The Happiest Place On Earth
Looking for a place that’s mastered the art of joy? Finland’s been named the world’s happiest country six years running. Coincidence? Probably not.
The Land Of A Thousand Lakes
There's a reason Finland has been called "the land of a thousand lakes"—and that's because it has a whopping 187,888 lakes. Its largest lake, Saimaa, is 1,700 square miles.
Petritap, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
They Are Home To A Rare Animal
Finland has the rarest seal on earth: the Saimaa ringed seal. After the ice age, these seals lost access to the ocean—and for the around 8,000 years, they have been residing in the Saimaa Lake region.
Sadly, they are currently at risk of becoming extinct. There are only about 400 left.
Sweating It Out
With over 2.3 million saunas for just 5.5 million people, Finland has truly perfected the art of unwinding. From cozy lakeside cabins to city apartments—even a Burger King in Helsinki—you’re never far from a good steam.
Back To The Roots
If you love forests, then Finland would be the perfect place for you to visit. 74% of the land is forest; it is the most forested country in Europe. That said, most of the country's population can be found in the larger cities.
Delightfully Weird Sports
Forget about football and soccer. Finland has some of the most bizarre sports imaginable: air guitar, mosquito hunting, mobile phone throwing, wife-carrying, and swamp football.
Home Of The Moomins
It was the Finnish illustrator Tove Jansson who was responsible for the children's show and comic strip, The Moomins. Though Moomins look like hippopotamus-type creatures, they are actually trolls.
Moomin fans visiting Naantali, Finland can even visit Moomin World.
Reino Loppinen / Lehtikuva, Wikimedia Commons
It Has Another Name
Fun fact: In Finland, locals don’t call their country “Finland”—they call it Suomi. So if you spot that word on signs or souvenirs, now you’re in the know.
Heavy Metal Lovers
The love for heavy metal in Finland remains ummatched. Compared to other countries, it has more heavy metal musicians per capita. But why is heavy metal more popular here than anywhere else?
Eurovision Winners
Turns out, the heavy metal genre may be a way for reserved Finns to express their emotions.
In 2006, Finland even entered Eurovision with a heavy metal act—the band Lordi—and won thanks to their song "Hard Rock Hallelujah".
Wojciech Pędzich, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
It Has The Second-Longest Tunnel
Deep beneath southern Finland lies the Päijänne Water Tunnel—the second-longest tunnel in the world. Stretching 120 kilometers, it carries fresh water from Lake Päijänne to the Silvola Reservoir, supplying clean drinking water to the Greater Helsinki area.
Festive Fun
Finland is the home of Lapland—where you can find a Santa Claus Village. In this winter wonderland, you'll see reindeer and meet Santa Claus himself.
Silence Is Golden
Reportedly, the stereotype that Finns have an affinity for silence is true. This has roots in country's history and culture. After all, one popular Finnish saying is, "Silence is gold, talking is silver".
The National Dish
Based on a vote in 2017, the national dish of Finland officially became Ruislepä. For English folk, this would be the equivalent of rye bread. Ruislepä is incredibly popular and is often eaten for breakfast, a snack, or a side dish.
Hellahulla, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Baby Boxes
In 1938, the Finnish government began providing "baby boxes" to expectant mothers, filled with essentials like clothing, diapers, and bibs. This thoughtful initiative, however, was born out of a tragic need.
Building A Better Future
Sadly, the infant mortality rate was quite high in the 1930s. For every 1,000 babies, 65 didn't make it. But there is a silver lining. Today, Finland's infant mortality rates are among the lowest the world over.
A Real Fantasy
The Finnish and Welsh languages were great inspirations for the Elvish langauge in JRR Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings series.
New Line Cinema, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Ahead Of The Times
In 1906, Finland—then the Grand Duchy of Finland—made history by becoming the first European country to grant women the right to vote. But they didn’t stop there: Finland also became the first in the world to allow women to hold public office.
A Caffeinated Country
Finland might not be the first country that comes to mind when you think about coffee, but in truth, the average citizen drinks about 12 kilos of it annually. Shockingly, based on their java consumption, they're even bigger coffee lovers than the Italians.
A Unique Language
The Finnish language is quite unique. Though Finland is a part of the Scandinavian Peninsula, it is not a Scandinavian language.
While Swedish, Danish, and Norweigan languages have a lot in common, the Finnish language stands a part. It is actually a Uralic language.
