A modern-day mystery of a country to most people, Finland sits at the Eastern edge of Europe with borders to Norway in the North, Sweden to the West and Russia to the West, along with a coastline that stretches around 4600km along the Gulf of Finland, the Gulf of Bothnia and the Baltic Sea. Finland is the fifth largest country in Europe and is home to a largely forested terrain, with around 65 percent of the land covered with pine, fir and birch trees. The generally low-lying land is also home to numerous lake and other inland water systems, with the Saimaa lake system being the largest such system in Europe – populating the many lakes and coastal regions are tens of thousands of small islands, some inhabited (though most not).

Finland century managed to perform delicate a balancing act – opening up to Westernisation whilst simultaneously keeping relations with the Soviet Union positive. The fall of Communism hit Finland pretty hard, with a fair part of the country’s financial situation relying on the well-being of the Soviets. Whilst the economy took quite a battering, by the mid-nineties it had recovered in a fantastic fashion and the Finns joined the European Union in 1995, with the country rated as having the fifth best standard of living in the world according to a UN survey in 1998. As Finland no longer had to pay as much attention to its Eastern neighbour, the focus shifted massively to Europe and Finland has since been at the forefront of many pioneering schemes, including being one of the first countries to adopt the Euro as the national currency. The economy is in great shape and the Finns are some of the most technologically switched on people of any in the world.

Finland is growing more popular with tourists as they realise this hidden gem has been right in front of them all along. The beautiful and clean air is an experience in itself, and the myriad of other attractions put the country as one of the most desirable living locations in Europe. The economy is doing well and the government is implementing more measures to tackle unemployment in the nation. The mobile phone and IT markets in the country are booming, meaning that this economic strength is likely to last into the foreseeable future – so the Finns have Nokia to thank there!

The standards of healthcare in Finland are generally very good and a reciprocal agreement with the UK means British nationals are entitled to free treatment for accidents or illnesses on production of an E111 form – other charges may still apply, however. As is the norm, health insurance is recommended for any visits abroad.

Mobile phone coverage – unsurprisingly – stretches across the whole country, though obviously quality of service cannot be guaranteed in more rural areas. Landlines are widely available and lines are of an excellent standard. Internet cafes are also widespread, along with internet booths in the streets of cities.