Various sources rank Finland as having the greatest freedom, the most effective economy and the best quality of life in the world. It's the home of Fiskars, Nokia and many other world class industries. It's a country where the people are honest and the sexes are equal. People care for those who are genuinely less fortunate but they have little patience with anyone who doesn't pull his or her own weight.

Most of Finland consists of lakes and forests interspersed with farmlands, small cities and towns. But there's also the world's largest "archipelago" or collection of islands offshore with something like 81,000 islands. About a third of the country stretches above the Arctic Circle where you'll find plenty of reindeer and Laplanders.

A lot of people pass Finland by when they're visiting Europe, touring such cities as Stockholm, Tallinn, or Riga but barely glancing at Helsinki. In truth, there's less to attract tourists than in some other countries. But if you just want to watch people quietly going about creating a society that consistently ranks as world class, drop by and take a look.

Finland sits between Sweden on the west and Russia on the East, a delicate position to be in.	The Finnish flag is a blue cross on a white background.

 
 
In a Nutshell...