Nature - thisisFINLAND

Magical ice-skating video from northern Finland wows viewers

Photographer Esko Liukas and figure skater Tiina Pakkanen created a video in which she appears to be gliding across the water of a lake in the Finnish far north.

Life & society Environment

Fresh air and quiet: App finds best Helsinki routes for bikers and hikers

See how Green Paths, a prototype app from the University of Helsinki’s Digital Geography Lab, helps cyclists and pedestrians in the Finnish capital area choose routes with the cleanest air and the least noise.

Life & society Nature

Fleeting fame: Finland’s “centre of population” exists in the middle of nowhere

Why are two people putting up a monument in the woods? They’re attempting to pin down Finland’s centre of population as it moves slowly south through the quiet forests outside the city of Hämeenlinna.

13%

of Finnish forests are protected

Source: Discovering Finland

Life & society Nature

Finding the fruits of the Finnish forest

Going out to the woods to collect mushrooms and berries is a natural pastime in Finland – some might even call it a sport.

Life & society Nature

Life on the edge: Living on the western and eastern borders of Finland

At Finland’s easternmost and westernmost points, people go about their lives in locations that contain direct connections to the nation’s history.

200

Number of nights the Northern Lights are visible in Finnish Lapland in a typical year

Life & society Nature

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.

Life & society Environment

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.

Life & society Nature

Warm winter makes rescuing Finland’s Saimaa seal many degrees more difficult

Climate change presents fresh challenges for Finland’s already endangered Saimaa ringed seal population and those trying to save it. We visit them on the lakeshore.

500,400

Number of summer cottages in Finland

Source: Statistics Finland