Portal:Finland

The Finland Portal

Finland, officially 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. Finland has a population of 5.6 million, the majority being ethnic Finns. Its capital and largest city is Helsinki. 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. Finland became the first territory in Europe to grant universal suffrage in 1906, and the first in the world to give all adult citizens the right to run for public office. (Full article...)

Selected article -

Teuvo "Ted" Tapio Ahti (born 14 June 1934) is a Finnish botanist and lichenologist who has made significant contributions to the taxonomy and biogeography of lichens. Known particularly for his work on the lichen family Cladoniaceae, he has had a long career at the University of Helsinki beginning in 1963, and following his retirement in 1997, has continued his research at the Botanical Museum of the Finnish Museum of Natural History. His research output spans more than seven decades, comprising over 450 scientific publications across lichenology, mycology, and botanical science.

Ahti has conducted extensive fieldwork on all continents except Antarctica, with particular focus on Arctic regions and the Americas. He served as president of the International Association for Lichenology (1975–1981) and has received numerous honours, including the Acharius Medal in 2000 for lifetime contributions to lichenology. His expertise extends beyond lichens to include vegetation studies, phytogeography, and fungal taxonomy. Two Festschrifts have been dedicated to him: one in 1994 for his 60th birthday and another in 2024 for his 90th birthday. His influence on the field is reflected in the numerous taxa named in his honour, including four genera and more than twenty species. (Full article...)

List of selected articles

Selected image -

Photo credit: Christopher Batt
Juuso Pykälistö in his Peugeot 206 WRC during the 2003 Swedish Rally.

Did you know (auto-generated)

... that politician Kalervo Kummola introduced karaoke to Finland?
... that Finland won its first Olympic ice hockey medal under the leadership of Kai Hietarinta?
... that Kaija Saariaho's 2021 opera Innocence includes traditional Finnish cow-herding calls?
... that Charlotte Haining was an International Jury Member for the selection of Finland's 2020 Eurovision Song Contest entry?
... 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 the United States severed diplomatic ties with Finland in 1944 because of a personal letter sent to Hitler?

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 Finnish Communist leader Arvo Tuominen broke with the Soviet Union during the Winter War and ordered the Finnish Communists not to assist the Red Army?
...that mobile phone throwing is an international sport in which thrown mobile phones are judged by the distance and choreographics of the throw?
...that the self-taught weapon designer Aimo Lahti designed over 50 weapons of all types prior to and during World War II, including the successful Suomi M-31?
...that Norse sagas record some Finnish campaigns against Sweden in the mid-8th century?
...that Larin Paraske, a Finnish oral poet, could recite over 32,000 verses of poetry?

Good article -

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

Juha Harri "Junnu" Vainio, also known as Juha "Watt" Vainio (10 May 1938 in Kotka, Finland – 29 October 1990, Gryon, Switzerland) was a Finnish lyricist, singer, composer and teacher. With the lyrics or music to over 2,400 songs to his name, Vainio is one of Finland's most prolific lyricists along with Sauvo Puhtila, Reino Helismaa and Vexi Salmi. Vainio enjoyed a short professional career as a teacher at Kymenranta Primary School.

Vainio began writing songs in the early 1960s and continued until his death. Apart from his home town Kotka, he lived for several years in Helsinki and Espoo. In his last years Vainio lived in Gryon, Switzerland, where he died of a heart attack in October 1990. He is buried in the family grave in Helsinki. (Full article...)

