The sea in Finland: beaches, islands, attractions, recreation. Finland: form of government, general information Finland according to plan

The Republic of Finland is a state washed by the waters of the Gulf of Bothnia and the Gulf of Finland. This country is located next to Russia and has warm relations with it. Moreover, history tells that there were times when Finland was part of the Russian Empire, moreover, voluntarily. The sea in Finland is the blue of the Baltic. It is into this sea that countless Finnish rivers flow.

The Scandinavian peninsula on which the Finnish country stands: rocky and mountainous massif. At one time, the Vikings lived here and worshiped the heavenly gods. The coastline is huge, as is the presence of islands that are part of Finland. All of them are unique and interesting for tourists and historians. There you can find ancient ruins of ancient castles and monasteries.

Sea, sun, sand

Tourists, going on vacation to Finland, are interested in what kind of sea is in Finland. This is not surprising, because in the summer you want to swing on the waves and sunbathe on the sandy beach. The Baltic Sea is not a hot spot. There, even in summer, the water temperature is slightly more than 15 degrees, but the nature and transparency of the waters will leave indelible impressions from the rest.

The Finnish coastline has both white sand and smooth stones. The territory is occupied by comfortable hotels and houses, which are rented all year round. In addition, the coast offers a lot of entertainment complexes for adults and children. It is allowed to have a picnic right on the seashore. Beach soccer and volleyball are well developed and free playgrounds can be found if there is a ball.

If you decide to visit the coast of Finland, then first of all go to the Åland Islands or to the island of Klovharun. There is a unique hut there. This is a secluded place of the famous Finnish writer, who gave the world fairy tales about Moomin Troll. There are magnificent landscapes and not as many people as on Russian beaches. You can safely walk and enjoy nature.

On a note! You can always rent a boat or yacht. Take a boat trip on your own or with an instructor.

The Gulf of Finland is home to many animals. This is a unique complex that has been formed over the centuries. The view is beautiful from both Russia and Finland. If you are wondering which sea is washing Helsinki, then you should know that this is not only the Baltic, but also the Gulf of Finland. In some places, the depth reaches 1 kilometer.

Many rivers flow into this bay from the side of Russia. These are the Neva, Luga, and Narva. The Gulf of Finland is completely covered with ice at the end of September and is immovable until April. St. Petersburg and the cities of the Leningrad region on the Russian side are located nearby. Finland has access to the bay: Helsinki, Kotka and Hanko. Even Estonia got a piece of this bay. Estonians have direct access from Tallinn, Toila, Sillamäe, Narva-Jõesuu and Paldiski.

The length of the Gulf of Finland is more than 400 kilometers, and the width at high tide is about 140 km. Above the bay from Finland is a natural height of 40 meters. The coast is rocky, but in some places there are white sand dunes. The most famous island in the Gulf of Finland is Kotlin. They say that he was given that name because of the proximity of the Russian city of Kronstadt. The Summer Garden of Peter the Great is open for tourists there.

Coastal beaches

There are many beach areas on the territory of the Gulf of Finland. Anyone can plunge into the waters of the Baltic Sea, but get ready for the water to burn with its coolness. Some light up directly on the rocks. Those tourists who love nature can camp, cook over a fire and enjoy the wilderness.

There are gathering not only walruses and fishermen, but also lovers of diving and sea travel. The Gulf of Finland is an amazing place. There are many sunken ships and people often come there in search of underwater treasures. Many are successful and get old coins and household items from the seabed that date back to the times of the Roman Empire.

The beaches of the Baltic Sea give an even and long tan that does not wash off, unlike the one obtained in hot resorts. The temperate climate in summer does not make you constantly hide from the scorching sun. For people who are contraindicated in tropical places, the Finnish coast is an ideal place.

On a note! Finland and the sea are one. More than 5 thousand sunken ships of the past have already been found on the seabed.

Islands

Finland and the Baltic Sea have many islands on their territory. These objects are considered the largest archipelago on the planet. There are more than 70,000 islands of different sizes: inhabited and not. Many birds and animals live there. Some islands can be visited by ferry or motorboat. A stay on one of the islands will be remembered for a lifetime.

The most amazing island in Finland is Helsingholmen. The most visited islands are, of course, Aland. There are many entertainment complexes, hotels and places for tourism. A traveler can choose an expensive vacation on one of the islands of Finland, but also a budget option, for example, at Tove Jansson.

Lighthouses

Finland is rich not only in rivers and lakes. There are over 50 lighthouses on the Finnish coast. The post all workers and help the sea transport navigate the sea. Many of them are open for tourist exploration. You can visit the ancient fortresses, and then spend a wonderful evening at the coastal hotel. There will be no noisy parties, only the sea breeze, the cries of seagulls and peace.

On a note! Writers often come there to work on a new book in peace and quiet. At night it is interesting to watch the lights of the lighthouse, which give hope to lost ships.

The coastal zone of Finland is very long, therefore the sea traffic is well developed. Sleepyheads of ferries leave and come from there every day. Many Finnish islands are connected by ferry outposts, which makes it easy to move from one island to another. An archipelago like Turku is equipped with ferries to transport the cars of the skeleton to the continent.

There are free ferries, made according to the method of movable bridges of St. Petersburg. Some ferries go in a circle and pick up passengers from all the islands, and then take them to the capital of Finland. Tourists can travel by ferry, have their own car, walk or bike. If the tourist has not found a free crossing, then the paid ferry will not cost much.

Marine coastal cities

The Baltic Sea with the Gulf of Finland will enchant every tourist. The coastal zone is one of the oldest cities in Finland. There are many fishing villages and entertainment complexes. It is very interesting here, especially in the summer. You can go fishing, have a snack in the coastal cafe with home cooking. Some events and festivals are held almost every day.

Consider the settlements of the coastal zone:

• The first coastal town worth visiting is Tammisaaari. This is an old town with interesting street names. There are many attractions and theme parks
• Hanko invites tourists to its famous Longsanda Beach. There are many parks and recreation areas. There you can dive with scuba diving and fly a hang-glider on the sea surface.
• Pori is the northern Riviera. Tourists who prefer active rest come there. Many music festivals take place here, and museums welcome tourists all year round.

Finland is a small country, and after visiting coastal cities, you can quickly get to another city in the northern country. Experienced travelers advise traveling by car, but in summer, a bicycle is also suitable for getting around small Finnish cities.

Sunsets and sunrises. Calm and storm

Sunsets and sunrises on the coast of the Gulf of Finland are truly magnificent. The overflow of colors can only be compared with the northern lights of Lapland. During dawn, the sun's rays paint the surface of the sea with a silvery hue, and sunset leaves crimson streaks on the water. Some vacationers specially come to observe this common natural phenomenon and are amazed at the play of colors.

Finland located in the North of Europe, between 70 ° and 59 ° north latitude and 20 ° and 31 ° east longitude. It is the seventh largest country in Europe. The country's territory occupies about 338 thousand square kilometers, where 32 thousand are occupied by water bodies, and the remaining 306 thousand are land. About a quarter of it is located beyond the Arctic Circle. The maximum length of the country's territory, from south to north, is 1157 kilometers, and its width is 540 kilometers.

Finland it borders in the east with Russia, in the north-west with Sweden and in the north with Norway. The southwest and west of the country is washed by the Baltic Sea and the Gulfs of Finland and Bothnia. The country's maritime borders stretch for 1110 kilometers. The coast of the Gulf of Finland and Bothnia is flat, sandy, clayey in places; many of its parts have dunes. It is divided into numerous bays and rich in unique skerries.

The highest point in Finland is 1328 meters above sea level. This is Mount Haltiatunturi, which is located at the very edge of northwestern Finland, in Lapland, on the border with Norway.

But in general, the land of the country is mostly hills and plains. The heights of the hills, as a rule, do not exceed three hundred meters, and the plains are completely covered with lakes and swamps.

During the period of its formation, the territory of the country was covered with a powerful ice shell, which smoothed the hills, and after the melting of the glaciers about ten thousand years ago, the depressions that were under them were filled with water, forming lakes and swamps. And, despite the fact that the land is rising, thereby increasing the territory of Finland by almost seven kilometers a year, a lot of depressions are still flooded with water. It is not for nothing that Finland is called "the land of thousands of lakes" - there are about 75 thousand of them here. The most famous of them are Lake Saimaa in the southeast of the country, Lake Päijänne in the south, Lake Oulujärvi, which is located in central Finland, and Lake Nasijärvi in ​​its southwest. Lake Saimaa is the fourth largest lake in the whole of Europe. Its total area is about 4400 square kilometers.

There are, of course, also rivers, not long, but full-flowing, with many rapids and waterfalls. The longest of them is Kemijoki, which is 512 kilometers long. The country has 179584 islands and about 5100 river rapids. Only the autonomous region of Finland - the Aland Islands, includes more than 6.5 thousand islands, islets and rocks.

The northern region of the country - Lapland covers an area of ​​about 100,000 square kilometers, consisting of hills, forests and a few rocky mountains.

Finland's nature is varied. In the forests, which occupy 87% of its territory, a very rich animal world is wolves, and wolverines, and elks, and deer, and foxes, and bears, and ermines, and squirrels, and about 350 species of birds. The rivers, lakes and the Baltic Sea are full of fish of all kinds.

Finland is a state in the northern part of Europe. It bears the title of the best and most stable country in the world. What are the characteristics and characteristics of Finland? For the form of government, and a description of the population, see later in the article.

Geography

Finland shares borders with Norway, Russia, Sweden. It shares by sea (along the Gulf of Finland) and with Sweden (the Gulf of Bothnia). Finland's area is 338,430,053 square kilometers. More than 20% of the country's territory is located in the Arctic Circle.

