by the Swedish feudal lords begins. According to the Peace of Orekhov in 1323, which for the first time determined the state border between Sweden and Russia, the territory of modern Finland (Swedish Finland, i.e. the land of the Finns) became part of the Swedish kingdom. Swedish law and social order took root here, under which the Finnish peasant was never enslaved and retained personal freedom. The constant wars of Sweden against Russia in the 2nd half. 16th century had a disastrous effect on the position of the Finnish peasantry. The reformation launched by M. Luther also spread to Finland, which contributed to the rise of the Finnish-speaking culture. The reformer and founder of the Finnish literary language, Bishop M. Agricola of Turku, translated the New Testament into Finnish in 1548.

During the great power period (1617-1721), Sweden was able to push the border of Finland further to the east. As a result of the Swedish-Russian war of 1808-09, Russia conquered Finland. The meeting of representatives of the estates, convened by the Russian government in the city of Borgo (Borgo Seim 1809), approved the "special" conditions for the country to join the Russian Empire as the Grand Duchy of Finland with broad autonomy.

In the 1820-40s. in connection with the formation of the Finnish nation, the Finnoman movement developed, fighting for the equality of the Finnish language with Swedish. Compiled by E. Lennrut, the national epic Kalevala was published in 1835. The so-called. Golden age of Finnish culture: poet E. Leino, composer J. Sibelius, artist A. Galen-Kallela. With the language manifesto published by Alexander II in 1863, the path of Finnish to obtaining the status of the state language began. These processes and internal reforms in Russia contributed to the formation of the Finnish nation and statehood.

The need to equalize economic conditions within the empire and the growing strategic importance Baltic coast prompted to con. 19th century the tsarist government to switch to a policy of infringement of Finnish autonomy. In the beginning. 1880s the first trade unions and workers' unions appeared; in 1899 the Finnish Workers' Party (from 1903 - the Social Democratic Party of Finland, SDPF) was founded. In the beginning. 20th century economic growth continued, shifts in the structure of society (the number of landless people increased, emigration of the population increased, mainly to the USA). Under the influence of the Russian Revolution of 1905–07, a national revolutionary movement unfolded, new political parties took shape, the estate parliament became elective, and Finnish women, for the first time in Europe, received equal voting rights. The October Revolution in Russia brought national independence. On December 6, 1917, the parliament adopted a declaration declaring Finland an independent state, and on December 18 (31), 1917, the Council of People's Commissars of the RSFSR recognized its sovereignty.

Social and political contradictions between the right and left led to a civil war, which ended in May 1918 with the victory of government forces under the command of G. Mannerheim with the direct participation of the German expeditionary forces. In the summer of 1919, Finland was officially declared a republic, and K. J. Stolberg (1865-1952) was elected the first president. Domestic political situation in the 1920s. did not differ in stability: in 1919-30 14 governments were replaced. In the autumn of 1929, a fascist, so-called. Lapuan movement. In 1930 the parliament was dissolved, the worker deputies were arrested. In 1930-31, the right-wing bourgeois government of P. Svinhufvud, who became president in 1931-37, was in power.

On November 30, 1939, the Soviet-Finnish "winter war" began, which ended in the defeat of Finland and the signing of a peace treaty in Moscow on March 12, 1940. On June 22, 1941, she entered the war against the USSR on the side of Nazi Germany, and formally announced only on June 26, the so-called. continuation war. In September 1944, as a result of the victories of the Soviet Army, Finland ceased hostilities; in March 1945, at the request of the allies in the anti-Hitler coalition, it declared war on the Third Reich. In 1947, a peace treaty was signed in Paris, under the terms of which Finland, in addition to the territories lost in 1940 on the Karelian Isthmus, ceded the Petsamo region to the Soviet Union. In April 1948, the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance (DDSVP) was signed between the USSR and Finland.

Yu. K. Paasikivi (1870-1956), who was elected president in 1946, strove to create trusting relations with the USSR. DDSVP formed the basis of the so-called. Paasikivi lines. Over the following years, the country's international position began to strengthen: in 1952, the Olympic Games were held in Helsinki. The goal of W.K. Kekkonen, who was elected president of the republic in 1956, was to ensure the functioning of the presidential republic and the expansion of foreign policy freedom of action under the sign of an active policy of neutrality by continuing the Paasikivi-Kekkonen line. This was reflected in the initiatives to organize and hold the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe in Helsinki in the summer of 1975. M. Koivisto was elected the new president of the republic in 1982.