List of Good articles

General images

The following are images from various Finland-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1Northern Europe in 814 (from History of Finland)
Image 2The area controlled by Finland at its largest, in 1942 (from History of Finland)
Image 3S/S Urania in Hanko harbor in 1893, with 509 emigrants on board on their way to America (from History of Finland)
Image 4Battle of Gangut (Hanko) was part of the Great Northern War during 1700–1721. (from History of Finland)
Image 5Linus Torvalds, a famous Fennoswede software engineer, best known for initiating the development of the Linux kernel (from Culture of Finland)
Image 6In 2011 figure skater Kiira Korpi was ranked 4th in the world. (from Culture of Finland)
Image 7President K. J. Ståhlberg in his office in 1919 (from History of Finland)
Image 8Captain Aarne Juutilainen at the front at Kollaa during the Winter War (from History of Finland)
Image 9Kastelli Giant's Church in Pattijoki by Pöljä culture (from History of Finland)
Image 10Finnish folk dancers in a 1907 postcard sent from Mustamäki, Finland (from Culture of Finland)
Image 11Memorial of the Mannerheim Cross Knights of Parikkala, Finland (from History of Finland)
Image 12A summer cottage (mökki) on a lake island (from Culture of Finland)
Image 13In the sauna, by Pekka Halonen, 1925 (from Culture of Finland)
Image 14President Urho Kekkonen's funeral procession in 1986 (from History of Finland)
Image 15Helsinki Accords Treaty (from History of Finland)
Image 16Finland Ostrobothnia regiment uniforms in 1705 (from History of Finland)
Image 17Kreeta Haapasalo Playing the Kantele in a Peasant Cottage (1868), by Robert Wilhelm Ekman (from History of Finland)
Image 18This 1825 map of the Grand Duchy of Finland is from a larger work, geographical atlas of the Russian Empire. (from History of Finland)
Image 19Badge of the Finnish White/Civil Guard (from History of Finland)
Image 20Prehistoric red ochre painted rock art of moose, human figures, and boats in Astuvansalmi, Finland, from ca. 3800–2200 BC (from Culture of Finland)
Image 21Women in sauna with Vihtas
Image 22Battle of Valkeala was part of the Russo-Swedish War (1788–1790). (from History of Finland)
Image 23A peasant girl and a woman in traditional dress from Ruokolahti, eastern Finland, as depicted by Severin Falkman in 1882 (from Culture of Finland)
Image 24Imagery collage of Birger Jarl conquering Häme and the construction of Häme Castle (from History of Finland)
Image 25Mikael Agricola hands over the Finnish Translation of the New Testament to King Gustav Wasa. (from History of Finland)
Image 26Portrait of Finnish poet Elias Lönnrot who wrote "the Kalevala" (1802 - 1884) (from History of Finland)
Image 27Wehrmacht soldiers with a local Sámi reindeer herder, Lappland, Sodankylä, Finland 1942 (from History of Finland)
Image 28The ruins of Vammala burned by the Reds, during the Civil war (from History of Finland)
Image 29A smoke sauna (savusauna) in Enonkoski (from Culture of Finland)
Image 30Lapua 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 31Identification document and tag of a Finnish war child (from History of Finland)
Image 32Erkki Karu, one of the pioneers of the Finnish cinema, with cinematographer Eino Kari in 1927 (from Culture of Finland)
Image 33Students on Helsinki's Esplanadi wearing their caps on Vappu (from Culture of Finland)
Image 342007 Formula One World Champion Kimi Räikkönen celebrating victory at the 2007 Brazilian Grand Prix (from Culture of Finland)
Image 35Pekka Halonen's painting "against persecutors" from 1896 depicts the warfare of the ancient Finns. (from History of Finland)
Image 36The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957), a significant figure in the history of classical music (from Culture of Finland)
Image 37Midsummer bonfire (kokko) in Mäntsälä (from Culture of Finland)
Image 38The area of Finland in the years 1920–1940. The 1935 county and municipality division on the map. (from History of Finland)
Image 39Grand Duchy of Finland, 75 kopek assignat (1824) (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 41A reconstruction of a 12th-century Perniö costume (from History of Finland)
Image 42Map of Finnish areas ceded to the Soviet Union in 1944, after the Continuation War (from History of Finland)
Image 43Marshal of Finland Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim visit in Germany, 1942 (from History of Finland)
Image 44The Finno-Soviet Treaty (from History of Finland)
Image 45Painting of Lalli killing Henry. Painting by C. A. Ekman. (from History of Finland)
Image 46Ancylus Lake covered major part of Finland (7,500–6,000 BC) (from History of Finland)
Image 47Karjalanpiirakka, a traditional Finnish pastry (from Culture of Finland)
Image 48Finnish Guards' Rifle Battalion, 1850s (from History of Finland)
Image 49In 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 50Jussipaita (transl. Jussi sweater); a traditional sweater from the Finnish region of Southern Ostrobothnia (from Culture of Finland)
Image 51Three Finnish Romani women in Helsinki, Finland, in 1930s (from Culture of Finland)
Image 52The part of Finland controlled by the Reds at its largest in February–March 1918 (from History of Finland)
Image 53Alvar Aalto, Viipuri Library (1927–35) (from Culture of Finland)
Image 54The 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 55Sámi family in traditional costumes from Finland. (from Culture of Finland)
Image 56The 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 57Paavo Nurmi at the 1920 Summer Olympics (from Culture of Finland)
Image 58Kalmar Union in 1400s (from History of Finland)
Image 59An old drawing of the city of Turku in the 18th century (from History of Finland)
Image 60Signing 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 61Apocalyptica's Perttu Kivilaakso playing metal music live (from Culture of Finland)
Image 62Eero Järnefelt, Burning the Brushwood, 1893 (from History of Finland)
Image 63A triptych by Akseli Gallen-Kallela, depicting the Aino Story of Kalevala on three panes (from Culture of Finland)
Image 64Winter War Monument in Suomussalmi, Kainuu, Finland (from History of Finland)
Image 65Turku Cathedral and its surroundings from 1814 (from History of Finland)
Image 66The 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 67A view of Pohjoisesplanadi in the center of Helsinki in 1891 (from History of Finland)
Image 68Stone Age stone axe engraved with human face found from Kiuruvesi. (from History of Finland)
Image 69Stone Age dwelling named Kierikki 5000–3000 BC (from History of Finland)
Image 70Women dressed in Finnish folk costumes (from Culture of Finland)
Image 71People gathered in the Senate Square for a demonstration against the February Manifesto in March 1899. (from History of Finland)
Image 72Janne Ahonen is considered one of the best and most successful currently active ski jumpers. (from Culture of Finland)
Image 73Pieces of the Antrea Net (8,300 BC), the oldest-known fishing net in the world. (from History of Finland)
Image 74(1809 Diet of Porvoo) The sovereign's pledge, printed in Finnish (from History of Finland)
Image 75Jean Sibelius at work in his study (from History of Finland)
Image 76Homann'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 77A group of Finnish soldiers operating a Bofors gun during the Continuation War in 1943 (from History of Finland)

