Amazing things everyone needs to know about Finland

Finland has caught the world’s attention in recent years with its technological achievements, amazing landscapes and lakes. It is also home to the world’s happiest people! 

Many people are dreaming of moving to Finland as this beautiful country offers great things to everyone. Whether they’re looking for a peaceful place to live, a slower pace, or a career-focused lifestyle, Finland can give people what they need. Moreover, the country has some wonderful and weird characteristics too.

Read on to learn about the amazing things about Finland.

Finns love gaming

Being the world’s happiest people is perhaps why Finland is one of the top gaming nations in the world. Moreover, it’s said Finns spend the most money on gaming annually among other European countries, and in many demographics it’s a popular pastime.

Gaming has always existed in person – think about board games, for instance – but has seen some serious changes in the past ten years, as technology has given birth to online games of all kinds. Today it’s easy to find many options on offer: card games, sport games, even netticasino for Suomi (the typical Finnish language) are available, anytime and anywhere using a computer, smartphone or tablet.

Saunas are everywhere

It is normal to receive tons of sauna invitations when in Finland. The sauna is huge part of Finnish culture, and people use them as settings for regular socialising. It has been a tradition for hundreds of years.

There are around two million saunas in Finland, which is more than enough for its 5.3 million population. Most state institutions and huge companies have saunas for their employees to relax in after work, and the president and the prime minister even have their own “official sauna”.

Space to roam

Finland has endless beautiful landscapes, and Finns are free to enjoy them anytime they want. They have this term: jokamiehen oikeus or “every man’s right”, which means everyone is free to enjoy nature, anywhere they want.

It’s also permitted to establish a temporary camp in the countryside, as long as campers are within a reasonable distance from houses. They are free to pick unprotected flowers, mushrooms, and wild berries and earn from foraging, tax-free!

Finns are coffee lovers

Finns consume the most coffee per person compared to any other nation across the world. An average Finn consumes around 12.5 kilograms of coffee every year. 

Finland is an awesome place to raise children

For the best place to raise a family, look no further! New mothers receive a “baby box”, filled with baby essentials, which can be used as a crib once emptied. On the other hand, if the parents already have these items, they may choose to receive €140 per newborn, tax-free. This is all covered by the government.

Mothers are also entitled to a four-month paid maternity leave, regardless of whether they are self-employed, regularly employed, or students. Fathers are also entitled to up to 54 days of paternity leave, and mothers can stay at home with their baby for around one year, receiving full salary and amazing benefits.

Finland is the world’s happiest place

For four consecutive years, Finland has been named the happiest place globally, according to the World Happiness Report by the United Nations. Northern Europe is clearly on the right path, since Finland is followed by Denmark, Switzerland, Iceland, and the Netherlands, as the top five happiest places on Earth.

The countries were ranked in the poll based on key variables supporting well-being: healthy life expectancy, freedom, trust, social support, income, and generosity. It is said that money can’t buy happiness, however, you can always use it to buy a plane ticket to Finland!

Finnish education is some of the best in the world

Finland has one of the best educational systems on the planet, offering fair opportunities to everyone, free of charge. Instead of sticking to a rigid system, policymakers allow the teachers and local school administrators to revamp and adjust the curriculum, meeting their distinctive requirements of their student bodies.

Once finished with basic education, students may choose to continue to higher-secondary education or stop for a moment and resume studying later at no cost. 90% of the students choose the first option.

Finland is unique in so many ways. With all the beautiful things it has to offer, there’s no wonder so many people worldwide dream of moving there.

The editorial unit