Thanks to the Paasikivi-Kekkonen Line, it was possible to maintain friendly relations with the USSR and close ties with Western countries. Soviet-Finnish relations were an exemplary example of a policy of peaceful coexistence. An intensive political dialogue and a high level of trade were maintained (25% in the mid-1980s, which ensured an increase of 1-2% of GDP). In 1973, the country entered into an agreement with the EU on free trade in manufactured goods, in 1986 it became a full member of the EFTA, and in 1989 the European Council.

A. Ahtisaari became the tenth president of the republic in the 1994 elections, in 2000 for the first time a woman became president - Tarja Halonen. In the parliamentary elections of 1995, the Finland Center party was defeated, and the new chairman of the SDPF, Paavo Lipponen, formed a unique government, which was called the "rainbow coalition". In addition to the left - the SDPF, the Union of Left Forces, the Union of "Greens" (in June 2001 it left because of disagreement to expand nuclear energy), it also included the right - the National Coalition Party (NKP), the Swedish People's Party.

State structure and political system of Finland

Finland is a democratic unitary legal state with a republican form of government. Four constitutional laws together make up the Constitution: the Act on the form of government (adopted on July 17, 1919 - amendments and additions were made in 1926, 1930, 1943, 1955, 1992 and 2000), the Act on the right of Parliament to control the legality of the activities of the Council of State and the Chancellor of Justice 1922, the Law on the High Court (1922) and the Parliamentary Statute (192 8). In accordance with the amendments to the constitutional acts of 2000, the country moved from a presidential to a parliamentary democracy.

According to the Electoral Act of 1998, elections of 4 levels were established: in Eduskunt - a unicameral parliament, presidential elections, elections to local authorities (446 communes) and elections of 16 deputies to the European Parliament (since 1999). The right to vote is granted to all citizens who have reached the age of 18.

Administratively, Finland is divided into 6 provinces, which are subdivided into counties.

The head of state is President Tarja Halonen (since February 2000), who is directly elected by the population for a term of 6 years (in 1919-94, elections were held in two stages). The President formally has broad powers.

The supreme legislative body - Eduskunt - is a unicameral parliament consisting of 200 deputies elected by the population for 4 years under the proportional representation system.

Head of the highest executive body - the State Council - Prime Minister, Prime Minister (Matti Vanhanen - Finland Center Party, since June 2003).

Local government in the lyani (provinces) is carried out by a board headed by a governor appointed by the president. The Åland Islands (province of Akhvenanma) were granted partial autonomy. Local self-government bodies in communes are city and rural communal councils elected for 4 years.

The judiciary includes the Supreme Court, whose members are appointed by the president for life; 4 courts of appeal and courts of 1st instance: city and district (in rural areas). There is also an administrative justice system.

Party- politic system is close to the Scandinavian model, although here inter-party cooperation between right and left is uncharacteristic for neighbors. On the left flank is the Social Democratic Party of Finland (SDPF; Suomen Sosialidemokraattinen Puolue), the largest - 100,000 members. Two parties adjoin it - the Union of Left Forces (SLS) and the ecological party the League of Greens (LZ). After systemic changes in the USSR / RF in the 1980s - early. In the 1990s, which caused another crisis in the ranks of the Finnish left, supporters of the Communist Party of Finland (KPF, Suomen Kommunistinen Puolue, founded on August 29, 1918) and the Democratic Union of the People of Finland (DSNF, Suomen Kansan Demokraattinen Liitto, 1944) moved to the ranks of the left socialists, who united in the SLS.

The center-right bloc consists of 4 major parties. The Finnish Center Party (FC, Keskustapuolue) was founded in 1906, until October 1965 it was called the Agrarian Union. The National Coalition Party (NKP, Kansallinen Kokoomus) was founded in 1918. The Swedish People's Party (SNP, Svenska Folkspartiet Finland) was founded in 1906; the main national minority of the country traditionally votes for it. The Christian Democrats (CD) trace their lineage to the Christian Union formed in 1975.

At the regular parliamentary elections held on March 16, 2003, 70% of Finnish citizens took part (out of 4.2 million people in the country and 200 thousand abroad). The main themes of the campaign are social issues, although there has been controversy over government policy towards Iraq. The question of the country's possible membership in NATO did not become a central topic due to the awareness of the Finnish leadership of geopolitical realities and the unwillingness to create concern in the Russian Federation. The race for votes was between the ruling SDPF and the largest opposition federal center. As a result, the centrists outperformed their rivals and became the most popular party in the country, winning 55 seats. To achieve an increase of 7 deputies (24.7% of the vote, which is 2.3% more than 4 years ago), the centrists were helped by the election program of the chairman of the Federal Center Anneli Jayatteenmäki called "A Lighter Alternative". Although the Social Democrats received 0.2% less votes than the FC, they have 53 mandates, having increased their faction by 2 deputies. The NKP received 18.5% of the vote and 40 seats, which is 6 mandates less. As a result, the parliament was renewed by a third, a number of minor factions appeared, such as the exotic Real Finns party.

