History of the Nation
According to archaeologists, Finland was settled as early as 7000 B.C. by the ancestors of the Lapps. Glaciers still covered the country, so the settlers were forced to live in coastal areas. These people hunted and fished, and evidence suggests that they could build boats.
Around 3500 B.C., Nomads from Asia began to cross over into Finland. These people were known as the Finno-Ugrics, and they gradually moved into southwestern Finland. The Finno-Ugrics forced the Lapps to move further and further north. In 200 B.C., when Finnish people were first making iron tools and weapons, Germanic groups called "boat-axe people" from northern Europe reached Finland. Their name comes from the shape of the axes that they constructed. These newcomers intermarried with the Lapps and Finno-Ugrics.
The only source of information that we have concerning the Iron-Age in Finland is several ancient folktales. Three main groups developed during this time: the Suomalaiset, the Hamalaiset, and the Karelians. Each group was separated by large areas of wilderness.
In 800 A.D., Vikings landed in Finland. By 862, trading outposts had sprung up at Novgorod and Kiev. Through these new links, the Finnish people made contact with the Byzantine Empire, and their society began to become influenced by Byzantine culture.
In 1155, King Erik of Sweden tried to force the Catholic faith on the Finns, who were still centered on a polytheistic-type religion. At this point, Sweden began to take over Finland little by little. After a while, the Swedes met Russian resistance. This began what was to be a long feud between Sweden and Russia over Finland. In 1323, the Treaty of Pahkinasaari was signed, which divided Finland between Russia and Sweden. Despite this treaty, Russia and Sweden continued to battle until 1321 when another treaty gave Sweden control of Finland for two-hundred years. Once this temporary peace was established, hundreds of Swedes hurried to settle Finland's coast. Swedish became the most commonly used language throughout Finland.
Sweden created an assembly to elect Sweden's monarch in the 1300's. By allowing Finland to send representatives to the assembly, Sweden seemed to consider Finland to be one of its provinces rather than a foreign territory.
In the 1600's, the Swedish king Gustavus Adolphus fought many successful foreign wars, and made Sweden a great power in the Baltic. During his wars (i.e.-the Thirty Years' War), however, he depended on taxes and soldiers from Finland. When Gustavus died, his six-year-old daughter, Kristina, took the throne. Kristina was guided by a Swedish nobleman named Axel Oxenstierna, who ruled Sweden until she was old enough. Axel thought that another nobleman, Per Brahe, would challenge him for control of Sweden, so he sent Per Brahe to Turku to take the newly-created post of govenor-general of Finland.
Brahe was loyal to the Finns he ruled, and encouraged Finnish as the language. He began the project of translating the Bible into Finnish, and founded Finland's first University. Brahe retired in 1658, and Queen Kristina gave up her throne to Karl X Gustav, who immediately began warring against Poland. While the Swedish army was in Poland, Russia attacked Finland. Finland defeated the Russians, however, and in 1660 Sweden and Russia signed yet another treaty to establish the eastern border of Finland.
In 1696 and 1697, the plague and famine struck Finland. One-third of the population was killed in these two years. In 1697, fifteen-year-old Karl XII became Sweden's king. When he was eighteen, he launched another attack on Poland. Sweden was defeated when Russia rushed to the aid of Poland. In 1703, Russia captured a Swedish fort on the Gulf of Finland, and began construction on the city of St. Petersburg. By 1718, Russia had gained control of all of Finland.
During the middle-1700's, Sweden tried several times to reclaim Finland, but failed. In 1771, Sweden launched a war against Russia and both sides suffered, but neither were triumphant. Another peace treaty settled this war in 1790.
When Russia and France declared war on Britain, they ordered Sweden to close their ports to British ships. When Sweden refused, the Russians attacked Finland as a way of punishing Sweden. During the Finnish war of 1808-1809, Russia occupied Finland, but never returned the land to Sweden as it had in the past. Russia gained full control of Finland, after 700 years of Swedish rule.
