Portal:Finland
Welcome to the Finnish Portal!
Tervetuloa Suomen teemasivulle!
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The Republic of Finland (Finnish: Suomen tasavalta Swedish: Republiken Finland) is a Nordic country in northeastern Europe, bordered by the Baltic Sea to the southwest, the Gulf of Finland to the south and the Gulf of Bothnia to the west. Finland has land frontiers with Sweden, Norway and Russia. The Åland Islands, off the southwestern coast, are under Finnish sovereignty while enjoying extensive autonomy. The Finnish name for Finland is Suomi; in Swedish it is Finland.
Finland gained independence from Russia on 6 December 1917. Prior to that, it had been part of the Kingdom of Sweden and an autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland under Imperial Russia. After fighting two wars with the Soviet Union in the mid-20th century, it has grown quickly from a largely agrarian society to one of the world's most developed countries. Finland has a high standard of living, one of the best educational systems in the world, and it has been the birthplace to many technological phenomena such as Nokia, sms, Linux, Angry Birds and IRC.
Finland has been a member of the European Union since 1995.
Selected article
Gyromitra esculenta is an ascomycete fungus from the genus Gyromitra, widely distributed across Europe and North America and one of several species of fungi known as false morels. It normally sprouts in sandy soils under coniferous trees, in spring and early summer. The fruiting body, or mushroom, is an irregular brain-shaped cap dark brown in colour which can reach 10 cm (4 in) high and 15 cm (6 in) wide, perched on a stout white stipe up to 6 cm (2.4 in) high. Although potentially fatal if eaten raw, Gyromitra esculenta is a popular delicacy in Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, and the upper Great Lakes region of North America. It may be sold fresh in Finland, but it must be accompanied by warnings and instructions on correct preparation. It is eaten in omelettes, soups, or sautéed in Finnish cuisine. Once popular in the Pyrenees, it is now prohibited from sale for consumption in Spain. Although it is still commonly consumed after parboiling, recent evidence suggests that even this procedure may not make the fungus entirely safe; thus raising concerns of risk even when prepared properly. When consumed, the false morel's principal active agent, gyromitrin, is metabolized into the toxic compound monomethylhydrazine. The toxin affects the liver, central nervous system, and sometimes the kidneys. (more...)
Selected picture
Photo credit: Petteri Sulonen
The VR warehouses in Helsinki on fire on May 5th 2006.
Did you know...
- ...the Finnish Air Force selected the Saab 91 Safir as its primary trainer aircraft over the domestic Valmet Tuuli III?
- ...that the Kaleva, a Finnish passenger plane carrying diplomatic post, was shot down by Soviet bombers in an act of aggression?
- ...that the majority of Assyrians in Finland live in Oulu, the sixth largest city in the country?
- ...that Finland was close to becoming an independent kingdom in 1742?
- ...that the Saint Petersburg–Hiitola railroad was completed by 1917, but a year later the Finnish Civil War caused traffic to stop, with a mile of track removed?
Selected biography
Saint Henry was a legendary Swedish clergyman. Conquering Finland together with King Eric the Saint of Sweden and dying as a martyr, Henry became central in the local Roman Catholic Church. Even today, together with his alleged murderer Lalli, he remains one of the best recognized persons from the history of Finland. The authenticity of the accounts of Henry's life, ministry, and death is widely disputed. On the basis of the traditional accounts of Henry's death, he was locally recognized as a saint, prior to the founding of the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints. He continues to be remembered as a local observance in the Catholic Church of Finland. He is also commemorated in several Protestant liturgical calendars. (more...)
Finland News
- February 22: Austria leads medal count after second day of 2013 IPC Alpine World Championships
- February 16: 2013 IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships preparations underway
- October 9: Tomatoes, watermelons, peppers reduce stroke risk, Finnish study suggests
- June 29: African Olympians and Paralympians prepare for their London odyssey
- December 5: Finnish trio shot dead in Brazil
- August 10: Finnish police to receive guidance on Internet 'hate speech'
- August 9: Former Prime Minister of Finland Harri Holkeri dies aged 74
- July 8: Finnish Olympic champion skier Mika Myllylä found dead
- May 15: Azerbaijan win 2011 Eurovision Song Contest
- November 10: Nokia takes over Symbian OS development
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You are invited to participate in Finland WikiProject, a WikiProject dedicated to developing and improving articles about Finland. |
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Selected panorama
Panoramic photo shot of Helsinki, Finland.
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