Suomi / Finland / Finlândia

Is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden on the west, Norway on the north and Russia on the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland. The capital city is Helsinki.

Around 5.4 million people reside in Finland, with the majority concentrated in the southern part of the country. It is the eighth largest country in Europe in terms of area and the most sparsely populated country in the European Union. The native language of nearly all of the population is Finnish, which is part of the Finno-Ugric language family and is most closely related to Estonian. The language is one of only four official EU languages not of Indo-European origin. The second official language of Finland – Swedish – is the native language of 5.5% of the population. Finland is a parliamentary republic with a central government based in Helsinki and local governments in 342 municipalities. A total of about one million residents live in the Greater Helsinki area (which includes Helsinki, Espoo, Kauniainen, and Vantaa), and a third of the country's GDP is produced there. Other major cities include Tampere, Turku, Oulu, Jyväskylä, Kuopio, and Lahti.

Finland was historically a part of Sweden and from 1809 an autonomous Grand Duchy within the Russian Empire. Finland's declaration of independence from Russia in 1917 was followed by a civil war, wars against the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany, and a period of official neutrality during the Cold War. Finland joined the United Nations in 1955, the OECD in 1969, the European Union in 1995, and the eurozone since its beginning. Finland has been ranked the second most stable country in the world, in a survey based on social, economic, political, and military indicators.

Finland was a relative latecomer to industrialization, remaining a largely agrarian country until the 1950s. Thereafter, economic development was rapid, and the country reached the world's top income levels in the 1970s. Between 1970 and 1990, Finland built an extensive welfare state. In the aftermath of the country's severe depression in the early 1990s, successive governments have changed the Finnish economic system through some privatisation, deregulation, and tax cuts.

Finland is well placed in many international comparisons of national performance such as the share of high-technology manufacturing and health care. The country is ranked 1st in the 2009 Legatum Prosperity rating, which is based on economical performance and quality of life.

 

Etymology

The name Suomi (Finnish for "Finland") has uncertain origins, but a candidate for a cognate is the Proto-Baltic word *zeme, meaning "land". In addition to the close relatives of Finnish (the Baltic-Finnic languages), this name is also used in the Baltic languages Latvian and Lithuanian. According to an earlier theory the name was derived from suomaa (fen land) or suoniemi (fen cape).

 

The exonym Finland has resemblance with the Scandinavian placenames Finnmark, Finnveden and hundreds of other toponyms starting with Fin(n) in Sweden and Norway. Some of these names are obviously derived from finnr, a Germanic word for a wanderer/finder and thus supposedly meaning nomadic "hunter-gatherers" or slash and burn agriculturists as opposed to the Germanic sedentary farmers and seafaring traders and pirates. The term "Finn" often refers to Sami people, too. Finn was used to refer to the people of Finland Proper after the 15th century, when the church appointed a bishop — who became one of the most powerful men in the province — over the whole area corresponding roughly to today's Finland. The fact that there was no other ecclesiastical authority of the same level, coupled with the bishop's temporal authority, engendered a sense of "the Finns" belonging to one geographical area over which the name spread from the 15th century onwards to refer to the people of the entire country.

 

Among the first documents to mention "a land of the Finns" are two rune-stones. There is one in Söderby, Sweden, with the inscription finlont (U 582) and one in Gotland, a Swedish island in the Baltic Sea, with the inscription finlandi (G 319), dating from the 11th century.

 

History

Please go to :

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Finland

 

Geography

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Finland

 

Other info

Oficial name:

fin: Suomen tasavalta

swe: Republiken Finland

sme: Suoma republihkka

 

Independence:

Autonomy March 29, 1809

- Declared December 6, 1917

- Recognised January 3, 1918

 

Area:

338.145km2

 

Inhabitants:

6.100.000

 

Languages:

Estonian [est] 6,000 in Finland (1993). Traditionally on the southern coast. Alternate names: Viro, Eesti. Dialects: Tallinn (Reval, Northern Estonian), Tartu (Dorpat, Tatu, Southern Estonian), Setu, Muly (Mulgi), Vyrus (Voru). Classification: Uralic, Finnic

More information.

 

Finnish [fin] 4,700,000 in Finland (1993). Population includes 30,000 speakers of Tornedalen Finnish. Population total all countries: 5,232,728. Also spoken in Canada, Estonia, Norway, Russia (Europe), Sweden, USA. Alternate names: Suomi, Suomea. Dialects: Southwestern Finnish, Häme (Tavast), South Pohjanmaa, Central and North Pohjanmaa, Peräpohja, Savo (Savolax), Southeastern Finnish (Finnish Karjala, Finnish Karelian). Southeastern dialects called 'Karelian' in colloquial Finnish are distinct from true Karelian (T. Salminen). Finnish is closely related to Karelian and Olonetsian. In Russia eastern dialects merge gradually into Karelian. Classification: Uralic, Finnic

More information.

