Héctor

=FINLAND =

[|Finland in maps, Helsinki]




 * A little bit os history...Swedish-speaking settlers arrived in some coastal regions during the medieval time. Swedish kings established their rule in 1249 . The area of present-day Finland became a fully consolidated part of the Swedish kingdom. Swedish became the dominant language of the nobility, administration and education; Finnish was chiefly a language for the peasantry, clergy and local courts in predominantly Finnish-speaking areas.During the Protestant Reformation, the Finns gradually converted to Lutheranism.
 * On March 29, 1809, having been taken over by the armies of Alexander I of Russia in the Finnish War, Finland became an autonomous Grand Duchy in the Russian Empire until the end of 1917. In 1811 Alexander I incorporated Russian Vyborg province into Grand Duchy of Finland. During the Russian era, the Finnish language began to gain recognition. After the 1917 February Revolution the position of Finland as part of the Russian Empire was questioned, mainly by Social Democrats.
 * Since the head of state was the Czar of Russia, it was not clear who the chief executive of Finland was after the revolution. The parliament, controlled by social democrats, passed the so-called //Power Law//, which would give the highest authority to the parliament.On January 27, 1918, the official starting shots to the war were fired in two simultaneous events. The government started to disarm the Russian forces in Pohjanmaa, and the Social Democratic Party staged a coup.After a brief flirtation with monarchy, Finland became a presidential republic, with Kaarlo Juho Ståhlberg elected as its first president in 1919.
 * During World War II, Finland fought the Soviet Union twice: in the Winter War of 1939–40 after the Soviet Union had attacked Finland; and in the Continuation War of 1941–44, following Operation Barbarossa, in which Germany invaded the Soviet Union. For 872 days, German and Finnish armies besieged Leningrad, the Soviet Union's second largest cityIn 1950 half of the Finnish workers were occupied in agriculture and a third lived in urban areas. The new jobs in manufacturing, services and trade quickly attracted people to the towns. The average number of births per woman declined from a baby boom peak of 3.5 in 1947 to 1.5 in 1973.Officially claiming to be neutral , Finland lay in the grey zone between the Western countries and the Soviets Union.


 * Where's Finland? Many people ask and, what happen whit this place?




 * Well, this is the "continent" of 6 month of sun and six month of night, you can imagine what sort of country we are in.


 * It's a Republic and there we can talk several languages like English, German, Swede but the officials are Swede and Finnish. Its population is about 5'3 millions people. It's not so much but...you know, it's very difficult to adapt to that place because of the extreme cold all the year. What kind of people we can meet there? Everybody who has gone has said that they were very kind in spite of been like the rest of people who lives in the Nord.




 * The currency is not a problem for European people because they use the euro, with that is easier to go there without costing more than it really is. The goverment is defined by the Constitution of Finland and its president is Tarja Halonen who belongs to the socialdemocrat party and he is in the power since 2000. The president in Finland is chosen each 6 years.




 * What we can do there if it's always so cold? That has an easy answer, to enjoy of the snow, the frozen mountains, rivers, forests... and also, go to the beach to contemplate one of the beautiful sunset sight... It sounds very romantic...You can share a bottle of Champange at the top of a hotel with your love while you see the wonderful treasure that the nature lends us...






 * Many Rock, and Gothic groups or singer come from here(the best) and it's very easy and cheap to go to a concert where act your favourite group as well... Like it is better know like Spain many artist from all the world assist there, not only in topics of concerts, or else art, hobbies...




 * We can enjoy of the gastronomy... If you love the fish or the seafood this is your place...Salmon is very demanding there and is not very expensive...




 * Ice lakes mix together with ice hotels or ice cafeterias, you can have some hot chocolate at -14º degree centigrade, to people who loves the cold this is the frozen paradise.


 * Take that momento of relax and permit to cut yourself off in authentic ice deserts...


 * If your searching a place where disconnecting is allowed everywhere, this is the place, the idoneus place for me. Go to the thermas with your couple, family or friends while it's snowing... Go to a lake to fish, to ice-skate if it's frozen... Permit yourself being enveloping by the night with the northem lights... I'd like so much go there...

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