In Finland’s far north and far south, life revolves around nature
Life in Finland’s northernmost and southernmost villages offers natural beauty, but it also requires a certain kind of attitude. And you can’t be in a hurry.
Up close and online: View the Finnish wilderness with webcams
Many people have had to spend long periods of time indoors, not to mention curtail travel plans, because of Covid-19 social distancing measures. With live webcams showing Finland’s wildlife and wilderness, you can pass the time and get a travel fix.
Finnish advice: Keep calm and Vappu on, safely
In the extraordinary circumstances of 2020, Finland’s wild, carnival-calibre celebration Vappu (known as May Day, Labour Day or Walpurgis in English) calls for unusual amounts of creativity so that people can get together while still staying apart. Vappu – this time it’s virtual.
#1
First place in European Happiness Equality Index
Source: The Happiness Research Institute
As Finnish teachers move classes online, family routines change
Families in Finland and all over the world are facing new challenges as many parents work from home and many children start distance learning. Everyone has to find their own corner, or preferably room, to form a new routine – a new normal.
90%
Amount of bottles and cans recycled in Finland
Source: Palpa
Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin grants rare interview to Vogue
The May 2020 issue of the British edition of Vogue contains an interview with Sanna Marin, Finland’s prime minister. The magazine met her in Helsinki before the coronavirus landed in the Nordic countries. Its US edition also carries an article featuring a conversation with Marin.
Happiness report elevates Finland and other Nordics, shows that people should look after each other
The annual World Happiness Report seeks to measure how happy people are in more than 150 different countries. The Nordic countries have repeatedly done well in this listing, and in the 2020 edition of the report, Finland is at the top for the third year in a row.
#1 passport
Finns can travel visa-free to 174 countries (Germans, Brits and Swedes share this honour)
Source: Visa Restrictions Index
