Finland is. The magical land of Suomi: traditions of Finland

Image copyright Gonzalo Azumendi / Getty Images

The Finns call their country Suomi, but no one knows exactly where this name came from. Nevertheless, even now, despite the fact that the world has known "Finland" for many centuries, its inhabitants still prefer "Suomi".

I don't understand much about hockey. However, when you sit in a bar in the center of Helsinki, and the Finland - Canada match is on the TV screen, you involuntarily become infected with the general atmosphere.

Hockey is one of the most popular types sports in this northern European country, and the Finns always have high hopes for their team. Their displays of national pride are terribly infectious.

The TV camera showed one of the Finnish players close-up, and I saw the word "Suomi" written on his chest, the meaning of which I did not know. At first I thought it was the player's last name - but no, the others had the same spelling.

"What does Suomi mean?" - I asked my Finnish friend Christa Fransman, who lives in Helsinki.

“Finland,” she replied shortly. These Finns do not like to talk in vain.

"Isn't Finland Finland?"

"Not Finnish," she laughed.

Image copyright MARKKU ULANDER / Getty Images Image caption "Suomi" is written on the chests of the Finnish national hockey team

During a break in a hockey game, Fransman explained to me that the word "Finland" is not Finnish. In fact, the original Finnish alphabet did not even have the letter "f" - it came into the language along with borrowed foreign words.

According to one theory, the word "Finland" comes from Old English finna- so once called all the inhabitants of Scandinavia.

However, some historians believe that it has Swedish roots. It is believed that words finlonti and finlandi have been in use since the 12th century, when it comes to the territory in the southwest of modern Finland.

Despite the fact that a long time ago their country in Europe was called only Finland (with slight variations on this theme), the Finns themselves still prefer Suomi.

And it became interesting to me - where did this name come from and how does it correspond to the modern ideas of the Finns about themselves?

I decided to start with the National Museum of Finland. In 2017, the country celebrated its 100th anniversary of independence, and the new permanent exhibition of the museum tracks the nation's transition to independence and self-determination.

Image copyright iStock Image caption V National Museum in Helsinki, the author did not find an answer to her questions about the name of Suomi

From 1809 to 1917, the country was part of the Russian Empire and was called the Grand Duchy of Finland (and before that, it was part of Sweden as the Grand Duchy of Finland for almost 700 years).

The territory of Finland has been repeatedly occupied by its powerful neighbors. The Republic of Finland gained independence only after October revolution 1917 in Russia.

An exhibition at the National Museum demonstrates how a young nation fought for identity and built a democratic society. Interestingly, back in 1906, Finland became the first European country to grant voting rights to all adult citizens.

However, I have not found a single mention of where the name "Suomi" came from and why modern Finns prefer it to "Finland".

As the curator of the exhibition, Satu Frondelius, told me, the exact origin of the word "Suomi" is unknown.

“According to one theory, it comes from“ suomaa ”, which means in Finnish“ swampy lands. ”There are many lakes in the south-west of the country, and some might think that this region is swampy.

"According to another theory, it comes from 'suomu', which means 'fish scales' - it is assumed that people in Finland could wear fish skin clothes."

Image copyright Layne Kennedy / Getty Images Image caption Could the country of lakes seem to someone like a swampy land?

There is another version that led me to Finnish Lapland, where the Sami, nomadic reindeer herders, live.

According to Klaas Ruppel, an etymologist at the Finnish Institute of Languages, some linguists believe that both Suomi and Sami derive from the same Proto-Baltic word źemē, "land", territory. The people themselves who live on this earth were called the same word.

In winter, Lapland looks like an illustration for The Snow Queen. Everything is covered with snow, everything is frozen, the landscape is shaped by an icy wind from the Arctic. From this snow-white in my head all sorts of "magic", "bewitching", "wonderland" immediately buried in my head ...

I know all the deer. They are family to me

And in this country I met a sixth generation reindeer herder and his son. Juha Kujala and 19-year-old Oskari live on their farm near Ruka, more than 800 kilometers north of Helsinki.

They discovered wooden gate, we entered, and we were immediately surrounded by curious deer, some of whom immediately began to sniff my purse - am I hiding something tasty there? Oscari burst out laughing and began introducing me to his herd.

"This is the mother of that one, he was born last year. And this one that rubs against your leg is mother's sister."

“I know all the deer. They are my family,” he added.

Image copyright iStock Image caption Some linguists believe that both "Sami" and "Suomi" are descended from ancient wordźemē

The affection for reindeer was passed on to Oscari from his grandfather - through his father. And although he is now studying at the university as a sports coach, Oscari is confident that his place, his future is here.

"It's entirely his own choice," Juho Kuyala told me when I asked him what he thought about his son's decision. "When I was younger, I also left to see the world. But I came back anyway."

Although the Finnish Sami traditionally call themselves first and foremost Sami, and only then - Finns, this connection with their native land is very similar to the importance Finns attach to nature and the environment.

Finland regularly ranks high in global environmental rankings and recently opened its 40th national park.

Perhaps this connection with the land is the main thing in the national identity of the Suomi Finns?

