Finland – A Quick & Quirky Guide
Official name: Republic of Finland
Area: ~338,400 km² – the 8th largest country in Europe
Population: ~5.6 million (2024)
Location: Northern Europe, bordered by Sweden, Norway, and Russia; coastline along the Gulf of Finland and the Baltic Sea
Form of government: Parliamentary republic
Head of State: President Alexander Stubb (2024–)
Prime Minister: Petteri Orpo (2023–)
Capital city: Helsinki (~684,000 inhabitants, metro area ~1.36 million)
Time zone: Eastern European Time (UTC+2 / +3 in summer)
Official languages: Finnish and Swedish (plus Sámi in certain northern areas)
Currency: Euro (€)
EU member: Yes, since 1995
Schengen area: Yes, since 2001
Top 10 Largest Cities (urban population)
- Helsinki – ~684,000
- Espoo – ~321,000
- Tampere – ~260,000
- Vantaa – ~251,000
- Oulu – ~216,000
- Turku – ~206,000
- Jyväskylä – ~149,000
- Kuopio – ~126,000
- Lahti – ~121,000
- Pori – ~83,000
Popular Tourist Cities & Regions
- Helsinki – stylish capital with design, seaside vibes, and way too many cafés.
- Turku – former capital, home to the Aura River, a medieval castle, and a lively food scene.
- Rovaniemi & Lapland – Santa Claus, reindeer, northern lights, and the midnight sun.
- Savonlinna & the Lake District – medieval castle and endless lakeside summer vibes.
- Kuopio & Tahko – lakes, forests, ski slopes, and the legendary kalakukko (fish pie).
Climate
Finland has a northern, highly variable climate. Summers are mild and pleasant (15–25 °C), while winters… well, let’s just say your nose hairs freeze (as low as –30 °C in the north). The north experiences the polar night (no sunrise in winter) and the midnight sun (no sunset in summer). Sunlight: sometimes too much, sometimes none at all.
Culture & Daily Life
- Sauna culture: With over 3 million saunas for 5.6 million people, you’ll probably get invited to one before you even finish this sentence.
- Education: Regularly ranked among the best in the world, but kids still get more recess than homework.
- Sisu: A uniquely Finnish word for grit, perseverance, and doing things like biking through snowstorms “just because.”
Food & Drink
- Coffee: Finns are the world champions of coffee consumption. If you don’t drink at least 4 cups a day, are you even trying?
- Traditional dishes: Rye bread, karjalanpiirakka (Karelian pies), kalakukko (fish pie), and reindeer (yes, sorry Rudolph).
- Modern treats: Cinnamon buns, craft beers, and surprisingly good sushi.
Summary
Finland is a land of forests (70% of the territory), lakes (over 180,000 of them), northern lights, heavy metal bands, and people who think silence is a perfectly acceptable conversation style. It’s a modern EU country where you can pay with euros, and sweat out your worries in a lakeside sauna.