As a result of the elections in April 2003, a new coalition government was created, where there are "main opponents": the SDPF, the SNP and the FC (a total of 84 deputies), headed by Anneli Jayatteenmäki (FC). In addition, for the first time in the country, both the president and the prime minister are women. The new government will have to rely on the informal support of the SLS, the LZ and the center parties.

The regrouping of party-political forces after the March 2003 elections did not affect the socio-economic course. All forces are in favor of maintaining the current model of the "welfare state". The "sensitivity" of the Social Democrats to the proposals of the Finnish trade unions will obviously meet with active opposition from the right. Consensus remains on foreign policy issues, despite slight differences in the views of parliamentary parties on the extent of the country's participation in the EU and on the issue of the country's accession to NATO.

The components of the Finnish model of the “welfare state”, like those of the Scandinavian neighbors, are a high-quality free education system, state system health and social protection in the event of illness or unemployment, which provide a highly skilled and secure workforce. An important role in this regard is played by the Central Organization of Trade Unions of Finland (more than 1 million members). Entrepreneurs also have a coherent system of allied organizations.

The end of the Cold War and the end of the division of Europe had a direct impact on foreign policy countries. In September 1990, the Finnish government declared that the provisions of the Paris Peace Treaty (1947), which limited Finland's sovereignty, had lost their meaning.

The development of integration in Europe required Finland to be more active in foreign policy. When Sweden applied for EU membership in the summer of 1991, this prompted Helsinki to take a similar step (March 1992). In a referendum (October 1994), 57% of the Finns who took part in the vote supported the country's accession to the EU, and in November 1994, the parliament, with 152 votes in favor and 45 against, confirmed the country's accession to the EU from January 1995.

Integration policy within the EU has become a central element of the entire international political course of the country. Resolutely rejecting the policy of "Finlandization" and non-participation in the alliances of the West, the Finnish establishment has taken a line to occupy a worthy place in the EU. To this end, the Finnish authorities put forward a proposal on the "northern dimension" of EU policy, which was voiced in the speech of Finnish Prime Minister P. Lipponen in Rovaniemi in September 1997. As a result of the efforts of the EU Helsinki, a program was adopted for 2000-03 with the aim of world economy through the north-eastern borders through cross-border cooperation and preparation of the Baltic countries for admission to the EU.

The armed forces (called the Finnish Defense Forces - OSF) consist of the Ground Forces, the Air Force and the Navy. The Supreme Commander is the President; direct leadership is carried out by the commander of the OSF through the General Staff (GSh). Recruitment is carried out on the basis of the law on military service. Male persons who have reached the age of 17 are called. The annual draft contingent is 31 thousand people, of which 500 are women, 35 thousand pass military training every year. The term of active military service is 6-12 months.

Military spending (2000) - 9.8 billion fin. marks, or 1.7% of GDP. The total number of the Armed Forces is 32 thousand people, trained mobilization reserves - 485 thousand people.

OSF participate in peacekeeping operations, especially the Brigade of Constant Combat Readiness (Bjørneborgskaya), stationed in the city of Säkülä.

Finland has diplomatic relations with the Russian Federation (established with the USSR when the Council of People's Commissars of the RSFSR recognized its independence on December 18 (31), 1917). Finland recognized the Russian Federation as the legal successor of the USSR on December 30, 1991, in January 1992 the Treaty on the Basics of Relations was concluded, which was automatically extended in 2001 until 2007. Today, more than 80 interstate and intergovernmental documents are in force between the Russian Federation and Finland.

President of the Russian Federation B. Yeltsin was in Finland on an official visit in 1992, Presidents M. Ahtisaari and T. Halonen - in Moscow in May 1994 and June 2000, respectively. In September 2001, an official visit to Helsinki by President V.V. Putin, a symbolic event, a sign of final reconciliation between the countries was the laying of a wreath by the president at the grave of Marshal G. Mannerheim.

The heads of government of Finland and the Russian Federation meet at least 2 times a year. Regular contacts are maintained between the heads of ministries and departments. Inter-parliamentary ties are active. A significant role is played by cooperation in neighboring regions. The cultural ties along the line of the Finno-Ugric peoples are very diverse.

Economy of Finland

Finland entered the 21st century, occupying positions at the beginning of the second ten of the most developed and prosperous countries in the world (GDP - 140 billion euros, 25 thousand euros per capita). GDP growth in 2002 was 1.6% (on average since the end of the 1990s, 1.7%). Skillful use of national resources and the advantages of the international division of labor lie at the basis of high indicators of socio-economic development. In addition, development in the 1990s took place under favorable foreign trade conditions, it was possible to continue the formation of a dynamic diversified economy.