The coastline of the continental part stretches for 46 thousand kilometers. In addition, Finland owns more than 80 thousand islands and archipelagos. The most famous are the Turku archipelago and the Åland Islands.

In the area between the Gulfs of Finland and the Gulf of Bothnia, there is the Archipelago Sea. This is an area in which many small islands, uninhabited rocks and skerries are concentrated. Their total number reaches 50,000, which makes the archipelago the largest in the country.

The territory of the state is elongated in the meridian direction. The length from north to south is 1,030 kilometers, the distance from west to east is 515 kilometers. The highest point, Mount Halti, is shared by the country with Norway. In Finland, its height is 1324 meters.

Finland: form of government and political structure

Finland is a unitary state where the Aland Islands have partial autonomy. The special status of the islands determines the release of the inhabitants of this territory from military service (unlike the rest of Finland), allows them to have their own parliament, and much more.

Finland is a parliamentary-presidential republic. The head of state is the president, whose term of office lasts six years. The main ruling structures of the country are located in the capital - the city of Helsinki. The judicial system has several branches and is divided into civil, criminal and administrative courts.

The laws in the country are based on Swedish or civil law. Given that the country is a parliamentary-presidential republic, the parliament and the president are responsible for the legislative branch. Executive power belongs to the President and the Council of State.

What territorial units is Finland divided into? The form of government of the country assumes a slightly complicated division. The entire territory is divided into regions, they are divided into cities, which, in turn, are subdivided into communes. Each unit has its own controls. There are 19 regions in the country.

Population of the country

The country is home to approximately 5.5 million people. The majority of Finland's population lives on only five percent of the country's territory. The overall population growth is negative, the birth rate is lower than the death rate. Nevertheless, the total number of inhabitants is increasing.

In recent years, citizens of other countries have made up about 4%. The Finnish population is 89% Finnish. The Finnish Swedes are the largest national minority. Russians represent 1.3%, almost 1% belongs to Estonians. The Sámi and Roma have the smallest numbers.

The first most widespread language is Finnish, it is spoken by more than 90% of the population. Together with Swedish it is official. Only 5.5% of the population speaks Swedish, mainly in the Aland Islands, in the western and southern regions of the state. Russian, Somali, Arabic and English are common among immigrants.

Economy

Finland's share in the world economy is modest, accounting for 0.8% in trade and about 5% in production. This small highly developed GDP per capita is about 45 thousand dollars. The national currency of Finland is the euro, until 2002 the Finnish mark was in effect.

Industry accounts for the largest share of the country's economy (33%). The main industries are mechanical engineering, metallurgy, woodworking, light and food industries. Agriculture is focused on growing grain crops and meat and dairy farming. It accounts for 6%, forestry - 5%.

The sphere of Internet technologies is rapidly developing in Finland, and investment attractiveness is increasing. The negative factors of the economy are the large and undeveloped domestic market.

Almost half of the residents are employed in the service sector, industrial sector and trade, 28% work in forestry, 12% in fishing. In Finland, there is a tendency towards an aging population, which also negatively affects the development of the country's economy.

Nature

Finland is often called more than 180 thousand of them here. Most of them, together with swamps and marshes, are located in the central part of the country. The largest are Oulujärvi, Saima, Päianne. All lakes are connected by small rivers, in which waterfalls, rapids and rapids are often formed.

The area of ​​Finland is 60% covered with forests. The relief is represented by hilly plains, in the east - by plateaus. The highest point is in the north; in the rest of the country, the elevations do not exceed three hundred meters. The formation of the relief was significantly influenced by glaciation.

The country has a temperate climate, continental in the northern part, in the rest of the territory - transitional from continental to maritime. Active precipitation occurs throughout the year. Summer days are especially long and cool, reaching 19:00. In remote northern areas, sunset does not occur for 73 days. Winters, on the other hand, are short and cold.

Fauna and flora

Finland is characterized by a variety of flora and fauna. Forests cover more than 20 million hectares of the country. These are mainly pine forests located in the central part. A large number of berries (blueberries, cranberries, raspberries, etc.) and mushrooms grow in them. In the southern regions, beech forests prevail.

In the northern part of the country, the vegetation is low. There are no forests, but cloudberry grass is actively growing, forming whole thickets. Spring vegetation is represented by various herbs, such as liverwort, coltsfoot.

The fauna is widely represented by birds. Whooper swans live in Finland, which have become a symbol of the country. Here you can find finches, lapwings, blackbirds, starlings, herons, and cranes. The list of mammals includes wolverines, lynxes, flying squirrels, beavers, brown bears, bat, wolves, ferrets and, of course, reindeer.

• There are 38 national parks on the territory of Finland, which are allowed to walk freely by law. Within their limits there are many parking lots for the night.
• Tap water in this country is considered the cleanest in the world.
• You don't have to travel far to see the Northern Lights. You can observe it even in the southern part of the country.

• Nordic walking is a local sport. It is an ordinary sport walking with ski poles for weights. They do it even in the summer.
• On average, every Finn drinks over two thousand cups of coffee a year. For this they have earned the title of world coffee lovers.
• In a small town in Finland, it is quite possible to meet a deer or a bear right on the street.

Conclusion

The land of a thousand lakes and "midnight sun" - this is Finland. The form of government of the state is a republic. It is a unitary country, which includes a territory with a special status. The main city of the country is Helsinki.

The ecological situation in Finland is considered to be one of the best in the world. Even from the taps, clear water flows here. The country's hilly terrain is covered with pine and beech forests, berry bushes and numerous lakes. And the state carefully protects its unique landscapes.

The content of the article

FINLAND, The Republic of Finland, a state in the north of Europe. Its northern part is located beyond the Arctic Circle. In the west, Finland borders with Sweden, in the north - with Norway, in the east - with Russia. The country's maritime borders run along the Gulf of Finland in the south and the Bothnian Gulf in the west. The area of ​​the country is 338 145 sq. km. Population 5 million 250 thousand people (as of 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 there are approx. 180 thousand small islands.

Finland is a land of vast forests and numerous lakes, ultra-modern buildings and ancient castles. Forests constitute its main wealth, they are called the "green gold of Finland". Finland is renowned for its achievements in architecture and industrial design. As one of the youngest states in Europe, Finland nevertheless has amassed a rich cultural tradition.

Finland is often referred to the group of Scandinavian countries with which it maintains close ties. After 700 years of Swedish rule, it ceded to Russia in 1809, receiving the status of the Grand Duchy of Finland. Finland declared independence in December 1917. From the end of World War II until 1991, it was linked with the USSR by strong economic ties. After the collapse of the USSR in 1991, Finland reoriented towards establishing closer ties with Western Europe. Since 1995 Finland has been a member of the European Union.

NATURE

Terrain relief.

Finland is a hilly-flat country. Absolute heights usually do not exceed 300 m. The highest point in the country, Mount Haltia (1328 m), is located in the far northwest, on the border with Norway. Geologically, Finland is located within the Baltic crystalline shield. During the Ice Age, it was subjected to ice sheets. Glaciers have flattened the hills and filled most of the basins with their sediments. Under the weight of the ice, the territory subsided, and after the degradation of glaciation, the Yoldiev Sea, the predecessor of the modern Baltic, was formed. Despite the elevation of the land, many depressions are still occupied by lakes and swamps. Hence the name of the country Suomi (suo - "swamp") originated. From the heritage of the glacial epoch, chains of lakes are clearly distinguished - narrow elongated ridges, composed of water-glacial sands and pebbles. They were used to build roads through the swampy lowlands that occupy most of the country. Ranges of glacial deposits (moraines) block many valleys and dam up rivers, contributing to the fragmentation of flow and the formation of many rapids and waterfalls. Finland possesses significant reserves of water energy.

Climate.

Since the entire country lies north of 60 ° N, the days are long and cool in summer and short and cold in winter. Summer in southern Finland lasts 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 ° С in the south and 14-15 ° С in the north. Average temperatures of the coldest month, February, are –13 –14 ° С in the north and from –8 ° С to –4 ° С in the south. The proximity to the sea has a moderating effect on temperatures. Frosts occur at any time of the year, even in the south of the country. Average annual rainfall is 450 mm in the north and 700 mm in the south.

Water resources.

In Finland there are 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, not provided by railways and roads. Lakes Päijänne in the south, Näsijärvi in ​​the south-west and Oulujärvi in ​​central Finland, along with rivers, also play an important role in water transport. Numerous small canals connect the rivers and lakes of the country, sometimes bypassing the waterfalls. Of greatest importance is the Saimaa Canal, which connects Lake Saimaa with the Gulf of Finland near Vyborg (part of the canal passes through the Leningrad Region).

Flora and fauna.

Almost 2/3 of Finland's territory 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-deciduous forests grow in the extreme south-west. Maple, elm, ash and hazel penetrate up to 62 ° N, apple trees are found at 64 ° N. Conifers are distributed up to 68 ° N. To the north, there are forest-tundra and tundra.

One third of Finland's territory is occupied by swamps (including swampy forests). Peat is widely used as bedding for livestock and much less often for fuel. Reclamation of bogs has been carried out in a number of regions.

The fauna of Finland is very poor. Usually, the forests are inhabited by elk, squirrel, hare, fox, otter, less often desman. 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). The rivers and lakes are home to salmon, trout, whitefish, perch, pike perch, pike, vendace, and in the Baltic Sea - Baltic herring.

