Finland
Finland is so far north that it lies on the same latitude as Alaska or Central Siberia. About a quarter of the country
is north of the Artctic Circle. But the ocean current known as the North Atlantic Drift brings so much warmth to Finland
that average temperature in the south is around 5 degree Celsius.
On summer days, temperatures can rise up to 25 or even 30 degrees Celsius. The winters are nevertheless so cold that
every single lake freezes over during the coldest months.
Continental influence from the east, and maritime influences from the Atlantic to the west, ar ealso evident in flora and fauna.
Finland is home to species associated with the taiga of Euarasia, such as Ural owls and Labrador tea, as well as maritime species including
many waders and water birds. Finland is particularly well endowed with owls. Ten owl species can be found here, including great grey owls,
snowly owls and hawk owls. Another exotic animals ar eflying squirrel, arctic fox and elk.
Finland is home of allfour of Europe's large predatory mamals: brown bears, wolves,lynx and wolverines.
Birds of prey here are the golden eagles and white-tailed eagles.
More that 10 000 years ago, Finland as whole northern Europe was completely covered by a thick continental ice
sheet that was believed to have formed 110 000 years earlier. This slowly moving mass of ice wore down the rocks and clifs,
and carved out lake basins. Meltwater rivers inside the ice deposited long ridges of sand and gravel which
now stand above the surrouding landscape as eskers - the longest of which extend for tens of kilometres.
Eskers are not very high, seldom rising more than a hundred meters. So. landskapes generally do not feature massive elements
like high mountains, steep sea cliffs or wide rivers. The scenery tends to be gentler, featuring subtle variety on a
smaller scale.
Soils are generallythin, with average depth to the bedrock of just seven meters, because of glacial erosion. The archic
mainly granitic bedrock is visible in many places as rounded and smoothed down
rocky outcrops.Because of the poor soils and the short growing season (averaging just 3-4 months) the
conditions for farming are not very favourable.
Finland is Europe's most forested country. About 70% of the land is covered with trees.
The dominant trees are Scots pine, Norway spruce and birches, though forests are also dotted with aspens, alders and rowans.
About 8% of country forests ar eprotected.
Finland is reputed to be the Land of a Thousand Lakes, but in fact the country has tens of thousands of lakes.
Most of these lakes are small and shallow. Lakes and coast are broken up by many islands and peninsula.
Findland's intricate coast line features around 95 000 sea islands, most of which are small rocky skerries.
The total length of coastline has been measured at 40 000 kilometers, including the shores and islands. The lakeshores are even
longer - totalling about 130 000 kilometers.
In the summertime huge numbers of wetland and water birds breed in Finland, including many duck and wader species, and huge cranes.
Finland has 61 native fish species, mainly freshwater fish. Lake fish can also thrive in the coastal waters of Baltic Sea, where
salinity levels are low.
Lapland accounts for 28% of country's total area, but only of 4% of the population. Almost 30% of Lapland's natural habitats are
protected, including Finland's largest national parks - three of which extend over more than 1000 square kilometers.
Finland is one of the most rural countries in EU. More tha quarter of the population (1,5 million people) live in rural areas.
Most of these rural residents are not farmers, however, as many people live in the country but work in towns.
Finland today has about 65 000 working farms, with an average cultivated area of 35 hectares. The share of organic farming is
double EU average.
Finns see themselves as people who still live very closely to nature. Even those living in urban areas like to spend time in natural sttings:
wlking, skiing, or just spending time at their out-of-town holiday homes.
Bulgarian