Image copyright iStock Image caption Sauna is what Finns love for life

As my friend Fransman explains, due to the past influences and interventions of Sweden and Russia, "We have only been free to call ourselves Suomi - or Finland, if you are more used to it, for the last 100 years."

After my return from Lapland, we met again - now in the sauna. If there is an activity that embodies what the Finns love in life, it is undoubtedly the sauna.

"You must not forget that Finnish history is also Swedish history and Russian history," Fransman emphasizes.

"Does drinking Suomi somehow help Finns feel more Finnish?" - I asked, pouring water on hot stones. A new portion of steam interrupted our conversation for a while.

“I think in our multicultural world, languages ​​such as Finnish, which are not widely spoken, enrich the country's culture,” she replied when we took a breath. “Our language is Finnish, and Finland is Suomi in it. language ".

"Being a Finnish woman means to me that I appreciate the calmness, space and nature around us."

That was where we ended our conversation and spent the rest of the time in the sauna in silence, enjoying the peace that reigns around us.

Finland is located in Northern Europe.

In the north, the state borders on Norway, in the north-west - with Sweden, and in the east - with Russia.

The shores of Finland are washed by the Baltic Sea, the Gulf of Bothnia and the Gulf of Finland in the west and south.

Finland became independent on December 6, 1917. In 2012, it was named "the most stable country in the world" by the American Fund for Peace.

The smallest administrative territorial unit in Finland is a municipality (or commune, or community). In 2011, there were 336. Each year the number of municipalities decreases due to their mergers.

Communities are grouped into 19 regions (or regions, provinces), which are governed by regional councils.

Next level administrative division- provinces, which until 2010 were governed by governors, and since 2010 are under the jurisdiction of regional government agencies.

The largest cities in Finland are Helsinki, Tampere, Espoo, Vantaa, Oulu, Turku.

Capital	Helsinki
Population	5 408 917 people
Population density	16 people / km 2
	Finnish, Swedish
Religion	kyutheranism, orthodoxy
Form of government	mixed republic
Timezone
International dialing code
Domain zone on the Internet
Electricity

Some areas of Finland, mostly skerry, are closed to the public and are used for the needs of the navy.

Finnish steel companies - Outokumpu, FNsteel and others - are the largest suppliers of of stainless steel in the world.

Climate and weather

The climate in the north of Finland is continental, in the rest of the country - transitional from maritime to continental, temperate. Wherein Atlantic Ocean brings warm air masses to the country. Westerly winds with cyclones blow throughout the year throughout the country.

Winter is harsh in Finland. But the average temperature in winter and summer in Finnish territory is much higher than the temperature in the eastern regions at the same latitudes. Rainfall in the country is observed all year round. In February, the average air temperature is -6 ºС, while in Lapland it is -14 ºС. The average temperature in July is +14 ºС in the north and +17 ºС in the south.

Nature

The main part of Finland is in lowlands, but in the northeast there are mountains of medium height, reaching 1000 meters. The most high point Finland is located in the Scandinavian mountains in Lapland - Fjeld Halti 1324 meters high.

Almost all Finnish rivers flow into the Baltic Sea. Only a few rivers in northern Finland flow into the Northern Arctic Ocean... Finland is called "the country of thousands of lakes": there are more than 190 thousand of them, and they occupy 9% of the entire territory. These are mainly small lakes with a depth of 5-20 meters. The largest lakes in Finland - Päijänne (depth - 93 meters), Saimaa, Oulujärvi, Inari.

There are about 2000 rivers in the country. Most of the local rivers are short, but they are full of waterfalls and rapids. The largest of them are Oulujoki, Tornionjoki, Kemijoki- located in the north.

In the direction from north to south, dense coniferous, mainly pine, forests in the center give way to sea coasts with a large number of medium-sized rocks and islands. In the very north, there are practically treeless hills of Lapland.

Finland has 35 national parks, the largest of them are Urho Kekkonen National Park, Coastal Islands and Lemmenjoki.

In Finland, there is a “right of everyone to nature”, according to which everyone is allowed to freely move around the territory of the national park.

Finnish forests are inhabited by foxes, elk, squirrels, otters, desman. In the east, there are lynx, wolf and bear. More than 250 bird species live in Finland, among which are the partridge, capercaillie, hazel grouse, black grouse.

sights

The most attractive for tourists and rich in attractions cities in Finland - Helsinki, Rauma, Turku, Kristinestad.

In the center of Helsinki you will find the famous Senate Square surrounded by tall, stately buildings, which together with the square make up a single architectural ensemble in the empire style. A monument to Emperor Alexander II is located on the square, there is also Lutheran Cathedral and University of Helsinki... A few steps from Senate Square situated Kauppatori - Market Square Is the most crowded and lively place in the Finnish capital. Also worth a visit in Helsinki Assumption Cathedral, Sibelius monument, Finland Palace and carved into the rock church in Temppelinaukio square.

In the first capital of Finland - Turku - you will find Luostarinmeki- the only building that has survived from the old city. In the north of Turku is the national tomb of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, built in the 13th century.