Not so long ago, Finland was annoyed at the narrowness of the base of domestic industry, the forest industry accounted for a significant share of GDP, and the country's economy fluctuated depending on its conjuncture. Now the share of the timber industry in proportional terms has significantly decreased, along with it, the electrical industry has begun to gain strength, the core of which is the Nokia concern, the world leader in the production of mobile phones. Almost 1/2 of GDP growth in the 1990s. made by Nokia. The main driver of growth was the high demand for cell phones. In 2002, they were sold 30% more than in 2001. New models with a color screen and a camera are especially popular.

The country managed to make a breakthrough in the development of high technologies and informatization of society on the basis of Finnish identity, R&D and an increase in technical education, especially among students. In terms of the number of mobile phones and Internet connections, the country is among the leading group of advanced powers. The orientation towards foreign markets has increased, where the country is a major supplier of paper, pulp, engineering products - special ships, machines and equipment for the woodworking and pulp and paper industries. According to the annual examination of the World Economic Forum (WEF), F. in 2002 ranked 2nd in the world in terms of competitiveness.

The small size of the domestic market and the limited national resources determined the choice of the country's economic development - specialization in the production of a limited range of goods and services for the foreign market. Although the importance of Finland in the world economy is small: 0.5% of total GDP, 0.4% of industrial production and 0.8% of exports, it retains significant positions in the production and export of certain types of industrial products, primarily the traditional timber and paper sector (6th in production and 2nd in exports of paper and cardboard), as well as telecommunications equipment, cruise ships, etc. The vast majority of industrial products are produced by approx. 10-15% of industrial enterprises (with the number of employees from 100 people or more), on which St. 50% of all industrial personnel.

Structural adjustment continues, which ensures economic growth and changes the economic face of the country. If in the 1950s the share of agriculture and forestry accounted for more than 25% of GDP, then in the 1990s. only ok. 5%. Now the service sector has become dominant - more than 60% of GDP, while the share of industry has fallen to 30%. 7.1% is employed in agriculture and forestry (2002, in 1974 - 16.2%, in 1950 - 45.8%), in industry - 27.5% (27.5 and 20.8%), in the service sector - 65.5% (55 and 31.8%).

In the structure of industry (in terms of value added) compared to the beginning. 1950s there have also been significant changes: the share of mechanical engineering increased from 25 to 35%, chemistry - from 7 to 10%, metallurgy - from 3 to 5%, energy - from 4 to 9%. The manufacturing industries produce a wide range of machinery and industrial equipment, especially for the pulp and paper industry (6-7% of production and 10% of exports worldwide). A sector specializing in the production of handling equipment, machines for agriculture and the forestry industry, road and construction works is highlighted. A prominent place is occupied by the electrical industry for the production of power equipment (generators, transformers, electric motors, etc.) and the manufacture of cables. In shipbuilding there was further specialization in the production of platforms with drilling rigs for offshore oil production, ferries and tugboats.

The timber and paper industry practically remained at the level of 20%, but within it the share of woodworking decreased from 10 to 5%, while the share of the pulp and paper industry increased from 10 to 15%. The structure of production has expanded, including woodworking, pulp and paper industry and wood chemistry. The country, with less than 1% of the world's forest reserves, is in the forefront in the production and export of timber products. These industrial sectors account for more than 1/4 of the value of GDP and approx. 1/2 of the export value. At the same time, the importance of some domestic industries has declined, in particular the food industry (from 11 to 8%), light industry (from 17 to 2%), and especially mining (from 3 to 1%), although it has significant mineral resources.

The national economy is increasingly oriented towards the production of high-quality specialized products based on the intensive use of innovative developments, relegating to the background the importance of natural resource factors of its international specialization. Outokumpu is the world leader in copper and nickel processing technologies, Kone in the elevator industry, Nokia in the mobile phone and telecommunications sector, Stura_Enso and UPM in the timber industry.

In the 1990s the share of the state sector in industry has decreased to 12-15%, its most significant role is in the mining, metallurgical, chemical industries, oil refining, and mechanical engineering. The state owns 1/3 of the land area and 1/5 of the forests. In general, the state accounts for 21% of goods and services in GDP (2002), but the main levers of its policy are taxes and the budget. The high level of taxation (tax revenues of 46.5% of GDP) testifies to the large redistributive role of the state, as in Scandinavian neighbors. The level of public debt is significant (46% of GDP), the inflation rate is 2.6%.

