Finland is a country in northern Europe famous for its scenic beauty. Thousands of lovely lakes dot Finland's landscape, and thick forests cover almost two-thirds of the land. The country has a long, deeply indented coast, marked by colorful red and gray granite rocks. Thousands of scenic islands lie offshore. Sweden lies to the west of Finland, northern Norway lies to the north, and Russia lies to the east. The Gulf of Finland and the Gulf of Bothnia, two extensions of the Baltic Sea, border Finland on the south and southwest.

The northernmost part of the country lies inside the Arctic Circle in a region called the Land of the Midnight Sun. In this region of Finland, the sun shines 24 hours a day for long periods each summer. Helsinki, the country's capital and largest city, is in the south on the Gulf of Finland.

Most of Finland's people live in the southern part of the country, where the climate is mildest. Finns love the outdoors and the arts. They have a high standard of living and receive many welfare benefits from the government. Much of Finland's wealth comes from its huge forests. They form the basis of the country's thriving forest-products industry, which includes woodworking and the manufacture of paper and pulp.

Finland's location between Russia on the east and Sweden on the west has played an important role in the country's history. In the 1000's, Sweden and Russia began to battle for possession of Finland. Sweden gradually gained control in the 1100's and 1200's, but conflict between Sweden and Russia over Finland continued for hundreds of years. Today, Swedish remains equal with Finnish as an official language of Finland. Russia controlled the country from 1809 until 1917, when Finland declared its independence. The nation became a republic with a president and parliament. During World War II (1939-1945), Finland fought two wars with the Soviet Union, which was formed under Russia's leadership in 1922 and existed until 1991.