FINLAND (Republic of Finland) is located in Northern Europe, with about a quarter of its territory located above the Arctic Circle. Finns name their country Suomi or Saomeumaa. The name Republike Finland has Swedish roots. In North-west Finland borders on Sweden, in the north with Norway, and in the east - with Russia. The length of land borders is 2628 km, of which:
- with Russia - 1313 km
- with Norway - 729km
- with Sweden - 586 km
southern part Finland it is washed by the waters of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea, beyond which Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia are located. Geographically, our northern neighbor includes 19 regions.
Brief information about Finland
The area of the country is about 338.424 sq. km. (of which about 306.424 sq. km are on land and about 32.000 sq. km are in rivers and lakes). It is the fifth largest country in Western Europe. About 25% of the territory is located beyond the Arctic Circle. Another 2/3 Finland covered with forests (mainly coniferous) and lakes. Lakes ... Oh, this is a separate issue))) Finland- the country of lakes, although it would be more accurate to say - "the country of thousands of lakes." There are about 190,000 of them there (just think about this figure! :)) No wonder Central Finland called "Lake Plateau".
Maximum distances: 1.160 km from north to south and 540 km from east to west.
Population: 5.4 million people, population density - 15.8 people / sq. km. According to Finnish statistics, the average life expectancy is: women - 83 years, men - 76 years.
AT Finland 35 national parks (the first National Park appeared in 1938), many reserves and wonderful, virgin nature.
Religion. Lutheranism (most of the population) and Orthodoxy have official status.
Capital of Finland- city Helsinki.
Languages in Finland
Official languages of Finland: Finnish (91%) and Swedish (5.4%). By the way, until 1809 Swedish was the only official language of the Grand Duchy of Finland. After the victory of the Russian Empire over Sweden, from 1809, by order of Emperor Alexander I, the Swedish language was replaced by Finnish.
Many Finns speak English, especially young people. In addition, about 6.5 thousand Saami live in Northern Finland, who speak their native Saami language.
Time in Finland
Time in Finland in winter "lags" behind Moscow by 1 hour (GMT+2). In the spring, the transition to "summer" time (GMT +3) is carried out. The entire territory of the country lives in one time zone.
For three years, when we canceled the transition to "winter" time, the time difference in winter from Finland, which still translated the hands of the clock, was 2 hours, but since October 26, 2014, everything has returned to normal and the "winter" time has returned to our open spaces forever. Accordingly, a difference of two hours between Russia (meaning Moscow time, of course) and Finland not in winter either.
Finland and the EU
AT European Union(EU) Finland joined in 1995. This event was preceded by a referendum in which 56.6% voted for EU membership. However, despite the already fairly long stay in the EU and, apparently, taking into account the latest well-known crisis events in the global economy, calls are increasingly heard in Suomi (of course, not from the official authorities) to leave the European Union and abandon the put into circulation in 2002, the euro in favor of its own, national currency.
Single emergency number (rescue service) - 112
In 2006 Finnish monster rock band Lordi won first place in the Eurovision Song Contest.
In 2012 Finland was recognized as the most stable state in the world (estimated by the American Fund for Peace), ahead of such countries as Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland and Norway. And in the same 2012, when the financial crisis continued to roam the planet for what year, Finland on a par with Germany still related to the highest category credit rating - "AAA".
As of 2012 average pension in Finland was about 1500 euros. Not bad)
In 2012 Finland visited by 7.5 million tourists, most of whom are Russians (about 3.6 million people). Followed by Estonians and Swedes. In 2013, our Northern neighbor was visited by more than 5 million people. Russians, who, in addition, brought 1.3 billion euros to the Finnish treasury.
More Finland- the birthplace of "angry birds" Angry Birds whose popularity has already stepped far beyond the borders of this small country. The Finns have already built several themed parks Angry Birds, the fourth of which was opened in the summer of 2013 in the Rauha region, near the Russian-Finnish border.
How to call Finland
To call from Russia to Finland from a city phone dial 8-10-358, then the year of the city, then the subscriber's number. Remember that zero (0) in the area code is dialed only for long-distance calls inside Finland. If from a mobile phone: +358 - (area code) - subscriber's number. call from Finland to Russia: 999 - 7, then the year of the city, then the subscriber's number.
Visa to Finland
Finland included in Schengen area since March 25, 2001. Accordingly, for a trip to Finland needed Schengen visa.
Where can I get a visa to Finland
At present, Finnish visas are issued by fifteen visa centers VFS Global companies located in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Kazan, Krasnodar, Krasnoyarsk, Nizhny Novgorod, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Perm, Rostov-on-Don, Samara, Irkutsk, Vladivostok and Ufa. From October 24, 2014, the Finnish Visa Application Center opens in Kaliningrad. Also in the period September-October 2014, it is planned to open three more visa centers: in Vologda, Veliky Novgorod, Vyborg and Pskov.
Of course, Schengen visas are also issued at the Embassy of Finland (in Moscow) and the Consulates of Finland (in St. Petersburg, Murmansk and Petrozavodsk).
The content of the article
FINLAND, The Republic of Finland, a state in northern Europe. Its northern part is located beyond the Arctic Circle. In the west, Finland borders on Sweden, in the north - on Norway, in the east - on Russia. The country's maritime borders run along the Gulf of Finland in the south and Bothnia in the west. The area of the country is 338,145 sq. km. The population is 5 million 250 thousand people (estimated for 2009). The greatest length of the country from north to south is 1160 km, the maximum width is 540 km. The total length of the coastline is 1070 km. Off the coast of Finland are approx. 180 thousand small islands.
Finland is a country of vast forests and numerous lakes, ultra-modern buildings and ancient castles. Forests are its main wealth, they are called the "green gold of Finland". Finland is famous for its achievements in architecture and industrial design. Being one of the youngest countries in Europe, Finland has nevertheless accumulated rich cultural traditions.
Finland is often referred to as a group of Scandinavian countries with which it maintains close ties. After 700 years of Swedish domination, it went to Russia in 1809, having received the status of the Grand Duchy of Finland. In December 1917 Finland declared independence. From the end of World War II until 1991, it was connected with the USSR by strong economic ties. After the collapse of the USSR in 1991, Finland reoriented itself towards establishing closer ties with Western Europe. Finland has been a member of the European Union since 1995.
NATURE
Terrain relief.
Finland is a hilly and flat country. Absolute heights usually do not exceed 300 m. The highest point in the country, Mount Haltia (1328 m), is located in the extreme northwest, on the border with Norway. Geologically, Finland is located within the Baltic Crystalline Shield. During the ice age, it was subjected to a cover glaciation. Glaciers have flattened the hills and filled most of the basins with their deposits. Under the weight of the ice, the territory sagged, and after the degradation of glaciation, the Yoldian Sea, the predecessor of the modern Baltic, was formed. Despite the rise of land, many basins are still occupied by lakes and marshes. Hence the name of the country Suomi (suo - "swamp"). From the heritage of the ice age, chains of eskers are clearly distinguished - narrow elongated ridges composed of water-glacial sands and pebbles. They were used to build roads through the swampy lowlands that occupied most of the country. Ridges of glacial deposits (moraines) block many valleys and impound rivers, contributing to the dissociation of the flow and the formation of many rapids and waterfalls. Finland has significant reserves of water energy.
Climate.
As the whole country lies north of 60°N, the days are long and cool in summer and short and cold in winter. In the summer in southern Finland, the day length is 19 hours, and in the far north the sun does not set beyond the horizon for 73 days, which is why Finland is called the “land of the midnight sun”. Average July temperatures are 17–18°C in the south and 14–15°C in the north. The average temperatures of the coldest month, February, are -13-14°C in the north and from -8°C to -4°C in the south. Proximity to the sea has a moderate effect on temperatures. Frosts occur at any time of the year, even in the south of the country. The average annual rainfall is 450 mm in the north and 700 mm in the south.
Water resources.
Finland has approx. 190 thousand lakes occupying 9% of its area. The most famous lake Saimaa in the southeast, which is important for timber rafting and transportation of goods in inland areas that are not provided with railways and roads. Lakes Päijänne in the south, Näsijärvi in the southwest and Oulujärvi in central Finland, along with rivers, also play an important role in water communication. Numerous small canals connect the country's rivers and lakes, sometimes bypassing waterfalls. The most important is the Saimaa Canal, which connects Lake Saimaa with the Gulf of Finland near Vyborg (part of the canal passes through the territory of the Leningrad Region).
Flora and fauna.
Almost 2/3 of the territory of Finland is covered with forests, which supply valuable raw materials for the timber and pulp and paper industries. North and south taiga forests grow in the country, and mixed coniferous-broad-leaved forests grow in the extreme southwest. Maple, elm, ash and hazel penetrate to 62°N, apple trees occur at 64°N. Coniferous species are distributed up to 68 ° N.L. To the north, forest-tundra and tundra stretch.
A third of the territory of Finland is occupied by swamps (including swamp forests). Peat is widely used as bedding for livestock and much less frequently for fuel. In a number of areas, reclamation of swamps has been carried out.
The fauna of Finland is very poor. Usually elk, squirrel, hare, fox, otter live in the forests, less often - muskrat. Bear, wolf and lynx are found only in the eastern regions of the country. The world of birds is diverse (up to 250 species, including black grouse, capercaillie, hazel grouse, partridge). Salmon, trout, whitefish, perch, zander, pike, vendace are found in rivers and lakes, and herring in the Baltic Sea.
POPULATION
Ethnic composition and language.
There are two different peoples living in Finland - Finns and Swedes. Their languages - Finnish and Swedish - are officially recognized as state languages. The main part of the population is made up of Finns - a people of Finno-Ugric origin. In 1997, only 5.8% of the country's population considered Swedish as their mother tongue (versus 6.3% in 1980). The Swedish-speaking population is mainly concentrated in the coastal areas in the west and south of the country and on the Åland Islands. The national minorities include the Saami (about 1.7 thousand people) living in Lapland. Some of them still lead a nomadic lifestyle in areas located north of the Arctic Circle.
Religion.
The Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church has the status of a state religion. Almost 87% of the country's inhabitants belong to it. In 1993, adherents of other faiths made up only 2% of the population, among them about half, including many Saami, were Orthodox. Orthodox Church is also recognized by the state and receives subsidies. There are small communities of Jehovah's Witnesses, the Finnish Free Church and Seventh-day Adventists in the country. 10% of the population find it difficult to indicate their religious affiliation.
The number and distribution of the population.
In 2009, 5, 250, 275 thousand people lived in Finland. Since the mid-1960s, population growth has been very slow due to low birth rates and significant emigration of Finnish workers (mainly to Sweden). In the post-war years, the birth rate continuously decreased until 12.2 per 1 thousand people in 1973, then it slightly increased and in 1990 reached 13.1 per 1 thousand people, but in 2004 fell again to 10.56. Mortality in the post-war period ranged from 9 to 10 per 1,000 people, in 2004 it was 9.69 per 1,000 people. From 1970 to 1980, population growth averaged 0.4% per year, and in 2004 - 0.18%, as immigration increased slightly, and emigration remained at the same level. The average life expectancy in Finland for men is 76 years, and for women - 83.
The population is mainly concentrated in the coastal and southern regions of Finland. The coast of the Gulf of Finland, the southwestern coast near Turku and some areas located immediately north and east of Helsinki - around Tampere, Hämeenlinna, Lahti and other cities that are connected by canals and rivers with the coast are distinguished by the highest population density. The latest changes in the distribution of the population are closely connected with the industrial development of the hinterland. Many central regions and almost the entire North remain sparsely populated.
Cities.
In most cities in Finland, the population does not exceed 70 thousand people. The exceptions are the capital city of Helsinki (564.521 thousand inhabitants in 2006), Espoo (227.472 thousand in 2005), Tampere (202.972 thousand - 2005), Turku (174.824 thousand - 2005). In the late 1990s, the population of the cities of Vantaa (171.3 thousand), Oulu (113.6 thousand), Lahti (95.8 thousand), Kuopio (85.8 thousand), Pori (76.6 thousand people) ), Jyväskylä, Kotka, Lappeenranta, Vaasa and Joensuu (from 76.2 thousand to 45.4 thousand). Many cities are surrounded by extensive forests. In south-central Finland, the cities of Tampere, Lahti and Hämeenlinna form a large industrial complex. The two most big cities Finland - Helsinki and Turku - are located on the sea coast.
GOVERNMENT AND POLICY
Political system.
Finland is a republic. The main document that defines it state structure, is the 2001 constitution, which significantly modernized the first constitution, adopted in 1919. The supreme executive power belongs to the president, elected for a six-year term by direct popular vote (since 1988). Previously, he was elected by the Electoral College. The president has broad powers: he appoints and dismisses the prime minister and members of the government; in addition, approves laws and has the right of relative veto. The president is the commander-in-chief of the country's armed forces and leads it foreign policy decides questions of war and peace with the consent of Parliament. The president appoints a person representing a party or coalition to form a government.
Executive power is vested in the State Council (Cabinet of Ministers) of 16 members headed by the Prime Minister. The government must have the support of a parliamentary majority when making decisions on matters of principle. If none of the parties is in the majority, the government is formed on a coalition basis.
Parliament is unicameral. It consists of 200 deputies elected on the basis of proportional representation for a four-year term by universal suffrage. All adult citizens have the right to vote. Parliament concentrates all legislature and has the right to approve all appointments and ratify treaties and other international agreements.
AT legal system In Finland, primary judiciary relies on a network of district courts (for rural areas) and municipal courts (for cities). District courts consist of 5-7 jurors and a judge who leads the session and he alone has the right to pass sentences, sometimes contrary to the unanimous opinion of the jury. Sessions of municipal courts are chaired by the burgomaster (mayor) with two or more judicial assistants. For appeal proceedings in different parts of the country, there are six courts of appeal, consisting of several judges (three of them constitute a quorum). Supreme Court is located in Helsinki. In some cases, it administers primary litigation, but usually hears requests for clemency, hears appeals, and decides on the constitutionality of laws and practices. The judicial system includes the highest administrative court and several special courts, for example, according to land issues, labor disputes and insurance matters. The courts are subordinate to the Ministry of Justice, which, however, does not interfere in judgments. The police are under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Interior. Activity as judiciary and the police are controlled by Parliament.
Local government.
In administrative terms, since the end of 1997, Finland has been divided into 6 provinces (lyani), which are governed by governors appointed by the president. The province of Ahvenanmaa (Aland Islands), with a predominantly Swedish population, enjoys broad autonomy. It has its own parliament and flag, and is represented in the parliament of the whole country by one deputy. The lowest administrative-territorial unit - the community - is responsible for municipal services and levies its own tax. In 1997 there were 78 urban and 443 rural communities in the country. The communities are governed by councils whose members are elected for a four-year term on the principle of proportional representation.
Political parties.
