Finland is one of the Nordic countries, the others being Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, including their associated territories (Greenland, the Faroe Islands, and the Aland Islands). The term “Nordic countries” refers collectively to the five countries, as mentioned above in Northern Europe. With a total population of 5.4 million, Finland is a small country in Europe. It borders Sweden, Norway, and Russia. Its capital is Helsinki that is home to the 18th-century sea fortress Suomenlinna.
1. Finland is ranked as No. 1 “Happiest Country” in the World
The latest UN report stated that Finland is the happiest country in the world at this time. It made a remarkable jump from #5 to #1 this year. It is because Finns enjoy themselves with a series of exciting events and games. One of such events is “National Sleep Head Day,” where the last in a family to wake up is thrown into a lake or the sea by the rest of the family. Finland is one of the most genders equal countries in the world nowadays. Finland was the first country in Europe to give all the women ‘right to vote’ back in 1906.
2. It can be costly to drive faster than the speed limit
The speeding fines in Finland are calculated on the violator’s total income. It means that a millionaire has to pay fines up to 100 000 when driving faster than the speed limit.
3.Unique Finnish Sports
Finland is unique in its sports too. They genuinely enjoy being themselves and participating in enthusiastic sports. Some of the legitimate games are:
- Wife-carrying Championship
- Mosquito hunting competition
- Mobile phone throwing
- Swamp Football
- Air Guitar
Another interesting fact for kids is that ‘Angry Birds’ was also created in Finland.
4. Highest Consumption of Coffee and Milk Per Capita
The Nordic countries are famous for being heavy coffee-drinkers, and the Finns are no different. It is hard to estimate how many cups one can drink per year, but an estimated amount is 12 kilos of coffee annually. Likewise, the Finns are also fond of milk. They have the world’s highest annual consumption of milk per capita.
5. The Land of “Thousands of Lakes”
There is a total of 187 888 lakes within Finnish territory. So, no wonder the country is named as the land of thousands of lakes. In Finland, you can enjoy nature as long as you don’t litter. It does mean that you can freely walk, camp, roam, pick flowers, and berries as you have the right to public access.
6. Education is Free in Finland
One of the fascinating things about Finland is that they provide free education even at the university level. It also applies to international students from European countries.
Non-EU-nationals can also enjoy free education if the course taken is taught in Finnish or Swedish, or doctoral studies in any language. In Finland, when someone earns their Ph.D., they get a top hat and a sword.
7.Northern Lights, Midnight Sun and Polar Night
Finland is one of the unique lands that can alone experience all these spectacular events. During the winter, you can see Northern Lights, and also experience the Polar night in the Northern parts of the country. It’s the darkest month of the year, and for several weeks the sun won’t rise. There’s a resort in Finland where you can sleep in a glass igloo and watch the mesmerizing northern lights. And the opposite occurs during summer when the sun never sets, also known as the midnight sun.
Until Next Time,
Team Doctor ASKY!