The Siniristilippu (Blue Cross Flag) is officially the
Flag of Finland that dates back to the beginning of the 20th century. The flag is bare except for a blue Nordic Cross on a white background that extends up to the edges, with the vertical part placed off-center nearer to the hoist. Blue represents the thousand lakes and the sky, while white suggests snow that covers the land during winter and white nights of the Finnish summer.
Finland covers an area of over 338,184 square kilometers, is low-lying in the south and center while mountains is in the north. As the territory lies in the Arctic Circle, it experiences long and harsh winters. The population of over 5 million is concentrated on the areas formed by the cities of Helsinki (the capital), Tampere, and Turku.
Owing to its terrain coniferous trees inhabit the forests and with more than 180,000 thousand lakes, expect the winters to be really ice laden. So, the country maintains an armada of icebreakers to keep the ports operational during the long winters. The growing season is short, but despite it, Finland is self-sufficient in meat, grains, and dairy products. For several years, wood and paper based industries dominated the nation's exports, but metal and engineering industries are catching up and even surpass the forest industry in terms of revenues.
Russian rule in 1809 broke six centuries of union with Sweden. And the Finns declared independence in 1917 but had to give up some parts of their territory to the Soviets in World War II. Once the USSR dissolved in 1991, Finland strengthened it ties with the west and joined the European Union.
by:
The Flagman
