Country Overview
The population of Finland is about 5.2 million. The three cities of Helsinki (the capital), population 550,000, Espoo, 213,300, and Vantaa, 178,500, form the Helsinki metropolitan region, which is now home to roughly a sixth of the country's total population. About 65 of Finns live in urban areas. Although the population is primarily Finnish (98), the northern region of the country, known as Lapland, is home to the native Sami people.

The government of Finland is a democratic republic. The head of state is the President of the Republic, elected every six years by direct popular vote.

Power is shared between the President and the 200 member Parliament (Eduskunta), which is headed by the Prime Minister. Members of Parliament are elected every four years. The Prime Minister heads the multiparty coalition government formed in 1999. The Social Democratic Party, the Centre Party and National Coalition represent the major political parties of Finland.

Finland is a member of the European Union and the United Nations. The Finnish unit of currency is the Euro, which officially replaced the Finnish Mark on January 1, 2002.

The official languages of Finland are Finnish and Swedish (6%). Although most people speak Finnish, the official status of Swedish has historical roots in the period when Finland was a part of the Swedish realm. Finnish is a Uralic language belonging to the Finno-Ugric group and is closely related to Estonian and Karelian. The Sami continue to speak their languages. English is commonly spoken in tourist areas and as a second language.

The landscape of Finland is a striking mixture of wooded hills and water. Forests cover three-quarters of the country. The other outstanding features of Finland's scenery are the amazing 190,000 lakes and comparable amount of islands.

The climate of Finland is marked by cold winters and warm summers. About a quarter of the country's total area lies north of the Arctic Circle. During the summer months of the 'midnight sun', the sun does not set in this area for about 73 days. During the dark winter period, the sun remains hidden from view for 51 days, creating the polar night known as kaamos.

Finland is one of the most industrialized countries in Europe. Major industries today include metals and engineering equipment, tele-communications, and paper products. The most important export product today is the mobile phone (thanks to the presence of Nokia). Finland is one of the few European countries whose exports exceed imports in data and communication technology. It is said to be 'the most on-line nation in the world', with more mobile phones and Internet connections per capita than any other country.

Other successful exports include the works of Tove Jansson (writer), Alvar Aalto (architect) and Jean Sibelius (composer). The famed move director Renny Harlin (Cliffhanger) comes from Finland, as well as two-time Formula 1 World Champion Mika Hakkinen.

Although teenagers tend to eat similarly in many cultures nowadays, you will notice differences. A typical Finnish breakfast, for example, would consist of a cup of hot tea and two open-faced sandwiches with cheese topped with sliced cucumber or a layer of marmalade. Students generally eat a cooked meal at school for lunch. In general, Finnish food has elements of both Swedish and Russian cuisine, but with a lot of variations and local specialties. A typical Finnish diet would include a large amount of fish, potatoes, salad, milk and dairy products, berries and fresh-baked breads. Finns tend to eat very healthily and past students have been surprised by the amount of junk food eaten by their American peers.

School
Education is considered very important in Finland. Illiteracy is virtually unknown. The Finnish government subsidizes all education, so all schooling is free -- from preschool through university. All children receive compulsory basic education between the ages of 7 and 16. At this time, students can voluntarily enroll in upper secondary school (3-4 years) or vocational school (2-5 year programs). Students can then proceed on to the university, or pursue higher education at a technical institution -- a popular choice in today's high-tech society. 56 of the Finnish population have completed post- primary education and 13 have a university degree or equivalent qualification.

The Finnish student will enjoy the change of pace at American high schools. The Finnish high school offers only theoretical subjects and few extra-curricular activities. The close interaction between students and teachers and the students' involvement in school activities will probably surprise your student.

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