Finland 🇫🇮

Flag of Finland

Suomen tasavalta

Population » 5.5 million people (2021)
- The majority of the population reside in the southern regions with Helsinki home for around 615,000
Languages » Finnish (Official), Swedish (Official)
Religion » Christianity
Life expectancy » 79 years (men), 84 years (women)
Finland joined the EU in 1995
Currency » Euro
- it belonged to the first group of countries adopting the Euro
Dialing Code » +358
- Emergency Number » 112

Area »338,145 sq km (130,559 sq miles)
Bordered by Norway to the north, Sweden to the northwest, and Russia to the east.
Finland is one of the larger European countries but conversely it is the most sparsely populated

Map of Finland (Source » France, Aug 2021)

Finland signed the Schengen area agreement on 19 December 1996 and started its implementation on 25 March 2001.
Official Finland Travel Guide

Seat belts are compulsory
Winter tires are compulsory from December 1st to the end of February with a minimum depth of 3mm
A warning triangle must be carried
Pedestrians must wear reflectors during darkness hours
- Once a driver or passenger steps out of a vehicle they in become a pedestrian so therefore must adhere to the ruling
Speed limits are:
- 20 km/h in residential zones
- 50 km/h in towns
- 80 km/h in winter and 100 km/h in summer on single carriageways
- 100 km/h in winter and 120 km/h in summer on dual carriageways and motorways.
Finland shares land borders with Sweden, Russia and Norway
Estonia is across the Gulf of Finland
Numerous ferry services run to Finland from Sweden, Poland, Germany and Estonia.
- Viking Line and Tallink Silja Ferries offer services from Helsinki to Tallin, Stockholm, and Mariehamn and from Turku to Langnas, Stockholm and Mariehamn. Finnlines operate from Travemunde to Helsinki, Turku and Rauma, from Lubeck to Helsinki, Turku, Rauma and Kotka.
There are no road tolls or vehicle movement taxes in Finland
There are no restrictions on the amount of fuel carried in the main tank that can be brought into the country.
Finnish Transport Authority: www.lvm.fi

Finland has come top of Gallup’s World Happiness Report for four consecutive years based on factors like GDP per capita, social support, life expectancy, freedom to make life choices, generosity, and corruption levels. (2019)
- (Previous Entry » According to the 2018 World Happiness Report, based on research conducted by Gallup, Finland is the happiest country in the world.)
It is famous for its educational system, and for being one of the safest and most eco-friendly countries on earth.
- Named the safest country in the world in the 2017 World Economic Forum Report.
Finland was part of Russia as an autonomous Grand Duchy from 1809 before securing independence in 1917. Before that they were under Swedish rule for centuries.

Finland is one of the safest countries in the world for travellers.
Finland became the 31st member of NATO on 4 April 2023.
- Finland’s accession to NATO reverses years of nonalignment in a shift triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
- Finland shares the longest European Union border with Russia, at 1,340km (832 miles).