From 1810 to 1900, Finland was careful not to challenge or anger Russia at all. In 1863, the Finnish diet began to meet regularly. Czar Alexander II gave Finland more political independence, and Finland began to print its own currency and develop an army. In 1899, Nicholas II became the czar of Russia, and began to impose laws on Finland without consent of the Finnish diet. He made Russian the official language in Finland, and did away with the Finnish army.
In 1905, a nationwide strike occurred. Because of Russia's recent defeats in a war with Japan, they granted the Finnish people parliamentary reform. A one-house parliament replaced the Finnish diet, and all adult men and women could vote. Nicholas II continued to interfere with Finland, and frequently dissolved the parliament. Russia tried to end Finland's status as an independent country, and Finns began to devise an armed revolt against Russia.
During World War I, Finland remained quiet and neutral. In 1917, when the czar was overthrown, the new Russian leaders restored Finland's control over its own affairs, but didn't consider it a separate country. In November of 1917, Russia's new government was seized. Finland took advantage of Russia's internal conflicts and declared itself an independent country on December sixth.
In January 1918, when Finland still hadn't chosen a type of government of itself, civil war broke out. Finland's military (the White Guard) fought against an armed revolutionary unit (the Red Guard). The military favored a republic with elected officials, while the revolutionists wanted a country where the workers had all of the power. The White Guard took control of western Finland, and the Red Guard took control of southern Finland. World War I ended, and the Germans were defeated. The White Guard, who had been supported by Germany, realized that it would be better to become allies of the victorious countries in Europe. They established relationships with both Britain and the United States, and Finnish independence was recognized in 1919.
Finland's constitution was adopted on June 17, 1919, and the Republic of Finland was created. In 1920, Finland joined the League of Nations. Finland quickly began to pass laws providing for freedom of worship, compulsory education, and other social programs. Finland's economy began to benefit from land reforms which gave tenant farmers ownership of the land that they farmed. Everything was going smoothly, except for the language debate. Most of the upper class used Swedish, while lower classes used Finnish.
In 1939, when Finland refused to surrender land to the USSR, the USSR invaded Finland. At first, Finland had the advantage, but when the Soviets increased their forces, the Finnish army was crushed. Finland was forced to surrender land to the Soviet Union. The Finnish army joined Germany's army in 1941 in attacking the Soviet Union. In 1944, Finland was again forced to surrender to the USSR, even before the end of World War II. The USSR charged Finland $455 million for war damages, and demanded that Finland immediately get rid of the 220,000 German troops in northern Finland.
After World War II, Finland had several problems. 400,000 people needed to be resettled, and another 50,000 had been permanently disabled. When the Germans retreated from northern Finland, they started fires which damaged much of the north. The loss of parts of Finland to the USSR had cost Finland 30 percent of its hydroelectric capacity, 12 percent of its productive forests, and 9 percent of its farmable land. Finland had recovered economically by the 1950's, and also strengthened its international relationships by joining the United Nations and the Nordic Council.
By 1990, Finland had achieved a very high standard of living. The average income per person was very high, and the nation had benefitted from a trade agreement with the European Community. Finland makes high-quality products, including cruise ships, glassware, ceramics, textiles, sports equipment, and electronics. Finland has used its economic power recently to fund international programs to help underdeveloped countries.
Biography of Esko Aho
Esko Aho was born on May 20, 1954 in Veteli, Finland. When he was twenty years old, he was elected chairman of the Center Party's youth organization, and held the position for six years (1974-1980). From 1979 to 1980, he served as a political secretary for the foreign minister. Like many other aspiring Finnish politicians in the 1970's, he devoted time and energy to building ties to the Communist establishment of Eastern Europe. He left his job as secretary in 1980 because he wanted to become the East Bothnian industry and trade secretary. When he was 29, he became one of the youngest members of the Finnish parliament or Eduskunta, when he was elected in 1983. In the summer of 1990, Aho became chairman of the Center Party.