Old City Rauma was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The most interesting places for guests in Rauma are the Market Square, house-museums and a Franciscan temple from the 15th century.

Worth to visit Olavinlinna castle, built in 1475. A visit to the castle is only allowed with a guide, excursions are held every day. From Helsinki you can get here by train, plane or bus.

In the old town Christinestad, the base of which is dated 1649, is located Ulrika Eleanor's Church 18th century. Also worth a visit walled city of Suomenlinna located in the center of Helsinki on the island.

Nutrition

Every national dish in Finland has retained the imprint of Finnish history. Finns are very fond of unpretentious and hearty meals... The main thing that should always be on the table is fresh bread.

The main product in Finland is fish. The most common dishes from it are salmon in own juice ("Graavie fuckers"), herring salad ("Rosolli"), caviar freshwater fish with onions and sour cream ("Mety"), soup from dried fish ("Maimarocca").

Classic meat dishes are usually prepared from game and venison. Among them - Karelian meat in a pot "Karyalanpaisti" stewed in wooden dishes mutton "Syarya", roast venison with lingonberry jam and mashed potatoes.

Finns are very fond of milk products. The most popular of them are curdled milk, various types of cheese, "viili" - an unusual sweet and sour product added to a large number of dishes.

Traditional Finnish dessert consists of buns Pulla with yeast, jelly and berries.

Finland ranks first in the world in terms of coffee consumption. One more traditional drink- Kotikalya beer, a kind of kvass. Popular varieties of vodka are Finlandia and Koskenkorva-Vinna. Finnish berry liqueurs are very famous - "Puolukkalikyori", "lakkalikyori", "karpalolikyori", "mesimarjalikyori". They are even made from berries sparkling wine — Elissi and Cavlieri.

Accommodation

In Finland, you can stay in motels and hotels, tourist villages, holiday cottages and even a farm.

Finnish hotels are always equipped with the most modern equipment and provide a high level of service. They almost always have a sauna and a swimming pool. In summer, student dormitories are turned into hotels. The level of service in them is not worse than in other hotels, but the prices are lower.

In the tourist village, you can settle in a house on the shore of a lake, river or sea. Each house has its own shore and its own boat. One house accommodates from 2 to 5 people. Many villages host guests all year round, so they are ideal for winter holidays. Here you can practice winter sports, spend business meetings and conferences. In addition, in the tourist village, as a rule, there is a hotel and a restaurant for those who do not want to cook their own food.

You can rent a private holiday home. There are about 5,000 such houses in Finland. The choice is very wide: from luxurious log cottages on the shore of a reservoir to unassuming fishing huts. Such a house has electricity, everything you need for heating, a bathhouse, and often a boat. You should only have your own towels and sheets.

Fans of extreme recreation can choose one of the 150 farms in Finland, most of which are located in Eastern and Central Finland, and some - on the Åland Islands. The farmsteads provide full board.

Entertainment and recreation

One of the most popular sports in Finland is skiing. There are ski slopes throughout Finland of varying complexity... If you like high-speed skiing, you need to go to the Ruka resorts in Kuusamo and Koli in North Karelia, as well as Lapland.

Between June and September, it’s a good time to go hiking. In the north, there are many tourist lodges along the hiking trails... The doors in such houses are not locked; inside there are beds, cooking utensils, dry brushwood, and a telephone. The best and most picturesque hiking trails are Lemeneki, Karhunkneros, Ruunaa in Karelia.

Another way to have a good time in Finland is boating. But if you want to ride close to the Turku archipelago, good boat handling skills are required. Canoeing is possible near the Åland and Turunmaa archipelagoes.

The most popular holiday in Finland is Johannes. It runs from 20 to 24 June. At this time, song festivals, concerts of folk ensembles, folk festivals around the huge "kokko" bonfires are organized. At this time, another holiday often falls - Finnish flag day.

Music festivals are very popular in Finland. They take place almost every weekend. Many of these festivals are widely known in other countries, for example, Provinssirock, Ruisrock, Tuska, Ilosaarirock, Raumanmeren, Ankkarock other.

Purchases

In Finland, as in many countries, there are seasonal sales. Summer sales run from Midsummer (June 22-24) until the second decade of August. Christmas sales run from December 27th to the end of January.

Finnish shops are usually open from 9:00 to 18:00, some until 20:00. On Saturday, shops open at 9:00 am and close at 4:00 pm. Private shops usually open longer and are open even on Sundays during summer. Almost all shops are closed on holidays.

Transport

Very developed in Finland transport infrastructure... Air, bus and rail links are especially well developed. By plane, you can reach more than 20 cities, including the city of Ivalo, located in the far north. Railways in Finland are laid almost to the Arctic Circle.

Highways in Finland are of excellent quality and cover the country's territory with a dense network. It is forbidden to overtake by car on bends, at intersections and on inclines. In winter, winter tires are compulsory. Take advantage of vehicle registered in Finland will only succeed with valid Finnish insurance.