The Social Democratic Party of Finland (SDPF) relies on the support of industrial workers and employees. The Finnish Social Democrats, like other socialist parties in Europe, have essentially abandoned their original goal of state ownership of industry, but continue to advocate economic planning and improved welfare systems. A prominent figure in the SDPF, Mauno Koivisto, served two terms as President of Finland (1982–1994). He was replaced by Martti Ahtisaari (also a Social Democrat). The People's Democratic Union of Finland (DSNF), formerly a pro-Soviet coalition of left-wing parties, until 1990 was under the influence of the Communist Party of Finland (KPF), which since the 1960s has been divided into a moderate "majority" and a Stalinist "minority". In 1990, the DSNF merged with other left-wing groups to form the Left Union of Finland (LSF). The Finnish Center Party (PFC, until 1965 - the Agrarian Union, until 1988 - the Center Party) has been a member of almost every coalition since 1947. President Urho Kekkonen left its ranks (from 1956 to 1981). This party played a leading role in the coalition government from 1991 to 1995. The PFC represents the interests of the farmers, but is increasingly supported by the urban population. The conservative National Coalition Party (NCP) opposes state control over the economy, but stands up for the expansion of social programs. The Swedish People's Party (SNP) reflects the interests of the Swedish-speaking population. The Rural Party of Finland (SPF) broke away from the Agrarian Union in 1959 and gained significant influence in the late 1960s, reflecting the opposition movement of small farmers. Established in the late 1970s, the Greens of Finland (NWF), which advocates environmental protection, has been permanently represented in parliament since 1983, and in 1995 joined the coalition government. This is the first time the Green movement has achieved such success in Europe.
From 1966 to 1991, the SDPF was the most influential party, receiving between 23% and 29% of the popular vote. It was followed by the DSNF, the NKP and the PFC, each with 14% to 21% of the vote. In the 1960s and 1970s, the government coalition was usually led by the SDPF or PFC. Communists participated in the work of the government in 1966-1971, 1975-1976 and 1977-1982. In the 1987 parliamentary elections, non-socialist parties received a majority of votes (for the first time since 1946), although representatives of the SDPF entered the government headed by the NCP, following the traditional Finnish policy of compromise. The anti-socialist orientation also manifested itself in the 1991 elections, when the SDPF fell into second place and the PFC formed a government with the participation of representatives of the NKP, the SPF and the Christian Union (XU). In the 1995 elections, the SDPF again took first place and formed a coalition government together with the NKP, LSF, SNP and NWF.
Armed forces.
Under the terms of the peace treaty of 1947, the armed forces of Finland were not to exceed 41.9 thousand people. After the reunification of Germany in 1990, Finland itself began to regulate the size of its army. In 1997, the country's armed forces numbered 32.8 thousand people, of which 75% were conscripts. There were approx. 700 thousand people who have undergone military training. The navy has less than 60 vessels, including 2 corvettes, 11 launch vehicles, 10 patrol boats and 7 minelayers. The air force consists of three fighter squadrons and one transport squadron.
Military spending for fiscal year 1998-1999 was $1.8 million, or 2% of GRW.
Foreign policy.
Under the 1947 peace treaty and the 1948 agreement on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance between the USSR and Finland, the latter was limited in the development of external relations: it could not join organizations whose members posed a threat to the security of the USSR. Therefore, Finland did not join either the Warsaw Pact or NATO. In 1955, Finland was admitted to the UN, and in 1956 became a member of the Nordic Council, an intergovernmental body of the Scandinavian countries. Since 1961 Finland has been an associate member of the European Free Trade Association, since 1986 a full member of this organization. main direction foreign policy after the Second World War, it was for Finland to maintain good relations with the USSR, which brought the country large economic incomes, primarily due to the capacious Soviet market. After the collapse of the USSR, Finland in 1992 applied for admission to the EEC and in 1995 became a member of the EU. In January 1992, the Agreement on the Basics of Relations between Russia and Finland was signed, which meant the termination of the 1948 agreement. The new agreement, concluded for 10 years, guarantees the inviolability of the borders of both countries.
ECONOMY
The country has limited mineral resources, and its significant hydropower resources are underused. The main wealth of the country is the forest, and its economy is traditionally connected with forest resources. From time immemorial, industries based on wood processing have dominated, and agriculture, which was the main occupation of the population until the Second World War, has always been combined with forestry. In the post-war period, the country's economy became much more diverse. Under the 1947 peace treaty, Finland ceded a large territory to the USSR and assumed the heavy burden of paying reparations. These circumstances served as an impetus for the growth and diversification of industrial production. As a result, industry has overtaken agriculture in its development and has taken a leading place in the Finnish economy. New industries emerged in the country, in particular metallurgy, engineering and shipbuilding, which proved to be more competitive than the timber processing industries.
Gross domestic product (GDP) and employment.
In 2002, Finland's GDP (the value of all market goods and services) amounted to 133.8 billion marks, or $25,800 per capita against $28,283. The share of agriculture in GDP reached 4% in 2002 (in 1990 - 3.4%). Overall, in 2003 the primary sector (agriculture and mining) accounted for 4.3% of GDP, the secondary sector (manufacturing and construction) 32.7% and the tertiary sector (services) 62.9%. Finnish citizens pay the highest taxes in the world, which together reach 48.2% of GDP. During the period 1980–1989, GDP increased by an average of 3.1% per year (adjusted for inflation). Then the contraction began: in 1991, GDP decreased by 6%, in 1992 - by 4%, in 1993 - by 3%. From 1994 to 1997, real GDP growth was 4.5%, 5.1%, 3.6% and 6.0%, respectively, and in 2003 - 1.9%.
After the Second World War there were major changes in the structure of employment. In 1997, only 7.6% of the working population was employed in agriculture and forestry (versus 44% in 1948), 27.8% in industry and construction (30% in 1948) and 64.2% in management and services (26% in 1948). Unemployment, which had hovered at 2% in the early 1970s, increased towards the end of that decade and again in the early 1990s, reaching 16.4% in 1994. In 2003, it dropped to 9%.
Economical geography.
One third of Finland's area is located above the Arctic Circle. This is a sparsely populated area with pine and birch sparse forests and rapids rivers with large reserves of hydropower. On the contrary, in the southwest are fertile plains with mechanized farms, numerous cities and towns. This densely populated area has access to the Gulf of Bothnia and the Gulf of Finland. On the land side, it is limited by a line running from the city of Pori on the coast of the Gulf of Bothnia to the city of Kotka, Finland's largest export port at the mouth of the Kymijoki River. The main industrial center is the capital city of Helsinki. Industrial planning is the most striking feature of its development in the 20th century. Half of the country's manufacturing enterprises are concentrated in the Helsinki region. Machine-building plants produce machine tools, agricultural machinery, dynamos, electric motors and ships. In Helsinki, there are also food and chemical industries, printing plants and world-famous factories that produce glass and porcelain dishes. Turku, the main port in southwestern Finland, ranks third among engineering centers and first among shipbuilding centers in the country. Tampere, the largest industrial center in the interior of Finland, is known as one of the main centers of the textile industry in the Scandinavian countries. There are also various machine-building enterprises. However, in last years in shipbuilding and the textile industry there is a reduction in production.
Outside southwestern Finland, with its cities and prosperous farms, there is a vast transition zone that includes the Lake District. Forest-related industries predominate here. Pulp and paper mills operate in some settlements. Along the coast of the Gulf of Bothnia, an economically underdeveloped area with a compact Swedish-speaking population stands out. In the cities of Vaasa and Oulu, the ancient centers of the timber trade, there are sawmills and woodworking plants that produce pulp, paper and other goods. Today, Finland continues to be one of the world's leading producers of high quality paper.
Organization of production.
In Finland, most companies and corporations are owned by private individuals. Hydroelectric power plants and railways are state property, and the state largely regulates entrepreneurial activity. The transfer of land from one owner to another is also strictly controlled by the state. Approximately 1/3 of the retail, but the leading role in trade is played by large private marketing companies. Finnish farmers use the services of consumer, production and marketing cooperatives. In addition, cooperative banks provide loans to purchase land and upgrade farms to increase output. Through the Bank of Finland, the government sets interest and discount rates and thus effectively controls credit transactions. Finland pursues a policy of actively attracting foreign investment.
Agriculture.
Before the Second World War, agriculture was the main occupation of the population. After the war, the peasants, who arrived from the areas that had gone to the USSR, received land plots, and in this way many small farms were organized. At present, the country is dominated by small peasant farms. The limited scope for expanding agricultural production and the increased mechanization of farms contributed to a significant reduction in the number of people employed in this industry, while the incomes of the remainder increased significantly. Finland had to remove traditional restrictions on imports of agricultural products, as it was prerequisite accession to the EU. The production of dairy products, meat and eggs exceeds domestic demand and these goods dominate agricultural exports. Some specific products are also exported, such as smoked venison. In general, the share of agricultural products in 1997 accounted for only 1.3% of export earnings.
Animal husbandry, especially dairy cattle, pigs and broilers, is an important specialized agricultural sector in Finland. In 1997 there were approx. 1140 thousand dairy cows - a little more than in previous years. On the contrary, the number of reindeer decreased and in 1997 amounted to 203 thousand heads. Most of the arable area is sown with forage grasses, mainly with a mixture of ryegrass, timothy grass and clover. They also grow potatoes and fodder beets.
The cultivation of commercial food crops in Finland is limited due to the short growing season and the constant danger of frost, even during the growing season. The country is located beyond the northern borders of the cultivation of major crops and removed from the Atlantic coast with its mild climate. Wheat can be grown only in the extreme southwest, rye and potatoes - up to 66 ° N, barley - up to 68 ° N, oats - up to 65 ° N. With the exception of years with unfavorable vegetation conditions, Finland is 85% self-sufficient in grain (mainly oats, barley and wheat). The development of grain farming was facilitated by the improvement of land reclamation methods, the widespread use of fertilizers and the breeding of cold-resistant varieties. Wheat and other crops, along with sugar beets, are grown on the fertile clay plains of the southwest, apples, cucumbers and onions - on the Åland Islands, tomatoes - in greenhouses in the south of the former. Governorate of Vaasa (Österbotten).
In Finland, agriculture and forestry are inextricably linked. Most of the peasants, along with arable land, own significant forest plots. Over 60% of forested land is owned by farmers. In the early 1990s, an average of approx. 1/6 of the income farmers received from logging (their share is lower in the more fertile southern regions and higher in the northern and central regions). Due to this source, the incomes of many Finnish peasants are very high, which allows them to purchase equipment and compensate for crop losses (in many areas of central and northern Finland, crop failures occur about once every four years).
Forestry.
Finland's forests constitute its greatest natural wealth. The wood is used to make plywood, pulp, paper and other materials. In 1997, the value of exports of forest products (timber, pulp and paper) accounted for 30.7% of all export earnings, which was much less than in 1968 (61%). However, Finland was still the world's second largest exporter of paper and paperboard after Canada.
Forests, consisting mainly of pine, spruce and birch, are the main resource of the country. In 1987-1991, on average, 44 million cubic meters of forest were cut down per year, and in 1997 - 53 million cubic meters. m. Of the other Scandinavian countries, only Sweden has a similar figure. Deforestation was a cause for concern back in the early 1960s, as fellings exceeded natural growth. In 1995, a plan for the protection of forests and the development of forestry was developed. In order to use forest resources in the north and east of the country, logging roads were laid and the reclamation network was expanded. In the more productive southern and central regions, where 60% of all timber stocks are concentrated, fertilization was widely used and reforestation was carried out. As a result, the annual increase in timber stocks in the 1970s was 1.5%, and in the 1980s - 4%. In 1998, the natural increase exceeded the cutting volume by 20 million cubic meters.
Fishing,
important for domestic consumption, supplies only a small share of products for export. The number of persons employed exclusively in this industry decreased from 2.4 thousand in 1967 to 1.2 thousand in 1990, and the total value of the catch increased from $10.3 million in 1967 to $42.1 million in 1990 In 1995, the fish catch in Finland reached 184.3 thousand tons.
Mining industry.
Mineral reserves in Finland are small, and their extraction began relatively recently. In 1993, it accounted for less than 1% of the total value of industrial output. Among minerals highest value has zinc, but Finland's share in its world production is small. Copper comes next, from the Outokumpu and Pyhäsalmi mines, followed by iron ore and vanadium. Metal ores are approx. 40% of the cost of mining products. Valuable deposits of nickel ores went to the USSR in 1945, but this loss was partly compensated by deposits of copper, nickel, lead, and zinc discovered later. Several new deposits of iron ore have been explored on the seabed near Yussarö Island and near the Aland Islands. In Tornio, chromium and nickel are mined, which are used to produce alloy steel.
Energy.
Finland has a large hydropower potential, but it is only half used, because in conditions of small elevation changes, the development of these resources is complicated. In 1995, the total electricity generation amounted to 65 billion kWh (against 118 billion in Norway, with its smaller population). Over half of Finland's hydropower capacity is concentrated in hydropower plants built on the rivers Kemijoki in the far north, Oulujoki with tributaries in the center and Vironkoski in the southeast. Almost all of Finland's heavy industry is based on the consumption of large amounts of electricity. The country's railways are mostly electrified. Finland ranks second in the world in terms of peat production, in 1997 it accounted for 7% of the country's energy balance. Approximately 51% of energy comes from imported oil, coal and natural gas, which until 1991 came mainly from the USSR. Nuclear power began to develop in the 1970s, when two nuclear power plants were built near Helsinki. The reactors and fuel for them were supplied by the USSR. In the 1980s, two more Atom stations purchased in Sweden. In 1997 on a share atomic energy accounted for 17% of the country's energy balance.
Manufacturing industry
Finland is still characterized by numerous small enterprises and handicrafts, but after the Second World War the number of large enterprises increased significantly. The share of industry and construction in 1997 accounted for approx. 35.4% of all production and 27% of employees.
The manufacturing industry is dominated by "forest" industries producing pulp, paper and lumber. In 1996, their share was 18% of the country's industrial output. Approximately 2/3 of the products of these industries are exported. Softwood processing is concentrated on the coast of the northern part of the Gulf of Bothnia and in the area of the Gulf of Finland, where raw materials come from the Lake District. About 30% of paper products are newsprint; in addition, cardboard, wrapping paper and high-quality paper for banknotes, shares and other valuable documents are produced. lumber was important export commodity back in the middle of the 19th century. In the early 1970s, half as many sawmills operated in Finland as at the beginning of the 20th century, but the production of this industry remained at the 1913 level (7.5 million cubic meters per year). In the mid-1970s, the output of sawn timber fell significantly, and then began to grow again and in 1989 reached 7.7 million cubic meters. m. main center lumbering - the city of Kemi on the shores of the Gulf of Bothnia. The woodworking industry in Finland originated at the very beginning of the 20th century. More than 20 plywood factories are concentrated in the east of the Lake District, in the area of large birch forests.