Despite favorable economic indicators, a high standard of living (an increase in the income of individual households per year by 3.8% in current prices, or 2.1% in constant prices), a high unemployment rate remains (about 10%). Experts attribute the rise in unemployment and the growth in employment to the growth in the number of labor resources. A solidary income policy that ensures the same increase in wages for all sectors, despite the difference in labor productivity, prevents the reduction of unemployment. Representatives of the business community believe that the employment situation will improve only as a result of labor market reform. However, the leading political forces do not intend to change the current state of affairs.

Certain problems are created by limited energy resources and rising prices for mineral fuels. The problem of their supply can be solved by importing, mainly crude oil and natural gas (since 1974 from the USSR via pipeline) from the Russian Federation. A fundamental decision was made to build the fifth block of the Olkiluoto NPP, which will begin operating within 5 years.

The main feature of Finnish agriculture - the connection with forestry - remains. The main direction - animal husbandry - mainly dairy, gives 70% of the cost of its products. 8% of the territory is used - 2.7 million hectares. Despite the processes of ruin of small farms and the concentration of large farms, small farms still dominate in their structure (less than 10 hectares of arable land, 3/4 of the allotment is occupied by forest), they account for 70% of farms, approx. 40% arable land.

Most of the passenger and freight traffic with other countries is carried out by sea (the main seaports- Helsinki, Turku and Kotka). Railway length approx. 7.8 thousand km, they account for 5% of passenger and 1/3 of freight traffic. Road length approx. 77.8 thousand km. An important role is played by inland waterways (6.7 thousand km), a system of canals, incl. Saimaa Canal, part of which passes through the territory of the Russian Federation. Thanks to icebreakers, sea navigation is provided almost all year round.

The inflow of foreign direct investment into Finland accelerated after the lifting of restrictions on foreign ownership in 1993. The country remains a net exporter of capital: the accumulated value of direct investments (DI) abroad is almost 2 times higher than foreign ones in Finland (31.5 billion dollars and 18.2 billion dollars, respectively). The industry accounts for approx. 70% of FIs of Finnish companies abroad.

The role of foreign trade is great, its annual growth rate is 12.9% (since the end of the 1990s). The share of exports in GDP increased especially from 19.2% in 1990 to 34.3% in 2002, which is associated with accession to the EU. Its markets account for approx. 60% of all external trade. Exports to the EU countries amounted to 54%, to the USA - 9%, to the Russian Federation - 6.6%. If the total volume of exports in 2002 decreased by 2%, then to the Russian Federation it increased by 12%. From the point of view of Finnish business, the Russian Federation is interesting as a market for goods and services, mainly as a supplier of raw materials and energy (approx. 89%). Mutual trade turnover is at the level of 7 billion US dollars. The Finns supply the Russian Federation with products of the pulp and paper industry, foodstuffs, furniture, consumer goods, equipment and vehicles are doing construction work. An important factor is the proximity of the Russian market and the tradition of economic interaction, especially with the northwestern regions.

Science and culture in Finland

As early as 1968, a unified 9-year (basic) school was introduced. Complete secondary education is provided by the senior classes of the lyceum, which are called gymnasiums. Higher education is considered one of the most developed in Europe. There are 20 universities offering bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees. There is St. 30 institutes where you can get vocational education and relevant qualifications in 2-4 years. For the education of each student, the state annually allocates approx. 7.5 thousand euros.

Finland leads in the field of interaction between university and industrial research, as well as in the proportion of the population pursuing higher education. Scientific research is largely concentrated in the areas of economic specialization of the country, especially in the research departments of industrial firms. In 2002, the state allocated 4.5% of the budget for R&D, or 3.2% of GDP, which is a very high figure in the world. Approx. 15 thousand scientific and engineering workers (less than 1% of the economically active population). Basics public policy in the field of science is developed by the Scientific Council together with the Academy of Finland, which act as advisory bodies to the government.

Science and culture, especially fine arts, since the 19th century. were in close contact with the largest European schools and leading areas. This trend has intensified recently, although the traditional features and deep folk roots (the epic and national motifs of the Kalevala) remain to this day. In addition, Finnish culture was enriched by a bilingual tradition, connections with its Slavic neighbors. Among modern figures, the names of V. Linn, V. Meri, H. Salam, Tito T. Muka, K. Kilman, A. Kleve K. Andersson, K. Donner (writers), J. Sievenen, E. Tirronen, K. Kaivanto (artists), K. Tupper, L. Pullinen (sculptors), M. Talvela (singer) are known. Especially many bright talents were given to the world by the country in the field of design and architecture (A. Aalto, V. Aaltonen, Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen). Every year (since 1951) the Sibelius Week Music Festival, the Savonlinna Opera Festival, prestigious competitions and various mass singing festivals are held.