Meanwhile, shortly before the election that was to be held in 1991, the Finnish economy hit its all-time low since the second World War. The unemployment rate rose sharply to nearly six percent. Aho organized a populist protest campaign, and won the support of much of the population. In the election of 1991, the Center Party won 55 seats in the Eduskunta, which was fifteen seats more than they won in the 1987 election. This made the Center Party the largest party in the Eduskunta since 1962. Aho was 36 during the time of the 1991 elections, and he was elected Prime Minister of Finland, becoming the youngest Prime Minister in Finnish history. Shortly before he took office, he was elected speaker of the parliament. Suddenly, this largely unknown member of Parliament was becoming a popular political figure. He has even been called "Finland's Kennedy."
Aho was asked by President Mauno Koivisto to conduct negotiations to form Finland's sixty-fifth new government in Finland's seventy-four years as an independent country. This new government put the nation's economy as number one on its list. The Finnish Gross National Product grew at a 5.2% annual rate as recently as 1989, stopped in 1990, and was predicted to drop 1.5% in 1991. The current account deficit grew to $7 billion through the first quarter of 1991, when the exports dropped due to rising labor costs. Since then, Aho has drawn up several plans to cut interest rates, cut employers' contributions to retirement pensions, and diminish the rapid growth in public spending. Aho's government has committed itself to become a better environment for businesses.
As for foreign policy, Aho has drawn up a foreign policy that is bolder in its position to European regional issues. The new government has been expanding ties to Estonia, who shares many cultural and linguistic similarities with Finland. Finland also formally established diplomatic relations with the three Baltic states.
Esko Aho speaks Swedish fluently, and has said that he will protect the status of that language in Finland. He holds a master's degree in political science, and has been married to Kirtsi Hannele Soderkultani since 1980.
Finnish History: A Timeline
1. 7500's B.C. - Lapps settle Finland
2. 3500's B.C. - Finno-Ugric people settle southwest Finland
3. 1200's B.C. - Knowledge of bronze reaches Finland
4. 200's B.C. - Finnish peoples make iron tools and weapons
5. 200's B.C. - Germanic groups reach Finland from northern Europe
6. 800's A.D. - Vikings land at Finland and set up trading outposts
7. 1000's A.D. - Permanent Finnish settlements develop in southern Finland
8. 1100's A.D. - Finland conquered by Sweden
9. 1155 A.D. - King Erik of Sweden tries to force Roman Catholicism on Finland
10. 1323 A.D. - Pahkinansaari peace treaty established boundary between Russia and Sweden
11. 1351 A.D. - A treaty is signed that gave Sweden unchallenged control of Finland for two centuries
12. 1362 A.D. - Sweden gives Finland the right to send representatives to Swedish assembly, therefore considering Finland a province of Sweden
13. 1500's A.D. - Sweden consolidates its authority in Finland
14. 1500's A.D. - Lutheranism is proclaimed official religion in Finland
15. 1617 A.D. - Peace treaty of Stolbovo gives Sweden eastern
Finland and Ingria
16. 1618 A.D. - Thirty Years' War begins, the Swedish king
relies on Finnish soldiers
17. 1648 A.D. - Thirty Years' War ends
18. 1632 A.D. - Swedish king Gustavus Adolphus dies, six-
year-old daughter Kristina inherits throne
19. 1640 A.D. - First university in Finland founded at Turku by
Finland's Governor-General, Per Brahe
20. 1658 A.D. - Per Brahe dies
21. 1658 A.D. - Kristina gives up her throne, successor is Karl X Gustav, who begins war against Poland
22. 1660 A.D. - Treaty of Kardis signed by Sweden and Russia
to establish eastern Finnish boundaries
23. 1672 A.D. - Swedish king, Karl XI declares himself able to
rule his domains alone, without other govern-
ment officials