After the Second World War, metallurgy and mechanical engineering began to develop intensively in Finland. These industries arose in connection with the need to pay reparations to the USSR in the form of ships, machine tools, electric cables and other goods. In 1996, 42% of all employed in industry were concentrated in metallurgy and mechanical engineering, and these sectors accounted for more than 1/4 of all industrial output. In 1997, these industries provided 46% of the country's export earnings (in 1950 - only 5%). A large modern metallurgical plant is located in Raahe, and there are small factories in many cities in southwestern Finland. The steel produced in Rautaruukki meets the special requirements of the Arctic regions.
Machinery and equipment for pulp and paper mills, agricultural machinery, tankers and icebreakers, cables, transformers, generators and electric motors are also produced.
In the 1980s and 1990s, Finland became a major manufacturer of cell phones (Nokia). The leading Finnish producer in the fuel industry is the oil company Neste, which produces gasoline and diesel fuel that is resistant to extreme cold.
The chemical industry also began to develop after World War II. In 1997, it accounted for 10% of industrial output and 10% of export earnings. The industry produces synthetic fibers and plastics from wood waste, pharmaceuticals, fertilizers and cosmetics. Finland has also gained a reputation for high-quality handicrafts - decorative fabrics, furniture and glassware.
The large dairy enterprise "Valio Oy" is known far beyond the borders of the country as a manufacturer of high-quality cheeses (March "Viola"), baby food, substitutes for women's milk and artificial nutrition.
Transport and communication.
The state railways of Finland are concentrated in the southern part of the country. Their total length is 5900 km, and only 1600 km are electrified. Although the highway system was expanded and the private car fleet grew strongly in the 1960s and 1970s, road traffic in Finland is still low compared to other Scandinavian countries. Bus service is maintained in summer up to the extreme northern regions. The length of motor roads reaches 80 thousand km. A network of navigable waterways with a length of 6.1 thousand km, including channels between numerous lakes, is of exceptional importance for passenger and freight traffic. In winter, navigation through the canals is carried out with the help of icebreakers.
In 1998, Finland had more mobile phones per capita (50.1 per 100 inhabitants) than any other country in the world. Nokia Corporation, based in Finland and headquartered there, is the world's largest manufacturer of mobile phones. Finland also leads in the development of the Internet system, in 1998 88 people were connected to it for every 1000 inhabitants, and there were 654 servers for every 100 thousand inhabitants. Universities have a particularly high level of use of this communication system.
International trade.
Finland's economy, like neighboring Scandinavian countries, is highly dependent on foreign trade. In 1997, imports and exports together accounted for 65% of GDP, the value of imports was $30.9 billion, and exports were $40.9 billion. Metallurgy and engineering products are the largest source of export earnings (43.3%), followed by products woodworking and chemical industries. Finland mainly imports industrial raw materials, fuel, transport equipment and chemical products.
In the decades since World War II, Finland's balance of trade has tended to run a small deficit. The huge increase in oil prices on the world market in 1973–1974 and in 1979 forced imports to be restricted and foreign trade to be rebalanced. At the same time, however, Finland's overall balance of payments, including services and financial intermediation, plunged into a deficit as a high standard of living was maintained by foreign loans. In 1972, the government and banks of Finland had an external debt of $700 million, but in 1997 this was reduced to $32.4 million (mainly due to the sharp rise in prices in the late 1980s). From 1980 to 1993, there was a permanent deficit in the foreign trade balance, with the largest level - 5.1 billion dollars - it reached in 1991. However, over the next few years, the value of Finland's exports increased significantly, and in 1997 the foreign trade balance became positive (+ 6, 6 billion dollars).
Most of Finland's foreign trade (60% of imports and 60% of exports in 1997) falls on the countries of Western Europe, especially Germany, Sweden and the UK, where pulp and paper industry products are mainly exported. Trade with former USSR was carried out mainly on a barter basis, formalized by five-year agreements; in the early 1980s, Finland sent up to 25% of exports there, especially metallurgy and engineering products, as well as ready-made clothes in exchange for oil and natural gas. When in 1991 Finland decided to transfer foreign trade operations to convertible currency, exports to Russia fell to 5%. This had a particularly strong effect on the state of shipbuilding and the textile industry, which had long worked for the stable Soviet market.
Monetary system and banks.
The monetary unit until 2002 was the Finnish mark issued by the Central Bank of Finland. Government revenues in 1997 amounted to $36.6 billion, of which 29% came from income and property taxes, 53% from sales and other indirect taxes, and 9% from social security contributions. Spending amounted to $36.6 billion, of which 30% was for social security and housing construction, 23% for servicing external debt, 14% for education, 9% for health care, and 5% for defense. In 1997, the public debt reached 80.4 billion dollars, of which 2/3 to foreign creditors. Finland's foreign exchange reserves in the same year were estimated at $8.9 billion.
SOCIETY AND CULTURE
In general, Finnish society is quite homogeneous. The presence of two main ethnic groups - Finnish and Swedish - in modern conditions does not create any serious problems. The social unity of the country has stood the test of time. The influx of immigrants from Karelia after the Second World War created social and economic difficulties, but they were quickly overcome.
Society organization.
Despite the leveling effect of the income tax, in 1997 persons receiving more than 250,000 marks a year accounted for 2.9% of all taxpayers and accounted for 12.5% of all income. This group paid 18.1% of all taxes. By contrast, in the same year, those earning less than 60,000 marks a year accounted for 42% of all taxpayers and accounted for 16.1% of all income. This group paid 6.6% of all taxes. Despite this apparent inequality, in 1997 the Gini index (a statistical measure of income inequality) in Finland was 25.6%, i.e. was one of the lowest in the world.
Organizations of industrialists and merchants.
The economic groups of the Finnish population are highly cohesive. The Central Union of Agricultural Producers operates in agriculture, the Central Union of the Finnish Forestry Industry operates in forestry, and the Central Union of Industrialists and Employers (CSPR) operates in industry, which expanded significantly in 1993 due to the merger of a number of business associations. The country has a Federation of Foreign Trade Groups and a Central Organization of Shipowners. To encourage the production of artistic textiles, ceramics and furniture, for which this country is famous, an organization for the promotion of Finnish handicrafts has been established. Most other trade groups also have their own associations.
Consumer cooperation plays a significant role in the economic life of Finland. There are two main groups of cooperatives - one for farmers (Central Union of Cooperatives), the other for workers (Central Union of Consumer Cooperatives). Together, in the mid-1990s, they united 1.4 million members and controlled almost 1/3 of the retail trade.
Trade union movement
Finland is massive. At the present time there are three large associations of workers: the Central Organization of Trade Unions of Finland (COPF), founded in 1907 and numbering in 1997 almost 1.1 million members. Organization of trade unions of workers with higher education, operating since 1950 and numbering 230 thousand people, the Central Union of Technical Workers, formed in 1946 and uniting 130 thousand people. The central organization of trade unions of officials and employees, founded in 1922 and numbering approx. 400 thousand members, functioned until its dissolution in 1992. Instead, more than 12 independent trade unions arose.
CFTU and independent trade unions conclude collective agreements with the CSPR, which unites approximately 6.3 thousand employers. Most of these contracts apply to the entire industry, and not to a single enterprise. Government bodies - the economic council and the wage council - monitor compliance with the contracts.
Religion in the life of society.
The State Lutheran Church does not interfere in the activities of other religious movements. Although dissent and indifference to the state church are sometimes manifested among believers, in the western, central and northern regions it enjoys very strong influence. The Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church is active in missionary work. Finnish missionaries work in Asia and Africa. In Finland itself, the Christian Association of Young People, the Christian Youth Women's Association are active, and among adults - various organizations Finnish Free Church. Actually religious activity is in the competence of bishops, and financially the church is accountable to the state. In the interwar period, the Lutheran Church provided support to conservative and right-wing circles (in particular, the Lapuan movement) in the fight against the Social Democrats and the Communists, although the clergy themselves were not members of secular organizations.
The position of women.
Universal suffrage was introduced in 1906. Finland was the first European country where women got the right to vote. It is not uncommon for women to hold ministerial positions and the highest professional positions, except in the church. In 1995, there were 67 women out of 200 members of parliament (and in 1991 - 77).
In 1996 in Finland, 61.4% of women aged 25 to 54 worked, which is a record figure even for industrial developed countries, although in 1986 this figure was even higher - 65%. Over 80% of women are employed in the service sector, women make up almost half of the staff of government organizations and agencies.
Social Security.
Wide the legislative framework underlies the system of social security and protection of citizens. There is a system of compulsory insurance for old age and disability, financed mainly by employers. To mitigate the effects of inflation, the state subsidizes old-age pensions. State social security programs provide benefits for unemployment, maternity and infant care, and large families, as well as kindergartens and after-school groups in schools are financed. Health insurance covers most of the costs of outpatient and inpatient care in public clinics. Under the Public Health Act of 1972, free medical centers were established in all municipalities. In 1998, Finland ranked fifth in the world in terms of quality of life (when determining this indicator, the state of health care, standard of living, life expectancy, income and the realization of women's rights were taken into account).
CULTURE
Culture of Finland up to the 20th century. experienced significant Swedish influence. A long stay in Russia had little effect on the development of Finnish culture. After gaining independence in 1917, the Finns focused on the national identity of their cultural heritage, and, accordingly, the role of Swedish culture began to decline (with the exception of areas with a predominance of the Swedish-speaking population).
Education.
In 1997, Finland spent 7.2% of GDP on education and, according to this indicator, ranked first among developed countries. Education in the country is free at all levels up to university and is compulsory for all children between the ages of 7 and 16. Illiteracy has been almost completely eradicated. In 1997 ok. 400 thousand children studied in primary schools and 470 thousand - in the middle, incl. 125 thousand in vocational schools. In 1997, there were 142.8 thousand students in the universities of the country, incl. in the following cities: Helsinki - 37 thousand, Tampere - 15 thousand, Turku - 15 thousand (university with instruction in Finnish) and 6 thousand (university with instruction in Swedish - Abo Academy), Oulu - 14 thousand. , Jyväskylä - 12 thousand. Joensuu - 9 thousand, Kuopio - 4 thousand and Rovaniemi (University of Lapland) - 2 thousand. Another 62.3 thousand students studied at technical, veterinary, agricultural, trade and pedagogical colleges. Net educational institutions this type is growing rapidly. In addition, adult education programs have been established, covering more than 25% of the working population.
Literature and art.
At the origins of Finnish literature, music and folklore lies an outstanding national epic Kalevala, collected by Elias Lönrot in 1849. Its influence can be traced in the works of prominent Finnish writers Alexis Kivi and F.E. Sillanpää, as well as in the music of Jean Sibelius. In the 19th century the prominent poet and author of the national anthem of Finland Johan Runeberg and the master of the historical novel Tsakarias Topelius wrote in Swedish. At the end of the 19th century a galaxy of realist writers appeared: Minna Kant, Juhani Aho, Arvid Jarnefelt, Teuvo Pakkala, Ilmari Kianto. In the 20th century Mayu Lassila, Johannes Linnankoski, Joel Lehtonen joined them. At the turn of the 19th-20th centuries. poets J.H. Erkko, Eino Leino and Edith Södergran created.
After the First World War, a number of new writers appeared on the literary scene: laureate Nobel Prize Frans Emil Sillanpää, author of novels about rural life in western Finland, Toivo Pekkanen, who described the life of workers in the city of Kotka, Aino Kallas, whose works were dedicated to Estonia, Unto Seppänen, writer of everyday life in the Karelian village, and Pentti Haanpää, nugget writer, master of artistic expression . Väine Linn's novels about World War II gained great popularity ( Unknown Soldier) and about landless peasants ( Here under the North Star). In post-war literature, the social novel experienced a new flowering (Aili Nurdgren, Martti Larni, K. Chilman, and others). In the genre of historical novel, Mika Waltari gained fame, the author of the sensational Egyptian.
Among the Finnish playwrights, the most famous are Maria Jotuni, Hella Vuolioki and Ilmari Turja, and among the poets - Eino Leino, V.A. Koskenniemi, Katri Vala and Paavo Haavikko.
The oldest architectural ensemble adjacent to the medieval cathedral has been preserved in the city of Turku. The old center of Helsinki was built mainly according to the designs of Karl Engel in the first half of the 19th century. This remarkable architectural monument of the Empire style is very similar to the ensembles of St. Petersburg. At the beginning of the 20th century national romanticism was clearly manifested in Finnish architecture, strengthening the connection between the building and its natural environment. The buildings themselves were notable for their picturesque and decorative interpretation of architectural forms, resurrecting the images of Finnish folklore; local natural stone was widely used in construction. The most famous works are the buildings of the National Museum of Finland, the National Theatre, the Scandinavian Bank and the railway station in Helsinki. The leading figures of this movement were Eliel Saarinen, Lars Sonck, Armas Lindgren and Herman Gesellius. National romanticism has firmly entered the history of world architecture.
Functionalism, introduced in Finland by Alvar Aalto and Eric Bruggmann in the interwar period, promoted the free organization of volumes and spaces, the asymmetry of compositions, and the convenience of planning. The telephone exchange building and the cathedral in Tampere, created by Lars Sonck, are considered masterpieces of this direction. Practical and comfortable houses, schools, hospitals, shops, industrial enterprises. The aesthetic value of these buildings lies in their very design, made without excessive ornamentation.
In the post-war period, the main attention was paid to the problems of mass housing and public construction. The simplicity and rigor of architectural forms, along with the widespread use of modern building structures (the development of the satellite cities of Helsinki Tapiola and Otaniemi) are characteristic of the work of many outstanding masters (Alvar Aalto, Eric Bruggman, Viljo Revell, Heikki Siren, A. Ervi). Under the influence of the ideas of structuralism, residential complexes appeared with a compact development of asymmetric, geometrically clear groups of houses (the Kortepohja district in Jyväskylä, the Hakunila district in Helsinki, etc.). Renowned contemporary architects are Reima Pietilä, Timo Penttila and Juha Leiviskää, winner of the 1995 Carlsberg Prize. Timo Sarpaneva is the winner of many international design competitions.
Fine art of Finland in the 19th century. maintained close contacts with leading European schools in Paris, Düsseldorf, St. Petersburg. The Finnish Art Society was founded in 1846. The foundations of national landscape painting were laid by V. Holmberg, J. Munsterhjelm, B. Lindholm and V. Vesterholm. Moralizing, somewhat sentimental paintings by A. von Becker and K. Janson are in the tradition of late modernism. The von Wright brothers created romantic rural landscapes.
Late 19th century considered the "golden age" of Finnish painting. At this time, the Young Finland art movement was formed, which developed the ideas of independence and service to the people. Democratic trends in Finnish painting, close to the traditions of the Wanderers in Russia, are reflected in the work of Albert Edelfelt (the first Finnish artist to become famous outside his country), Eero Järnefelt and Pekka Halonen. The largest representative of national romanticism in painting was Akseli Gallen-Kallela, who repeatedly turned to the subjects of the Finnish epic and folklore. The original talent of Juho Rissanen was attracted by the scenes of folk life. A. Faven was an outstanding portrait painter. The women painters Maria Wiik and Helena Schjerfbeck were distinguished by a high level of skill.