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 native language (against 6.3% in 1980). The Swedish-speaking population is mainly concentrated in the coastal areas in the west and south of the country and in the Åland Islands. The Sami (about 1.7 thousand people), who live in Lapland, belong to the national minorities. Some of them are still nomadic in areas 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 Sami, are Orthodox. The Orthodox Church is also recognized by the state and receives subsidies. The country has small communities of Jehovah's Witnesses, the Finnish Free Church, and Seventh-day Adventists. 10% of the population find it difficult to indicate their religious affiliation.

The size 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 to 12.2 per 1,000 people in 1973, then it increased slightly and in 1990 reached 13.1 per 1,000 people, but in 2004 it fell again to 10.56. The mortality rate 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 women - 83.

The population is mainly concentrated in the coastal and southern regions of Finland. The highest population density is characteristic of the coast of the Gulf of Finland, the south-western 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 to the coast. The latest shifts in the distribution of the population are closely related to 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 exception is 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. ), Jyväskylä, Kotka, Lappeenranta, Vaasa and Joensuu (from 76.2 thousand to 45.4 thousand). Many cities are surrounded by vast forests. In the south of central Finland, the cities of Tampere, Lahti and Hämeenlinna form a large industrial complex. Finland's two largest cities, Helsinki and Turku, are located on the seaside.

STATE ORDER AND POLITICS

Political system.

Finland is a republic. The main document defining its 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, it approves laws and has the right of relative veto. The President is the commander-in-chief of the country's armed forces and directs its 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 the government.

The 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 deciding matters of principle. If none of the parties is in the majority, the government is formed on a coalition basis.

The 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 legislative power and has the power to approve all appointments and ratify treaties and other international agreements.

In the Finnish legal system, primary proceedings are based 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 presides over the sessions and only he alone has the right to pass sentences, sometimes contrary to the unanimous opinion of the jury. Sessions of municipal courts are conducted by the burgomaster (mayor) with two or more judicial assistants. For appellate proceedings, there are six appellate courts in different parts of the country, with several judges (three of them constitute a quorum). The Supreme Court is located in Helsinki. In some cases, he carries out primary proceedings, but usually he considers requests for clemency, hears appeals and decides on the constitutionality of certain laws and actions. The court system includes the highest administrative court and several special courts, for example, in land matters, labor disputes and insurance matters. The courts are subordinate to the Ministry of Justice, which, however, does not interfere in court decisions. The police are under the authority of the Ministry of the Interior. Both the judiciary and the police are controlled by parliament.

Local government.

Administratively, since the end of 1997, Finland has been divided into 6 provinces (liani), which are governed by governors appointed by the president. The province of Akhvenanmaa (Aland Islands) with a predominantly Swedish population enjoys wide autonomy. It has its own parliament and flag, and is represented in the parliament of the entire country by one deputy. The lowest administrative-territorial unit - the community - is responsible for municipal services and collects 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 four-year terms on the basis 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 transferring industry to the state, but continue to advocate economic planning and improved social security. A prominent figure in the SDPF, Mauno Koivisto, served as President of Finland for two terms (1982-1994). He was replaced by Martti Ahtisaari (also a Social Democrat). The Democratic Union of the People of Finland (DSNF), formerly a pro-Soviet coalition of left-wing parties, until the 1990s was influenced by the Finnish Communist Party (CPF), which since the 1960s has split into a moderate “majority” and a Stalinist “minority”. In 1990, the DSNF merged with other leftist groups to form the Finnish Left Union (LSF). The Finnish Center Party (PFC, until 1965 - the Agrarian Union, until 1988 - the Center Party) was a member of almost every coalition since 1947. President Urho Kekkonen (from 1956 to 1981) left its ranks. This party played a leading role in the coalition government from 1991 to 1995. The PFC represents the interests of farmers, but is receiving increasing support from the urban population. The Conservative National Coalition Party (NCP) opposes state control over the economy, but advocates expanding social programs. The Swedish People's Party (SNP) reflects the interests of the Swedish-speaking population. The Rural Party of Finland (SPF) spun off from the Agrarian Union in 1959 and gained significant influence in the late 1960s, reflecting the opposition movement of small farmers. Founded in the late 1970s, the Finnish Greens Union (SZF), advocating for environmental protection, has been permanently represented in parliament since 1983, and in 1995 became a part of the coalition government. This is the first time that the green movement in Europe has achieved such success.

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, NKP and PFC, each with between 14% and 21% of the vote. In the 1960s and 1970s, the government coalition was usually led by the SDPF or PFC. The communists took part in the work of the government in 1966-1971, 1975-1976 and 1977-1982. In the parliamentary elections of 1987, non-socialist parties received the majority of votes (for the first time since 1946), although representatives of the SDPF entered the government headed by the NKP, following the traditional policy of compromises in Finland. An anti-socialist orientation also manifested itself in the 1991 elections, when the SDPF took second place and the PFC formed a government with the participation of representatives of the NKP, SPF and the Christian Union (HS). In the 1995 elections, the SDPF again took first place and formed a coalition government together with the NKP, LSF, SNP and SZF.

Military establishment.

Under the terms of the 1947 peace treaty, the Finnish armed forces were not supposed to exceed 41.9 thousand people. After the unification of Germany in 1990, Finland itself began to regulate the size of its army. In 1997, the country's armed forces amounted to 32.8 thousand people, of which 75% were conscripts. In stock there were approx. 700 thousand people who underwent military training. The navy has fewer than 60 vessels, including 2 corvettes, 11 launch vehicles, 10 patrol vessels and 7 minelayers. The air force consists of three fighter squadrons and one transport squadron.

Military expenditures for the 1998-1999 financial year amounted to $ 1.8 million, or 2% of the IED.

Foreign policy.

According to 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 foreign 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 is an associated member of the European Free Trade Association, since 1986 - a full member of this organization. The main direction of foreign policy after the Second World War was for Finland to maintain good relations with the USSR, which brought the country large economic revenues, 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 Treaty on the Foundations of Relations between Russia and Finland was signed, which meant the termination of the 1948 treaty. The new treaty, concluded for 10 years, guarantees the inviolability of the borders of both countries.

ECONOMY

The country has limited reserves of minerals and its significant hydropower resources are underutilized. The main wealth of the country is timber, and its economy is traditionally associated with forest resources. For a long time, industries based on wood processing prevailed, and agriculture, which was the main occupation of the population before World War II, has always been combined with forestry. In the post-war period, the country's economy has become much more diversified. Under the peace treaty of 1947, Finland ceded significant territory to the USSR and took on 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, mechanical engineering and shipbuilding, which turned out to be more competitive than timber processing industries.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Employment.

In 2002, Finland's GDP (the value of all marketable goods and services) amounted to 133.8 billion marks, or per capita $ 25,800 against $ 28,283. The share of agriculture in GDP reached 4% in 2002 (in 1990 - 3.4%). In general, 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, totaling 48.2% of GDP. During the period 1980-1989, GDP grew on average by 3.1% per year (adjusted for inflation). Then the contraction began: in 1991, GDP fell 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-age population was employed in agriculture and forestry (against 44% in 1948), 27.8% in industry and construction (30% in 1948) and 64.2% in management and services (26% in 1948). Unemployment, which stood at 2% in the early 1970s, rose by the end of that decade and again in the early 1990s, reaching 16.4% in 1994. In 2003, it dropped to 9%.

Economical geography.

A third of Finland's area is located beyond the Arctic Circle. This is a sparsely populated area with pine and birch sparse forests and rapids with large reserves of hydropower. On the contrary, in the southwest there 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 bounded 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 industry is concentrated in the Helsinki region. Engineering 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 producing glass and porcelain dishes. Turku, the main port in southwestern Finland, ranks third among mechanical 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 engineering companies. However, in recent years, there has been a reduction in production in shipbuilding and the textile industry.

Outside southwestern Finland, with its cities and wealthy farms, there is a vast transition zone that includes the Lake District. Forest-related branches of the economy prevail here. Pulp and paper mills operate in some settlements. An economically underdeveloped region with a compact Swedish-speaking population stands out along the coast of the Gulf of Bothnia. In the cities of Vaasa and Oulu, the ancient centers of the forest 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 privately owned. Hydroelectric power plants and railways are publicly owned, and businesses are largely regulated by the government. The transfer of land from one owner to another is also strictly controlled by the state. About 1/3 of retail trade is concentrated in the hands of cooperatives, but large private marketing companies play a leading role in trade. Finnish farmers use the services of consumer, production and marketing cooperatives. In addition, cooperative banks provide loans for land purchases and farm upgrades to increase production. Through the Finnish Bank, the government sets interest and discount rates and thus effectively controls lending operations. Finland has a policy of actively attracting foreign investment.

Agriculture.

Before World War II, agriculture was the main occupation of the population. After the war, peasants who came from areas that had ceded to the USSR received land plots, and in this way many small farms were organized. Currently, the country is dominated by small peasant farms. Limited opportunities for agricultural expansion and increased farm mechanization have contributed to a significant decline in the number of people employed in this sector, while the income of the remainder has grown significantly. Finland had to lift traditional restrictions on imports of agricultural products, as this was a prerequisite for joining the EU. The production of dairy products, meat and eggs exceeds the demand in the domestic market, and these goods dominate agricultural exports. Some specific products are also exported, such as smoked venison. Overall, agricultural products accounted for only 1.3% of export earnings in 1997.

Livestock raising, especially dairy cattle, pigs and broilers, is an important specialized agricultural sector in Finland. In 1997 there were approx. 1,140 thousand dairy cows - slightly 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 a mixture of ryegrass, timothy and clover. Potatoes and fodder beets are also grown.

The cultivation of commercial food crops in Finland is limited due to the short growing season and the constant risk of frost, even during the growing season. The country is located beyond the northern borders of the cultivation of major crops and away from the coast of the Atlantic Ocean 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 growing 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 grain crops, along with sugar beets, are grown on the fertile clay plains of the southwest, apples, cucumbers and onions - on the Aland Islands, tomatoes - in greenhouses in the south of the former. Vaasa County (Esterbottena).

