1.1. GEOGRAPHY, CLIMATE

Finland is the seventh largest country in Europe, totalling 338, 145 sq. km (130, 500 sq. miles). The population density is 17 inhabitants per square kilometre (40 per sq. mile).65% of Finns live in towns or urban areas and 35% in rural areas. Two-thirds of the country is covered by forests. Finland is also a land of lakes: there are almost 200, 000 lakes and approximately as many islands. The archipelago of Finland is one of the world™s most beautiful marine areas. The autonomous province of the Åland Islands lies off the south-west coast.

The capital of Finland is Helsinki with a population of 551, 000.

The climate is marked by cold winters and warm summers. The highest daytime temperature in Joensuu during the summer occasionally rises over 25 centigrade. During the winter months, particularly in January and February, temperatures of minus 20 centigrade are not uncommon. Due to the low humidity, however, Finland's climate is actually not so cold as temperature readings might seem to indicate.
In eastern Finland: the first snow settles in late October or in November, and the landscape will usually be covered with snow in December. The first signs of spring can be seen in March, and during April the snow gradually starts melting away. Still, there might be some snow left even in the beginning of May.

1.2 LANGUAGES, RELIGION
The official languages of Finland are Finnish and Swedish. The Finnish language is spoken by 93% of the Finns while about 6 % of the people have Swedish as their mother tongue. Another indigenous minority language is Sami, spoken by the Sami people (also known as Lapps) of Lapland. The official status of Swedish has historical roots in the period when Finland was a part of the Swedish realm, a period that lasted from the beginning of the 13th century until 1809.

There has been complete freedom of speech in Finland since 1923. The Lutheran Church is the country’s largest denomination: 89 % of the people are baptised Lutherans while 1 % belong to the Finnish Orthodox Church. Christianity, represented by the Roman Catholic Church, reached Finland before the end of the first millennium, but the Church was not firmly established in the country until the 12th century. The influence of the Orthodox faith spread into the country from the east.

1.3 HISTORY
Some important dates in the history of Finland:
1155: The first missionaries arrive in Finland from Sweden. Finland becomes part of the Swedish realm.
1809: Sweden surrenders Finland to Russia. The Czar declares Finland a semi-autonomous Grand Duchy with himself as constitutional monarch represented
by a governor general.
1917: Finland declares independence from Russia on December 6.
1919: A constitution is adopted and Finland becomes a republic with a President as head of State.
1939–40: The Soviet Union attacks Finland and the Winter War is fought.
1941–44: Fighting between Finnish and Soviet forces resumes in the Continuation War. Some territory is ceded to the Soviet Union, but Finland is never occupied and the country preserves its independence and sovereignty.
1955: Finland joins the United Nations and in 1956 the Nordic Council.
1995: Finland becomes a member of the European Union.

1.4 GOVERNMENT, FOREIGN POLICY
The head of State is the President of the Republic who is elected for a period of six years and may serve a maximum of two consecutive terms. Finland’s first female head of State, President Tarja Halonen was elected in 2000 and the next presidential elections will be held in 2006. The President is chosen by direct popular vote, with a run-off between the two leading candidates who emerge after the first round of voting. The Government must enjoy the confidence of Parliament (Eduskunta) which has 200 members elected by direct proportional vote every four years.
As a member of the European Union since 1995, Finland promotes democracy, the rule of law and human rights, in line with long-established Nordic values.
Finland joined the Third Phase of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) and adopted the common currency, the Euro, in 1999. While remaining militarily non-allied, Finland works actively for the strengthening of the EU’s common foreign and security policies as well as its capability to act in crisis management. Finland supports the enlargement of the EU.

On Finland's initiative, the Union is pursuing a Northern Dimension policy whose aim is to enhance cooperation with Russia and other partners in economic management, energy, the environment and other fields. Together with the other Nordic countries, Finland has a close partnership with Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and contributes to the Baltic Sea, Barents Sea and Arctic collaborative forums.

Finland is one of the leading participants in UN peacekeeping activities.

1.5 EDUCATION AND RESEARCH
A high level of education is one of the cornerstones of the Finnish national strategy. All children receive compulsory basic education between the ages of seven and 16. Education beyond the age of 16 is voluntary, taking the form of either a three-year course at upper secondary school or a three-year course at vocational school.

Finnish Higher Education
The Finnish higher education system comprises two parallel sectors: universities and polytechnics. There are 21 universities and 30 polytechnics. The basic mission of universities is to carry out research and provide education based on it. Polytechnics are oriented towards working life and base their operations on the high vocational skill requirements set by it. Currently there are around 100, 000 students registered at the polytechnics and around 135, 000 at the universities in Finland, of whom 52% are women.

Polytechnic Education
Polytechnics (AMK institutions, ammattikorkeakoulut) provide non-university vocational higher education usually in a multidisciplinary environment for those who have completed either the matriculation examination or an upper secondary level vocational qualification. The completion of a polytechnic degree takes 3.5- 4.5 years.

University Education
Universities provide lower (Bachelor's) and higher (Master's) academic degrees and scientific postgraduate degrees, which are the licentiate and the doctorate. In general, the completion of a Bachelor's degree takes three years and that of a Master's degree five years. The university system is composed of multidisciplinary universities, specialised scientific universities and art academies, which are also called universities.

http://www.edu.fi/info/system/english/index.html
http://www.minedu.fi/minedu/index.html

1.6 INDUSTRY AND ECONOMY
Finland’s road to industrialisation started in the 19th century with the harnessing of forest resources. Forests are still Finland’s most crucial raw material resource, although the engineering and high technology industries, led by Nokia, have long been the leading branches of manufacturing. The most important export product today is the mobile phone and Finland is one of the few European countries whose exports exceed imports in data and communications technology. Today, Finland is an advanced industrial economy. Finland is said to be ‘the most on-line nation in the world’ with more mobile phones and Internet connections per capita than any other country.

The net wealth of Finnish households is at the average level for member states of the European Union. In 1999, Finland’s GNP per capita was around 23 400 Euros (ca. 22 400 USD).

The Finnish currency is markka (FIM), the exchange rate for 1 EURO = FIM 5.94573.

1.7 INTERNET LINKS
http://virtual.finland.fi
http://finland.cimo.fi
http://www.stat.fi/index_en.html
http://www.fmi.fi/en/index.html
http://www.kulttuuri.net
http://www.finland-tourism.com/mis2/webdocs.nsf/webindex/wwfacts