The largest airlines in Finland are Finnair and Finncomm. The second deals only with in-country transportation. The main airport of the country is Helsinki. Both firms have frequent ticket sales. During such promotions, you can get from one end of the country to the other for 25-30 euros. There are also flight coupon systems. After purchasing such a coupon, each trip will cost you 25-40% less.

Almost every city in Finland can be reached by bus. Intercity buses in Finland are punctual. By bus, you can take long journeys from Turku to Rovaniemi (15 hours) and from Helsinki to Oulu (9 hours).

Connection

Finland has a huge number of points Wi-Fi access... Stationary Internet access can always be obtained in numerous Internet cafes. If you are not traveling for a long time, it will be more profitable for you to activate international roaming with your operator.

Any telephone booth can directly call another country. Calls are made using telephone cards (you can buy them at the post office, in a store or at a newsstand) or using coins. In order to call abroad, you need to dial 00, 990, 994 or 999, after that - the country code, city and direct number. To connect within Finland, dial the combination 8 - dial tone - 10 - 358 - area code and direct number.

Security

If you went on a trip to the Aland Islands, you need to remember that ticks are often found in this area. Therefore, it is best to wear long sleeves and trousers. Before a long trip, it is better to get vaccinated against encephalitis.

In Finland, the crime rate is very low everywhere, so ensuring safety here comes down to ordinary vigilance. financial matters and avoiding all kinds of conflict situations.

Business climate

Finland has quite high taxes. This high level of tax rates ensures a high level of security, as well as excellent quality of services in education and healthcare.

Any income in Finland is taxed. When applying for a job, you need to take a taxpayer card from the tax office and give it to the employer. Otherwise, 60% will be deducted from the salary.

If you stay in Finland for no more than 6 months and work, 35% will be deducted from your salary. If you are staying in the country for more than six months, you must obtain a Finnish personal identification code from your local magistrate. You will then be given an Individual Taxation Card.

Real estate

Renting out of housing in Finland is carried out by construction companies, foundations, banks, insurance companies, municipalities and individuals. You can hardly buy an apartment that is constantly rented out.

There are special apartments for young people and students, as well as apartments equipped for the elderly and disabled. There is an opportunity to sublet the property.

Information about rented housing is usually posted in newspapers, on message boards, on the Internet.

At the moment, prices for rented housing in Finland are growing. Renting an apartment or house in Finland will now cost about 5% more than last year. In Helsinki, 1 sq. a meter of rented apartments costs 19.5 euros in a one-room apartment and 14.6 euros in a two-room apartment. Prices for the sale of real estate are also rising. Now an apartment in the Greater Helsinki area is 2% more expensive than last year, in other areas of the state - by 0.6%. 1 sq. a meter of real estate in Finland costs an average of 2,127 euros.

In order to feel comfortable in Finland, you should know elementary rules behavior and customs of this country. It is perfectly normal for a Finnish woman to go to a bar or cafe alone. It is not considered shameful for a woman to choose her own dance partner. For an indecent joke directed to a woman, you can end up in the police and receive a fine.

Finns don't smile very much, but if you ask them on the street for help, they will be happy to help you. Finns do not like to call the interlocutor by name, the usual address is “Listen!”. If you too often call the other person by name, he may think that you are hinting at the possibility of an intimate relationship.

Finns do not like to tell friends about their personal problems, only doctors and social workers... In conversations with friends, it is customary to talk about pleasant things.

The local population values ​​very much the cleanliness in their cities and successfully maintains it. On the streets you rarely see stray dogs and cats, but squirrels calmly walk along them. Cities are buried in flower beds.

Import foreign and national currency to Finland you can in unlimited quantities. It is also not forbidden to import alcohol and cigarettes in limited quantities: up to 2 liters of aperitifs and up to 1 liter of strong alcohol, up to 200 pieces of cigarettes and 50 pieces of cigars.

It is forbidden to import meat, meat products and poultry eggs, dairy products.

Each police station has its own lost property office, so you can go there if necessary.

Visa information

Finland is one of the members of the Schengen Agreement, and citizens of the CIS and the Russian Federation need a Schengen visa to stay on its territory. When applying for it, you need to provide a passport (it must be valid for at least 3 months after the end of the trip), one color photo and two copies of a personally completed application form.

On the territory of the Russian Federation, visas are issued to:

• The Embassy of Finland in Moscow (Kropotkinskiy lane, 15, office 17);
• Consulate General in St. Petersburg (Preobrazhenskaya square, 4) 4
• Consulates of Murmansk (Karl Marx str., 25a);
• Petrozavodsk (Gogol street, 25);
• as well as in Finland visa centers in Kazan, St. Petersburg and Moscow.

Incomprehensible, mysterious geographical names, scattered with grains of sand on the map of Finland, have their own meaning and their own own story, having learned which you can get a hint or a clue to unraveling these names.

The names of many settlements Finland - cities and towns, urban areas - are very often associated with nature, with some of its manifestations or features of the landscape. For example, the name of the city of Joensuu ( Joensuu) means the mouth of the river, Valkeakoski ( Valkeakoski)– white rapids, Kalajoki ( Kalajoki) – a river rich in fish. The name of the Hakaniemi district in Helsinki ( Hakaniemi) means glade, the name of the Kuusisaari metropolitan area ( Kuusisaari) - spruce island, Kivenlahti district ( Kivenlahti) – stone bay, Leppävaara ( Leppä vaara) - alder hill.