Finland is a country in the northern part of Europe. It bears the title of the best and most stable country in the world. What are the characteristics and features of Finland? The form of government, and a description of the population, see later in the article.

Geography

Finland borders on Norway, Russia, Sweden. By sea, it shares (along the Gulf of Finland) and with Sweden (the Gulf of Bothnia). The area of ​​Finland is 338,430,053 square kilometers. More than 20% of the country's territory is located beyond the Arctic Circle.

The coastline of the continental part stretches for 46 thousand kilometers. In addition, Finland owns more than 80 thousand islands and archipelagos. The most famous are the Turku archipelago and the Aland Islands.

In the area between the Gulf of Finland and the Gulf of Bothnia is the Archipelago Sea. This is a site in which many small islands, uninhabited rocks and skerries are concentrated. Their total number reaches 50,000, which makes the archipelago the largest in the country.

The territory of the state is elongated in the meridian direction. The length from north to south is 1030 kilometers, the distance from west to east is 515 kilometers. The highest point - Mount Halti - the country shares with Norway. In Finland, its height is 1324 meters.

Finland: form of government and political structure

Finland is a unitary state, where the Åland Islands have partial autonomy. The special status of the islands determines the release of the inhabitants of this territory from military service (unlike the rest of Finland), allows you to have your own parliament and much more.

Finland is a parliamentary-presidential republic. The head of state is the president, whose term of office lasts six years. The main ruling structures of the country are located in the capital - the city of Helsinki. The judicial system has several branches and is divided into civil, criminal and administrative courts.

The laws in the country are based on Swedish or civil law. Considering that the country is a parliamentary-presidential republic, the parliament and the president are responsible for the legislative power. Executive power is vested in the President and the Council of State.

What territorial units is Finland divided into? The form of government of the country involves a slightly complicated division. The whole territory is divided into regions, they are divided into cities, which, in turn, are divided into communes. Each unit has its own governing bodies. In total, there are 19 regions in the country.

Population of the country

Approximately 5.5 million people live in the country. The majority of the population of Finland lives on only five percent of the country's territory. The overall population growth is negative, the birth rate is below the death rate. Nevertheless, the total number of inhabitants is increasing.

In recent years, citizens of other countries accounted for approximately 4%. The population of Finland is 89% represented by Finns. The largest national minority are the Finnish Swedes. Russians represent 1.3%, almost 1% belongs to Estonians. smallest number possessed by the Sami and the Gypsies.

The first most spoken language is Finnish, spoken by more than 90% of the population. Together with Swedish, it is official. Only 5.5% of the inhabitants speak Swedish, mainly on the Åland Islands, in the western and southern regions of the state. Russian, Somali, Arabic and English are common among immigrants.

Economy

The share of Finland in the world economy is modest, in trade it is 0.8%, in production - about 5%. This is a small, highly developed GDP per capita of about $45,000. National currency Finland - the euro, until 2002 the Finnish mark operated.

The industry accounts for the largest share of the country's economy (33%). The main industries are mechanical engineering, metallurgy, woodworking, light and food industries. Agriculture is focused on the cultivation of grain crops and meat and dairy farming. It accounts for 6%, forestry - 5%.

In Finland, the field of Internet technologies is rapidly developing, increasing investment attractiveness. The negative factors of the economy are the large and undeveloped domestic market.

Almost half of the population is employed in the service sector, industry and trade, 28% work in forestry, 12% in fisheries. In Finland, there is a trend towards an aging population, which also negatively affects the development of the country's economy.

Nature

Finland is often called them here more than 180 thousand. Most of them, together with swamps and swamps, are located in the central part of the country. The largest are Oulujärvi, Saimaa, Päianne. All lakes are connected by small rivers, in which waterfalls, rapids and rapids are often formed.

The area of ​​Finland is 60% covered with forests. The relief is represented by hilly plains, in the east - by plateaus. highest point located in the north, in the rest of the country, elevations do not exceed three hundred meters. The formation of the relief was significantly affected by glaciation.

The country has a temperate climate, continental in the northern part, in the rest of the territory - transitional from continental to maritime. Active precipitation is observed throughout the year. Summer days are especially long and cool, reaching up to 19 hours. In the remote northern areas, sunset does not occur for 73 days. Winters, on the other hand, are short and cold.

Animal and plant world

Finland is characterized by a variety of flora and fauna. Forests cover more than 20 million hectares of the country. These are mainly pine forests located in the central part. grows in them a large number of berries (blueberries, cranberries, raspberries, etc.) and mushrooms. Beech forests predominate in the southern regions.

Vegetation is low in the northern part of the country. There are no forests here, but cloudberry grass grows actively, forming whole thickets. Spring vegetation is represented by various herbs, such as liverwort, coltsfoot.