Painting in the early 20th century was heavily influenced by French Impressionism. Many Finnish artists such as Jösta Diehl and Erkki Kulovesi studied in Paris. This direction was promoted by the creative association "Septem", founded by Magnus Enkell. A rival "November Group" of Expressionists then formed under the leadership of Tyuko Sallinen. Then the passion of Finnish artists for modernism, abstractionism and constructivism manifested itself.
The development of secular sculpture in Finland began only in the middle of the 19th century. The first masters, of whom Johannes Takanen was the most talented, adhered to the traditions of classicism. Later, the realist trend intensified, represented by Robert Stiegel, Emil Wikström, Alpo Sailo, Yrjö Liipola and Gunnar Finne.
After the First World War, Finnish sculpture gained worldwide fame thanks to the outstanding master Väinö Aaltonen. For the bronze statue of runner Paavo Nurmi, Olympic champion, Aaltonen received the Grand Prix at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1937. He created a whole gallery of sculptural images of figures of culture and art in Finland. Sculptors such as Aimo Tukiainen, Kalervo Kallio and Erkki Kannosto are widely known at home and abroad. According to the project of the female sculptor Eila Hiltunen, a monumental monument to Jean Sibelius was erected on a rock in a picturesque corner of Helsinki, imitating a majestic organ made of steel pipes of various sizes, connected in a powerful rhythmic composition. On a nearby rock there is a sculptural portrait of the great composer, also made of steel.
Finnish music is identified mainly with the work of Jean Sibelius. Other Finnish composers have successfully searched for new forms, and here such masters as Selim Palmgren, Yrjö Kilpinen (songwriter), Armas Järnefelt (writer of romances, choral and symphonic music) and Uuno Klamy. Oscar Mericanto became famous as the author of the opera Maiden of the North, and Arre Mericanto created atonal music. Opera by Aulis Sallinen Rider was a great success and influenced the formation of modern opera art. Esa-Pekka Salonen is one of the country's most famous conductors. There are symphony orchestras in Helsinki, Turku, Tampere and Lahti, and there are choirs and song groups even in small villages. The Finnish Ballet, the Finnish National Theatre, the Finnish National Opera and the Swedish Theater hold leading positions among numerous theaters. Opera festivals are held in Savonlinna every year in July. Finland ranks first in the world in terms of subsidies for the maintenance of theaters and museums (more than $100 per year per inhabitant of the country).
The science.
Scientific work is carried out at universities, and the Finnish Academy, founded in 1947, is responsible for coordinating research and distributing funds. Among the main tasks facing scientists was obtaining clear information about the nature and natural resources of the country. The work of Finnish geologists made it possible to clarify the cardinal problems of the structure of the Baltic Shield and evaluate its mineral resources. In Finland, for the first time in the world, a complete forest inventory was carried out under the leadership of Yrjö Ilvessalo in 1921–1924. A.K.Kayander conducted geobotanical expeditions in the north of the European part of Russia, in Siberia and Central Europe. He developed the theory of forest types, and the classification he proposed was successfully applied in many other countries. On his initiative, the first experimental silvicultural stations were established in Finland. In 1922, 1924 and 1937–1939 Cajander headed the Finnish government.
An outstanding scientist, Nobel Prize winner in chemistry Artturi Virtanen conducted research on the production of proteins and biochemical nitrogen fixation, and also found a way to preserve green fodder. The Finnish school of mathematics (Lars Ahlfors, Ernst Lindelöf and Rolf Nevanlinna) contributed to the development of the theory of analytic functions. There are great achievements in the field of mechanics, geodesy, astronomy. Significant research has been carried out on Finno-Ugric philology, archeology, and ethnography. The Finnish Literary Society (founded in 1831) and the Finno-Ugric Society (founded in 1883) played an important role in carrying out these works. The first of them published dozens of volumes of folklore materials in the series Ancient poetry of the Finnish people.
largest the scientific center of Finland is the University of Helsinki. Its library contains all the publications of the scientists of this country. In 1997, Finland ranked seventh in the world in terms of the number of scientific workers - 3675 per 1 million inhabitants.
Finnish people love to read. In 1997, on average, there were 19.7 books borrowed from public libraries for every inhabitant of this country. The developed library system is able to meet the needs of the inhabitants of the most remote regions of the country.
Mass media.
In 1997, over 200 newspapers were published in Finland, including 56 dailies (8 in Swedish). The largest newspapers are Helsingit Sanomat (independent), "Aamulehti" (NKP organ) in Tampere and "Turun Sanomat" (in Turku). The official organ of the SDPF is Demari , and LSF - "Kangsan Uutiset" . The country produces the largest number of books per capita in the world; in 1997 it was published approx. 11 thousand items.
Until 1984, there was a state monopoly on radio broadcasting and television. There are currently four state television channels and seven state radio stations. Broadcasting is conducted in two languages - Finnish (75%) and Swedish (25%). Private television companies buy airtime from the state.
Sport.
At the international level, Finnish athletes have a long history in cross-country skiing and ski jumping. Many world records were also set in athletics, victories were won in wrestling and ice hockey. Mass sports are widely developed in the country, especially ice hockey, orienteering, football, skiing, rowing, motorcycling and gymnastics.
customs and holidays.
Has firmly entered the life of the Finns sauna – dry steam bath. The country has approx. 1.5 million saunas (i.e. one for every three inhabitants). Regular visits to the sauna have become a tradition not only in rural areas, but also in cities.
Finland celebrates the longest day of the year on June 24th. This massive folk festival, called "Juhannus" (Midsummer Day, or the day of commemoration of John the Baptist), has ancient roots. On this day, people go to their dachas and to their relatives in the village. It is customary to celebrate all night long, discarding everyday worries, kindling large fires and doing fortune telling. Other secular holidays - First of May; June 4, the day of memory of Marshal Mannerheim. December 6th is Independence Day in Finland. Religious holidays - Epiphany, Good Friday (Friday in Passion Week), Easter, Ascension, Trinity, Christmas Eve and Christmas.
STORY
Ancient period.
At the beginning of our era, the Finnish tribes, who came from the east, settled in the southern regions of present-day Finland, where they mixed with the local population. The Saami tribes, descendants of the earlier Finno-Ugric migrants, were pushed north.
The ancestors of modern Finns were pagans, led a nomadic lifestyle and were mainly engaged in hunting and fishing. The Suomi tribe lived in the southwest, the Häme tribe in the center, and the Karjala tribe in the east. Subsequently, the name "Suomi" was transferred to the whole country. The Finns came into contact with the Swedish tribes that inhabited the eastern regions of the Scandinavian Peninsula, and made a number of raids on their lands.
dominance of Sweden.
In response to these raids, the Swedes launched the First Crusade (1157) against the pagan Finns. He culminated in the conquest of southwestern Finland and the spread of Christianity there. During the Second Crusade (1249-1250) the central regions of southern Finland were conquered, and during the Third Campaign (1293-1300) the power of the Swedes extended to the eastern regions. Forts were built on the conquered lands. Thus, the Swedish state penetrated into the eastern part of the Baltic region, however, Russia claimed the same lands, looking for a way out by sea to Europe.
In 1323, the Orekhovets (Noteburg) Treaty was concluded between Sweden and Novgorod, which marked the border between Finland and Russian lands.
Finland has received some benefits from the association with Sweden, being integrated into Sweden. Representatives of Finland from 1362 took part in the election of the kings of Sweden. The adoption of a new religion was accompanied by the spread of European customs, mores and culture. Mixed marriages between Finns and Swedes have expanded the representation of Finns in the authorities local government. The accession of the Vaza dynasty in Sweden led to the establishment of a more efficient government in Finland. The formation of the Finnish literary language belongs to the same time, whose father was the priest Mikael Agricola, who began to translate the Bible into Finnish. From 1548, church services began to be held in Finnish.
In the 17th century Sweden has made some improvements administrative system in Finland. The Swedish governor-general Per Brahe introduced a court of appeal and founded a university in Turku, and also granted self-reliance to cities. Representatives of Finland were admitted to the Swedish Riksdag. Although these reforms primarily affected the interests of the Swedish nobility living in Finland, local peasants also benefited from them to some extent.
The development of crafts and commodity-money relations began relatively early in the country. The peasants, along with agriculture, were engaged in blacksmithing, weaving, tar smoking, and sawing wood. Mining began, the landowners founded small metallurgical plants that worked on charcoal. Part of the production of landlord and state enterprises and products of peasant and guild crafts (resin, paper) was exported. In exchange, bread, salt and some other goods were imported.
The position of Finland was complicated by its geographical location as a buffer between Russia and Sweden, which made it during the 15th - early 19th centuries. theater of operations in the Russian-Swedish wars in the struggle for dominance in the Baltic. During the Great Northern War (1700–1721), Finland was occupied by Russian troops. The war was accompanied by famine and epidemics, which killed almost half of the country's population. In 1721, only 250,000 people remained in Finland. After Russia's victory in the Northern War under Peter I, the Treaty of Nystadt (1721) was concluded, according to which Livonia, Estland, Ingria, part of Karelia and the Moozund Islands were ceded to Russia. Russia returned most of Finland to Sweden and paid 2 million Efimki in compensation for the lands acquired by Russia.
In an effort to seize the lands conquered by Peter I from Russia, Sweden declared war on it in 1741, but a year later all of Finland was again in the hands of the Russians. According to the Abo peace treaty of 1743, the territory up to the r. Kymijoki with the fortified cities of Wilmanstrand (Lappeenranta) and Friedrichsgam (Hamina).
Autonomous Grand Duchy within Russia.
From the 70s of the 18th century. separatist ideas began to emerge in the Finnish elite. Some prominent Finnish people dreamed of the independence of the country (Georg-Magnus Sprengtporten). These sentiments manifested themselves during the Russo-Swedish War of 1788–1790, when the Swedish king Gustav III tried to regain the lost provinces.
The hostile attitude of Sweden towards Napoleon also influenced the fate of Finland. At a meeting in Tilsit (1807), Alexander I and Napoleon agreed that if Sweden did not join the Continental blockade, Russia would declare war on it. When the Swedish king Gustav IV Adolf rejected this demand, Russian troops invaded southern Finland in 1808 and began to move west and then north. At first they were successful. The southern part of the country, where the bulk of the population lived, was occupied by Russian troops. The capture by the Russians of the fortress of Sveaborg, which was called the "Swedish Gibraltar in the North," dealt a serious blow to Sweden. Alexander I announced the accession of Finland to Russia, the population took an oath of allegiance. In the summer of 1808, the Swedes rallied their forces and for some time suspended the enemy's offensive, but they failed to turn the tide of the war. In the autumn of 1808 they were ousted from all over Finland. Russian troops raided the Aland Islands and even the territory of Sweden itself. In March 1809, King Gustav IV Adolf was overthrown. At the same time, representatives of the Finnish estates gathered in the city of Borgo (Porvoo), confirming the accession of Finland to Russia. The Sejm was opened by Alexander I, who announced that Finland had been granted the status of an autonomous Grand Duchy, preserving the previous Swedish laws. Swedish remained the official language. The war ended with the defeat of Sweden and the signing of the Friedrichsham Peace Treaty, according to which Finland was ceded to Russia as a Grand Duchy, and the Aland Islands. In 1809 the Grand Duchy of Finland was formed with its own Sejm, and a special commission for Finnish affairs (later renamed the committee for Finnish affairs) was set up. In 1812, Helsingfors (Helsinki) was declared the capital of the principality.
Finland enjoyed significant benefits and privileges. She received her own postal service and justice, from the 1860s her own Finnish monetary system. The Finns were exempted from compulsory service in the Russian army. The well-being of the population grew, and its number increased from 1 million people in 1815 to 1.75 million in 1870.
The cultural life of Finland revived. This was facilitated by the transfer of the university from Turku to the capital city of Helsinki. Johan Ludwig Runeberg, author Tales of ensign Stol, and Elias Lenrot, creator of the epic Kalevala, influenced the growth of self-awareness of the Finnish people and laid the foundation for the study of its language and literature. Johan Vilhelm Snellman led the movement to develop school education and in 1863 achieved the approval of the equality of the Finnish language with Swedish.
The rights of the Grand Duchy of Finland as an autonomy until the end of the 19th century. were not violated by the tsarist government. In the period from 1809 to 1863, the Finnish Diet did not meet, and the country was governed by the Senate under the Governor-General. The first meeting of the Sejm to draft a constitution was convened in 1863 on the initiative of Alexander II. Since 1869, the Sejm began to convene regularly, its composition was updated every five years, and since 1882 - every three years. A multi-party system began to take shape. Finland has undergone profound structural reforms, primarily in the economy. The process of modernization of the country has accelerated.
During the reign of Nicholas II, under the influence of Russian military circles, new policy, aimed at the accelerated integration of Finland into the empire and the gradual curtailment of autonomy. First, an attempt was made to force the Finns to pass military service in the Russian army. When the Senate, which had previously made concessions, rejected this demand, General Bobrikov introduced courts-martial. In response to this, in 1904, the Finns shot Bobrikov dead, and unrest began in the country. The Russian Revolution of 1905 coincided with the rise of the Finnish national liberation movement, and all of Finland joined the general strike in Russia. Political parties, especially the Social Democrats, took part in this movement and put forward their program of reforms. Nicholas II was forced to cancel the decrees that limited Finnish autonomy. In 1906, a new democratic electoral law was adopted, giving women the right to vote (for the first time in Europe). After the suppression of the revolution in 1907, the tsar once again tried to consolidate the old policy by introducing military rule, but it was swept away by the revolution of 1917.
At the beginning of the 20th century In Finland, the woodworking and pulp and paper industries mainly developed, which focused on the Western European market. The leading branch of agriculture was animal husbandry, whose products were also mainly exported to Western Europe. Finland's trade with Russia was declining. During the First World War, due to the blockade and the almost complete cessation of external maritime communications, both the main export industries and the domestic market industries that worked on imported raw materials were curtailed.
Declaration of Independence.
Declaration of Independence. After the February Revolution in Russia in March 1917, the privileges of Finland, lost after the revolution of 1905, were restored. A new governor-general was appointed and the Sejm was convened. However, the restoration law autonomous rights Finland, adopted by the Seimas on July 18, 1917, was rejected by the Provisional Government, the Seimas was dissolved, and its building was occupied by Russian troops. The "red" and "white" guards began to form. After October revolution and the overthrow of the Provisional Government on December 6, 1917, Finland declared its independence, which was recognized on December 18/31 by Lenin's Bolshevik government.
