Finland

Pictures

Virtual Finland – Picture book LINK

Business

Finns tend to behave more quietly, more efficiently than many other nationalities. The internet, mobile phones, and satellite navigation are used by Finns on an everyday basis. Valuable from the business point of view, there is a high degree of integrity – you see what you get, and get what you see.

Religion

Citizens of Finland are very religious – up to 84,1% of the population endorse one the churches: 81,8% Lutheran, 1,1% orthodox and 1,2% Catholics (or other allowed and statistically observed churches). 15,9% of the population is without religion.

Source: Statistics Finland

Finland is a member of the following organizations:

AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (host), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU

Finnish history has been written since the 12^th century, when in 1155 it has come to the first expedition of Swedish into the area of what is Finland today. The Southern and Western regions were consequently added to the Swedish Kingdom.

The GDP per capita (purchasing power parity) is 33,500 USD. From the point of view of economical performance, Finland belongs to the most successful countries of the European Union. A fast GDP growth, which has still continued in 2006, slowed down in 2007 and according to the newest information of the Finnish Ministry of Finance and the data of the Statistics Agency has reached 4,4 % in 2007.

Finland, situated in North-Eastern Europe, is one of the three countries that share the Scandinavian Peninsula. Its longest border is the one with Russia, it further borders with Sweden, Norway and Estonia. This country is enclosed with sea (Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia and Gulf of Finland). On the interface of the Gulf of Bothnia and Baltic Sea lie the Åland Islands, that are autonomous.