The animal world is widely represented by birds. Whooper swans live in Finland, which have become a symbol of the country. Here you can meet finches, lapwings, blackbirds, starlings, herons, cranes. The list of mammals includes wolverines, lynxes, flying squirrels, beavers, brown bears, bats, wolves, ferrets and, of course, reindeer.

• On the territory of Finland there are 38 national parks, which, according to the law, are allowed to walk freely. Within them there are many parking lots for the night.
• Tap water in this country is considered the cleanest in the world.
• You don't have to travel far to see the Northern Lights. It can be observed even in the southern part of the country.

• The local sport is Nordic walking. It is an ordinary race walking with ski poles for weighting. They do it even in the summer.
• On average, every Finn consumes more than two thousand cups of coffee a year. For this, they have earned the title of world coffee lovers.
• In a small town in Finland, it is quite possible to meet a deer or a bear right on the street.

Conclusion

The land of a thousand lakes and the "midnight sun" is Finland. The form of government of the state is a republic. This is a unitary country, which includes a territory with a special status. The main city of the country is Helsinki.

The ecological situation in Finland is considered one of the best in the world. Even from the taps, clean water flows here. The hilly terrain of the country is covered with pine and beech forests, berry bushes and numerous lakes. And the state carefully guards its unique landscapes.

Abstract completed by: Gileva Maria, class 10 "B"

School №41

2000/2001 academic year

Territory composition and internal differences

Finland is a state in the north of Europe. It borders with Russia in the east, with Sweden in the northwest and with Norway in the north. In the south and west, the shores are washed by the waters of the Baltic Sea and its gulfs - Finnish and Bothnian.

The area is 337 thousand km2, and about a third - beyond the Arctic Circle.

Administratively, Finland is divided into 12 provinces, which, in turn, are divided into counties. The capital is Helsinki, the largest cities are Turku, Tampere and Kotka.

Economic and geographical position of the country

Assessment of border states.

Finland borders Russia, Sweden and Norway. Relations with the latter two remain stable, with Finland trading especially actively with Sweden.

With Russia, after the collapse of the USSR, trade relations have changed significantly. The share of exports also dropped significantly after August 1998. But, nevertheless, the share of exports to Russia still remains significant. In recent years, economic relations between Finland and the neighboring regions of Russia (Leningrad, Kaliningrad) have been actively developing. Joint ventures are being created, joint economic projects are being implemented.

Possibilities of use various kinds transport.

Since Finland is a relatively small country, roads play a more important role here than rail transport. Finland has a high capacity for maritime transport and cargo transportation, it has access to Baltic Sea and its bays. But since in the north its waters freeze in winter, the use of icebreakers is necessary.

natural conditions.

The climate in Finland is temperate, transitional from maritime to continental and continental in the north. The climate of the country is moderated by the Baltic Sea and the proximity of the warm Gulf Stream in the Atlantic Ocean.

There are about 60 thousand lakes, which together occupy about 8% of the country's area. Over 1/3 of the territory is swampy. Most of the territory is occupied by forests, mainly of the taiga type (pine, spruce, birch), in the south and southwest - with an admixture of broad-leaved species (oak, linden, ash, maple).

Depending on natural and climatic conditions, 4 natural regions are distinguished: southern coastal, western coastal, central and northern.

The southern coastal region is characterized by a significant distribution of flat clay lowlands and small lakes. The climate is mild and favorable for agriculture. The forest cover is relatively low, large areas under agricultural land.

Western seaside region - with marshy sandy-argillaceous lowlands. Forests are predominantly pine and mixed.

The central region - with an abundance of rocks, hilly-morainic ridges, with numerous lakes. The forests are dominated by conifers.

The northern region has the most severe climate. Elevations prevail here. This area covers northern part taiga, and altitudinal belts birch woodland and mountain tundra.

History of the country.

Until 1809, the territory of present-day Finland was part of the Kingdom of Sweden. Then, as a result of the Russian-Swedish war (1808-1809), Finland was annexed to Russia (the Grand Duchy of Finland). In 1917, after the October Revolution, Finland declared itself an independent state.

Features of the population and demographic policy

The population of the country is about 4.7 million people.

The national composition of the population of Finland is relatively homogeneous, over 91% of the inhabitants are Finns. Swedes also live in the southern and western Baltic regions (about 390 thousand people), in the north - over 3 thousand Saami (Lapps). The official languages ​​of Finland are Finnish and Swedish.

The average population density is 14 people. per 1 km2, with 9/10 of the population living in the southern half of the country. The percentage of the rural population in Finland is the largest in Europe (37%). 55% of the population is employed in the non-manufacturing sector, 30% in industry and construction, and 10% in agriculture and forestry.