Radical Social Democrats, relying on the Red Guard detachments, in January 1918 carried out a coup d'état and proclaimed Finland a socialist workers' republic. The government of Finland fled to the north, where the general of the Russian army, Baron Carl Gustav Mannerheim, led the white army being formed. A civil war broke out between the Whites and the Reds, who were assisted by the Russian troops still remaining in the country. Thousands of people became victims of the red and white terror. Imperial Germany sent a division to Finland to help the Whites establish a pro-German regime. The Reds were unable to resist the well-armed Kaiser troops, who soon captured Tampere and Helsinki. The last stronghold of the Reds, Vyborg, fell in April 1918. A Sejm was convened to form a government, and Per Evind Svinhufvud was appointed acting head of state.
Creation of the republic and the interwar period.
The ruin of the country's economy and the blockade by the Entente made life in the country difficult. Some time later, the parties were reborn under different names, and 80 moderate Social Democrats, also Old Finns and representatives of the progressive and agrarian parties, participated in the work of the Sejm, convened in April 1919. A new democratic constitution was adopted for the country. Kaarlo Juho Stolberg was elected President.
The Finnish "Red" emigration in August 1918 in Moscow created the Communist Party of Finland, which proclaimed the "dictatorship of the proletariat" as its goal.
Disputable issues with Russia were settled thanks to a peace treaty concluded in Dorpat (Tartu) in October 1920. In the same year, Finland was admitted to the League of Nations. The conflict with Sweden over the Åland Islands was resolved through the mediation of the League of Nations in 1921: the archipelago went to Finland, but was demilitarized.
The language issue in the country was removed by recognizing both languages - Finnish and Swedish - as state languages. The land program worked out by the Social Democrats began to be implemented. In October 1927, a law was passed on the purchase of land and the payment of compensation to landowners. Long-term loans were provided to peasants who had land plots, and cooperatives were organized. Finland joined the Scandinavian Cooperative Union. Modernization and structural transformations in the economy led in the late 30s, despite the consequences of the global economic crisis, to stabilization and an increase in living standards.
Finland also managed to overcome the threat to the democratic order from both the ultra-left (KPF) and fascist movements.
The Second World War.
Until the outbreak of World War II, Finland's foreign policy was centered on complex relations with the USSR, where they viewed it as a potential adversary and feared its rapprochement with Germany. The leading circles of the country still tended to focus on the Scandinavian countries. The position of Finland became more complicated after the conclusion of the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact on the inclusion of Finland, the Baltic countries and the eastern regions of Poland in the Soviet sphere of influence. Negotiations with the USSR on the conclusion of new military and trade agreements were interrupted, and Stalin demanded the transfer of a number of lands in Karelia and a military base on the Khanko Peninsula.
November 30, 1939 Soviet troops invaded Finland. A puppet "government" of the so-called was immediately created. "Finland Democratic Republic" under the leadership of one of the leaders of the Comintern Otto Kuusinen. This war, which went down in history as the "winter war", was essentially unequal, although the Red Army, bled dry by Stalin's "purges", fought ineffectively and suffered much greater losses than Finland. The famous Finnish defensive line Mannerheim held back the advance of the Red Army for some time, but in January 1940 it was broken through. The hope of the Finns for the help of England and France turned out to be futile, and on March 12, 1940, a peace treaty was signed in Moscow. Finland ceded to the USSR the Rybachy Peninsula in the north, part of Karelia with Vyborg, the northern Ladoga region, and the Khanko Peninsula was leased to Russia for a period of 30 years.
The threat from the east did not disappear in the eyes of the Finns, which was facilitated by the proclamation in April 1940 of the allied Karelian-Finnish SSR as part of the USSR. Relations between the USSR and Finland continued to be tense.
The German attack on the USSR in June 1941 prompted Finland to enter the war on the side of the Germans. The German government promised to return all the territories lost under the Moscow Treaty. In December 1941, after repeated protests and notes, the British government declared war on Finland. The following year, the US demanded that the Finnish government make peace. However, this step was held back by the hope of a German victory. In 1943, President Risto Ryti was succeeded by Mannerheim, who began to look for ways out of the war, in particular, through secret negotiations in Stockholm in the spring of 1944. The summer (1944) offensive of Soviet troops on the Karelian Isthmus led to the resumption of negotiations, and in September 1944 Finland signed an agreement about a truce with the USSR, according to which Finland gave the Petsamo area, exchanged the rented peninsula of Hanko for the Porkkala-Udd area (returned to Finland in 1956).
The Finns pledged to facilitate the withdrawal of German military units from the country. Control over the fulfillment of the terms of the armistice was carried out by the control commission of the allies, headed by A.A. Zhdanov from the Soviet side. In February 1947, an agreement was signed between Finland and the USSR, confirming the terms of the armistice and providing for the payment of reparations in the amount of 300 million dollars.
The military insurance agency in a short time established operational control over the work of industry in order to strictly comply with the deadlines for reparation deliveries to the USSR. In case of delay for each month, Finland was subject to a fine of 5% of the cost of goods (more than 200 titles). At the request of the USSR, the following quotas were established for machines, machine tools and finished products: a third were forest products, a third were transport, machine tools and machines, and a third were ships and cables. Equipment for pulp and paper enterprises, new ships, locomotives, trucks, cranes were sent to the USSR.
New foreign policy.
Finland began to be enforced in the final stages of the war, when Marshal Mannerheim was elected President of the Republic and managed to bring the country out of the war. In 1946 he was replaced by Juho Kusto Paasikivi (1870–1956), who sought to stabilize relations with the Soviet Union. In 1948, an agreement on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance was concluded with the USSR, which formed the basis for a policy that was called the Paasikivi line.
The post-war reconstruction of the economy was successful. Despite the need to pay reparations, life in the country gradually improved. The government provided assistance (with land and subsidies) to 450,000 migrants from areas transferred to the USSR.
Immediately after the war, the DSNF came to the fore in the political arena, dominated by the communists, who were planning a political coup on the Eastern European model. However, they did not receive the support of the USSR, whose leadership was not inclined to take risks. The DSNF became part of the government coalition, but suffered a heavy defeat in 1948, mainly due to voters' dissatisfaction with the communist takeover in Czechoslovakia. In the elections of 1951 and 1954, the DSNF again received significant support (partly in reaction to the government's economic policy), but it failed to achieve its former influence.
In the 1950s, Finland's international position was strengthened. In 1952, the Olympic Games were held in Helsinki. In 1955 Finland became a member of the UN and the Nordic Council. In early 1956, the USSR returned Porkkala Udd to Finland. The transformation of the then Karelian-Finnish SSR into the Karelian Autonomous SSR as part of the RSFSR also brought calm to the minds of the Finns. Urho Kaleva Kekkonen, elected President of the Republic in 1956, sought to increase Finland's freedom of action by pursuing an active policy of neutrality. This was manifested, in particular, in the Finnish initiative to hold a conference on security and cooperation in Europe in Helsinki in the summer of 1975. The course towards good neighborly relations between Finland and its eastern neighbor was called the Paasikivi-Kekkonen line.
Unemployment rose in the 1950s; cancellation government subsidies on food products led to an increase in prices. In 1955, the government failed to support the wage agreement, which caused a general strike in 1956, which escalated into mass demonstrations and outbreaks of violence. The two parties in power, the SDPF and the Agrarian Union, failed to agree on supporting prices for agricultural products. Since 1959, the agrarians have led a series of unstable minority governments.
The 1966 elections led to a sharp turn in Finnish politics. SDPF and DSNF received an absolute majority of seats in parliament. Together with the center party of the PFC (formerly the Agrarian Union), they formed a strong coalition that introduced strict control wages and prices to slow inflation and balance the trade deficit. However, in 1971 the DSNF withdrew from the coalition and the government resigned.
In the early 1970s, Finland experienced an economic recovery due to trade agreements concluded in 1973 with the EEC and CMEA. However, in the mid-1970s, rising oil prices led to a decline in production and rising unemployment. From 1975–1977, a five-party bloc led by Martti Miettunen (PFC) replaced the ten-year rule of the Social Democrats, led by Kalevi Sorsa. From 1979 to 1982, a coalition of four parties (center and left) was led by Mauno Koivisto. In 1982, President Urho Kekkonen resigned and Mauno Koivisto was elected to take his place. Sorsa again became the head of the government. Soon representatives of the DSNF left the cabinet, and the remaining three parties, having received a majority of votes, re-formed the government in 1983.
The unprecedented recovery of the Finnish economy in the mid-late 1980s led to its reorientation towards Western countries. For the first time in the post-war period, non-socialist parties won a majority of seats in the 1987 elections, and Harri Holkeri of the conservative NCP formed a four-party coalition, joined by the Social Democrats. Taxes were reduced on individuals both companies and Finland opened its markets to foreign investment. Liberalization contributed to achieving near-full employment and sparked a boom in construction.
In the spring of 1987 there was a significant change in government policy when the Coalition Party and the Social Democrats formed a majority government that remained in power until 1991.
Finland at the end of the 20th century
After the unification of Germany and the collapse of the USSR, the Finnish government began to pursue a policy of rapprochement with Western Europe, which in the past was hindered by agreements concluded with the USSR. In 1991, trade with the USSR fell by 2/3, while production in Finland itself fell by more than 6%. Industries that had guaranteed sales in the USSR were unable to consolidate their position in the Western economy, where production was reduced.
After the 1991 parliamentary elections, the Social Democrats went into opposition, and the Coalition Party and the Center Party (formerly the Agrarian Party) assumed government responsibility.
Their government, headed by Esko Aho, was in power until the spring of 1995. The radical changes that came in world politics in the late 1980s and early 1990s; ending the division of Europe, the collapse of the communist system and the collapse of Soviet Union were reflected in Finland in the fact that the spiritual atmosphere changed and the field for foreign policy maneuvers increased. In 1986 Finland became a permanent member of EFTA and in 1989 finally a member of the European Council. In September 1990, the government issued a statement arguing that the provisions of the Paris Peace Treaty (1947), concerning the size and materiel of the armed forces, which limited the sovereignty of Finland, had lost their meaning. In 1991, demands began to be heard to change the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance, but this idea became irrelevant when the Soviet Union ceased to exist at the end of that year. Finland recognized the position of Russia as the legal successor of the USSR and in January 1992 concluded an agreement on good neighborliness. The treaty confirmed the stability of the borders between the countries. Both of them started implementing joint projects to combat environmental pollution with radioactive waste. The agreement did not include any military clauses, and both sides confirmed that the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance had ceased to operate.
In March 1991, 72% of voters gave their votes to the PFC and other non-socialist parties, which were in a clear majority. 36-year-old Esko Aho became the prime minister of the country.
At the same time, the integration processes in Western Europe caused the increasing activity of Finland. Finland has been a full member of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) since 1985, and in 1992 applied for admission to the EEC. Became a member of the EU on January 1, 1995.
EFTA and the European Community, i.e. Common Market, signed in May 1992 an agreement on the European economic sphere. This agreement guaranteed the EFTA countries freer access to the EU internal market. In Finland, this agreement was seen as the “final” goal, but after Sweden applied for EU membership in the summer of 1991 and after the collapse of the USSR at the end of the year, the need for full accession of Finland to the EU became increasingly evident. Finland applied to join the EU in March 1992 and the European Parliament in May 1994 approved this application. In a referendum held in Finland on October 16, 1994, 57% of Finns supported joining the EU. In November of the same year, by 152 votes to 45, the Finnish parliament approved Finland's membership in the EU from the beginning of 1995. The capital of Helsinki, the metropolitan region and mainly the developed south of the country voted in favor. "Against" were the northern regions, the province and small settlements.
Since 1994, presidential elections have been held by direct popular will. Martti Ahtisaari, a candidate from the Social Democrats, the state secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was elected president, having received approximately 54% of the vote in the second round.
In the parliamentary elections held in early 1995, the Finnish Center Party suffered a crushing defeat, and the newly elected chairman of the SDPF, Paavo Lipponen, formed a government unique in the history of Finland based on the Social Democrats and the National Coalition Party. In addition, the government included the Greens, the Left Union and the Swedish People's Party. Lipponen's "government of all colors of the rainbow" operated for the entire four-year period. The central tasks of the government were to include Finland in the structures of the European Union, to get the economy working again and to reduce high unemployment.
Finland in the 21st century
In the 1999 elections, the non-socialist majority in parliament strengthened, as the National Coalition Party and the Center of Finland, which remained in opposition, received stronger support. The SDPF lost votes, but still retained its position as the largest parliamentary group with its 51 mandates. The results of the elections did not affect the basis of the government, and Paavo Lipponen created his second government on the same basis as the first. The center of Finland again went into opposition. In February 2000, Tarja Halonen (SDPF) became the first woman to be elected president of Finland. The former foreign minister won in an almost equal final fight against the chairman of the Center Party, Esko Aho (51.6% against 48.4% of the vote). In 2001 Finland joined the Schengen area and in 2002 adopted the euro as the national currency instead of the mark.
In the January 2006 elections, Tarja Halonen secured the support of 51.8% of the vote. Its only rival, former Finnish finance minister Sauli Niinisto, scored 48.2%.
In March 2007, regular parliamentary elections were held. A coalition government was formed from right-wing parties: the National Coalition and the Finnish Center Party. The Social Democratic Party also received a large number of votes, but did not enter the coalition and became an opposition party.
On April 17, 2011 elections to the Parliament were held. The following parties received the most votes: the National Coalition (20.4% of the vote), the Social Democratic Party (19.1%) and the True Finns Party (19.0% of the vote). The leading parties received fewer votes than before due to the fact that votes were given to the nationalist True Finns party, which ended up in third place.
History of Finland. Petrozavodsk, 1996
Political history of Finland. 1809–1995. M., 1998
Yussila O., Khentilya S, Nevakivi Y. Political history of Finland 1809–1995. M., 1998
20th century. Brief historical encyclopedia in 2 vols. M., 2001
INTRODUCING PRESCHOOL CHILDREN WITH COUNTRIES AND PEOPLES
FINLAND
- OCCUPATION
Tasks
To acquaint with the nature of the northern country - Finland;
Update the dictionary lexical topics"Wild Animals", "Fish", "Trees", "Winter";
Exercise in the formation of prefixed verbs, possessive, relative adjectives, nounsgenitive plural, prepositional; in the selection of adjectives-antonyms; in agreement of nouns with numerals in the genitive case, in the formation of related words, determining the numbersyllables in a word;
To form the ability to differentiate hard and soft consonants in words;
Reinforce the use of the preposition between.
Developing: develop attention, thinking, graphic skills.
Educational:
Raise interest in nature;
Learn to protect the wealth of nature.
Equipment: pictures with images of Santa Claus, dog teams with one, two, three, four dogs, subject pictures for determining the number of syllables in a word with images of fish, traces of animals in the snow, in the name of which there are sounds [s], [s "] ( whitefish, herring, salmon, catfish, herring), modules and an artificial tree, a cardboard pan with a transparent pocket and fish figurines, blue and green plastic buckets, ski trip handout cards to develop attention and reinforce the preposition between(1st row: spruce, birch, bush; 2nd row: stump, lair, branches; 3rd row: hut, pointer, slide) (according to the number of children), pencils.
