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- Capital: Helsinki
- Area: 338,455 sq km
- Population: 5.6 million
- Languages: Finnish, Swedish plus Sami, Karelian, Finnish Kalo
Regions
| Åland Islands | South Karelia | Southern Ostrobothnia |
| Southern Savonia | Kainuu | Tavastia Proper |
| Central Ostrobothnia | Central Finland | Kymenlaakso |
| Lapland | Pirkanmaa | Ostrobothnia |
| North Karelia | Northern Ostrobothnia | Northern Savonia |
| Päijänne Tavastia | Satakunta | Uusimaa |
| Southwest Finland |
Country Information
Finland, a country located in northern Europe. Finland is one of the world’s most northern and geographically remote countries and is subject to a severe climate. Nearly two-thirds of Finland is blanketed by thick woodlands, making it the most densely forested country in Europe. Finland forms a symbolic northern border between western and eastern Europe: dense wilderness and Russia to the east, the Gulf of Bothnia and Sweden to the west.
A part of Sweden from the 12th century until 1809, Finland was then a Russian grand duchy until, following the Russian Revolution, the Finns declared independence on December 6, 1917. Finland’s area decreased by about one-tenth during the 1940s when it ceded the Petsamo (Pechenga) area, which had been a corridor to the ice-free Arctic coast, and a large part of southeastern Karelia to the Soviet Union (ceded portions now in Russia).
Throughout the Cold War era, Finland skillfully maintained a neutral political position, although a 1948 treaty with the Soviet Union (terminated 1991) required Finland to repel any attack on the Soviet Union carried out through Finnish territory by Germany or any of its allies. Since World War II, Finland has steadily increased its trading and cultural relations with other countries. Under a U.S.-Soviet agreement, Finland was admitted to the United Nations in 1955. Since then, Finland has sent representatives to the Nordic Council, which makes suggestions to member countries on the coordination of policies.
Finland’s international activities became more widely known when the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, which resulted in the creation of the Helsinki Accords, was held in that city in 1975. Finland has continued to have especially close ties with the other Scandinavian countries, sharing a free labour market and participating in various economic, cultural, and scientific projects. Finland became a full member of the European Union in 1995.
USEFUL INFORMATION
Currency & banking
The Euro has coins going all the way up to €2; notes start from €5 and go up to €500.
Finland uses the Euro Despite being a relatively late joiner of the EU (it joined in 1995), it was actually one of the first countries to become part of the Eurozone — having joined in 1999.
Nowadays, you will pay for almost everything in Finland using Euros.
Cash is no longer king in Finland, and almost all establishments now accept electronic payment by card or phone.
Debit and credit cards are accepted almost everywhere, and many places also accept payment by phone, like Google Pay and Apple Pay. But it is still a good idea to have a bit of cash on you for small purchases. Foreign currency is rarely accepted, so you need Norwegian currency to get by.
You will find cash machines in towns and cities, and in most rural areas there will be at least one place where you can withdraw money, such as at a kiosk, grocery shop, or petrol station.
Just be wary of the charges you might incur for using your credit card overseas. These can include:
- International transaction fees
- High exchange rate margins
- ATM fees
- Potential ‘cash advance fees if you use an ATM
Tipping
For the most part tipping is not common in Finland, with the exception of bars and restaurants where the locals tip when they are happy with the service or food.
There is no fixed rule of thumb for how much to tip, but tips tend to stay within 5-15% of the total amount of the bill. But remember that tipping is entirely up to you – there will be no hard feelings in any case.
Getting around
Driving in Finland
Finland has roads that are generally in good condition, with light traffic jams that are rare compared to what people from other countries are used to.
However, drive along carefully as you may occasionally see a moose or another animal. The highways are great, but many routes are indirect because of the numerous lakes in the country’s south.
Rules of the Road
- Distance measurements: Traffic signs in Finland are in kilometres, and 1 kilometre equals 0.6 miles. Find a reliable conversion calculator and get accustomed to that mode of measuring and judging distances.
- Seat belts: In Finland, seat belts are mandatory for the front and rear seats. Kids under 3 years old or measuring less than 4 feet, 5 inches (1.25 meters) tall must ride in an appropriately fitted car seat.
- Flashing high beams: If a car coming in your direction flashes its high beams at you, there may be an accident or a moose on the road ahead, or you may need to turn your headlights on. Stay safe by keeping an eye out for these possibilities anytime you are driving.
- Alcohol: The alcohol limit in Finland is 0.5 grams/litre for drivers, and the tolerance for this behaviour is low in this part of the world. Keep in mind that the police can pull you over for testing at any time, and if you’re over the limit, you’re going to jail—it’s that easy to see a Finnish jail from the inside. Instead, catch a taxi or select a designated driver ahead of time, rather than endangering others on the road, along with yourself.