The type of reproduction is "demographic winter". The country's population is increasing slowly due to a small natural increase (3.3 people per 1000) and emigration.

The government is concerned about the declining birth rate. To increase it, a number of measures are being taken, in particular, the provision of free education and medical care to children. A law was passed to provide young people with free housing upon reaching the age of majority. This law should make life easier for young families and, as a result, increase the birth rate.

Natural resources

Finland's main natural resources are its forests and minerals.

Forests occupy more than half of the country, so the woodworking industry is one of the most developed industries.

Mineral deposits are of great economic importance. Among them, it is worth noting the deposits of copper-nickel ores - Outokumpu, Luikonlahti, Pyhäsalmi and Hammaslahti, polymetallic ores - Vihanti, chromites - Kemi and ilmenite-magnetite ores - Otanmäki.

Among the countries of Western Europe in terms of reserves of chromites, vanadium and cobalt, Finland ranks 1st, titanium and nickel - 2nd, copper and pyrite - 3rd. There are also deposits of apatite, graphite, asbestos, and peat.

General characteristics of the economy

Finland is an industrial-agrarian country. About 45% of the gross national product is created in industry and construction, and about 11% in agriculture and forestry.

The Finnish economy is largely oriented towards foreign markets. Finland produces and exports lumber, paper, pulp, forestry and woodworking equipment, ships, tractors, dairy products and electrical equipment.

The share of exports of goods and services is about 30%. The largest industrial associations: Neste (oil refining and petrochemistry), Enso-Gutzeit (timber processing and mechanical engineering), Kemira (chemistry), Vartsila (shipbuilding), Nokia (electronics and electrical engineering), Rauma-Repola (shipbuilding and mechanical engineering), Tampella (paper-making equipment), Kyumin and Yukhtyunet Papertechit at" (paper production).

Finland does not have mineral fuel, so the energy problem is one of the most acute in the country. Over 1/2 of the need for fuel is covered by imports. Imported mainly crude oil, as well as petroleum products.

Agriculture in Finland is highly developed, forestry and animal husbandry predominate. Agriculture is high-tech and intensive, closely connected with the processing industry. A developed transport network allows you to quickly deliver products to processing plants, as a result, product losses are minimized, and its quality is valued all over the world.

Industry

Iron ore, copper, zinc, nickel, chromite, cobalt, vanadium, lead, graphite, and asbestos are mined in Finland. Finland occupies a prominent place in the world in the production and export of machinery and equipment for the pulp and paper industry. Main production centers: Lahti, Vasa, Karhula, Rauma, Tampere. Shipbuilding is also developed, there are 9 shipyards, the largest - in Turku, Helsinki, Rauma. Finland produces the world's largest diesel-powered icebreakers, oil drilling platforms, ferries, passenger and cargo ships.

The timber processing industry in Finland includes woodworking (sawmilling, furniture production, standard houses) and pulp and paper industry (pulp, paper, cardboard production). Finland has less than 1% of the world's forest reserves, but is one of the first countries in the world for wood products. The products of these industries account for about half of the value of exports. Large sawmills are located mainly in the lower reaches of the raftable rivers.

The chemical industry (oil refining, production of plastics, fertilizers, paints, synthetic fibers, household chemicals) and other science-intensive industries are developing rapidly. The main centers of the chemical industry: Helsinki, Turku, Tampere, Oulu.

Specialization of agricultural production

Finland is one of the northernmost countries with developed agriculture. Its main feature is its close connection with forestry.

The main branch of agriculture in Finland is animal husbandry, mainly dairy. About 9% of the territory is used in agriculture (arable land and meadows), and almost all land is cultivated. The vast majority of peasant farms are small. Reindeer breeding is also developed in the northern regions.

Forestry is the oldest branch of the Finnish economy. Forest covers 57% of the country's territory, which is about 19 million hectares. About 2/3 of the forests are privately owned.

Transport complex

The length of Finnish railways is about 6 thousand km. Motor transport plays a more important role: the length of highways is more than 40 thousand km. More than half of all cargo is transported by road. Most of the passenger and cargo communication with other countries is carried out by sea. The main seaports are Helsinki, Turku, Kotka. Thanks to icebreakers, maritime navigation is carried out all year round.

Socio-economic regions

In socio-economic terms, Finland is conventionally divided into three parts.

southwestern part country (about 25% of the area) has the most favorable natural conditions. Over 60% of the population lives here. The southwestern part is the main economic region of the country, it accounts for more than 2/3 of industrial production and the main share of agricultural products. It is also the most urbanized part of Finland, where almost all the largest cities in the country are concentrated.