* * *
I. Introduction
Teacher. Guys, hello! Look, we got an invitation.
The teacher shows an invitation.
Who is depicted on it?
Children. Santa Claus.
Teacher. Yes, it's Santa Claus. And who knows where his homeland is?
The children answer.
Teacher. The birthplace of Santa Claus is Lapland, the northernmost part of Finland. This is the country we are invited to, where we will go together with our hero, who is called Joulupukki in Finnish. What do you think, if it was Santa Claus who sent the invitation, what season is it now?
Children. Winter!
II. Main part
teacher
In the "country of swamps", or Suomi - after all, that's what Finland is called, The deer will be quickly taken along the sleigh path to the forest.
Here Santa Claus is Joulupukki, and the bathhouse is called a sauna.
Collect cloudberries, cranberries and lingonberries in forests, swamps.
In the forests - bears, elks, foxes, and in the waters - salmon, herring, trout.
And summer flies by quickly... A blizzard is circling outside the windows.
Cold winter and baths, cheerful round dances,
The radiance of the northern flash suddenly illuminates the sky.
You can ski here, but only spring will melt the snow,
As cereals rise in the fields, man sowed them in winter.
And in the summer fat cows chew grass thoughtfully,
So that the industrious Finnish people would be proud of butter.
Our Santa Claus is on his way to the country of lakes, dense forests.
For selected berries and mushrooms, do not forget to take a basket.
The teacher's story is accompanied by a display of photographs of Finland.
Finland is a northern country. In the south and east it borders on Russia. One third of the country is located north of the Arctic Circle. Finland has very cold winters and short, cool summers. From the west and south it is washed by the Baltic Sea. Most of its territory is occupied swamps.“Land of swamps”, Suomi, is the name of the Saami (indigenous people) of their country. There are low mountains and rocks on its territory. In the north - tundra, i.e. plain covered with mosses, small trees. There is a taiga - a very dense coniferous forest. What does "coniferous" mean?
The children answer.
What coniferous trees do you know?
The children answer.
In the southern regions of Finland, there are a lot of familiar trees: birch, hazel, poplar, maple, oak, linden and alder. It is also called the "land of a thousand lakes". And this is no coincidence. There are about 190 thousand of them in Finland! It can also be safely called the "country of a thousand islands." According to the latest data, there are about 180 thousand islands in Finland.
We learned a little about the nature of Finland. What will we see in the country of Suomi? What is there a lot?
Children. We will see lakes, seas, forests, islands, rivers... There are many lakes, rivers, swamps, islands, forests, fields in Finland. Teacher. What kind of trees are there?
Children. In Finland, there are many birches, lindens, poplars, alders, hazels, pines, oaks, maples.
Teacher. The nature of different areas of Finland is different. In the north, the trees are low, and in the south, on the contrary - high, in the south, tree trunks are thick, in the north - thin, in the south, the water in the lakes is warm, and in the north - cold in the north the grass is sparse, and in the south - thick. We got to this amazing northern country in winter, so winter adventures are waiting for us. What do you think, what can you ride in winter?
Children. You can go skiing, sledding, skating, snowmobiling. Teacher. Correctly. The traditional form of transport in Finland is the reindeer sleigh. For example, Santa Claus moves on it. In rural areas, in addition to modern means of transportation, sleds and skis are often used, and in summer - boats. In winter, numerous toboggan and ski trails are built across the frozen lakes and hilly plains of Finland to this day. You can also go on a dog sled. In the northern regions of Finland, even competitions of such teams are arranged. We will run them too.
The teacher places pictures depicting teams with one, two, three dogs and subject pictures.
On a team with one dog, pictures depicting objects with one syllable in the words-names will “ride”, with two dogs - pictures depicting objects with two syllables in the words-names, with three dogs - pictures depicting objects, in words - names with three syllables. Children sort the pictures into groups.
Relaxation exercise "Northern Lights"
Teacher. Let's take a break and look at the beautiful northern lights.
The teacher shows slides depicting the northern lights, turns on calm music, the children sit on the chairs.
Northern lights in Finland
Relax your arms and legs and observe calmly. And now it's time to go. Tighten your arms and legs.
The children complete the tasks.
We continue our journey. What animals live in Finland?
Children. Deer, wolves, lynxes, wolverines, bears, foxes, hares, elks, hedgehogs, squirrels live in Finland. Teacher. Who is a lot?
Children form the genitive plural.
Children. There are many foxes, bears, wolves, lynxes, wolverines in the forests of Finland...
Teacher. Whose footprints will we see in the snow?
The teacher lays out the “footprints” cards on the floor.
Children. We will see the footprints of the fox - fox, lynx tracks - lynx, bear footprints - bearish, hare - hare. Etc.
Teacher. Finland is a northern country. There are short summers and long cold winters. These climatic features are reflected in the peculiarities of Finnish cuisine. In the harsh climate of this country, the Finns are used to thinking not about culinary delights, but about the fact that the food is hearty, high-calorie and helps to keep vitality in the most severe frosts. Residents eat mainly what nature has given them: fish, meat, berries, mushrooms.
Finland cannot be imagined without fishing. Fish are found here in the seas, and in rivers, and in lakes. Moreover, it is quite large, which attracts thousands of fishermen. And we'll catch fish. In the green bucket we put the fish, in the word-name of which there is a soft sound [s "], and in the blue one - in the word-name, which has a hard sound [s].
The teacher offers the children two plastic buckets (blue and green), pictures of fish. Children "catch" fish and distribute them in buckets.
We caught fish, now we'll cook fish soup.
We went dog sledding, it's time to go skiing through the winter forest!
Children go to the center of the group. (There you can place modules, an artificial tree, etc.) They imitate skiing. Children complete the teacher's story by forming prefixed verbs.
Teacher. So we drove, drove, to the hill (came up) from the mountain (moved out) around the tree (travelled) over the bridge (moved) etc. Rolled up, you can relax.
The teacher places a cardboard pan with a pocket and figurines of fish on the board. Children insert the fish into the pocket and tell how many and what kind of fish they will cook the fish soup from.
Children. I will cook an ear of three catfish. And I am from two salaks ...
Self-massage of fingers "Let's warm our hands"
Teacher. Soup cooked, it's time to go home. It's cold ... We need to warm up our hands so that they hold the ski poles more tightly, because we have to go back.
Children carry out self-massage of the fingers, starting to rub them in a circular motion from the tips to the base.
Exercise for the development of graphic skills "Ski trip"
Teacher. To get home faster, draw a ski path.
The teacher distributes pencils and ski trip cards to children to develop attention and consolidate the preposition between(according to the number of children).
Put the pencil on the dot. Draw a path between the bush and the birch.
The children are doing the task.
Children. We passed between a bush and a birch. We will not go between birch and spruce.
Teacher. Now draw a line between the stump and the lair.
The children are doing the task.
Children. We passed between the stump and the lair. We will not go between the lair and the branches.
Teacher. Now draw a line between the hut and the pointer.
The children are doing the task.
Where did you go? Where won't you go?
Children. We will not go between the sign and the hill.
III. Final part
Teacher. Great, here we are at home! Did you enjoy the trip? What did you learn about Finland? What do you remember about nature? What is there a lot?
Children answer questions.
- OCCUPATION
Finland (the ending)
Tasks
Correctional and educational:
To get acquainted with the nature of Finland;
Update the dictionary on the lexical topics "Berries", "Mushrooms", "Summer";
Exercise in the formation of prefixed verbs, relative adjectives, the genitive plural, the prepositional case, the agreement of nouns with numerals in the genitive case, the formation of related words, determining the number of syllables in a word;
Differentiate hard and soft consonants in words;
Reinforce the use of the preposition between.
Developing: develop attention, thinking, graphic skills.
Equipment : pictures with images of blueberries, wild strawberries, lingonberries, roses, chanterelle mushroom, boletus, chamomile, boletus,blue and green plastic baskets, and subject pictures - "berries" for hard and soft consonants, sound tracks, cardboard berries (according to the number of children), cardboard saucepans (according to the number of children) and subject pictures of edible mushrooms, the picture "Find the same mushrooms", proofreading test (pictures according to the number of children), handout cards “Take the path home” (according to the number of children).
* * *
I. Introduction
Teacher. Look carefully at the pictures and find the fourth one.
The teacher demonstrates rows of pictures with images of: (1) blueberries, wild strawberries, lingonberries, roses; (2) chanterelles, boletus, chamomile, boletus. Children determine the extra pictures.
And how do we call the rest of the pictures in one word? Children. These are berries and mushrooms.
Teacher. Correctly. Knowledge about berries and mushrooms will be useful to us in today's journey. And we will go back to Finland.
II. Main part
Teacher. What do we already know about Finland?
Children remember and talk.
When the berries ripen, do mushrooms appear?
Children. Summer.
Teacher. Yes, but the summer in Finland is very short, so we must have time to visit both the forest and the swamp, where many gifts of the forest await us ... These are, first of all, berries: cloudberries, swamp cranberries, blueberries, wild strawberries, lingonberries, forest raspberry.
Dynamic pause "Berries"
Today we will go to the forest
And take a basket. Children pretend to take corzinky.
We will sit down under a bush - They sit down a few times.
We'll pick strawberries.
We walk through the swamp - mimic movements as if
We collect cranberries. go through the swamp, raising high
lap.
Bend over, don't be lazy Lean forward several times
And bend under the tree. and to the sides.
All baskets and baskets Show how hard
We'll fill up some.baskets.
Teacher. So we went: from home (came out) we are in the forest (came) to the swamp (came up) around the lake (bypassed) across the river (transferred) to the berry field (exited). Let's get some berries.
The teacher distributes cardboard blue and green baskets to the children and lays out subject pictures - “berries” on the floor for certain hard and soft consonants (at his discretion). Children walk with baskets and collect “berries” with a soft sound in green baskets, and with a hard sound in blue ones.
So we got berries. What can be prepared from them? Children. You can cook compote, jam, jam, make stuffing for pies.
Teacher. We bake pies with different fillings.
Children are offered cardboard "pies" with pockets and pictures of berries. They say what filling will turn out, form relative adjectives.
Children. cranberry filling - cranberry, from strawberries strawberry, from blueberries - blueberry, from cranberries - lingonberry...
Breathing exercise "Berry pies" Teacher. Smell the smell of berry pies.
Children take a deep breath through the nose and exhale through the mouth without raising their shoulders. The teacher distributes sound tracks and cardboard berries to the children.
The pies were baked. But the berries will be useful to us in another game. Put the berry on the place on the sound track where the specified sound is located.
The teacher pronounces the words, and the children determine the place of the given sound in the word and put the berry on Right place on the audio track.
And now the mushroom hunt begins. While we are walking through the forest, admiring nature, we will come up with a “family” of words for the words “mushroom”, “forest”.
Children. Forest, forest, forester, forester, forest, copse ... Mushroom picker, mushroom, mushroom, mushroom, fungus ...
Teacher. And here is the mushroom patch. When picking mushrooms, you need to be careful. Find identical mushrooms.
The teacher demonstrates pictures with images of various mushrooms.
Children find the same.
Correction test
Teacher. In Finland, the same mushrooms grow as in Russia: boletus, boletus, chanterelles, porcini, russula ... And what inedible mushrooms do you know?
The children are called.
Chanterelles are especially loved in Finland. Soups are cooked from them, served as a side dish or offered as an independent dish. Cross out the inedible mushrooms in our picture, put the porcini mushrooms on an oval plate (circle it with an oval), and put the chanterelles on a round one (circle it).
Count how many and what kind of mushrooms you have collected.
Children count mushrooms, matching nouns with numerals.
Now it's time to prepare the soup. What is mushroom soup called? Children. Mushroom.
The teacher distributes cardboard saucepans and subject pictures of mushrooms. Children say how many mushrooms the soup is made from.
I'll make three chanterelle soup. And I will cook from five mushrooms ...
Graphic development exercise skills "Path home"
The teacher distributes the cards "Take the path home" to the children.
Teacher. To quickly return home, draw a path. Put the pencil on the dot. In the first row, find a mushroom, not the smallest and not with a white hat. Draw a line to him. In the second row, find a stump that is not the smallest and not with a flower. Now draw a line to it. In the third row, find a tree that is not the highest and not a Christmas tree, draw a line to it. In the fourth row, find a berry that is neither dark nor in the middle. Found? Draw a line to her. Then draw a line to the house. Here we are at home!
The children are doing the task.
Final part
Teacher. So our “quiet hunt” for mushrooms and berries in the Finnish forest ends. And as a keepsake, I want to give you wild berry jam.
The teacher distributes Finnish jam to the children.
- Watching cartoon with children: FINLAND
Who doesn't dream of traveling? There is never a dull moment in geography lessons at the forest school: here you can not only learn about the life of the oceans and continents, but also visit with Professor Inozemtsev different countries, meet to state symbols, with the sights of the capitals. Entertaining geography for children will allow you to learn amazing things, prepare preschoolers for the beginning of school life. Geography video lessons can be used not only for family viewing, but also for showing in classes in preschool institutions.
Source
Baronova V.V. Grammar journey through countries and continents. Classes on the cognitive and speech development of older preschoolers. - M.: TC Sphere, 2016. - 128 p.
Literature
Alyabyeva E.A. Grammar for preschoolers. Didactic materials for the development of speech of children 5-7 years old. M., 2014.
Alyabyeva E.A. From word to dialogue. Didactic materials for the development of speech of children 5-7 years old. M., 2013.
Groshenkova V.A., Shilova T.S. Integrated classes for the development of speech and activity. M., 2012.
Dunaeva N.Yu., Zyablova SV. Prevention of general underdevelopment of speech in children 3-4 years old. M, 2013.
Efimenkova L.N. Formation of speech in preschoolers. M., 1981.
Zhukova K.S., Mastyukova E.M., Filicheva T.B. Overcoming the general underdevelopment of speech in preschool children. M., 1990.
Lalaeva R.I., Serebryakova N.V. Correction of general underdevelopment of speech in preschoolers (formation of vocabulary and grammatical structure). SPb., 1999.
Miklyaeva N.V. Cognitive and speech development of preschoolers. M., 2015.
Molchanova E.G., Kpemova M.A. Speech development of children aged 5-7 years in the logopoint. M., 2014.
Ovchinnikov V.V. Sakura branch. M., 1975.
Tkachenko T.A. We learn to speak correctly. Correction system for general underdevelopment of speech in 6-year-old children. M., 2004.
Parfenova E.V. The development of speech of children with OHP in theatrical activities. M., 2014.
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Finland was ruled by Sweden for 600 years. From 1809 to 1917 it was an autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland, which was part of the Russian Empire. In 1917 Finland gained independence.
Since the 12th century, Finland has entered the sphere of Western culture.
Since the 18th century, the country has developed a special relationship with Russia, and its history has been influenced by the changing balance of power in Europe and the Baltic region.
