FACTS

Location: Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia

Area (only Total) total: 338,145 sq km

Climate: cold temperate; potentially subarctic but comparatively mild because of moderating influence of the North Atlantic Current, Baltic Sea, and more than 60,000 lakes

Terrain: mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low hills

Population: 5,244,749

Main Language (only first): Finnish

Government type: republic

Capital (Name): Helsinki

Capital (Time Difference): UTC+2

Independence: 6 December 1917

National holiday: Independence Day, 6 December (1917)

HOLIDAYS

January 1 New Year's Day

January 6 Epiphany

March 21 Good Friday

March 23 Easter Day

March 24 Easter Monday

May 1 May Day or Vappu1

May 11 Whit Sunday

June 20 Midsummer's Eve or Juhannusaatto2

June 21 Midsummer's Day or Juhannuspaiva

November 1 All Saints Day

December 6 Independence Day

December 24 Christmas Eve2

December 25 Christmas Day

December 26 St. Stephen's Day

1Vappu is really the night of 30 April to 1 May so there may not be too many people working in the ..afternoon of 30 April.

2Partial holiday only.

You should know:

Holidays falling on a weekend are not moved

Weekend: Saturday, Sunday