Finland History

After the Communist revolution in 1917, the Finnish senate declared independence from the Russian tsar. After this a bitter, though short civil war broke out when the leftwing parties undertook a coup to force the conservative government from power. After just 5 months the government troops regained control and the civil war ended.

For a time Finland had wanted to establish a monarchy and had even decided on a German Prince to take on the Finnish throne. This plan was abandoned following Germany's defeat in WW1 whereafter Finland chose instead to become a republic.

When in 1939 Finland refused to allow the Soviet Union to build military bases on its territory, it was attacked despite a non-agression pact which had been signed in 1932. The Finnish troops' defence of the nation against the might of the soviets has since become legendary and it is one of only a few countries in the region to never have been occupied in the war.

In 1941, Finland fought the Russians again in the Continuation War which ended in armistace in Sept 1944.

Finland persued an active policy of neutrality during the Cold War as evidenced by initiatives such as its hosting of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe held in Helsinki in 1975.

After WW2 Finland developed its welfare system and economy. It quickly recovered from post-war recession, and experience rapdic economic growth and change as it moved from an agricultural to a industrial and technology-based economy.

It became a member of the EU in 1995 and adopted the Euro in 1999.

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