Part of Western Europe
Despite the eastern location of the country, culturally Finland developed as part of Western Europe. Since the expansion of the Roman Empire never reached the northern fringes of Europe, Christianity, in the form of the Roman Catholic Church, took root in Finland and Scandinavia only in the 9th and 10th centuries.
Simultaneously with the spread of Christianity, Finland became more and more closely a part of the Kingdom of Sweden. Rapprochement proceeded in stages, and at the beginning of the 16th century, the southwestern part of the territory of modern Finland became integral part Sweden.
In general, this had a significant impact on the further development of Finland. The Western social system, Western values and practices based on them have taken root in the country. Everyday life. In parallel with this, a Swedish-speaking minority settled on the southern and western coast of Finland, which still exists in the country.
In 1527, finding that the state treasury was empty, the king of Sweden, Gustav Vasa, followed the example of the principalities of Northern Germany. The property of the Roman Catholic Church was seized with reference to the teachings of Martin Luther, according to which the church is a community of believers, and therefore its property should belong to the people.
The rift with the Pope deepened over the following decades, and thus the eastern part of the Kingdom of Sweden - Finland - became the farthest northeast territory of Protestant Europe. As a result of the Reformation movement, gradually, step by step, Finnish writing began to be created.
In 1584, a translation of the New Testament into Finnish was published by the church reformer Mikael Agricola. The modern Finnish language is based on a combination of dialects, primarily from Western Finland.
Russia and Finland 1500–1700 centuries
At the end of the 16th century, about 300,000 inhabitants lived in Finland. Half of them settled along the coast of the southwestern part of the country and lived by agriculture and fishing. The second half of the inhabitants were primarily engaged in burning agriculture, deer breeding and hunting in the vast and dense forests of the interior.
Of the seven cities in the country, mention should be made of the center of the episcopate of Turku, the gates of eastern Finland, Vyborg and Helsinki, founded by Gustav Vasa in 1550 as a competitor to Tallinn. Helsinki turned out to be a sad failure and really did not mean anything - its importance began to grow only in the second half of the 18th century thanks to the large sea fortress Sveaborg (since 1918 Suomenlinna) built on the outskirts of the city from the sea.
The geographical location of Finland as an outpost in the east of Sweden led to negative consequences. Since the 15th century, Russia has developed as a single state, and since then, for several centuries, it has waged repeated wars with its western neighbors. One of the adversaries was Sweden, which rose during the 16th century into a dominant power in the Baltic Sea region and then in the 17th century into a strong player on the larger European stage.
During the Great Northern War (1700-1712), this role passed from Sweden to Russia, which was of decisive importance for Finland, because in 1703 the Russian emperor Peter the Great founded a new capital, St. Petersburg, in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland at the mouth of the Neva, rapidly becoming a northern European metropolis.
The more St. Petersburg grew, the more important for both Sweden and Russia was the geopolitical position of Finland for security. The large defensive fortress Sveaborg (“Swedish fortress”) on the outskirts of Helsinki from the sea was built with the help of the French specifically to repel Russian expansion and the threat from the huge Russian naval base in Kronstadt.
Grand Duchy of Finland 1809–1917
As a result of the Peace of Friedrichsgam in September 1809, all of Finland was annexed to the expanding Russian Empire. A long period of peace and especially large social reforms carried out from the 1860s contributed to the gradual emergence of industry and trade.
However, when Russia and Sweden clashed again in the diplomatic chain reaction caused by the Napoleonic Wars in 1808–1809, the Russians surrounded the fortress and bombarded it, forcing it to surrender prematurely, and as a result of the Peace of Friedrichsham in September 1809, all of Finland was annexed to expanding Russian empire.
At the beginning of the 19th century, Russia was not in the administrative sense unitary state, but rather resembled a patchwork quilt, consisting of several states. Therefore, Finland, which was granted the status of an autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland, retained the Lutheran Church and the administrative culture of Sweden, and, in addition, even its own government - the Senate - and the Minister of State Secretary, who represented the affairs of Finland directly to the emperor. In addition, Emperor Alexander the First annexed the Karelian Isthmus to the Grand Duchy, which Russia had won back from Sweden at the beginning of the 18th century.
To strengthen the new union of states, Alexander the First decided in 1812 to transfer the capital of the Principality of Finland from Turku to Helsinki and at the same time ordered the city to be completely rebuilt.
A majestic center in the Empire style, familiar from St. Petersburg and Berlin, but new to Finland, was erected around Senate Square. Over the following decades, a lively administrative center with a regular layout rose up around it. The role and importance of Helsinki was enhanced by the transfer in 1827 to Helsinki of the University founded in 1640 in Turku.
Based on Swedish management culture
The Russian authorities saw Finland primarily as an outpost of the Russian empire in the northwest. In Finland, many also believed that the country would gradually merge with an ever-expanding Russian empire. But that did not happen. Swedish state structure, different from Russian culture public administration, and continued trade relations with Sweden contributed to the preservation of the special features of Finland.
The growth of the self-consciousness of the nation
When national ideas spread in Finland in the 1840s, a solid ideological basis for independent development was created. The pioneers were, first of all, the creator of the Kalevala epic (1835) Elias Lennrut, the poet J. L. Runeberg, the philosopher, senator J. V. Snellman, who fought for Finnish to become the first state language instead of Swedish in both management and culture .
AT late XIX centuries, nationalist ideas were strong among the people of Finland, many participated in various public organizations in which Finland was seen as independent in the future.
Economic development of the 1800 century
The favorable development of the economy also contributed to the development of the ideas of independence. A long period of peace, and especially major social reforms since the 1860s, contributed to the gradual emergence of industry and commerce. The sales market was located both in Russia and in Western Europe. The main engines of the economy were the food and paper industries. The standard of living rose rapidly, the population increased - in a hundred years the population has tripled. By the beginning of the First World War, the population of Finland was about three million people.
Proximity to St. Petersburg contributed to the development of the economy, at the same time, however, posing a threat in terms of security policy. As tensions arose between the great powers, Russia tried to tie Finland more closely to the empire, leading to prolonged political friction.
After Russia lost the war with Japan in 1905, the emperor had to agree to a number of reforms. In Finland, liberalization led to the creation in 1906 of a democratically elected parliament based on universal and equal suffrage. Finnish women were the first in Europe to gain political rights.
Independence and the Finnish Civil War
On December 6, 1917, the Parliament of Finland, on the proposal of the Senate, declared the country an independent republic. There was no power in the country capable of maintaining order, and two months later a civil war broke out. Finland's accession to Russia in 1809 was one of the results of a geopolitical chain reaction. Similar historical processes led to the complete independence of the country at the last stage of the First World War. Tired of three years of war, Russia was going through a period of devastation and chaos, and after the Bolsheviks seized power in Russia, the Finnish Parliament, on the proposal of the Senate, on December 6, 1917, declared the country an independent republic.
There was no power in the country capable of maintaining order, and two months later a civil war broke out, which was practically part of the chaos raging in Russia. In May 1918 the Finnish white army with the decisive support of the German units, it completely defeated the socialist rebels, who in turn received weapons from Russia.
After Germany was defeated in the World War, the original plan to turn Finland into a constitutional monarchy was changed, and a republican form of government was introduced in the summer of 1919. It existed unchanged until 2000, until the moment when the internal political rights of the president were limited.
The first three decades of independence were a test of strength for the young country.
The first decades of an independent state
The first three decades of independence were a test of strength for the young country. The country was doing well economically. Western Europe has largely replaced the Russian market, culture has gone through a number of changes and received international recognition. The political development of the country was, however, complicated by the legacy of the civil war. Old wounds were not healed, and the domestic political field was split for a long time. In the early 1930s, the anti-communist tendencies of the radical right were so strong that the parliamentary system was threatened.
In the spring of 1937, however, a parliament was formed on a broad platform. He united the political forces of the peasantry and the working class and set the stage for a national consensus and a modern Finnish welfare state.
Winter War and Continuation War
However, in the autumn of 1939, the stable, peaceful period of the development of society ended abruptly. The Second World War. The Soviet Union demanded territorial concessions from Finland. Again, the proximity of Finland to St. Petersburg or Leningrad played a decisive role.
Finland did not make territorial concessions, and on November 30, 1939, the Red Army launched a large-scale offensive against Finland. The Finnish army managed, however, to stop the offensive. The Red Army, both in numbers and in the degree of armament, was many times superior to the troops of Finland, but the Finns had strong motivation, knew the terrain better and were much better equipped and prepared for combat operations in extreme conditions - the winter of 1939-1940 was exceptionally cold.
In the vast forests to the north, the Finnish army surrounded and destroyed two Soviet divisions. The winter war lasted 105 days. In March 1940, a peace treaty was signed. The Soviet Union was afraid that the Western allies would intervene in the war on the side of Finland, and Moscow at this stage limited itself to territorial demands on Finland and the creation of a military base on the leased lands of the Hanko (Gangut) peninsula, on the southwestern coast of the country.
Continuation War
Independence was preserved, but the Winter War left a deep mark on the minds of the Finns. The Western press treated Finland with sympathy, Sweden helped financially in many ways, but militarily the Finns were completely alone. It was a hard lesson. Since then, the leadership of the Finnish state and most of the people have understood that neither the Western allies nor the northern neighbors will come to the rescue if only the independence and sovereignty of Finland are at stake.
Understanding this, President Risto Ryti and Commander-in-Chief of the Finnish Army Gustav Mannerheim in the winter of 1940-1941 tacitly accepted the German proposal for military assistance. Neither one nor the other were adherents of Nazism, but both believed that military cooperation with Nazi Germany was the only salvation against the new aggression of the Red Army.
In June 1941, when the Germans launched Operation Barbarossa, the Finns were already absolutely ready for the offensive. The Red Army subjected many Finnish cities to aerial bombardment, so the Finnish government was able to call the offensive of the Finnish army, which began two weeks later, defensive battles.
Finland never entered into a political alliance with Germany, in the so-called Continuation War (1941-1944) she pursued her national goals. However, militarily, it was clearly a joint war against the Soviet Union. Germany re-equipped the Finnish army, fought on the northern fronts of the country and supplied a significant part needed by the country weapons and raw materials throughout the joint war.
In June 1944, when the Soviet Union launched a powerful artillery barrage and a massive offensive on the Karelian Isthmus in order to force Finland to conclude a separate peace, the support of the German troops helped the Finns stop the advance of the Red Army at a decisive moment.
Shortly thereafter, the German army came under increasing pressure from two directions as a result of the Allied landings in Normandy, and this opened up the possibility of concluding an armistice agreement in September 1944 between Finland, the USSR and the allied states. The agreement was then consolidated by the Paris Peace Treaty of 1947.
Finland again had to make major territorial concessions and agree to the establishment of a large Soviet military base west of Helsinki. In addition, the country was forced to pay large reparations to the USSR and to prosecute the government that was in power during the war.
Finland's position in Europe during the Cold War was in many ways exceptional. Unlike the countries of Eastern Europe, Finland was never occupied by Soviet troops. Finland's position in Europe during the Cold War was in many ways exceptional. Unlike the countries of Eastern Europe, Finland has never been occupied by Soviet troops. The country remained a Western democracy, and thanks to extremely rapid industrialization in the 1970s, it reached the same standard of living as the countries of Western Europe. This made possible the creation of the northern model of the welfare state. However, throughout the period cold war Finland had to take into account the security interests of the Soviet Union.
In April 1948, Finland concluded with the Soviet Union the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance. Under the terms of the treaty, Finland undertook to oppose any offensive directed against Finland or against the USSR through Finnish territory. The agreement was valid until 1991. Thanks to him, relations between the two countries stabilized, and the foundation was laid for broad economic cooperation, which naturally contributed to the favorable social development of Finland.
The negative side of the treaty was that it did not build trust Western countries to the policy of non-alignment, which was actively pursued by the Finnish government. Nevertheless, President Urho Kekkonen, who ruled the country for a quarter of a century (1956-1981), gradually managed to win international respect in this balancing act between East and West. The common border with the USSR, 1,300 kilometers long, was an irresistible geographical reality. In order for Finland not to suffer much from this, the export-oriented industry was allowed to enter into lucrative trade agreements with EFTA (1961) and EEC (1973).
Thus, Finland managed not to come into conflict with a strong eastern neighbor and at the same time to have ever closer economic ties with Western Europe. In early August 1975, the leaders of 35 European countries and North America to sign the final document of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe. The document recognized the political division of Europe. In Helsinki, it was agreed general rules games on human rights issues, which political dissidents of the countries of the socialist bloc seized passionately. The process started in Helsinki eventually led to the final collapse of the Soviet empire in 1991.
Such a sharp turn neither in Finland nor in many other countries could have been foreseen. Although the growth rate was not as strong as in the 1960s and 1970s, Finland continued to prosper well into the 1980s.
During the presidency of Mauno Koivisto (1982-1994), the governments of the country were in power for the entire period of office, which gave stability to the internal politics of the country, whose population reached five million.
New technologies flourished. The dismantling of the state television and radio monopoly began. Telephone networks were also liberalized in the same way, which in general created strong market conditions for the technological revolution of the 1990s in the field of both wired and wireless information communications.
As in many other countries, the release of transnational capital in the late 1980s caused the Finnish economy to overheat. This was followed by the collapse of the Soviet Union, a sharp decline in exports to the east and west, and incompetent financial policies.
Economic crisis of the early 1990s
All this led to a deep economic crisis in 1991-1994. In the worst period, unemployment reached about 20 percent of the entire working-age population. Entire industries went out of business, public debt rose to alarming levels, but the welfare state structures held on, and a strong economic boom began in 1995 that continued well into the next century. Coincidentally or not, Nokia has gone through the same growth curve and has now become a leading concern in the global market. In the early 1990s, this flagship of the Finnish industry was on the verge of bankruptcy.
Finland and the European Union
During the deepest economic crisis in the spring of 1992, the Finnish government decided to apply for membership in the European Union. The decision was based both on the situation in the Finnish economy and on aspects of security policy. In the union of Western countries, the vision of a common market, with a common foreign and security policy, was just ripening. For a country like Finland, this seemed like a smart decision.
In Finland, not without reason, the internal political development of Russia was observed with concern. Two years later, an agreement was concluded on the terms of accession. In October 1994, a consultative referendum was held, and about 58 percent of Finns supported joining the European Union. Finland joined the EU on 1 January 1995.
At the first stage, membership in the EU was perceived as extremely important for the Finnish identity - it has always been important for Finns to maintain relations with the West and, in general, with Western civilization. This manifested itself clearly in 1998, when the parliament decided on Finland's participation in the single economic and monetary union of the EU with the introduction of the euro.
In the autumn of 1999, when Finland held its first EU presidency, the country was enthusiastic about the EU. Enthusiasm later waned, despite the fact that Finland is among the EU countries that benefited the most from membership, both economically and in terms of security policy.
The cooling towards the EU and its structures is caused by many reasons. First of all, the EU economy was not in the best shape in the early 2000s, and the eastward expansion of the European Union in the spring of 2004 brought new problems to the surface. An even more important reason why Finns have become more casual about the EU is the rapid changes in the world economy, as well as in information technology.