 

Finnish Sign Language [fse] 5,000 (1986 Gallaudet Univ.). Ethnic population: 8,000. Alternate names: Viittomakieli. Dialects: 2 major dialects from the Finnish (17 schools) and Swedish (1 school) communities. Apparent influence from Swedish Sign Language merged with local indigenous varieties. Not intelligible with Danish Sign Language. Classification: Deaf sign language

More information.

 

Finnish, Tornedalen [fit] 30,000 in Finland (1997 Birger Winsa). Classification: Uralic, Finnic

More information.

 

Finnish-Swedish Sign Language [fss] 150 (2001). Classification: Deaf sign language

More information.

 

Karelian [krl] 10,000 in Finland (1994). There are two villages in Oulu Province, close to the Russian border (Northern Karelian), and others scattered around Finland (Southern Karelian). Alternate names: Karely, Karelian Proper. Dialects: Northern Karelian, Southern Karelian, Norgorod, Tver (Kalinin). Classification: Uralic, Finnic

More information.

 

Livvi [olo] 5,172 in Finland (2000 WCD). Ethnic population: 140,000. Scattered around Finland. Alternate names: Olonetsian, Olonets, Livvikovian, Lívõnkél, Aunus. Classification: Uralic, Finnic

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Romani, Kalo Finnish [rmf] 5,410 in Finland (2000 WCD). Population total all countries: 7,002. Ethnic population: 8,000 Gypsies in Finland (1980). Western and southern. Also spoken in Sweden. Alternate names: Fíntika Rómma, Gypsy. Dialects: Not inherently intelligible with Traveller Swedish, Traveller Norwegian, Traveller Danish, or Angloromani. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Central zone, Romani, Northern

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Saami, Inari [smn] 250 (1995 M. Krauss). 4,700 all Saami in Finland (1995). Ethnic population: 700 (1995 M. Krauss). Lapland, above 68.00N Lat., in an area about 15,400 square miles between Lake Inari and the Norway border. They are in the majority around the border town of Utsjoki. Alternate names: Inari "Lappish", Anar, "Finnish Lapp", "Lapp", Sámi, Samic, Saam, Saame. Classification: Uralic, Sami, Eastern

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Saami, North [sme] 2,000 in Finland (1995 M. Krauss). Ethnic population: 3,500 (1995 M. Krauss). Utsjoki, Enontekio, and Sodankyla. Alternate names: Northern Lapp, Davvin, "Lapp", Saame, Same. Dialects: Ruija, Torne, Sea Lappish. Classification: Uralic, Sami, Western, Northern

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Saami, Skolt [sms] 300 in Finland (1995 M. Krauss). Population total all countries: 320. Ethnic population: 500 in Finland (1995 M. Krauss). Northwest of Inari Saami. Also spoken in Russia (Europe). Alternate names: Skolt Lappish, Russian Lapp, "Lapp", Saame, Same, Lopar, Kolta, Koltta. Classification: Uralic, Sami, Eastern

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Swedish [swe] 296,000 in Finland (1997). Coasts of the provinces of Central Österbotten (Ostrobothnia), Vasa (Vaasa), Southwest Finland, Nyland (Uusimaa) (Helsingfors), Åland Islands, Kymenlaakso. Dialects: Standard Swedish, Österbotten (Ostrobothnian), Åland Islands Swedish, Southwest Finland Swedish, Uusimaa Swedish, Nyland Swedish. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, North, East Scandinavian, Danish-Swedish, Swedish

More information.

 

 

Extinct languages

Saami, Kemi [sjk] Extinct. Lapland Province, Sodankyla and Kuolajarvi (Salla) counties. Formerly south as far as Kuusamo County. Alternate names: Sámi, Sami, "Lapp". Classification: Uralic, Sami, Eastern

 

Capital city:

Helsinki

 

Meaning country name:

From the Germanic Land of the Finns. Originally, the Germanic term Finn referred to the Sami or Lapps. The word may derive from the Germanic root seen in English fen (a synonym for "swamp") or, alternatively, from a root meaning "nomadic hunter and gatherer", related to the English verb "find". Latin Fennia.