In Finland, agriculture and forestry are inextricably linked. Most of the peasants own significant forest areas along with arable land. Over 60% of the forested land belongs to farmers. In the early 1990s, on average, approx. 1/6 of the income of farmers received from logging (their share is lower in the more fertile southern regions and higher - in the northern and central). 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 regions of central and northern Finland, crop failures occur about once every four years).

Forestry.

Finland's forests constitute its greatest natural wealth. Wood is used to make plywood, cellulose, 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 still ranked second in the world after Canada in paper and paperboard exports.

Forests, consisting mainly of pine, spruce and birch, are the country's main resource. In 1987-1991, an average of 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 indicator. Deforestation was a concern as early as 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, timber roads were laid and the reclamation network was expanded. In the more productive southern and central regions, where 60% of all timber reserves are concentrated, fertilization and reforestation were widely used. As a result, the annual increase in timber stocks in the 1970s was 1.5%, and in the 1980s - 4%. In 1998 the natural growth exceeded the felling volume by 20 million cubic meters.

Fishing,

important for domestic consumption, supplies only a small share of its products for export. The number of people employed exclusively in this industry fell 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 resources in Finland are small, and mining has started relatively recently. In 1993, it accounted for less than 1% of the total value of industrial products. Zinc is the most important mineral, but Finland's share in 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 value of mining products. Valuable deposits of nickel ores were transferred to the USSR in 1945, but this loss was partially compensated by the later discovered deposits of copper, nickel, lead and zinc. Several new deposits of iron ore have been explored on the seabed near the island of Yussar and near the Aland Islands. Chromium and nickel are mined in Tornio, which are used to produce alloy steel.

Energy.

Finland has a large hydropower potential, but it is only half used, since the development of these resources is complicated under conditions of small differences in elevation. In 1995, the total generation of electricity was 65 billion kWh (against 118 billion in Norway, with its smaller population). More than half of Finland's hydropower capacity is concentrated on hydropower plants built on the Kemijoki rivers in the far north, Oulujoki with tributaries in the center and Vironkoski in the southeast. Almost all heavy industry in Finland is based on the consumption of large amounts of electricity. The country's railways are mostly electrified. Finland ranks second in the world in peat extraction, 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 nuclear power plants were built, purchased from Sweden. In 1997, nuclear energy accounted for 17% of the country's energy balance.

Manufacturing industry

Finland is still characterized by numerous small businesses and handicrafts, but after the Second World War the number of large enterprises has grown 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 forestry industries producing pulp, paper and lumber. In 1996, their share was 18% of the country's industrial production. About 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 Gulf of Finland, where raw materials are supplied from the Lake District. About 30% of paper production is newsprint; in addition, cardboard, wrapping paper and high-quality paper for banknotes, stocks and other valuable documents are produced. Lumber was an important export commodity as early as the mid-19th century. In the early 1970s, there were half as many sawmills in Finland than at the beginning of the 20th century, but the output of this industry remained at the 1913 level (7.5 million cubic meters per year). In the mid-1970s, sawn timber output declined significantly, and then began to grow again and in 1989 reached 7.7 million cubic meters. m. The main center of sawmilling is the city of Kem 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 tracts of birch forests.

After World War II, 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 industries accounted for more than 1/4 of all industrial production. 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 small factories are found in many cities in southwestern Finland. The steel produced in Rautaruukki meets the special requirements of the arctic regions.

Also produced are machines and equipment for pulp and paper mills, agricultural machinery, tankers and icebreakers, cables, transformers, generators and electric motors.

In the 1980s and 1990s, Finland became a major manufacturer of cell phones (Nokia). The leading Finnish manufacturer 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 the value of industrial products and 10% of export earnings. The industry produces synthetic fibers and plastics from wood waste, pharmaceuticals, fertilizers and cosmetics. Finland is also known for its 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, breast milk substitutes and artificial nutrition.

Transport and communications.

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 road system has been expanded and the private car fleet has grown strongly in the 1960s and 1970s, the traffic volume in Finland is still low compared to other Scandinavian countries. Bus service in summer is maintained up to the extreme northern regions. The length of highways reaches 80 thousand km. The 6.1 thousand km network of navigable waterways, which includes canals between numerous lakes, is extremely important for passenger and freight traffic. In winter, navigation along 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 is also a leader 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 are distinguished by a particularly high level of use of this communication system.

International trade.

Finland's economy, like its neighboring Scandinavian countries, is highly dependent on foreign trade. In 1997, imports and exports together accounted for 65% of GDP, the value of imports is $ 30.9 billion, exports are $ 40.9 billion. Metallurgy and mechanical engineering products are the largest source of export earnings (43.3%), followed by products wood processing and chemical industries. Finland imports mainly industrial raw materials, fuel, transport equipment and chemical products.

In the decades since World War II, Finland's foreign trade balance has tended to run in small deficits. The huge rise in oil prices on the world market in 1973-1974 and in 1979 forced to restrict imports and restore the balance of foreign trade. However, at the same time, the overall balance of payments in Finland, including services and financial intermediation, sharply went into deficit, since a high standard of living was maintained by foreign loans. In 1972, the Finnish government and banks had an external debt of $ 700 million, but in 1997 it fell to $ 32.4 million (mainly due to the sharp rise in prices in the late 1980s). From 1980 to 1993 there was a constant deficit of the foreign trade balance, with the highest 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).

Most of Finland's foreign trade (60% of imports and 60% of exports in 1997) is with Western Europe, especially Germany, Sweden and the UK, where mainly pulp and paper products are exported. Trade with the former USSR was carried out mainly on a barter basis, formalized by five-year agreements; in the early 1980s, Finland sent there up to 25% of exports, especially metallurgy and mechanical engineering products, as well as ready-made clothes in exchange for oil and natural gas. When in 1991 Finland made the decision to transfer foreign trade operations to convertible currency, exports to Russia fell to 5%. This had a particularly strong impact on the state of the shipbuilding and textile industries, which had long worked for the stable Soviet market.

Monetary system and banks.

The monetary unit until 2002 is the Finnish mark, issued by the central Finnish bank. State 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 insurance contributions. Expenditures amounted to $ 36.6 billion, of which 30% - 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, 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, the Finnish society is rather homogeneous. The presence of two main ethnic groups - Finnish and Swedish - in modern conditions does not create any serious problems. The country's social cohesion has stood the test of time. The influx of immigrants from Karelia after World War II created social and economic difficulties, but they were quickly overcome.

Organization of society.

Despite the equalizing effect of the income tax, in 1997 persons who received more than 250 thousand marks a year accounted for 2.9% of all taxpayers, and they accounted for 12.5% ​​of all income. This group paid 18.1% of all taxes. In contrast, in the same year, persons earning less than 60,000 marks a year accounted for 42% of all taxpayers, and they accounted for 16.1% of all income. This group paid 6.6% of all taxes. Despite such 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 in Finland are highly cohesive. In agriculture, there is the Central Union of Agricultural Producers, in the forestry - the Central Union of the Finnish Forest Industry, and in industry - the Central Union of Industrialists and Employers (CSPR), which expanded significantly in 1993 through the merger of a number of business associations. The country has a Federation of Foreign Trade Groups and a Central Organization of Shipowners. An organization for the promotion of Finnish handicrafts has been established to encourage the production of the artistic fabrics, ceramics and furniture for which this country is famous. Most of the other trading groups also have their own associations.

Consumer cooperatives play a significant role in the economic life of Finland. There are two main groups of cooperatives - one for farmers (Central Union of Cooperatives) and the other for workers (Central Union of Consumer Cooperatives). Together, they had 1.4 million members in the mid-1990s and controlled nearly one-third of retail.

Trade union movement

Finland is massive. At present, there are three large workers' associations: the Central Organization of Finnish Trade Unions (COPF), founded in 1907 and with nearly 1.1 million members in 1997. The 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, established in 1922 and numbered approx. 400 thousand members, functioned until its dissolution in 1992. More than 12 independent trade unions arose in its place.

CSPC and independent trade unions enter into collective agreements with the CSPR, which unites approximately 6.3 thousand employers. Most of these contracts apply to the entire industry and not to an individual enterprise. Governmental bodies - the Economic Council and the Wages Council - monitor compliance with contracts.

Religion in the life of society.

The State Lutheran Church does not interfere with the activities of other religious movements. Although dissent and indifference to the state church is sometimes manifested among believers, in the western, central and northern regions it enjoys great 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 there are various organizations of the Finnish Free Church. Religious activity itself is in the competence of bishops, and financially, the church is accountable to the state. In the interwar period, the Lutheran Church supported conservative and right-wing radicals (in particular, the Lapua movement) in the struggle against the Social Democrats and Communists, although the clergy themselves were not members of secular organizations.

The situation of women.

Universal suffrage was introduced in 1906. Finland was the first European country to give women the right to vote. It is not uncommon for women to hold ministerial positions and the highest professional positions everywhere except in the church. In 1995, there were 67 women among the 200 deputies of parliament (and in 1991 there were 77 women).

In 1996 in Finland, 61.4% of women aged 25 to 54 were employed, which is a record figure even for industrialized 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.

A broad legal framework lies at the heart of the social security and protection system for citizens. There is a system of compulsory insurance for old age and disability, funded mainly by employers. To mitigate the effects of inflation, the state subsidizes old-age pensions. State social security programs pay benefits for unemployment, pregnancy and childcare and large families, as well as finance kindergartens and day care groups in schools. Health insurance covers most of the costs of outpatient and inpatient care in government clinics. Free health centers were established in all municipalities under the Public Health Act 1972. In 1998, Finland ranked fifth in the world in terms of quality of life (when determining this indicator, the state of health care, living standards, life expectancy, income and the realization of women's rights were taken into account).

