20 March 2018
According to the latest World Happiness Report Finland is the happiest country in the world. Norway, last year’s winner, came in second place in the 2018 report followed by Denmark, Iceland and Switzerland.
There are many reasons to fall in love with Finland and the Finns, who are in fact the happiest people in the world. It would be impossible to list all the things which makes Finland the happiest place in the world, but here is a list of some interesting and fun facts – enjoy!
- Some of the world’s best Northern Lights can be spotted in Finnish Lapland. The Aurora Borealis – as they are also called – can appear more than 200 nights a year. That’s pretty much every winter night.
- You may have heard that Finland is the “Land of a Thousand Lakes”. Well, it is also a land of thousands of forests. Over 70 per cent of Finland is taken over by beautiful forest – more than any other European country and an area larger than UK or Italy! The 188,000 lakes of Finland, on the other hand, are so vast that Finland has most water in relation to land mass of all the countries in the world. This water is also some of the cleanest.
- The Finnish term “Everyman’s right” (Jokamiehen Oikeus) means you can walk freely in the nature, anywhere you want. Forest’s offer us mushrooms, berries and wonderful fresh air as you take in the smells, sounds and tastes of one of Europe’s last wilderness regions.
- Did you know Restaurant Say – a day when anyone can set up a restaurant of their choice, anywhere they want – is a Finnish invention? Any would you have imagined that Helsinki has one of the most vibrant food scenes in Europe?
- Finland is the only place in the world to meet the real Santa Claus. Although originally from Korvatunturi, the man in red now resides in Rovaniemi, Lapland, where he greets visitors all year round.
- In Finland the skiing season can last way over six months – from late October all the way until May. During the darkest winter days the ski slopes and in the spring the sun shines until late at night. If you fancy going cross-country, there are hundreds and hundreds of kilometres worth of ski tracks in Finnish Lapland. For example, Yllas’ 330k of tracks are more than any one place has to offer in Europe.
- Did you know that Helsinki has some of the cleanest tap water of all the big cities in the world and that Kilpisjarvi in Lapland has the cleanest air in Europe?
- Finns are the unquestioned champions of sauna – they have over three million of them, which is more than one sauna for every other citizen. Add the hundreds of thousands of small lakeside cottages and cabins to this – peace and quiet guaranteed.
- Finland is one of the few countries in the world where lost wallets and mobile phones get returned to their rightful owner. People feel safe walking alone in city parks of use public transport regardless of the hour.
- Perhaps it has something to do with the coldness of winters – the Finns just LOVE their coffee. Finnish people consume more coffee per person then does any other nation in the world. This obviously means that there a quite many amazing coffee shops and cafes around the country!
- When the sun stays up for over two consecutive months in the northernmost parts of the country it is time to be festive. Perhaps the most iconic of summer events is the Midnight Sun Film Festival in Sodankyla, Lapland where tens of thousands of international movie buffs watch films under the never setting sun.
- As if Santa Claus wasn’t enough, Finland is also home to the mysterious little creatures called the Moomins. The Moomins presence can be felt and seen – both metaphorically in the surrounding nature and for “real” in places such as the Naantali Moomin World or the Tampere Moomin Museum.
- Ever heard of the Wife Carrying, Air Guitar Playing or Mobile Phone Throwing World Championships? Finns are a bit crazy when it comes to contests and events. Whether an event “makes sense” or not doesn’t matter. What’s important is that you let yourself go and have fun!
- Finland’s coast boasts the world’s largest archipelago. It is difficult to get an exact number, but there are al least 70,000 islands, with over 20,000 of those being large enough of a small cabin or summer house. On some you can also find beautiful old lighthouses, converted into tiny hotels.
- The Saimaa ringed seal os one of the few living freshwater seals in the world. This endangered seal has a total population of only about 310 individuals and they can only be found in Lake Saimaa – the largest lake in Finland.
Want to know more about the happiest country in the world? Check out visitfinland.com.
The World Happiness Report was released by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network for the United Nations on March 14, days before World Happiness Day, March 20.
The report ranks countries on six key variables that support well-being: income, freedom, trust, healthy life expectancy, social support and generosity.