- Drugs: Scandinavian countries are strict regarding driving under the influence of psychotropic substances and do not allow driving under the influence of methylamphetamine, marijuana (THC, cannabis), or MDMA (ecstasy). Police will test drivers for various substances if needed. If you are caught operating a vehicle while under the influence, it can result in a large fine, imprisonment, or possibly being banned from Finland.
- Cyclists: Maintain awareness that bike lanes and cyclists are frequent sights across the region. As long as they are in designated lanes, cyclists have the right of way.
- Parking: Always park in the direction of traffic, with a 5-meter distance from intersections or pedestrian crossings. Most cities have parking spaces with time limits; use a credit card or cash to buy a voucher from street vending machines or gas stations, and display the voucher on your dashboard. Check the nearby signs to see if a parking disc is required (in some areas) and place the disc on your dashboard, making sure your arrival time is displayed.
- Gas stations: Gas is called petrol. After filling their tank, people in Finland move their cars off to the side while paying inside.
- Speed limits: You’ll find the speed limit on a round sign with a red circle outline, measured in kilometres per hour; follow the standard speed limits unless a sign indicates otherwise. Driving too fast earns you tickets in Finland, just like in most other places around the world. The speed limit on highways (motorways) is 100 kilometres per hour (kph) or 120 kph in the summer, while the general speed limit is 50 kph in built-up areas and 80 kph outside of those areas. In winter, the general speed limit is reduced everywhere to 80 kph.
- Tolls: Fortunately for tourists and locals alike, Finland does not have toll highways or bridges. Beautiful scenery and free roads in good condition are a nice combination.
Trains
Finland’s excellent train network fans out all over the country from the art nouveau masterpiece that is Helsinki Central Station – a gem of a building created by architect Eliel Saarinen in 1919.
Run with typical Finnish efficiency by Valtion Rautatiet (VR), trains run to most major cities in the south of the country, including Tampere and Turku and the coastal towns of Pori and Hanko.
However, the network shrinks noticeably once you head north of Oulu. In Finnish Lapland, the main hub is Rovaniemi, with limited services running north to Kolari and east to Kemijärvi. Wherever you go, you’ll enjoy views of rolling forests, glinting lakes and clusters of wooden cottages in a classic red and white Nordic colour scheme.
Buses
Buses cover the whole country, but are most useful in the north. Tickets can be purchased at bus stations and most travel agents; only ordinary one-way tickets can be bought on board. Check http://www.matkahuolto.fi, which lists all bus routes or ask for the timetable (Pikavuoroaikataulut), available at all main bus stations. The private company Express Bus sells some particularly cheap fares – often as low as €2 – though you must book at least five days in advance for the most rock-bottom fares.
Getting around Helsinki
Helsinki has an excellent public transport system (HSL) comprising bus, tram, metro, commuter train and ferry services. With a single ticket, you can hop aboard trams, buses, the metro and even the municipal ferry to Suomenlinna. You can even change from one mode of transport to another as long as your ticket is still valid. Single tickets can be purchased using the HSL mobile app or from HSL ticket machines, R-kiosks and other HSL sales pointsThis link opens in a new browser tab..
A day ticketThis link opens in a new browser tab. is handy if you plan to make several journeys during one day or several days. You can buy a ticket for 1–13 days. Day tickets can be purchased using the HSL mobile app or from HSL ticket machines and sales points in Helsinki Central Station. Other sales points include R-kiosks and many shops. One-day tickets (24 hours) can be purchased also from HSL ticket machines; these tickets are printed out and valid immediately upon payment.
The HSL public transport region is divided into four zones identified by the letters A, B, C and D starting from the city centre. Purchase a ticket for all the zones in which you plan to travel. If you plan to travel in zones A, B and C, you will need an AB, BC or ABC ticket, as there are no one-zone tickets for zones A, B and C.
Health advice
The US Center For Disease Control maintains an updated list of medical advice for those travelling to FInland
The CDC recommends being up to date with all your regular shots. These vaccines include measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine, varicella (chickenpox) vaccine, polio vaccine, and your yearly flu shot
They also suggest being vaccinated for hepatitis A. There is also some advice about protection for hepatitis B and rabies – but this depends to some degree on where you are heading and what you are doing.
Healthcare
The healthcare system in Finland is of very high quality, generally regarded as one of the best in the world; life expectancy is high and infant mortality is low.
Costs of medical care for those who are not local or from an EU country, such as tourists, can be very high. It is therefore important to take out appropriate travel insurance, which should include repatriation to your home country in the event of an emergency.