CULTURE

Finnish culture up to the 20th century experienced significant Swedish influence. 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 for this indicator ranked first among the developed countries. Education in the country is free at all levels up to university and compulsory for all children between the ages of 7 and 16. Illiteracy has been almost completely eliminated. In 1997, approx. 400 thousand children studied in primary schools and 470 thousand in secondary schools, incl. 125 thousand in vocational schools. In 1997, there were 142.8 thousand students at the country's universities, incl. in the following cities: Helsinki - 37 thousand, Tampere - 15 thousand, Turku - 15 thousand (university teaching in Finnish) and 6 thousand (university teaching 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 in technical, veterinary, agricultural, trade and teacher training colleges. The network of educational institutions of this type is developing rapidly. In addition, adult education programs have been established, covering more than 25% of the working-age population.

Literature and art.

Finnish literature, music and folklore originated from an outstanding national epic Kalevala, collected by Elias Lönroth in 1849. His influence can be traced in the works of prominent Finnish writers Alexis Kivi and F.E. Sillanpää, as well as in the music of Jan Sibelius. In the 19th century. the prominent poet and author of the Finnish national anthem 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. they were joined by Maya Lassila, Johannes Linnankoski, Joel Lehtonen. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. poets J.H. Erkko, Eino Leino and Edith Södergran worked.

After the First World War, a number of new writers appeared on the literary arena: Nobel Prize winner Frans Emil Sillanpää, author of novels about rural life in western Finland, Toivo Pekkanen, who described the life of workers in Kotka, Aino Kallas, whose works were dedicated to Estonia, Unto Seppänen, a writer of everyday life in a Karelian village, and Pentti Haanpää, a nugget writer, a master of artistic words. Väine Linn's novels about World War II ( Unknown Soldier) and about landless peasants ( Here under the North Star). In post-war literature, the social novel experienced a new heyday (Aili Nordgren, Martti Larni, K. Chilman, etc.). Mika Valtari, the author of the acclaimed 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 is 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 monument of the Empire architectural style bears great resemblance to the ensembles of St. Petersburg. At the beginning of the 20th century. in Finnish architecture, national romanticism was clearly manifested, which strengthened the connection between the building and its natural surroundings. The buildings themselves were distinguished by their picturesque and decorative interpretation of architectural forms, resurrecting 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 Theater, the Scandinavian Bank and the railway station in Helsinki. The leading figures in this movement were Eliel Saarinen, Lars Sonck, Armas Lindgren and Hermann Gesellius. National romanticism is firmly established in the history of world architecture.

Functionalism, introduced in Finland by Alvar Aalto and Erik Bryggman in the interwar period, promoted the free organization of volumes and spaces, asymmetry of compositions, and ease of planning. The telephone exchange building and the cathedral in Tampere, designed by Lars Sonck, are considered masterpieces of this trend. Practical and comfortable residential buildings, schools, hospitals, shops, industrial enterprises were built. The aesthetic value of these buildings lies in their very construction, 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 severity of architectural forms along with the extensive use of modern building structures (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 with compact development of asymmetric, geometrically clear groups of houses appeared (Kortepohja district in Jyväskylä, Hakunila district in Helsinki, etc.). Renowned contemporary architects - Reima Pietilä, Timo Penttila and Juha Leiviskiai, winner of the Carlsberg Prize 1995. Timo Sarpaneva is the winner of many international design competitions.

The fine arts of Finland in the 19th century maintained close contacts with leading European schools in Paris, Dusseldorf, St. Petersburg. The Finnish Art Society was founded in 1846. The foundations of national landscape painting were laid by W. Holmberg, J. Munsterhjelm, B. Lindholm and V. Westerholm. Moralizing, somewhat sentimental canvases by A. von Becker and K. Janson are sustained in the traditions of late modernism. The von Wright brothers created romantic rural landscapes.

End of the 19th century considered the "golden age" of Finnish painting. At this time, the art movement "Young Finland" was formed, developing the ideas of independence and service to the people. Democratic tendencies in Finnish painting, close to the traditions of the Itinerants in Russia, were reflected in the work of Albert Edelfelt (the first Finnish artist to become famous outside his country), Eero Jarnefelt and Pekka Halonen. The largest representative of national romanticism in painting was Akseli Gallen-Kallela, who repeatedly turned to the plots of the Finnish epic and folklore. The original talent of Juho Rissanen was attracted by scenes of folk life. A. Faven was an outstanding portrait painter. The women painters Maria Viik and Helena Schjerfbeck were distinguished by a high level of skill.

Painting of the early 20th century experienced a strong influence of 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 Ankell. Then a rival "November Group" of Expressionists was formed under the leadership of Tyuko Sallinen. Then Finnish artists became interested in modernism, abstractionism and constructivism.

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 realistic trend intensified, representatives of which were Robert Stigel, Emil Vikström, 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 the Olympic runner Paavo Nurmi, Aaltonen received the Grand Prix at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1937. He created a whole gallery of sculptures of figures of culture and art of Finland. Such sculptors as Aimo Tukiainen, Kalervo Kallio and Erkki Kannosto are widely known in the country and abroad. According to the project of the woman-sculptor Eila Hiltunen, on a rock in a picturesque corner of Helsinki, a monumental monument to Jan Sibelius was erected, imitating a majestic organ made of steel pipes of various sizes, connected into a powerful rhythmic composition. On a nearby rock is a sculptural portrait of the great composer, also made of steel.

Finnish music is mainly identified with the work of Jan Sibelius. Other Finnish composers were successful in finding new forms, and here such masters as Selim Palmgren, Yrjö Kilpinen (songwriter), Armas Jarnefelt (composer of romances, choral and symphonic music) and Uuno Klami became especially famous. Oscar Merikanto became famous as the author of the opera Virgin of the North, and Arre Merikanto created atonal music. Opera by Aulis Sallinen Rider was a great success and influenced the formation of modern opera. Esa-Pekka Salonen is one of the most famous conductors in the country. There are symphony orchestras in Helsinki, Turku, Tampere and Lahti, and there are choirs and song groups even in small villages. Among the numerous theaters, the leading positions are held by the Finnish Ballet, the Finnish National Theater, the Finnish National Opera and the Swedish Theater. In the city of Savonlinna, opera festivals are held annually 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 person in the country).

The science.

Scientific work is carried out in 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 works of Finnish geologists made it possible to clarify the cardinal problems of the structure of the Baltic Shield and estimate its mineral resources. In Finland, for the first time in the world, a complete forest inventory was carried out under the leadership of Yrjö Ilvesalo 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 his proposed classification has been successfully applied in many other countries. On his initiative, the first experimental forestry stations were created in Finland. In 1922, 1924 and 1937-1939 Kajander headed the government of Finland.

Prominent 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 in 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.

The largest scientific center of Finland - Helsinki University. His library contains all the publications of 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.

The people of Finland love to read. In 1997, on average, there were 19.7 books issued by public libraries for every inhabitant of this country. A developed library system is able to satisfy the needs of residents of the most remote regions of the country.

Mass media.

In 1997, more than 200 newspapers were published in Finland, including 56 daily newspapers (8 in Swedish). Major newspapers - "Helsingit Sanomat" (independent), Aamulehti (NCP organ) in Tampere and Turun Sanomat (to Turku). The official body of the SDPF - "Demari" , and LSF - "Kansan Uutiset" . The country produces the world's largest number of books per capita; in 1997 it was published approx. 11 thousand items.

Until 1984, there was a state monopoly on radio and television. There are currently four state television channels and seven state radio stations. Broadcasting is carried out in two languages ​​- Finnish (75%) and Swedish (25%). Private television companies buy airtime from the state.

Sport.

Internationally, Finnish athletes have a long history of 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 – sauna heated by dry steam. The country has approx. 1.5 million saunas (i.e. one for every three residents). Regular use of the sauna has become a tradition not only in rural areas, but also in cities.

Finland celebrates the longest day of the year - June 24th. This massive folk festival called "Johannus" (Midsummer's 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, throwing away everyday worries, making big fires and doing fortune-telling. Other secular holidays - May Day; June 4, Day of Commemoration of Marshal Mannerheim. Independence Day is celebrated in Finland on December 6. Religious holidays - Epiphany, Good Friday (Friday during Holy Week), Easter, Ascension, Trinity, Christmas Eve and Christmas.

HISTORY

Ancient period.

At the beginning of our era, Finnish tribes who came from the east settled in the southern regions of present-day Finland, where they mixed with the local population. The Sami tribes, descendants of the earlier Finno-Ugric migrants, were pushed northward.

The ancestors of modern Finns were pagans, led a nomadic lifestyle and were mainly engaged in hunting and fishing. In the southwest lived the Suomi tribe, in the center - the Hame tribe, in the east - the Karjala. Subsequently, the name "Suomi" was transferred to the entire country. The Finns came into contact with the Swedish tribes inhabiting the eastern regions of the Scandinavian Peninsula, and made a number of raids on their lands.

Domination of Sweden.

In response to these raids, the Swedes undertook the First Crusade (1157) against the pagan Finns. He was crowned with 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 spread to the eastern regions. Fortresses were built on the conquered lands. Thus, the Swedish state penetrated into the eastern part of the Baltic region, but the same lands were claimed by Russia, which was 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 the Russian lands.

