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Finland 
Finland is one of Europe's most sparsely populated nations, with a population of just
5.2 million strewn across a pristine wilderness of legendary beauty. Forests of pine, fir,
and birch blanket two-thirds of the country. The presence of around 180,000 lakes makes
the landscape of southern and central Finland look, from the air, as if a giant mirror has
been smashed across it. Only in the far northern Lapland, deep into the Arctic Circle,
does this patchwork of green and blue give way to tundra; here winter darkness is
alleviated only by the brilliant green-and-orange displays of the aurora borealis.
But this is also the land of the midnight sun where some 5,000 ethnic Lapps or Sami people
herd reindeer, catch fish, and make handicrafts for the burgeoning tourist industry.
Finland is generally considered a Scandinavian country. Geographically, it is, bordered to
the west by Sweden and to the north by Norway.
However, the country also shares its history with Russia, with whom
she has a third land border to the east. Sweden ruled Finland from Viking times until
1809, when the country was ceded to Tsarist Russia as a spoil of war. Independence came
only in 1917, since when Finland has been struggling to assert her sense of nationhood
while at the same time performing an international balancing act between east and west.
The Finnish language, related to Estonian and Hungarian and having little in common with
either Swedish or Russian, remains a powerful symbol of independence.
The majority of Finns live in the three major cities of southern Finland: the capital, Helsinki, Turku, and Tampere. Nevertheless, a great
love of open spaces and outdoor activities is a key element in the national character.
Many families have log cabins in the forest, usually by a lake and equipped with a sauna.
This is where they spend weekends and holidays cross-country skiing in winter, or hiking,
canoeing, or fishing in summer. Back in the cities, the enduring Finnish affection for
nature is reflected in the imaginative modern architecture, which has won international
acclaim throughout the 20th century.
Travel Preparation
Entry Requirements
Citizens of the European Union (EU), except for those of Greece, can enter Finland
with a valid national identity card and stay for a period of 90 days; so too can Swiss
citizens. Citizens of the United Kingdom and Ireland, where there is no identity card
system, must carry a valid passport. Other nationals should consult the Finnish embassy or
consulate in their country of residence before departure for any visa requirements.
Emergency phone numbers
Ambulance: 112
Police: 112 or 10022
Fire brigade: 112
Alternative pan-European emergency number for all services: 112
Time zones
Central European Time plus one hour (Greenwich Mean Time plus two hours). Clocks
are put forward another hour for summertime from the last Sunday in March to the Saturday
before the end of October.
Driving
Vehicle documents
An International Driving Permit is not mandatory in Finland. Green Card insurance
is honoured, but check with your motor-vehicle insurance company regarding necessary
documents and whether additional insurance is required. You will need to display a sticker
indicating where the car is insured.
Rules of the road
Always carry your full valid driving licence or International Driving Permit,
vehicle registration documents, and insurance documents with you in the car. Traffic
drives on the right, and vehicles coming from the right have priority at crossroads. Use
of seat belts is compulsory in front and rear seats, and children under 15 must sit in the
back. Sounding your horn is permitted only when necessary. It is advisable to drive with
dipped headlights at all times, though in towns this is not obligatory. The highest level
of alcohol permitted in your bloodstream when driving is 50 mg per 100 ml (5g/l).
Roads, tolls and speed limits
There are no toll roads in Finland. On motorways the speed limit is 120 kilometres
(75 miles) per hour in summer and 100 kilometres (62 miles) per hour in winter; on other
roads it is 80 kilometres (49 miles) per hour, except where signposted.
Driving tips
Snow can present problems for drivers in Finland. Snow tyres must be fitted for
the period December to Febuary. Studded tyres are permitted from 1 November to the first
Sunday after Easter, or when conditions justify them. Both snow tyres and studded tyres
can be hired at ISKO shops (automobile equipment stores) in Finland. Another hazard you
may encounter is wandering elk, deer, or reindeer, especially at dusk. If you hit one, you
must notify the police immediately.
Assistance
The main motoring association in Finland is Autoliitto, tel: +358 9 774 761. If
you are involved in an accident, contact Liikennevakuutusyhdistys (the Finnish Motor
Insurers' Bureau) at Bulevardi 28, 00120 Helsinki, tel: +358 9 680 401.