As always when you travel you should take out the necessary travel insurance coverage. We always use World Nomads but there are plenty of other insurance companies that offer travel insurance
Safety
Finland is generally a safe country to visit. There’s a small risk of petty theft, particularly at airports and railway stations in and around Helsinki.
Useful emergency numbers
- 112 – Police, Fire department & Ambulance
Climate
The best time to visit Finland
The best time to visit Finland is from June to mid-August in the summer. Warm temperatures, usually in the range of 17.8°C to 22.2°C, are comfortable for outdoor activities. A few days register in the hot zone of 27.8°C to 32.2°C. Lapland occasionally has cold nights. June is cooler and drier than July, and temperatures begin to decline in the second half of August. Summer has long days and experiences the popular white nights in the south and midnight sun in the north. The least cloudy days occur in the warm season, although the sunshine is moderate.
The worst time to visit Finland
The worst time to visit Finland is generally from November to March, including the icy winter. The days are short, and the sunlight is poor. Christmas is mostly white, and the northern regions do not see the sun for days together. Tourists experience the Aurora Borealis or the northern lights during the peak of the cold season in the north. The south is frigid from December to February. Snow lovers like March, which sees an improvement in daylight amid plenty of snow on the ground. Snowfall is abundant in all regions and highest in the north.
Visa information
What is Schengen?
Schengen refers to the EU passport-free zone that covers most of the European countries. It’s the largest free travel area in the world.
What is a Schengen Visa
A Schengen visa is a short-stay visa that allows a person to travel to any members of the Schengen Area, per stays up to 90 days for tourism or business purposes.
The Schengen visa is the most common visa for Europe. It enables its holder to enter, freely travel within, and leave the Schengen zone from any of the Schengen member countries. There are no border controls within the Schengen Zone.
However, if you are planning to study, work, or live in one of the Schengen countries for more than 90 days, then you must apply for a national visa of that European country and not a Schengen Visa.
The 26 Schengen countries are:
Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
From 2024 visitors to a Schengen country that currently does not require a visa to enter will be required to obtain an ETIAS. ETIAS stands for European Travel Information and Authorization System. It is a completely electronic system that allows and keeps track of visitors from countries who do not need a visa to enter the Schengen Zone. It is similar to the US ESTA programme. The ETIAS will cost only €7 for each application and will last for 3 years.
Citizens of Which Countries Need a Schengen Visa to go to Europe?
The countries whose citizens are required to obtain a Schengen visa in order to enter any member country of the Schengen Area are:
| Afghanistan | Gabon | Oman |
| Algeria | Gambia | Pakistan |
| Angola | Ghana | Papua New Guinea |
| Armenia | Guinea | Palestinian Authority |
| Azerbaijan | Guinea-Bissau | Philippines |
| Bahrain | Guyana | Qatar |
| Bangladesh | Haiti | Russia |
| Belarus | India | Rwanda |
| Belize | Indonesia | Sao Tome And Principe |
| Benin | Iran | Saudi Arabia |
| Bhutan | Iraq | Senegal |
| Bolivia | Jamaica | Sierra Leone |
| Botswana | Jordan | Somalia |
| Burkina Faso | Kazakhstan | South Africa |
| Burma/Myanmar | Kenya | South Sudan |
| Burundi | Kosovo | Sri Lanka |
| Cambodia | Kuwait | Sudan |
| Cameroon | Kyrgyzstan | Suriname |
| Cape Verde | Laos | Swaziland |
| Central African Republic | Lebanon | Syria |
| Chad | Lesotho | Tajikistan |
| China | Liberia | Tanzania |
| Comoros | Libya | Thailand |
| Congo | Madagascar | Timor-Leste |
| Cote D’ivoire | Malawi | Togo |
| Cuba | Maldives | Tonga |
| Dem. Rep. Of Congo | Mali | Tunisia |
| Djibouti | Mauritania | Turkey |
| Dominican Republic | Mongolia | Turkmenistan |
| Ecuador | Morocco | Uganda |
| Egypt | Mozambique | Uzbekistan |
| Equatorial Guinea | Namibia | Vietnam |
| Eritrea | Nepal | Yemen |
| Ethiopia | Niger | Zambia |
| Fiji | Nigeria | Zimbabwe |
| North Korea | Northern Mariana’s |
Electrical
Which power plugs and sockets are used in Europe?
In Europe, the power plugs and sockets are of type F. The standard voltage is 230 V and the standard frequency is 50 Hz. Check out the following pictures.
Type F: also known as “Schuko”. This socket also works with plug C and plug E.
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| Type F: This socket also works with plug C and E |