Finland has gained some of the benefits of the union with Sweden by 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 Finnish representation in local government. The accession of the Vasa dynasty in Sweden led to the establishment of more effective government in Finland. The formation of the Finnish literary language, whose father was the priest Mikael Agricola, began to translate the Bible into Finnish at the same time. From 1548, church services began to be held in Finnish.

In the 17th century. Sweden has made some improvements to the administrative system in Finland. Swedish Governor-General Per Brahe introduced an appellate court and founded a university in Turku, as well as granted independence to the cities. Finland's representatives were admitted to the Swedish Riksdag. Although these reforms primarily affected the interests of the Swedish nobility who lived in Finland, the 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. Extraction of minerals began, landowners founded small metallurgical plants that worked on charcoal. Part of the products of landlord and state enterprises and products of peasant and guild crafts (resin, paper) were exported. Bread, salt and some other goods were imported in exchange.

Finland's position was complicated by its geographical location as a buffer between Russia and Sweden, which made it throughout the 15th - early 19th centuries. theater of military operations in the Russian-Swedish wars in the struggle for domination 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 thousand people remained on the territory of Finland. After the victory of Russia in the Northern War under Peter I, the Nishtadt Peace Treaty (1721) was concluded, according to which Livonia, Estland, Ingermanlandia, part of Karelia and the Moosund Islands were ceded to Russia. Russia returned to Sweden most of Finland and paid 2 million Efimks 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 to the river was transferred to Russia. Kymijoki with the fortified towns of Wilmanstrand (Lappeenranta) and Friedrichsgam (Hamina).

Autonomous Grand Duchy of Russia.

From the 70s of the 18th century. separatist ideas began to emerge in the Finnish elite. Some prominent Finns dreamed of the country's independence (Georg-Magnus Sprengtporten). These sentiments manifested themselves during the Russian-Swedish war of 1788-1790, when the Swedish king Gustav III tried to reclaim the lost provinces.

The fate of Finland was also influenced by Sweden's hostility to Napoleon. 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 advance west and then north. Initially, 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 Sveaborg fortress, which was called "Swedish Gibraltar in the North", dealt a serious blow to Sweden. Alexander I announced the annexation of Finland to Russia, the population took an oath of allegiance. In the summer of 1808, the Swedes rallied and halted the enemy's offensive for some time, but they failed to turn the tide of the war. In the fall of 1808, they were driven out from all over Finland. Russian troops made raids on the Aland Islands and even on the territory of Sweden itself. In March 1809, King Gustav IV Adolphus was overthrown. At the same time, representatives of the Finnish estates gathered in Borgo (Porvoo), who confirmed the annexation of Finland to Russia. The Seimas was opened by Alexander I, who announced the granting of Finland the status of an autonomous Grand Duchy, which kept the previous Swedish laws. Swedish remained the state language. The war ended with the defeat of Sweden and the signing of the Friedrichsgam Peace Treaty, according to which Finland withdrew to Russia as a Grand Duchy, and the Aland Islands. In 1809, the Grand Duchy of Finland was formed with its own Diet and a special commission for Finnish affairs (later renamed the committee for Finnish affairs) was created. In 1812 Helsingfors (Helsinki) was declared the capital of the principality.

Finland enjoyed significant benefits and privileges. It received its own postal service and justice system, and from the 1860s its own Finnish monetary system. The Finns were exempted from compulsory military service in the Russian army. The prosperity of the population grew, and its number increased from 1 million in 1815 to 1.75 million in 1870.

The cultural life of Finland has revived. This was facilitated by the transfer of the university from Turku to the capital city of Helsinki. Johan Ludwig Runeberg, author Legends of Ensign Stol, and Elias Lenroth, 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 Wilhelm Snellman headed the movement for the development of school education and in 1863 achieved the establishment of the equality of the Finnish language with Swedish.

The rights of the Grand Duchy of Finland as autonomy until the end of the 19th century. were not violated by the tsarist government. In the period from 1809 to 1863, the Finnish Sejm did not meet, and the country was governed by the Senate under the Governor-General. The first meeting of the Diet to draft a constitution was convened in 1863 at the initiative of Alexander II. Since 1869, the Sejm began to convene regularly, its composition was renewed once every five years, and from 1882 - once 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, a new policy began to be developed, 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 do military service in the Russian army. When the Senate, which had previously made concessions, rejected this demand, General Bobrikov instituted courts-martial. In response, in 1904, the Finns shot Bobrikov, and unrest broke out 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 reform program. Nicholas II was forced to cancel the decrees limiting Finnish autonomy. In 1906, a new democratic electoral law was passed, 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 were oriented towards 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 declined. During the First World War, due to the blockade and the almost complete cessation of external maritime relations, 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 a Diet was convened. However, the law on the restoration of the autonomous rights of Finland, adopted by the Diet on July 18, 1917, was rejected by the Provisional Government, the Diet was dissolved, and its building was occupied by Russian troops. The "red" and "white" guards began to form. After the 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 the Bolshevik government of Lenin.

Radically-minded Social Democrats, relying on the detachments of the Red Guard, carried out a coup d'etat in January 1918 and proclaimed Finland a socialist workers' republic. The Finnish government fled to the north, where the general of the Russian army, Baron Carl Gustav Mannerheim, led the newly formed white army. A civil war broke out between the Whites and the Reds, who were helped by the Russian troops still remaining in the country. Thousands of people fell victim to the red and white terror. Kaiser's 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 Red stronghold of Vyborg fell in April 1918. A Diet 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. After some time, the parties revived under different names, and 80 moderate Social Democrats, also Old Finns and representatives of the progressive and agrarian parties, took part in the work of the Diet, convened in April 1919. A new democratic constitution for the country was adopted. 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.

Controversial issues with Russia were settled thanks to the 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 Aland Islands was resolved with the mediation of the League of Nations in 1921: the archipelago went to Finland, but was demilitarized.

The language issue in the country was resolved by recognizing both languages ​​- Finnish and Swedish - as official. 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 payment of compensation to landowners. Long-term loans were provided to peasants who had land plots, 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 system from both the ultra-left (CPF) and fascist movements.

The Second World War.

Until the outbreak of World War II, Finland's foreign policy centered on difficult relations with the USSR, where they viewed it as a potential enemy and feared its rapprochement with Germany. The country's ruling circles nevertheless tended to focus on the Scandinavian countries. Finland's position 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 into 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 Hanko Peninsula.

On November 30, 1939, Soviet troops invaded Finland. Immediately, a puppet "government" of the so-called. "Democratic Republic of Finland" 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 by the Stalinist "purges", fought ineffectively and suffered much greater losses than Finland. The famous Finnish defensive line of Mannerheim held back the advance of the Red Army for some time, but in January 1940 it was broken. The Finns' hopes for help from England and France were in vain, 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 area, and the Hanko 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 of the allied Karelo-Finnish SSR in the USSR in April 1940. 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 United States demanded that the Finnish government make peace. However, this step was deterred 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 on an armistice with the USSR, according to which Finland gave the Petsamo area, exchanged the rented Hanko Peninsula 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 Allied Control Commission, 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.

The military insurance agency in a short time established operational control over the work of industry in order to strictly observe the terms of reparation deliveries to the USSR. In case of delay for each month, Finland was fined 5% of the value of the goods (more than 200 names). At the request of the USSR, the following quotas were established for machines, machine tools and finished products: a third was timber products, a third was transport, machine tools and machines, and a third was ships and cables. Equipment for pulp and paper mills, new ships, locomotives, trucks, and cranes were sent to the USSR.

New foreign policy course.

Finland began to be put into practice in the final stage of the war, when Marshal Mannerheim was elected president of the republic and managed to lead the country out of the war. In 1946, he was replaced by Juho Cousteau Paasikivi (1870–1956), who sought to stabilize relations with the Soviet Union. In 1948, an agreement of 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 was gradually improving. The government provided assistance (with land and subsidies) to 450 thousand immigrants from the regions transferred to the USSR.

Immediately after the war, the DSNF emerged in the political arena, which was 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 severe defeat in 1948, mainly due to voter dissatisfaction with the communist coup in Czechoslovakia. In the elections of 1951 and 1954, the DSNF again received significant support (in part, this was a reaction to the economic policy of the government), but it did not manage to achieve its previous influence.

In the 50s, 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 Karelo-Finnish SSR into the Karelian Autonomous SSR within the RSFSR also brought peace 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. Finland's course towards good-neighborly relations with its eastern neighbor was called the Paasikivi-Kekkonen line.

In the 1950s, the unemployment rate rose; the abolition of government subsidies for food products triggered a rise in prices. In 1955, the government failed to support a wage agreement, which triggered 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, agrarians have led a series of volatile minority governments.

The 1966 elections brought about a sharp turn in Finnish politics. SDPF and DSNF received an absolute majority of seats in parliament. Together with the center party PFC (formerly the Agrarian Union), they formed a strong coalition that introduced strict wage and price controls to slow inflation and balance the foreign trade deficit. However, in 1971 the DSNF withdrew from the coalition and the government resigned.

In the early 1970s, Finland experienced an economic recovery thanks to trade agreements concluded in 1973 with the EEC and CMEA. However, in the mid-1970s, the rise in oil prices led to a decline in production and an increase in unemployment. In 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 in his place. Sorsa again became the head of the government. Representatives of the DSNF soon left the cabinet, and the other three parties, having received the majority of the votes, re-formed the government in 1983.

The unprecedented growth 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 the majority of seats in the 1987 elections, and Harry Holkeri of the conservative NCP formed a coalition of four parties, which the Social Democrats also joined. Taxes on individuals and companies were reduced and Finland opened up its markets to foreign investment. Liberalization contributed to near-full employment and 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, but at the same time 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 declining.