The European Union exists. Let's hope it stays for Europeans common house. And now it is much easier to move with words, sounds, images and, of course, just physically, for example, by plane to other continents and perceive " Big world» outside European shores.
For a country like Finland, where there is often childlike enthusiasm for computer technology, this trend can be particularly strong. Whatever the case, as we approach the second decade of the new century, Finland is doing well in this rapid cycle of change.
Text: Henrik Meinander, PhD, Professor of History, Head of the Faculty of History at the University of Helsinki.
Translation: Galina Pronina
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Country Description
Finland is the northernmost country in Europe. At least a third of this country is located beyond the Arctic Circle. Tourists are attracted by such interesting natural phenomena as polar day and polar night. Especially for tourists, national parks are created, most of which are created in Lapland. The culture of versatile active winter recreation in Finland is extremely high. In addition to the well-equipped ski and ski slopes, you can ride a reindeer or dog sled here. Winter horseback riding and ice rallying have become fashionable. One-day outings on motorized sledges are very popular. As a rule, routes are laid through the most picturesque places; during trips, halts in nature or lunch in the Sami tent are organized. And of course, one of the pleasures is visiting the Finnish sauna. Its invigorating spirit is especially pleasant after skiing or other walks in the fresh air. A Finnish bath is an obligatory attribute of Finnish resorts, both large and small. In addition, many hotels have their own water parks with "tropical" pools. Swimming in such a pool will give your vacation in these harsh latitudes a unique charm.
Geography
Finland is a state located in the north of Europe, with a total area of 338 thousand square meters. km. The northern part is located beyond the Arctic Circle. In the west, Finland borders on Sweden, in the north - on Norway, in the east - on Russia. The southern coast is washed by the waters of the Gulf of Finland. More than 2/3 of the country's area is covered with forests. In the west and south, Finland is washed by the Gulf of Bothnia and the Gulf of Finland, respectively, and the coast is so indented with bays that the length of the coastline reaches 4600 km.
Time
1 hour behind Moscow.
Climate
In Finland, there are four seasons that differ significantly from each other. Summer lasting approx. 3 months, from June to August. The highest temperature in summer is approx. 25-30 degrees of heat, and average temperature OK. 18 degrees. In June - July there can be a lot of mosquitoes, but at present there are a large number of ointments and aerosols that reliably protect against these annoying insects. Magnificent in its beauty, the golden autumn of Ruska-ajka attracts numerous tourists to Finland. Snow usually falls in December and is most abundant in March. In Central and Northern Finland at this time there are good opportunities for lovers of winter sports. In the middle of summer in Lapland, tourists are interested in the polar day, when the sun does not set, and, accordingly, in winter - the polar night.
Language
Officially, Finland is bilingual: 92.9% call Finnish their native language, 5.8% - Swedish. About 1700 people in Lapland speak the Sami language. Since Finnish is the native language of only 5 million people in the world, many Finns speak English, German or other European languages.
Religion
Christianity entered Finland about 1100 years ago at about the same time from the west and east, resulting in the official status of both - Evangelical Lutheran (86% of the population) and Orthodox (1%) - religions.
Population
At present, the population of Finland is slightly more than 5 million. There are many language groups in Finland: Finns, Swedes living in Finland (coastal territories, Aland Islands), Sami (Lapland) Romans (Gypsies).
Electricity
The usual mains voltage in Finland is 220 V. European standard sockets are used.
Emergency Phones
ambulance - 112
fire brigade - 112
police - 112 or 100-22
address reference service (telephones, addresses) - 118
Connection
Direct communication with any country in the world is possible from any pay phone, which are located almost everywhere. You can call either with coins or with phone cards, which are sold at newsstands ("R-kioski"), in shops and at the post office. You can call abroad through various telephone companies by dialing 00, 990, 994, or 999 followed by the country code, area code, and phone number. When calling to Finland 8 - beep - 10 - 358 - area code (without the first digit, usually 0) and the number of the called subscriber.
GPRS-roaming is available from the main Russian operators. The number of Wi-Fi access points is gradually growing. Regular access can be obtained in numerous Internet cafes.
Currency exchange
Currency - euro. Banks work Mon.-Fri. from 9.30 to 16.30, at airports from 6.30 to 23.00, in the port of Helsinki-Katajanokka from 9.00 to 11.30, from 15.45 to 18.00, in the port of Turku from 8.00 to 11.30, from 19.30 to 21.30, exchange offices at the central station in Helsinki are open daily from 8.00 to 21.00.
Visa
Citizens of Russia and CIS countries require a visa to visit Finland. Finland is a member of the Schengen Agreement. On the territory of Russia, a visa can be obtained at the consular section of the Finnish Embassy in Moscow, at the Consulate General in St. Petersburg, as well as at the consulates of Murmansk and Petrozavodsk.
Customs regulations
A passenger has the right to bring into Finland without paying duties and taxes: 1 liter of spirits (more than 22%) or 2 liters of aperitifs (not more than 22%) or sparkling wines and 2 liters of weak wines and 15 liters of beer; 200 cigarettes or 100 small cigars (3 g each) or 50 cigars or 250 g of pipe and cigarette tobacco; 50 g of perfume and 250 g of eau de toilette; 100 g of tea or 40 g of tea extract or essence, 500 g of coffee or 200 g of coffee extract or essence.
Holidays and non-working days
1st of January - New Year; January 6 - Epiphany; March 28 - Good Friday; March 30-31 - Easter; May 1 - May Day; May 8 - Ascension Day; May 18 - Trinity; June 20-21 - Midsummer Day; November 1 - All Saints Day; December 6 - Independence Day; December 24-25 - Christmas; December 26 - Day of giving.
As soon as summer comes, Finns go to nature. And since there is little time for the summer, the bright summer nights are dedicated to the holidays. More than 1,500 different events are organized annually, mainly from June to August. The festival repertoire ranges from chamber music in the village of Kuhmo to the film festival in SodankylK, from jazz festivities in Pori, Tornio or Kainuu to music and dance festivals in Kuopio. The culmination of all celebrations is the Opera Festival in Savonlinna. At the end of summer, festivals are held only in Turku, Tampere and Helsinki. At the end of August, the program ends with a week-long festival in Helsinki. So, the summer program, officially starting on the eve of the first of May with the Vappu holiday in honor of students and students receiving matriculation certificates, ends with a festive week in Helsinki, and the Finns return to everyday affairs.
Transport
The state railways of Finland are concentrated in the southern part of the country. Their total length is 5900 km, and only 1600 km are electrified. Although the highway system was expanded and the private car fleet grew strongly in the 1960s and 1970s, traffic in Finland is still low compared to other Scandinavian countries. Bus service is maintained in summer up to the extreme northern regions. The length of motor roads reaches 80 thousand km. A network of navigable waterways with a length of 6.1 thousand km, including channels between numerous lakes, is of exceptional importance for passenger and freight traffic. In winter, navigation through the canals is carried out with the help of icebreakers.
Tips
In hotels, restaurants and bars tips are already included in the bill.
The shops
In connection with the onset of the high tourist season, shops in Finland are again moving to a long opening time. Usually shops in this country are open on Sundays only in summer. The rest of the time, their hours of operation are as follows: from 9.00 to 18.00 on weekdays and from 9.00 to 14.00 on Saturdays. Shopping centers are open from 9.00 to 21.00 on weekdays and from 9.00 to 18.00 on Saturdays. Now, in November and December, shops in Finland are also open on Sundays (including December 30), mostly from 12.00 to 21.00. On December 31, it will be possible to make purchases from 07.00 to 18.00. Shops are usually closed on January 1st.
National cuisine
Breakfast in Finland is early - at 7 o'clock in the morning. Breakfast is usually light: some people prefer porridge or muesli in milk, but mostly they limit themselves to a cup of tea, coffee or a glass of milk with sandwiches. At 11-12 o'clock there is a lunch break. In small towns, people go home to dine, and in the capital - to a restaurant or cafe. For lunch like 
As a rule, they eat one dish - either the "first" or the "second". Most often, it is a thick soup or potatoes with meat. At dinner they eat bread and butter and drink milk. At 14 o'clock they drink tea. The working day ends at 16-17, and the Finns have dinner at 17-18. Dinner is similar to lunch, just the opposite - if there was a liquid dish for lunch, then in the evening they cook, for example, a casserole. And if during the day they ate steaks with potatoes, then soup is served for dinner.
Beer is one of the most popular drinks in Finland. Strong beer is available for sale only in the shops of the alcohol monopoly "Alko". Kotikalja, a homemade beer brewed with water, maltose, sugar and yeast, containing a small amount of alcohol, is the main drink on every rural table. For a long time, the most popular wheat vodka in Finland remains Koskenkorva Viina (38%) and Koskenkorva Vodka (60%) produced according to folk recipes. Liqueurs are made from natural fruit and berry tinctures. A specific Finnish product is liqueurs with a strong aroma of northern wild berries: "Lakkalikoori" (cloudberry), "Puolukkalikoori" (lingonberry), "Karpalolikoori" (cranberry), "Mesimarijalikoori" (arctic blueberry). Champagne: Finns make it by fermenting yellow currants and gooseberries. Finland does not produce its own wines, so wines have gained popularity here only in the last few years.
Attractions and resorts
Helsinki- the capital of Finland, a city surrounded by the sea and islands, a city where nature and culture are in close contact. One fourth of Helsinki is parks. Central Park runs through the entire city. The noise of departing ships and the aroma of the sea give Helsinki a special mood. Many sights of Helsinki, the architecture of the city, in which both eastern and western influences can be traced, are revealed to the guests of the capital during walking tours. The architectural and historical center of the city - Senate Square with the majestic buildings of the Cathedral, the University, the Palace of the State Council - carries the spirit of Russian architecture and is crowned with a monument to Alexander II in the center of the square. AT summer time The area is used for numerous events. Literally 100 meters away, on the seashore, is the Market Square - the brightest and liveliest place in Helsinki. Here you can buy everything from fruits and fish to a variety of Finnish crafts. From the Market Square begins the Esplanade Park with street lighting and many boutiques - the center of life in summer Helsinki. The excursion from the city center can be continued along the park area of the Töölönlahti bay, a summer oasis popular among the townspeople. The Finlandia Palace (concert and congress complex) and the Finnish National Opera are located here. Of the sea attractions of Helsinki, it will be interesting to see the Suomenlinna island fortress, which is over 250 years old, and the open-air museum on the island of Seurasaari. 
Rovaniemi- the birthplace of Santa Claus, a city located right on the Arctic Circle - deservedly considered one of the best winter sports centers in Finland. The city of Rovaniemi with a population of 35,000 inhabitants is the capital of Lapland. If you are interested in the culture and life of this northern region, be sure to come here and you will not regret it: a lot of exciting activities and all kinds of entertainment await tourists who come to Rovaniemi. The most interesting attraction of the region is "Santa Park" - a themed Christmas entertainment center. If you have children, then give them a fabulous meeting with Santa Claus, and perhaps you yourself want to feel like a child for a moment and get into a real fairy tale. Rovaniemi is the only place in the world where after a walk you will be given a real "right" to drive, drive a reindeer sled. If you get tired of skiing and snow safari, you can spend a day under the glass dome of the Arktikum Museum and see the exhibitions organized by the Arctic Science Center and the Regional Museum of Lapland, or visit the Arctic Zoo in Ranua (only an hour drive from Rovaniemi). ). Another attraction of Rovaniemi is the Arctic Circle sign at the northern entrance to the city, indicating the exact geographical latitude of this imaginary line.
Turku- the oldest city in Finland, the first mention of it dates back to 1229. During the Swedish rule, Turku was the capital of Finland. The area of the city is 246 sq. km, population 160 thousand people. Turku is the capital of the province of Western Finland and the center of the country's Evangelical Lutheran Church. The bishop of Turku is also the archbishop of the whole country. Turku is a vibrant university city with a rich cultural tradition. Concerts and exhibitions are held here all year round. The market square and its surroundings are the heart of the city. There are large department stores and many small shops where tourists can buy souvenirs and gifts. Maritime Center "Forum Marinum" invites all interested to purchase personal experience and information on shipping and its history. The Cathedral in Turku is considered the national sanctuary of the country. This is one of the most valuable architectural monuments of the Middle Ages. In the Aboa Vetus Museum, with the help of multimedia technology, you can get acquainted with the everyday life of people who lived in this place several centuries ago.
Ylläs located in Western Lapland, close to the border with Sweden. The resort of Ylläs consists of two villages: Jakoslompolo on the northern slope of the hill and Ylläsjärvi on the southern slope. This is one of the most magnificent mountain tundras in Finland, on the slopes of which the most modern ski center in the North was created, founded by enthusiasts back in the 50s, when even a road was not laid here! Ylläs has a total of 33 ski slopes, different in width and length. The slopes of Ylläs are so large that, if you wish, you can find solitude here even in high season. Ylläs has the most extensive network of ski slopes perfectly prepared by a special all-terrain vehicle among Finnish ski resorts.
Levy- one of the newest and most comfortable in Finland. In terms of the level and range of services, it is considered the best in the country. It has already become Finland's "resort of the year" three times in the winter season. Levi is located 15 km from the airport of Kittila, 50 km from the Ruka resort. This resort resembles an Alpine one more than other Finnish centers - all services are concentrated in the Lapland village, hotels are located in close proximity to the slopes. Since the construction of this center was planned very carefully, the nature here remained almost untouched. Perhaps that is why, this is one of the favorite resorts not only for foreign tourists, but also for the Finns themselves.
Vuokatti is located in the very center of Finland, among beautiful lakes and forested hills. It is easy to get here by air, train, bus or by car. Three daily flights link Helsinki with Kajaani Airport, from where the resort is only half an hour by car. This resort is characterized by a rare combination of all elements of winter recreation. First of all, it is the best service, a huge number of hotel beds and numerous entertainments. Vuokatti is a town of 4 hotels and many cottages, restaurants and nightclubs, sports facilities and beaches, shopping centers and a market. Tennis is very popular in Vuokatti, with over 30 courts, including indoor and outdoor courts. Ski slopes and beautiful slopes are well-deservedly popular among tourists.
Kuopio- one of the best places in the country for lovers of flat skiing and ice skating (skating season starts at the end of January). More than 400 km of excellent ski slopes are laid here every year in the surrounding forests and on the ice of a frozen lake, some of which are illuminated in the evening. Conveniently located in the heart of the city on Mount Puyo, the ski stadium offers numerous ski tracks that are ideal for both beginner skiers and experienced skiers who prefer more challenging terrain. There are so many ski slopes in Kuopio that you can go to the ski track right from the door of the hotel. And for skiers on Mount Puyo, there are two slopes: Puyo with a “black” track (length 400 m, elevation difference 93 m) and Antikka with a “blue” one (length 800 m, elevation difference 88 m).