24. 1686 A.D. - Karl XI declares Swedish Lutheran Church to
be the official church of Finland
25. 1696 A.D. - Famine strikes Finland, hunger and disease kill
one-third of the population
26. 1697 A.D. - Fifteen-year-old Karl XII becomes king of Sweden
27. 1700 A.D. - Karl XII launches military attack on Poland
28. 1703 A.D. - Russian czar captures Swedish fort on the
Gulf of Finland, begins to build St. Peters-
burg on this site
29. 1709 A.D. - Battle of Poltava takes place; Russians win,
and Swedish forces retreat back to Sweden
30. 1718 A.D. - Russia occupies all of Finland
31. 1721 A.D. - Treaty of Nystad gives Sweden and eastern
Finland to Russia
32. 1743 A.D. - Peace of Turku ends yet another Swedish-
Russian conflict; Russia still occupies Finland
33. 1771 A.D. - Gustav III becomes Swedish king, launches yet
another war against Russia
34. 1790 A.D. - Another peace treaty ends this war, but there
are no clear winners
35. 1807 A.D. - Russia and France, at war with Britain, try to
force Sweden to close its ports to British ships;
Sweden refuses, and the Russian czar attacks
Finland to punish Sweden
36. 1808 A.D. - Finnish War breaks out, Russia occupies
Finland
37. 1809 A.D. - Russia gains all control of Finland, ending 700
years of Swedish rule
38. 1810 A.D. - Finland becomes an autonomous grand duchy,
with the czar assuming the title of Grand Duke
of Finland
39. 1812 A.D. - Duchy's seat of government moved from Turku
to Helsinki
40. 1904 A.D. - Finnish army abolished; Russia provides defense
41. 1906 A.D. - Finnish assembly replaced by the unicameral (single-house) parliament
42. 1917 A.D. - Russian Revolution begins
43. 1917 A.D. - Finland declares independence on Dec. 6
44. 1918 A.D. - Civil war breaks out; Soviet-supported
communists versus German-supported non-
communists
45. 1919 A.D. - Republic of Finland is formed
46. 1920 A.D. - Peace made with the USSR
47. 1939 A.D. - World War II begins
48. 1939 A.D. - Nov. 30- Soviet troops invade Finland, beginning Russo-Finnish War
49. 1940 A.D. - Treaty of Moscow signed, giving USSR
Karelian territories
50. 1941 A.D. - German troops invade USSR, Finland takes
back former territories
51. 1944 A.D. - Soviet troops strike back, and an armistice
signed in September forced Finland to give the
USSR the Karelian Isthmus and a 50-year
lease to a military base at Porkkala
52. 1955 A.D. - Finland joins the United Nations
53. 1955 A.D. - Finland joins the Nordic Council
54. 1956 A.D. - Urho Kekkonen becomes president of Finland
55. 1973 A.D. - Finland signs agreements with the European Economic Community
56. 1977 A.D. - Finland signs agreements with the USSR
57. 1982 A.D. - Mauno Koivisto is elected president of Finland
58. 1983 A.D. - Esko Aho becomes youngest member of Eduskunta (Finnish Parliament)
59. 1991 A.D. - Esko Aho is elected Prime Minister of Finland
60. 1992 A.D. - Finland decides to add the McDonnell-Douglas F-18 C/D aircraft to its military
61. 1995 A.D. - Finland receives its first F-18 C/D aircraft
Finland's Economy
Finland's most important natural resource throughout the years has been wood. The Finns process wood to export as paper, pulp, and other products that are made of wood. Today, however, metal industries and engineering industries are growing fast. These two industries alone are the largest source of Finland's industrial employment.
The chemical industry has been growing rapidly as well. The food industry, textile industry, and electrotechnical industry have also been growing rapidly. Finland produces a significant amount of copper and nickel, and produces about five percent of the world's supply of cobalt.
In the 1970's, Finland's energy came from imported coal and petroleum. Recently, however, Finland has relied mainly on nuclear power, four plants of which are in current operation. Lately, the use of wood to heat homes has decreased, and people have begun to use more peat. Finland also relies somewhat on hydroelectric power as well.