Suomi (Finnish name), Soome (Estonian name), Sum' (Old Russian name): may derive the Baltic root zeme for "land": "zeme" ← "sheme" ← "shäme" → Häme ← "shaame" → Saami ← "Soomi" ← "Suomi"

An Fhionnlainn (Irish name) is derived from Finlandia though by coincidence Fionnlann also means Land of the fair in Irish.

 

Description Flag:

The flag of Finland, also called Siniristilippu (The Blue Cross Flag), dates from the beginning of the 20th century, and is ultimately modelled on the Danish flag, the Dannebrog. It features a blue Nordic cross on a white background. Blue represents lakes and the sky, and white represents snow and the white nights of the Finnish summer. The state flag has a coat of arms in the centre, but is otherwise identical to the civil flag. The swallow-tailed state flag is used by the military. The presidential standard is identical to the swallow-tailed state flag but also has in its upper left corner the Cross of Liberty after the Order of the Cross of Liberty, which has the President of Finland as its Grand Master.

The current blue-crossed design was first used in Finland by Nyländska Jaktklubben, a yacht club founded in Helsinki in 1861. In addition to the blue cross on the white background, the yacht club flag had the crowned arms of the province of Uusimaa within two crossed branches in the upper hoist quarter. Except for the position of the cross, the flag was similar to the flag of the St. Petersburg Yacht Club, founded the previous year. The design can be traced to the Russian Navy ensign, which has a blue cross saltire on a white background.

 

Coat of arms:

The Coat of arms of Finland is a crowned lion on a red field, the right forepaw replaced with an armoured hand brandishing a sword, trampling on a saber with the hindpaws. Official only since 1978, the coat of arms was originally created around the year 1580.

 

Motto:

Maamme (suomi) / Vårt land (svensk)

 

National Anthem: Maamme, Vårt land, Our Land

 

Suomi

 

Oi maamme, Suomi, synnyinmaa,

soi, sana kultainen!

Ei laaksoa, ei kukkulaa,

ei vettä, rantaa rakkaampaa

kuin kotimaa tää pohjoinen,

maa kallis isien.

Sun kukoistukses kuorestaan

kerrankin puhkeaa;

viel' lempemme saa nousemaan

sun toivos, riemus loistossaan,

ja kerran laulus, synnyinmaa

korkeemman kaiun saa.

 

Svenska

 

Vårt land, vårt land, vårt fosterland,

ljud högt, o dyra ord!

Ej lyfts en höjd mot himlens rand,

ej sänks en dal, ej sköljs en strand,

mer älskad än vår bygd i nord,

än våra fäders jord!

Din blomning, sluten än i knopp,

Skall mogna ur sitt tvång;

Se, ur vår kärlek skall gå opp

Ditt ljus, din glans, din fröjd, ditt hopp.

Och högre klinga skall en gång

Vår fosterländska sång.

 

English

 

Our land, our land, our fatherland,

Sound loud, O name of worth!

No mount that meets the heaven's band,

No hidden vale, no wavewashed strand,

Is loved, as is our native North,

Our own forefathers' earth.

Thy blossom, in the bud laid low,

Yet ripened shall upspring.

See! From our love once more shall grow

Thy light, thy joy, thy hope, thy glow!

And clearer yet one day shall ring

The song our land shall sing.

 

Internet Page: www.visitfinland.com

www.virtual.finland.fi

 

Finland in diferent languages

 