“For the inhabitants of a sparsely populated country, who in the old days settled mainly near water, it was quite natural to name their places of residence by the names of rivers and lakes,” explains Sirkka Paikkala, a specialist at the Institute of Finnish Languages.

The eighth largest city in Finland with a population of 103 thousand people is called Lahti ( Lahti), which means the bay. Indeed, the city is located along the shores of the bay, which is part of the lake with the unpretentious name Vesijärvi ( Vesijä rvi) which translates as…. water lake.

And here is the Helsinki Ruskeasuo district ( Ruskeasuo), as if contrary to its name, meaning a brown swamp, is buried in greenery and pleases the eye with its well-groomed, well-maintained appearance. In the names of other places, there are more matches: Mustikkamaa ( Mustikkamaa) - translated means blueberry land, and this name is given to a pleasant island with virgin nature, located near the Helsinki Zoo. District name Helsinki Kallio ( Kallio) in translation means rock and suits well this bohemian area of ​​the capital, famous for its bars and nightlife.

Representatives of the animal world often appear in the names of Finnish cities: Kontiomäki ( Kontiomä ki) Is a bear mountain, Kotka ( Kotka) - Eagle. City name Nokia ( Nokia) - the founder of the world famous brand mobile phones- has almost disappeared from modern language meaning: in the old days, this was the name of the sable.

“The names of many of our cities come from the names of some peasant farms, estates, in which only one family could live and work, and which gradually grew and turned into villages, and then into cities,” says Paikkala. Many of these names end in -la ( – la) Is the so-called collective plurality suffix. For example, the name of one of the municipalities of Pusula ( Pusula) comes from the word pusu (pusu) - a kiss, adding the suffix -la results in a “place of kisses”. The proper name Karhula ( Karhula) comes from the word karhu (karhu) - bear. Thus, Karhula means a place where there are many bears or a bearish place.

Bilingual puzzles

Several centuries ago, immigrants from the Swedish lands of Helsingland founded a trading store at the mouth of a river that flows into the Gulf of Finland in its southern part. Local Swedish-speaking residents began to call their settlement the word Helsingfors ( Helsingfors). The basis of this word is “ Helsing» indicates the homeland of the merchants Helsingland, and « fors"Translated from Swedish means rapids, rapids. Later, the name Helsinki took root among the Finnish population. The mouth of the river - the original place of foundation of the Finnish capital - today is no longer in the city center, in one of the districts in the northern part of Helsinki, called Vanhakaupunki ( Vanhakaupunki), which means the old city.

As Paikkala explains, many Finnish place names, especially the names of places in the Finnish seaside, were originally derived from Swedish words. Some Finnish cities even have two different official names in the two official languages ​​of Finland. An example is former capital Finland, which has two names - Finnish Turku ( Turku) and Swedish Obu ( Å bo) ... At the origins of the Finnish name Turku lies the Russian words bargaining, and the Swedish name Obu is translated from Swedish as a settlement on the banks of the river.

Some Finnish names, which at first glance seem inexplicable and strange, come from the old Swedish names of these places, the sound of which the Finns later "adapted" to their native Finnish language. The old picturesque town of Porvoo is one example of this. Its Swedish name is Borgo ( Borgå) translated from Swedish means a fortress on the river. Replacing consonants b and g ( b, g) to familiar phonemes п, в ( p, v) and getting rid of the specific vowel of the Swedish alphabet å, Finns got their own, convenient in Finnish pronunciation, version of the city's name - Porvoo.

A similar example is the history of the name of the fortress island-fortress Suomenlinna (Suomenlinna) located near the Finnish capital. Suomenlinna is translated from Finnish as a Finnish fortress, but until Finland gained independence in 1917, the name Viapori ( Viapori) , which is nothing more than the Finnish pronunciation of the Swedish name of the fortress - Sveaborg ( Sveaborg). Sveaborg, in turn, is translated from Swedish as Swedish fortress.

Tampere city ( Tampere) perhaps owes its name to either Swedish, or one more state language Finland is the language of the Sami national minority. According to one version, the name Tampere comes from the Swedish word dam, according to another - it contains old word Sámi, meaning calm water between rapids. Today, the vast majority of the Sami people live in the northernmost part of Lapland, but echoes of the Sami names can be found in place names throughout Finland, in places where the Sami settled in the past. Most Big City Lapland's Rovaniemi has a mixed etymology: the first part of the word rova means in the Sami language a mountain overgrown with trees, and the second part of the word is the Finnish word niemi, meaning peninsula. The most beautiful national park in Finland, located north-west of Helsinki, is called Nuuksio, the etymology of this name is associated with the Sami word for swan.

Fancy names, curiosities

Photo: Jari Mäkinen / VisitFinland

Some Finnish cities and territories have received funny names for some reason. Take, for example, the name of a town in eastern Finland, Varkaus ( Varkaus) - it causes travelers an instinctive desire to look after their things, because the word vvarkaus means theft.

