Finland enjoys one of the most extensive and unspoiled natural environments in Europe. It is sometimes referred to as the ‘land of a thousand lakes’ – there are a total of 187,888 at the last count. The first crusade to Finland was led by the King of Sweden in 1155, beginning a union with Sweden that was to last for 600 years. In 1809, Finland was incorporated into the Russian Empire as a Grand Duchy. Swedish laws were retained and the country was allowed to keep its own currency, mail and railway systems. Helsinki became the capital in 1812 (replacing Turku in the south-west). The official national languages are Finnish and Swedish. Amid the turmoil of the Russian Revolution, Finland declared its independence in 1917, establishing its present constitution and status as a republic in 1919. Recent studies suggest that the ethnic roots of the Finnish people lie to the south and south-east of Europe, from which their ancestors migrated following the last Ice Age some 9,000 years ago

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