From the retreat of the ice and the first settlers to the modern republic, this is a practical guide to the story of Finland, its people and its place in Europe.
Finland's history stretches back more than ten thousand years, from the melting of the great ice sheet to a modern republic shaped by war, work and a deep respect for trust and equality. Use the categories below to explore each chapter, or read on from the first settlers.
When the ice retreated from Finland, the first settlers followed. Discover the end of the Ice Age and the earliest Stone Age people of Finland.
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Explore the Stone Age of Finland, from the Comb Ceramic culture and its famous pottery to rock paintings and the slow arrival of farming.
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Finland in the Viking Age: trade routes across the Baltic, contacts with the east, and the tribes that became a nation.
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For more than 600 years Finland was part of the Kingdom of Sweden. Explore the crusades, law, castles and administration that bound the two lands together.
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Christianity, parishes and monasteries: how the Church became the most powerful institution of medieval Finland.
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Turku was Finland's first city, its medieval capital and the centre of church, trade and learning for centuries.
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The Finnish War of 1808-1809 ended 600 years of Swedish rule and made Finland an autonomous grand duchy of the Russian Empire.
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From 1809 to 1917 Finland was an autonomous grand duchy of Russia. Discover the institutions, reforms and national awakening that grew in that era.
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In 1812 the Grand Duchy moved its capital from Turku to Helsinki. Discover why, and how a small town became a neoclassical capital.
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How scholars, writers and artists of the 19th century created a distinct Finnish culture and language that still define the nation.
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In December 1917 Finland declared its independence. Discover the path from the Grand Duchy to a sovereign republic.
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In early 1918 independent Finland was torn apart by civil war. Understand the two sides, the course of the conflict and the long road to reconciliation.
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In 1939 the Soviet Union invaded Finland. Against enormous odds, Finland's defenders held on through a famous winter, winning a peace that preserved independence.
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From 1941 to 1944 Finland fought the Continuation War against the Soviet Union, and in 1945 the Lapland War against its former ally Germany.
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After 1945 Finland rebuilt from the ruins of war and reparations into a modern welfare state and one of the most equal societies on earth.
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For four decades Finland steered a careful course between East and West. Discover the policy of neutrality that defined Finnish foreign policy in the Cold War.
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Finland joined the European Union in 1995. Discover how a northern border country became an integrated European state and a leader in innovation.
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From Alvar Aalto to Nokia and Kiasma: how Finnish design, architecture, music and technology have shaped modern culture.
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