Another example is the name of the Pohja municipality ( Pohja which translates to bottom.

The very last stop of trains heading north-west Lapland is the station with a name that portends unkindness - Kolari ( Kolari) ... Kolari is translated from Finnish as a wreck, although, most likely, this name comes from a completely different word - koolari, meaning cooking charcoal... On its historical path, this word “lost” only one letter o, and as a result, having lost its original meaning, it turned into an ominous “collapse”.

Another entertaining name is Arabia ( Arabia) that appears on Helsinki tram route signs. The spelling and pronunciation are quite close to "Arabia", which can give visitors to the capital an exaggerated idea of ​​the length of the tram routes in the Finnish capital, but in fact, Arabia is just one of its areas located on the seashore.

The shortest in Finland geographic name is a small town located in the coastal part of the Gulf of Bothnia. There are only two letters in its name, and the same, two and: Ии ( Ii), and this name is pronounced like a long letter "and". At the root of this name is a Sami word meaning a place to stay overnight.

Snappertun's unusual name for Finnish (Snappertuna) received a charming village in the Itya-maa region. Visitors are attracted here both by its picturesque view, and its mysterious, intricate name, which most likely has Swedish roots.

Text: Fran Weaver, September 2014

About the Finns, nothing is known at all. It is not clear, no one knows where they came from - the Finns. Either they came from the wilderness of forests and swamps, or Transbaikal people. But even there the name of the people - the Finns, was not heard at all.

But seriously, people moved to Europe no earlier than 6,000 years ago because it was under a glacier. -Finland - Finnish land. Suomi - Suomi - with Omi, a river in Russia that flows into the Irtysh River, in ancient times part of the territory of Belovodye. The name of the people - Suomi was preserved by the Finns because this word was used among the people, but over time its meaning was forgotten. It is no coincidence that Slavic runic inscriptions are found on the territory of Scandinavia. The Finns (more correctly - the Finns) are the ancient Slavs-Rus, like the Icelanders, Danes, Norwegians, Swedes, British, Scots, etc. The single people were territorially divided into countries after the collapse of the Slavic-Aryan empire. Replacing their writing with the Latin alphabet and writing a new history, we got different languages, although earlier, the differences between peoples were only in dialect, dialect. In 1697, the Swedish court master of ceremonies Sparvenfeld, in an official speech, still called himself "a true bitter-hearted date." And he wrote in Latin in Russian. This shows how not Slavs are made of Slavs. The example of today's Ukraine, for 2017, clearly shows this. The Greeks used to call Fins dates, Phoenicians, because of the purple color of the sails of their ships. The Phoenicians, the Finnish Slavs, got purple from mollusks in sea shells, and they knew how to get different shades and colors from this dye. Greeks (also claim that the Greeks came from the Slavic word - sins) - this is oriental people, who adopted the Jewish religion, partially taking the cultural heritage of the Slavs-Rus, after the collapse of the Slavic-Aryan empire. - the city of the Phoenicians-Slavs, which had and Slavic name... The Greeks were not Hellenes. The Hellenes lived in Hellas. The Greek names Pallas and Hellas are a modified, Slavic name for Lada, revered by the Slavs-Rus. The Finns-Phoenicians-Slavs fought with the Greeks. Therefore, the Phoenicians are both cruel and robbers and pirates and slave traders, which in fact did not exist. The Phoenicians-Slavs are a peaceful working people, they created a writing system that is more than 4000 years old, and had developed crafts. They mined a dye - purple, made fabrics and dyed them in purple, mined and smelted metal, glass, were engaged in agriculture, gardening, cattle breeding, jewelry, perfectly built ships, houses, fortresses, had their own cities throughout Mediterranean(now these are places in Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Tunisia, Spain, Italy and not only), sailed to America, Africa, India, Indonesia. Other peoples also called them: Antes (was all over Asia Minor), Sarmatians, Huns, Polovtsians (straw-haired), Etruscans, Trojans, Pelasgians, Canaans, Scythians - these are all Rus-Slavs. Scythians are a distortion of the word wanderers, from the word skete (fenced off place). Sketia is a real, ancient Russian, north and west of the Chinese Wall. On the other side of China is Chin, which is still called so. Kita - in Slavic, a large, high fence (barrier). The Slavs who migrated from Sketia were called Scythians, with the loss of the original meaning of the word. The path of the Finns (Phoenicians, dates) to Europe: Iceland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland also ran through the territory of present-day Ukraine from Asia Minor, the Middle East, Palestine (Palestine - Paleniy Stan - in Slavic - a hot country. For example, according to - Slavic - not hot. Syria on Miller's map from 1519 is called Suria, meaning Russia. Phenicia on Miller's map in 1519, on the territory of present-day Turkey, where the city remains today - Finike.

The official name of the country is the Republic of Finland (Fin. Suomen tasavalta). The residents themselves call their country Suomi. Finland is located in the north of Europe and neighbors Russia in the east, Norway in the north, and Sweden in the northwest. The northwestern part of Finland lies on the Scandinavian Peninsula, sharing it with Sweden and Norway. Finland is washed by the waters of the Baltic Sea, as well as its two bays - the Finnish one, forming the sea border with Estonia in the south, and the Bothnian in the west. 1/3 of the country lies in the Arctic Circle.

