Finland is a country of forest, lakes, and space. With 338,000 square kilometres and a population of just 5.5 million, it has more room per person than almost anywhere in Europe. Two-thirds of the country is covered by boreal forest. There are around 188,000 lakes. A third of Finland lies north of the Arctic Circle.
This is not a land of classic tourist monuments. What draws people here is something harder to put on a postcard: the midnight sun in summer, the Northern Lights in winter, the silence of a frozen lake, a sauna heated with birch wood, and a culture that has built something confident and distinct at the edge of the continent.
Helsinki, the compact capital on the Baltic coast, combines neoclassical architecture, excellent museums, and a sharp design culture with easy access to islands and sea. Turku, the old capital in the southwest, is the gateway to Finland's extraordinary archipelago. Tampere, set between two lakes on a stretch of rapids, is the most likeable of the larger cities. To the north, Lapland — with its reindeer, its Sámi culture, and its extreme seasons — is a world of its own.
Finland has a high standard of living. Infrastructure works. English is spoken almost everywhere. The tap water is excellent. It's an easy country to travel independently.
The Finnish character takes some adjustment. Silence is comfortable, not awkward. Small talk with strangers is not customary. But the directness and reliability of Finns, once you get past the initial reserve, is one of the pleasures of being there.
Area: 338,000 km² Population: approximately 5.5 million Capital: Helsinki Currency: Euro (€) Language: Finnish and Swedish (both official) Time zone: EET (UTC+2), EEST (UTC+3) in summer