After the parliamentary elections in 1991, 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, remained in power until the spring of 1995. The radical changes that took place in world politics in the late 1980s and early 1990s; the end of the division of Europe, the collapse of the communist system and the collapse of the Soviet Union affected Finland in 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 stating that the provisions of the Paris Peace Treaty (1947) concerning the size and materiel of the armed forces, limiting 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 the same year. Finland recognized Russia's position as the legal successor of the USSR and in January 1992 entered into a good-neighborliness agreement. The treaty confirmed the stability of the borders between the countries. Both of them have embarked on joint projects to combat radioactive waste pollution. 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 cast their votes for the PFC and other non-socialist parties, which ended up in a clear majority. The 36-year-old Esko Aho became the prime minister of the country.

At the same time, the integration processes in Western Europe caused more and more activity in Finland. Since 1985 Finland has been a full member of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), 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 more free access to the EU internal market. In Finland, this agreement was seen as a “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 Finland's full EU membership began to emerge. 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 EU membership. In November of the same year, 152 votes against 45, the Finnish parliament approved Finland's membership in the EU since the beginning of 1995. The capital Helsinki, the capital region and mainly the developed south of the country, voted in favor. The northern regions, the provinces and small settlements were against.

Since 1994, presidential elections have been held by direct popular will. The Social Democratic candidate, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Martti Ahtisaari, was elected president, receiving approximately 54% of the vote in the second round.

In early 1995 parliamentary elections, the Center of Finland party suffered a crushing defeat, and the newly elected SDPF chairman Paavo Lipponen formed a government unique in Finnish history, based on the Social Democrats and the National Coalition Party. In addition, the Greens, the Left Union and the Swedish People's Party entered the government. 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 make the economy work 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 Center of Finland, which remained in opposition, gained stronger support. The SDPF lost votes but still retained its position as the largest parliamentary group with its 51 mandates. The election results did not affect the basis of the government, and Paavo Lipponen established 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 entered the Schengen area, and in 2002 adopted the euro as its national currency instead of the mark.

In the January 2006 elections, Tarja Halonen won the support of 51.8% of the popular vote. Her only rival, former Finnish finance minister Sauli Niinisto, gained 48.2%.

In March 2007, the next parliamentary elections were held. A coalition government was formed from right-wing parties: the National Coalition and the Finland Center Party. The Social Democratic Party also received a large number of votes, but did not enter the coalition, and became oppositional.
Parliamentary elections were held on April 17, 2011. The following parties received the majority of 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 the votes were cast by the nationalist True Finns party, which as a result came in third place.

History of Finland. Petrozavodsk, 1996
The political history of Finland. 1809-1995... M., 1998
Jussila O., Hentila S, Nevakivi Y. Political history of Finland 1809–1995... M., 1998
XX century... Brief historical encyclopedia in 2 vols. M., 2001

Municipal educational institution Ocherskaya secondary school №1

subject: GEOGRAPHY

topic: FINLAND

Completed by a student of grade 11 "b"

Zelenin Ivan

Ocher, 2009

1. Introduction

2. Economic and geographical location (EGP):

Natural resources:

Mineral

• Agroclimatic

Population:

Number and natural growth

Age and sex composition

• Population density

  Urbanization level

industry

Agriculture

transport

a bit of history ...

Introduction

The name of the country in Russian and many languages ​​comes from the Swedish word Finland("The country of the Finns"). The Finnish name of the country is Suomi. For the first time, it is recorded on the pages of Russian chronicles in the form of Sum (from the beginning of the XII century). Initially, this was the name of the territory of present-day southwestern Finland (coastal areas), called Varsinais Suomi (real Finland). The word itself also has a Germanic origin, going back to the ancient Swedish word meaning squad, group, gathering. There are other versions of the origin of this name:

Some believe that the word Suomi comes from the Finnish word suomu (scales), because the ancient inhabitants sewed clothes for themselves from fish skin

According to another theory, the word Suomi was originally a proper name. Indeed, the name Suomi was borne by a certain Danish nobleman who made peace with Charlemagne. The nobleman's name was preserved in the king's papers.

According to another version, the word Suomi- of Estonian origin. It is assumed that the once existed area by name Sooma(Est. soo- "swamp", maa- "Earth"; literally: "land of swamps"). The settlers from this area transferred the name of their homeland to southwestern Finland, which also became known as Suomi.

Economic and geographical location

Finland is a state in the north of Europe. The capital is Helsinki. Bordered by Sweden to the northwest

(586 km), Norway in the north (716 km) and with Russia in the east (1265 km), the sea border with Estonia runs along the Gulfs of Finland and Bothnia of the Baltic Sea. In the south and west of the coast of Finland

washed by the waters of the Baltic Sea, its bays - the Finnish and Bothnian. Length

coastline (excluding tortuosity) 1100 km. Finland's area is 339 thousand km 2, it ranks 64th in the world in terms of area (about 1/4 of the area is located above the Arctic Circle). About 1/10 of the territory

Finland - inland waters, mainly lakes.

The country is divided into three main geographic regions:

Coastal lowlands - they stretch along the shores of the Gulfs of Finland and Bothnia, along the shores of which there are thousands of rocky islands; the main archipelagos are the Åland Islands and the Turku archipelago. In the south - west coast, the highly dissected coastline grows into the largest archipelago in Finland - the Archipelago Sea - a unique place in the whole world, thanks to the inimitable multitude of islands of various sizes.

The Inner Lake System (Lake District) is an inland plateau south of the center of the country with dense forests and many lakes, marshes and marshes.

Northern upper reaches, most of which are located beyond the Arctic Circle. Differs in rather poor soils. Lapland is also characterized by rocky mountains and small hills. In the same place, in the western part of Lapland, is the highest point of Finland - Halti Fjeld (1328 meters above sea level)

Most of Finland is low-lying, but in the northeast some mountains reach heights of over 1000 meters. Finland is located on an ancient granite bedrock that was formed during the Ice Age, and traces of it are visible, for example, in the complex system of lakes and archipelagos and in the huge boulders found throughout the country.

Natural resources

Mineral resources: Finland has significant mineral resources. In 1974, 934 thousand tons of iron ore (concentrates and pellets), 38 thousand tons of copper, 92 thousand tons of zinc were mined. In addition, nickel, chromites, cobalt, vanadium, lead, pyrites, graphite, feldspar, and asbestos are mined in Finland. The energy problem is one of the most acute in Finland; the country does not have mineral fuel, other energy resources are limited. Its own needs for fuel are covered by imports. Mainly crude oil and petroleum products are imported; production of petroleum products in Finland in

1974 amounted to St. 8.3 million tons

Water resources: In Finland, which is often called "the land of a thousand lakes", there are about 190,000 lakes, which occupy 9% of its area. Usually lakes abound with numerous bays, peninsulas and islands, are connected by channels and form branched lake systems. Small lakes with an average depth of 5-20 m prevail. However, within the limits of the Lake Plateau, located in central Finland, there are rather large and deep bodies of water. So, the depth of Lake Payanne reaches 93 m. The largest lake in the country is Saimaa, located in the southeast of the country. The large lake Oulujärvi is located to the north of the Lake Plateau. , and in the north of Lapland is the large lake Inari. The number of rivers in Finland reaches 2,000. They abound with rapids and waterfalls. Most of the rivers are short, and connect lakes with each other or flow from lakes into the sea. The largest rivers - Kemijoki, Oulujoki and Tornionjoki - flow in the north. The Kemijoki River has the most extensive network of tributaries. The country also has 36 channels with 48 gateways. The canals are mostly small and connect the rivers and lakes of the country, sometimes bypassing the waterfalls. Of greatest importance is the Saimaa Canal, partly passing through the Leningrad Region and connecting Lake Saimaa with the Gulf of Finland.

Forest resources: Moving from the south of Finland to the north, the coastal landscapes with a huge number of small islands and rocks will be replaced by dense coniferous, mostly pine forests, covering the center of the country. Farther north are Lapland's hills, almost devoid of woody vegetation. 2/3 of the forests are privately owned, and 3/4 with joint stock companies.

Annual felling is about 50-55 million m 3. In forestry together with timber rafting

employs 65 thousand people, except for the peasants who make up the main contingent

employed in this industry.

Agroclimatic resources: The climate is temperate, transitional from maritime to continental, and continental in the north. Despite its northern position, Finland is experiencing the warming effects of the Atlantic. During the year, westerly winds with frequent cyclones prevail in the country. Average temperatures for all seasons are much higher than in more eastern regions at the same latitudes. The winters are cold. Rainfall throughout the year. The average February temperature in the south of the country is -6 ° C, in Lapland -14 ° C. In July, respectively, +17 in the south and up to +14 in the north.

Population

Number and natural growth:

The population of Finland in 2009 was 5,340,093 people, of which 47% were men and 53% were women.

The annual population growth rate is 0.098% on average. On average, 105 boys are born per 100 girls in Finland;

Age composition:

0-14 years: 16.4% (male 438,425 / female 422,777)

15-64 years: 66.8% (male 1,773,495 / female 1,732,792)

65 years and over: 16.8% (male 357,811 / female 524,975)

Peoples:

The ethnic composition of the Finnish population is relatively homogeneous, 91%

inhabitants are Finns. Swedes live in the southern and western Baltic regions (about 390 thousand people, 1973, estimate), in the north of the country - about 3 thousand Sami (Lapps). The official languages ​​are Finnish and Swedish.

Population density:

The average population density is 16 people. per 1 km 2, 9/10 of the total population lives in the southern half of the country.

Urbanization:

The level of urbanization in Finland is quite high, which leads to the growth of old cities and urban-type settlements, to the formation of new cities, to the overgrowth of large cities with satellite cities. The urban population in 1974 was 58.1% (32.3% in 1950).