The country's territory is 338 430.53 km², providing the seventh place in Europe for this indicator. Time zone - UTC + 2 (in summer time+ 3). In summer, Moscow and Finnish time coincide, in winter Finnish time lags behind Moscow by one hour.

Landscape

Perhaps the most recognizable Finnish landscape is associated with lakes. Their number is 187,888, with most of the lakes in the central part. Saimaa is the largest lake in Suomi (1800 km 2, depth 82 m). Another component of the picturesque landscape is the islands, 179 584.

There is an island city in Finland - Pargas. It is the only city in the country surrounded by water on all sides.

71.6% of Finland's territory is covered with forests, providing the country with the first place in Europe in terms of forest resources.

Climate

The climate in the country is temperate and varies from maritime to continental with a predominance of continental type in northern Finland. Thanks to the influence of the North Atlantic Current, a balance of cold winters and warm summers can be observed in the country. The average annual temperature in the capital Helsinki is 5.3 degrees.

Nature

More than 70% of Finland's territory is covered with forests, which gives the country the first place in Europe in terms of forest resources. Finnish forests are rich in blueberries, raspberries, lingonberries, cranberries, and, of course, mushrooms - boletus, boletus, aspen, chanterelles.

The pristine nature of Finland is a natural habitat for numerous wild animals and birds: bears, wolves, lynxes, eagles, cranes and swans, as well as rarest species seal - Saimaa. This seal lives only in Lake Saimaa.

The perfect way to experience the amazing fauna and flora of Suomi is to visit one of the country's 37 national parks that are open to tourists. all year round.

The forests of Suomi are home to about 250 species of birds, such as partridge, black grouse, hazel grouse, black grouse, wood grouse. In rivers and lakes, salmon, perch, whitefish, pike perch, pike, vendace are found.

The snow-white whooper swan is the national bird of Finland.

Population

The population of Finland is 5,577,917 people. The overwhelming majority of the inhabitants of Finland are Christians, belonging mainly to the Evangelical-Lutheran (from 84.2 to 88%) or Orthodox churches(1%). The gender composition of the residents is 49% of men and 51% of women.

Cities

Music

There are also enough festivals dedicated to opera and choral performances. In the city of Vaasa, located in the west of Finland, at the end of May takes place international festival choral music. In Espoo, every two years, in early June, the VocalEspoo vocal festival takes place, and the Urkuyö & Aaria festival lasts throughout the summer. From July to August, the international Opera Festival in Savonlinna gathers opera fans, and the Chamber Music Festival takes place in Kuhmo in July.

Events dedicated to jazz can be distinguished into a separate category. At the end of April, Espoo hosts the April Jazz festival, in July Pori, the oldest jazz festival in Finland, opens in Pori, and in August, residents and guests of Turku gather for the Turku Jazz festival. And in Tampere, famous jazzmen and rising stars perform at the annual Tampere Jazz Happening festival in November.

Among the many festival events, everyone will find something to their liking. Folk lovers can check out Helsinki's Etno-Espa festival in August, while pop and dance lovers gather in July for the Suomipop festival in Jyväskylä. Theater fans come to Tampere every summer for the Performing Arts Festival. There are also mixed events: the Jyväskylä Art Festival, the Turku Music Festival, the Kotka Sea Festival, the Helsinki International Flow Festival combining music and visual arts.

Cinema

cellular

Three main companies in the market cellular in Finland - Saunalahti, DNA and Sonera. If you are often in Finland and actively use mobile communication, consider purchasing a prepaid card from one of your local operators. These are prepaid SIM cards, when buying which you do not need to fill out an agreement and register, you do not need a subscription fee. Their validity period, as a rule, is limited and is several months, but when the account is replenished for a certain amount, the action is automatically extended. SIM cards are sold in R-Kioski, in shopping centers or in specialized communication salons, the cost is quite affordable, despite the crisis. The most economical option is not to buy additional packages of calls and the Internet, since the basic set provides an excellent connection in terms of price and quality. Read more about the offers of Finnish operators in our article.

Prices in Finland

Finland is one of the most expensive countries in the eurozone, according to the statistical office Eurostat. In recent years, prices for food, services and clothing in Suomi have grown faster than the European average, and now the country is consistently ranked among the four EU countries with the highest high level consumer prices.

What prices should you be guided by when going to Finland in 2017?

The average price for a liter of gasoline is 1.5 euros, of diesel fuel - 1.4 euros. Travel to public transport Helsinki starts at 2.9 euros. You will have to pay for a ticket to the museum from 5 to 10 euros.

To drink a cup of cappuccino in a cafe, you need to pay 2.5-3 euros. An inexpensive lunch for one person will cost 10-15 euros, a dinner for two with alcohol - from 60 euros.

The Big Mac, which is sometimes used to determine the price level in a particular country, costs 4.1 euros in Finland.