In the news

3 July 2025 –: Four people are injured in a mass stabbing attack by a man near a shopping mall in Tampere, Finland. (Reuters)
19 June 2025 –: The Finnish Parliament votes 155–18 to withdraw from the Ottawa Treaty, which bans the use of anti-personnel mines, citing the threat Russia poses to its national security. (Reuters) (Helsingin Sanomat)
21 May 2025 – Foreign relations of Israel: More than a dozen governments condemn the Israeli military firing in the direction of a diplomatic delegation with representatives from 31 countries including Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Egypt, the European Union, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, the Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and Uruguay. (The Guardian) (Al Jazeera)
20 May 2025 –: Three students are injured in a mass stabbing attack at a school in Pirkkala, Pirkanmaa, Finland. The suspect, a 16-year-old, released a manifesto saying his target was women. (Yle)
17 May 2025 –: Five people, including Estonian businessmen Oleg Sõnajalg and Priit Jaagant, are killed when two Robinson R44 civilian helicopters en route to Piikajärvi Airfield collide mid-air and crash into the ground in a forested area near Eura, Satakunta, Finland. (Eesti Rahvusringhääling)

Related portals

Northern Europe

Other countries

Selected panorama -

Panoramic photo shot of Helsinki, Finland

Topics

Recognized content

Extended content

This is a list of recognized content, updated weekly by JL-Bot (talk · contribs) (typically on Saturdays). There is no need to edit the list yourself. If an article is missing from the list, make sure it is tagged (e.g. {{WikiProject Finland}}) or categorized correctly and wait for the next update. See WP:RECOG for configuration options.

Featured articles

Featured lists

Good articles

Did you know? articles

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

In the News articles

Main page featured articles

Main page featured lists

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

Things you can do

Add the {{}} template to existing See also sections of Finland-related articles.
Tag the talk pages of Finland-related articles with the {{WikiProject Finland}} template. (Tip: Use PetScan to find articles not tagged yet by replacing the category "Finnish films" with another category and adjust "Depth" if needed. This tool is helpful for tagging. See also the list of pages not tagged yet.)
Rate unassessed and unknown-importance articles according to the guidelines. (This tool is helpful for doing these.)
Translate a Finnish-language article into English.
Expand a stub into a full article.
Help with the articles needing attention (watch) and cleanup.
Create a requested article (watch).
Support fresh articles (watch).
Patrol the recent changes.
Add requested photos (map)
Add the following pages to your watchlist:
- The project's talk page (watch)
- Article alerts (watch)
- List of new pages (watch)

Associated Wikimedia

The following Wikimedia Foundation sister projects provide more on this subject:

Commons
Free media repository
Wikibooks
Free textbooks and manuals
Wikidata
Free knowledge base
Wikinews
Free-content news
Wikiquote
Collection of quotations
Wikisource
Free-content library
Wikiversity
Free learning tools
Wikivoyage
Free travel guide
Wiktionary
Dictionary and thesaurus

Discover Wikipedia using portals