Electrical devices
The electrical current in Finland is 220 volts AC. Round, two-pin plugs are used.
An adapter is essential for UK and Irish appliances.
Money
Notes and coins
The official monetary unit is the markka (mk). There are 100 penniä (p) in a
markka. Notes come in denominations of 1,000mk, 500, 100, and 20. Coins are in
denominations of 10mk, 5, and 1, and 50p and 10. Finland is one of 11 European Union
countries which will adopt the Euro (€) as its currency on 1 January 2002. Prices and
bills are increasingly quoted in both markka and Euros. The fixed exchange rate is
€1=mk5.94573. Markka notes and coins will cease to be legal tender on 1 July 2002.
Currency exchange
Travellers cheques are the safest way to carry money, and you should buy these in
your own country before you leave. The major credit cards are widely accepted, although
not in every shop, hotel, and restaurant. The most useful ones are MasterCard, American
Express, Diners Club, and Visa. You will find current exchange rates listed in most
newspapers and in banks and bureaux de change. Banks are the most convenient places to
cash travellers cheques, and they give better rates than hotels. Most charge a flat fee,
but it is worth shopping around, as some charge no commission at all. Eurocheques can be
cashed at many banks. Opening hours are generally 09.30 to 16.15 Monday to Friday.
Tipping
A service charge of 15 percent is included in hotel bills. Taxi drivers expect a
tip.
Public holidays
1 January: New Year's Day
6 January: Epiphany
Good Friday
Easter Sunday
Easter Monday
1 May: May Day
Ascension Day
Whitsun
21 June: Midsummer's Day
1 November: All Saints' Day
6 December: Independence Day
25 December: Christmas
26 December: Boxing Day
Travellers with disabilities
The large ferries that ply between Helsinki and Sweden or Germany have accessible
cabins; trains on the long-distance route from Helsinki to Rovaniemi have coaches that
take wheelchairs; and long-distance buses are adapted for wheelchair users. You can expect
to find taxis with wheelchair lifts (called invataxis) in the largest towns.
Special parking permits are obtainable from the local police. The Finnish Tourist Board
provides useful information and also publishes a leaflet entitled Tourist Services for
the Disabled.
Transport
Metro, buses and trams
Bus services in Finnish towns are efficient. In Helsinki they are well integrated
with the metro and tramway systems and also with the ferry services to the Suomenlinna
Islands. The same fares apply on each mode of transport, and you can transfer between them
using the same ticket. You pay according to the number of zones through which you will be
travelling. Multi-trip tickets and passes are sold in advance. The Helsinki Card, valid
for one, two, or three days, allows free travel on all public transport, plus free
entrance to museums and tourist sights. The Helsinki metro (which has only one line)
operates from 05.38 to 23.18 Monday to Saturday, and from 06.48 to 23.18 on Sundays.
Tickets for the metro are also accepted on trams, buses, and the ferries to the
Suomenlinna Islands.
Ferries
Ferries leave from the South Harbour in Helsinki for the Suomenlinna Islands.
There are also boats between Helsinki and Porvoo, Helsinki and Stockholm (Sweden), and
Helsinki and Talinn (Estonia).
Helsinki
With islands, parks, and lakes, this compact city with water on three sides
reflects the Finnish love of nature. In the heart of the city, the tree-lined green strip
of Esplanadi is a favourite summertime promenade. Senate Square nearby is known for its
splendid 19th-century buildings designed by the Prussian architect Carl Engel. Helsinki's
20th-century monuments and museums—including Saarinen's monumental railway station
and Alvar Aalto's stunning Finlandia Hall—reflect Finland's
new-found nationhood. The city is also known as Helsingfors in Swedish.
Turku
The modern shops and offices of its centre belie Turku's long history. As entry
point for Finland's Swedish rulers, the city was medieval Finland's
administrative and religious centre and its capital until 1812. Its former glory is
evident along the banks of the Aura River. Turku Cathedral, still the centre of Finnish
Christianity, dates from the 13th century and holds many medieval tombs. At the
atmospheric Turku Castle, Swedish-speaking aristocrats determined the fate of the Finns
for several centuries. Turku also has two excellent museums to honour revered modern
Finns: composer Jean Sibelius and sculptor Wäinö Aaltonen. The city is also known as
Åbo in Swedish.
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