Finland

Geography defines the history and culture of Nordic Finland, one of the most northern-reaching countries in the world. Bordered by Norway, Sweden, Russia, the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Bothnia, Finland and its vast stretches of heavily forested open land acts as a northern gate between West and East.

Finland is a bilingual country – Finnish and Swedish are both official languages.

Sweden and Russia alternatively ruled Finland from the late 12^th to early 20^th centuries. The country declared independence following the Russian Revolution and in 2017, Finland celebrated 100 years of independence. Finnish culture played an essential role in establishing national identity. The “Kalevala,” a 19^th century collection of poems compiled from folk songs ballads, is viewed as helping solidify the Finnish spirit.

Finland, which functions today as a parliamentary democracy, is an international leader in providing education, and it ranks high for its performances in civil rights, press freedom and quality of life. The country was one of the first in the world to grant women the right to vote and was the first country to legalize universal suffrage, the right to both vote and run for office.

[Explore the top universities in Finland]