Industry

The overwhelming part of industrial production is produced by about 15% of industrial enterprises (with the number of employees from 100 or more), which concentrate about 70% of all industrial personnel. In 1975, 609,000 people were employed in industry. (against 364.5 thousand people in 1959). In the structure of industry in the postwar years, there have been significant shifts (see Table 2). In terms of product value, a group of metalworking industries gained the same importance as the timber and paper industry, which occupied a dominant position until World War II and still retained the 1st place in exports (43% of all exports in 1976). This happened due to the modernization and expansion, and in some cases the construction of new machine-building enterprises, which was caused both by the increased consumption of metal products, machinery and equipment in Finland itself, and by the fulfillment of reparation deliveries, and subsequently orders from the USSR and other socialist countries.

Extractive industry and energy.

The energy problem is one of the most acute in Finland; the country does not have mineral fuel, other energy resources are limited. Its own needs for fuel are covered by imports. For the structure of the fuel and energy balance, see table. 3. Mainly crude oil and petroleum products are imported; production of petroleum products in Finland in 1974 amounted to St. 8.3 million tons . Hydropower potential of St. 20 billion kW. h , of which 11 billion kW were mastered. h (1973). The main sources are in the North, where in the post-war years cascades of hydroelectric power plants were built on the rivers Oulujoki and Kemijoki. The total capacity of the power plants in 1974 amounted to 6.79 million kW. , including the capacity of the HPP is 2.32 million kW. . In total electricity production, the share of St. 40%, the largest HPPs are Iatra (capacity 156 MW.) , Oulujoki (110 MW) , Pyhäkoski (110 MW) . A nuclear power plant is under construction in Lovis (with the technical assistance of the Soviet Union, the start-up of the 1st power unit took place in 1977). Part of the electricity (3.6 billion kW. h in 1974) is imported, including from the USSR. Since 1974, natural gas has been supplied to Finland from the USSR to Finland by pipeline.

Manufacturing industry

The group of branches of the metal industry includes metallurgy, metalworking and mechanical engineering, including the electrical industry, the production of vehicles (and ship repair). The main place in this group belongs to transport and general mechanical engineering, electrical engineering. The metallurgical industry expanded significantly in the 1960s and 70s. due to the expansion of the raw material base and the commissioning of new enterprises, the largest of which are the state metallurgical plant Rautarukki (in Rakh and Hämenlinna) and the factories operating mainly on scrap in the cities of Imatra, Turku, and Koverhara. Smelting of electrolytic copper and zinc is developed in nonferrous metallurgy (factories in the city of Kokkola).

Finland manufactures a wide range of machinery and industrial equipment; In the production and export of machinery and equipment for the pulp and paper industry, France occupies a prominent place in the world (7% of production in all capitalist countries and 10% of exports). Main production centers: Lahti, Vasa, Karhula, Rauma, Tampere. The branches of mechanical engineering are developed, specializing in the production of lifting and transport equipment (freight elevators, cranes, etc.), agricultural machines, machines for the forest industry, for road and construction works.

Electrical industry

specializes mainly in the production of power equipment (generators, transformers, electric motors, etc.) and the manufacture of cables, the manufacture of telephones, manual and automatic telephone exchanges, radios, televisions, and much more; the main center is Helsinki, as well as Turku, Salo, Porvo. Developed shipbuilding; there are 9 shipyards, the largest in Turku, Helsinki, Rauma; they build mainly special ships, including the world's largest diesel icebreakers, platforms with drilling rigs for offshore oil production, ferries, and sea. and lake tugs, pass. and cargo ships.

Preserved wooden shipbuilding (sailboats, schooners, boats, motor boats). A large number of ships are being built for foreign orders.

Automotive(mainly from imported parts assembly of passenger cars of the Swedish-Finnish company "Saab - Valmet"; production of trucks and buses) and tractor construction; centers - cities of Helsinki, Hämenlinna, Tampere, Jyväskylä.

Timber industry has a diversified structure and includes woodworking (including sawmilling, furniture production, standard houses and building parts) and the pulp and paper industry (including the production of wood pulp, sulfite and sulfate pulp, paper, cardboard). Finland has less than 1% of the world's timber reserves (0.6%), but it is in the first row of capitalist countries producing and exporting timber products. The woodworking and pulp and paper industries account for more than 1/4 of the value of the country's gross industrial output, and the products of these industries account for almost 1/5 of the value of Finnish exports. Large sawmills. factories are located mainly in the lower reaches of floating rivers. There is a production of plywood, particle boards, matches, etc .; the furniture industry is developed (the main center is the city of Lahti); making houses, baths, barracks, etc., Ch. district of wooden housing construction - lakes region (Varkaus, Joensu), Rauma, Turku, Kemi.

Pulp and paper industry provides the largest amount of export timber products. The main place is occupied by the production of paper pulp, mainly cellulose (5% of world production and 7% of exports) and paper - newsprint (6% and 11%, respectively), writing and printing (4% and 22%). This industry works partially (about 30%) on waste from sawmills and woodworking enterprises. This is related to its placement. The main areas are the South-East (Kymi-Yoki valley) and the coast of the Bothnian Hall. The most important timber processing and export centers - years. Kotka, Kemi and Pori.

Chemical industry is developing at a rapid pace, far outstripping the average annual growth rate of the industry as a whole. St. 2 I 3 chemical production accounts for oil refining, St. 1/3 - for plastics, fertilizers - nitrogen and phosphate, paints and synthetic fibers, 1/5 - for household chemicals. The production of sulfuric acid, used in the pulp and paper industry, is of great importance. Chemical industry centers - Helsinki, Turku, Tampere, Oulu; oil refining - years. Porvoo and Nantali. Light and food industry b. h. focused on the domestic market. Developed text., Sewing, footwear, glass and porcelain industries; production of building materials. Main text, center - Tampere. Food processing enterprises, in particular for the production of butter and cheese, are located throughout the country, but especially in the Southwest.

Agriculture

Finland is one of the northernmost countries with developed agriculture. Its peculiarity is its connection with forestry. The main direction of agriculture is animal husbandry, mainly dairy farming, it provides 75% of the value of agricultural products. Agriculture uses 8.1% of the country's territory - 2.7 million hectares (1973), of which almost all land is cultivated. About sown areas, harvesting crops, livestock and livestock products. The overwhelming majority of peasant farms are small. Of 266 thousand farms (1973), 176 thousand had less than 5 hectares of arable land. Since farms with more than 10 hectares are practically viable. arable land, incomes from forest exploitation (on average 35 hectares per farm) and additional earnings are of great importance for peasants. Only 5% of farms use hired labor. Farms with less than 10 hectares of arable land each account for 77.4% of farms and occupy about 45% of arable land; farms with 10-20 hectares arable land, make up about 17% of all farms and have 32% of arable land; large farms (over 20 hectares of arable land each) -St. 5% of all farms, they concentrate 23% of arable land. The process of ruin of small farms and the concentration of land at large owners is under way at an accelerating pace. In the period 1969-74, 39 thousand peasant farms were ruined, mainly those whose arable land did not exceed 10 hectares. . In the southern and central regions, along with animal husbandry, grain farming is of great importance. The marketing and processing of agricultural products is heavily monopolized. Fodder crops prevail in sowing crops - oats, barley, seeded grasses. Agriculture is highly mechanized (175 thousand tractors and 34 thousand harvesters in 1974), which means that the grain yield (wheat 29.4 centners / ha , rye 18.3 c / ha in 1975) and the milk yield of cows (3974 kg per cow per year in 1974). In the northern regions - reindeer herding.

Transport

Finland's transport system is considered to be well thought out. Finnish roads are managed by the Road Administration (fin. Tiehallinto) is a department subordinate to the Ministry of Transport and Communications. Finland's rail network is operated by the state-owned Ratahallintokeskus, which is under the Ministry of Transport and Communications. Domestic and foreign air travel in Finland is carried out by about twenty airlines, including two Finnish ones: Finnair (formerly Aero), a Finnish airline controlled by the state, and private airline Finncomm Airlines, which operates joint flights with Finnair. The country has 28 airports, the largest of which is Helsinki-Vantaa, located in Vantaa. Finavia operates 25 airports. The Merenkulkulaitos department, subordinate to the Ministry of Transport and Communications, is responsible for water transport. The length of railways is about 6 thousand km (1976), they account for 2.8% of passenger and 26.4% of freight traffic. The length of highways is about 40 thousand km. The main seaports are Helsinki, Turku, Kotka, Hamina, and the oil ports are Schöldwik and Nantali. Thanks to icebreakers, sea navigation all year round.

A bit of history ...

According to archaeological research, the first settlements in Finland appeared at the end of the Ice Age, that is, around 8500 BC. e .. the inhabitants of Finland were hunters and gatherers who used stone tools. The first pottery appeared in the 3rd millennium BC. e., when settlers from the East brought the culture of comb pottery. The arrival of the battle ax culture on the southern coast of Finland in the 32nd century BC NS. coincided with the birth of agriculture. Despite this, hunting and fishing still remained an important part of the settlers' lives, especially in the northern and eastern parts of the country.

Towards the end of the Viking Age, Swedish merchants and kings extended their influence over the entire Baltic region. For several centuries Finland was ruled by Protestant Sweden. But as a result of the Russian-Swedish War, Finland in 1809 became part of the Russian Empire as the Grand Duchy of Finland, while maintaining broad autonomy. However, the unpopular Russification process prepared the Finns for independence.

One of the most ...) in the Southwest and South Finland and metamorphosed volcanic rocks, quartzites ... Karelids) in the Eastern and Northern Finland... Locally developed platform clay-sandstone ...

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