eng | afr | bre | dan | hau | ibo | lim | nld | nor | swa | swe: Finland

arg | ast | cos | eus | glg | ina | ita | jav | lld | pol | scn | spa: Finlandia

mlg | roh | ron | rup | sqi | zza: Finlanda

cat | oci | srd: Finlàndia

deu | ltz | nds: Finnland / Finnland

dsb | hrv | slv: Finska

fra | frp | wln: Finlande

crh | gag: Finlândiya / Финляндия

fao | isl: Finnland

kaa | uzb: Finlyandiya / Финляндия

kin | run: Fenlande

mlt | szl: Finlandja

aze: Finlandiya / Финландија

bam: Fɛnlandi

bos: Finska / Финска

ces: Finsko

cor: Pow Finn

csb: Fińskô

cym: Y Ffindir

epo: Finnlando; Suomio

est: Soome

fin: Suomi

fry: Finlân

fur: Finlandie

gla: Suòmaidh; Fionnlainn

gle: An Fhionlainn / An Ḟionlainn; An Fhionnlainn / An Ḟionnlainn

glv: Finnlynn

hat: Fenland

haw: Pinilana

hun: Finnország

ind: Finlandia / فينلنديا

jnf: Fînlande

kal: Finlandi

kmr: Fînland / Финланд / فینلاند; Fîlanda / Филанда / فیلاندا

kur: Fînlanda / فینلاندا; Fînlandiya / فینلاندیا

lat: Finlandia; Finnia; Fennia

lav: Somija

lin: Finilanda

lit: Suomija

liv: Sūomõmō

mol: Finlanda / Финланда

mri: Whinarana

msa: Finland / فينلند

nrm: Finlaunde

por: Finlândia

que: Phinlandya

rmy: Finland / क़िन्लान्द

slk: Fínsko

slo: Finzem / Финзем

sme: Suopma

smg: Soumėjė

smn: Suomâ

smo: Finelani

sms: Lää´ddjânnam

som: Fiinlaand

tet: Finlándia

tgl: Pinlandya; Pinlandiya

ton: Finilani

tuk: Finlýandiýa / Финляндия

tur: Finlandiya

vie: Phần Lan

vol: Suomiyän

vor: Soomõ

wol: Finlaand

chu: Сѹмь (Sumĭ)

alt | kir | kjh | kom | krc | kum | rus | tyv | udm: Финляндия (Finljandija)

che | chv | oss: Финлянди (Finljandi)

mon | xal: Финлянд (Finljand)

abq: Финляндия (Finłjandija)

bak: Финляндия / Finlyandiya

bel: Фінляндыя / Finlandyja

bul: Финландия (Finlandija)

chm: Финляндий (Finljandij)

kaz: Финляндия / Fïnlyandïya / فينلانديا

kbd: Финляндие (Finljandie)

mkd: Финска (Finska)

srp: Финска / Finska

tat: Финляндия / Finländiä

tgk: Финляндия / فینلندیه / Finljandija

ukr: Фінляндія (Finljandija)

ara: فنلندا (Finlandā); فينلندا (Fīnlandā)

ckb: فینڵاند / Fînḻand

fas: فنلاند (Fanlānd); فینلاند (Fīnlānd)

prs: فنلاند (Fenlānd); فنلند (Fenland)

pus: فنلېنډ (Finlenḋ); فنلېند (Finlend); فنلنډ (Finlənḋ); فنلند (Finlənd); فنلاند (Finlānd)

uig: فىنلاندىيە / Finlandiye / Финляндия

urd: فنلینڈ / فنلینڈ (Finlænḋ)

div: ފިންލަންޑް (Finlanḋ)

syr: ܦܢܠܢܕܐ (Pinlandā)

heb: פינלנד (Fînland); פינלאנד (Fînlând)

lad: פ'ינלאנדיה / Finlandia

yid: פֿינלאַנד (Finland)

amh: ፊንላንድ (Finland)

ell: Φινλανδία (Finlandía); Φιλλανδία (Fillandía)

hye: Ֆինլանդիա (Finlandia)

kat: ფინეთი (Ṗineṭi)

hin: फ़िनलैंड (Finlæṁḍ); फिनलैंड (Pʰinlæṁḍ)

nep: फिनल्याण्ड (Pʰinlæṇḍ)

ben: ফিনল্যাণ্ড (Pʰinlæṇḍ); ফিন্ল্যাণ্ড (Pʰinlæṇḍ); ফিনল্যান্ড (Pʰinlænḍ)

pan: ਫਿਨਲੈਂਡ (Pʰinlæ̃ḍ)

kan: ಫಿನ್ಲ್ಯಾಂಡ್ (Pʰinlæṁḍ)

mal: ഫിന്ലാന്ഡ് (Pʰinlānḍ)

tam: பின்லாந்து (Piṉlāntu)

tel: ఫిన్లాండ్ (Pʰinlāṁḍ)

zho: 芬蘭/芬兰 (Fēnlán)

yue: 芬蘭/芬兰 (Fànlàahn)

jpn: フィンランド (Finrando)

kor: 핀란드 (Pinlandeu)

bod: ཧྥིན་ལན་ (Hpʰin.lan.)

dzo: ཕིན་ལེནཌ་ (Pʰin.lenḍ.)

mya: ဖင္လန္ (Pʰĩlã)

tha: ฟินแลนด์ (Finlǣn[d])

lao: ແຟງລັງ (Fǣṅlâṅ)

khm: ហ្វាំងឡង់ (Hvāṁṅḷăṅ); ហ្វាំងឡង់ដ៏ (Hvāṁṅḷăṅ[d])

 

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