The cost of rooms in the hotel starts from 70 euros. You can spend the night in a common room in the hostel for a fee of 20 euros.

To estimate the value of a food basket, below are the average prices for staple foods in supermarkets:

• Milk, 1 liter - 0.8-1.2 euros
• White bread, 750 g - 1.9 euros
• Eggs, 10 pieces - 1.5-2 euros
• Salmon, 1 kg - 15-20 euros
• Potatoes, 1 kg - 1 euro
• Apples, 1 kg - 1.5 euros
• Juice, 1 liter - 0.8-1.8 euros.

Prices for many goods and services are reduced during sales and promotions held by trading companies, hotels, museums, etc. Also, when going to Finland for shopping, do not forget about the opportunity to return part of the VAT. Read more about invoicing, tax-free and electronic tax-free in our articles.

What to buy in Finland

Products

First of all, you should pay attention to Finnish food products, which are distinguished by a wide assortment, consistent quality, freshness, and sometimes a unique local taste.

In Finland, it is worth buying salted or smoked red fish, herring and red caviar. This can be done in any hypermarket or fish store located near the Russian-Finnish border - Disa's Fish and Laplandia Market.

Almost as popular as fish, the Finnish product is coffee. The most recognizable and purchased coffees are Juhla Mokka, Presidentti and Kulta Katriina.

Traditional Finnish dairy products should be chosen dairy products- Lapland (also called bread) cheese and salted butter.

One of the most popular edible souvenirs from Suomi is Fazer chocolate. First of all, these are sweets with Geisha nut crumbs, with Fazermint mint filling, Marianne mint caramel with chocolate filling, and Dumle toffee in chocolate glaze. You can also buy tiles with more original flavors, such as salted cashews, pears and cranberries.

Finnish specialties are unusual black candies with licorice or salmiakki. The sweet-salty taste of licorice sweets is reminiscent of a cough syrup, and salmiyakki adds the aroma of ammonia to it.

If you happen to be at any city holiday or festival in Finland, you should definitely buy a Finnish “meter long candy”. The liquorice cord is cut into pieces and each is packed in a sachet. Such a souvenir cannot be found in ordinary supermarkets; it will be an excellent gift.

It is worth bringing from Suomi jam from northern forest berries, primarily cloudberries and sea buckthorn. Cooking enthusiasts should pay attention to the varied assortment of Finnish sugar, flour and spices.

As a present for a man, you can buy Finnish flavored Koskenkorva, Saimaa or Finlandia vodka. Connoisseurs of good beer will be delighted with Lapin Kulta, and lovers of sweet alcoholic beverages- liqueurs made from cloudberries, cranberries, lingonberries or sea buckthorn. Do not forget that alcohol stronger than 4.7% can only be bought in specialized Alko stores.

From November to the end of January, the Finnish Christmas symbol Gloggi, a non-alcoholic juice and spice drink made for mulled wine, can be added to the shopping list.

Popular Finnish snacks will also be excellent gastronomic souvenirs: Porkkanalaatikko carrot casserole, Lihapullat meatballs, Mustamakkara blood sausage, Perunalastuja natural potato chips, as well as Karelian pies (aka Finnish pies, wickets).

For those who are forced to follow a gluten-free, lactose-free or other diet, it is worth choosing suitable products in any supermarket. Gluten-free products are labeled with the crossed-out wheat spike in a circle and the word gluteiiniton, while lactose-free products are labeled laktoositon.

clothing

From September 14, 2015, it is mandatory to submit biometric data, which includes 10 fingerprints and a photo (in addition to the photo for the questionnaire). Children under 12 years old are exempted from biometric data.

The number of trips to Finland should be higher than to other Schengen countries. The fact in which country you opened your visa is not so essential. The maximum period of stay on a visa is up to 90 days in half a year. Schengen gives you the right to visit other countries participating in the agreement.

Everything about visa processing, including the addresses of the Finnish Embassy and its representative offices in the Russian Federation, can be found and.

• Install apps to help you travel. For example, Maps.me app with free offline maps from all over the world and XE Currency converter.
• Free accommodation in Finland can be found by couchsurfing. Read about how to do this in our article.
• If you come to Finland for a couple of days, then choose a hostel and hotel. For a long period (a week or more) it makes sense to rent an apartment. This option is also great for traveling with children or big company... The apartment is a regular apartment with a kitchen, so you can cook yourself. The downside is that when you check in, you have to adapt to the owner of the apartment, and, for example, it will be problematic to enter the apartment at night or early in the morning. You can rent an apartment both through Booking and using the Airbnb service.
• Finland has the most low prices for groceries in stores of the German Lidl chain and Prisma supermarkets.
• Many Finnish museums have days when admission is free for all visitors.
• Public toilets operate every day and all year round in parks and city streets. They are marked on a map distributed at tourist information points.

The language barrier

Finns speak English very well, especially young people, so with the knowledge of this language you will feel quite comfortable here. In large shopping centers, tourist information office and museums, you can also be served in Russian.

The majority of the population speaks Finnish as their mother tongue; only 6% speak Swedish.

To feel more confident, you can use our