Although farmland only takes up about ten percent of Finland's total land area, the nation is nearly self-sufficient in terms of agricultural production. Finland produces much more eggs, meat, dairy products, and grains than is needed by their population. Finland also produces cereal, wheat, barley, oats, potatoes, dry peas, fruits, vegetables, wine, and sugar beets. In addition, they also raise horses, cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, and chickens. Finland also produces 322,000 metric tons of meat including: beef, mutton, lamb, pork, horse meat, and poultry. The dairy products include cow milk, cheese, butter, ghee, and dry milk. In addition, Finland also produces large quantities of eggs, fish, honey, and wool.
Finland mines several metals as well. Phosphate rock constitutes the majority of the income, while iron ore, zinc, silver, and gold follow close behind.
Finland produces several miscellaneous items as well. Cigarettes, sawnwood, rubber, nitrogen fertilizer, phosphate fertilizer, pig iron, iron, steel, and cement are among them. Finland also boasts several shipbuilding companies.
Finland relies on foreign trade to survive. The major imports are machinery, fuel, and raw materials. Finland is a member of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), and the European Economic Community (EEC).
Chart I:
government and population of Finland
Nation: Finland
Official name: Republic of Finland
Capital: Helsinki
Area of nation: 336,700 sq. km (130,000 sq. mi)
Population of nation: 4,850,000
Population density: 14.3 people per sq. km
(37.0 people per sq. mi)
Type of government: republic
Political parties: Social Democratic Party, Center
Party, People's Democratic
League, Conservative Party
Legislature: Eduskunta
National symbols: (see flag and coat of arms)
Chart II:
economy of Finland
Nation: Finland
Official name: Republic of Finland
Major crops: cereal, wheat, barley, oats, potatoes, dry peas, sugar beets
Average rainfall: 28 inches per year in south
18 inches per year in north
Major minerals: zinc, iron-ore, copper, nickel, gold,
phosphate, silver
Major industries: metal manufacturing, shipbuilding,
forestry/wood processing (pulp,
paper), copper refining, foodstuffs,
textiles
Gross Domestic Product (GDP): $74.4 billion
Per capita income: $21,000
Currency: markka or Finmark (FMk)
Value of currency: US $1 = 4.00 FMk
Exports (in order of importance): timber, paper, pulp, ships, machinery, clothing, footwear
Major imports: foodstuffs, petroleum, petroleum
products, chemicals, transport
equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile yarn and fabrics, fodder grains
Finland's Culture
Some of Finland's five million inhabitants trace their ancestry to Swedes, some to the Lapps, and some to the Gypsies. Finland's population consists of 5,500 gypsies, who make up the largest ethnic group in Finland. There are also 4,400 Lapps who live in the northern part of Finland.
As holidays go, Christmas is considered the most important for most Finns. Finns also celebrate Easter, May Day, and Midsummer Day.
Education is stressed in Finland, and to show for it, has a 99 percent literacy rate. Basic schooling is a compulsory 9-year school, followed by either a three-year secondary school, or a vocational education. Finland has 18 universities, and 3 art schools.
Epic poems, legends, stories, and proverbs are the earliest forms of Finnish literature, and give us a somewhat better idea of what ancient Finland was like. Elias Lonnrot collected these legends and folktales, publishing them in a single volume.
Other important Finnish authors were Aleksis Kivi, Frans Emil Sillanpaa, and Mika Waltari. The two best-known poets are Eino Leino and Paavo Haavikko.
Finland's Major Religion
Finland's major religion is the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Although Finland practices the freedom of religion, still ninety percent of the population belongs to this church. Most of this ninety percent attend church to celebrate baptism, confirmation, and marriage, but surprisingly, the weekly attendance is low. Only about three percent of the population belong to non-Lutheran groups such as the Orthodox Church.
Bibliography
1. Lerner, Harry. Finland in Pictures. New York: Lerner Publications Company
2. "Finland." The Concise Columbia Encyclopedia. (CD-ROM) 1991 ed.
3. "Finland." The Software Toolworks Illustrated Encyclopedia. (CD- ROM) 1991 ed.
4. "Finland." The Software Toolworks World Atlas. (CD-ROM) 1991 ed.
5. Chapman, Suzann. "Aerospace World." Air Force Magazine. August 1995 (pg 29)