Area of 338,424 sq km.
(eighth largest area in the EU but the most sparsely populated)

Bordering countries are Norway , Sweden, Russia.

Largest cities – Helsinki (capital, population 1.16 million - the northernmost capital on the European continent - also called Helsingfors in Swedish), Tampere (313 thousand),
Turku (252.5 thousand). (data from 2012)

Water - Finland is a land of lakes and islands.  There are 187,888 lakes - Saimaa the largest, and 179,584 islands. There are 1250 km. of sea coastline. Terrain: mostly flat and 75% covered by coniferous forest. The landmass expands by about seven square kilometres a year as a result of a geological phenomenon called post glacial rebound.

Finland's most northern part is Lapland in the Arctic Circle, which according to legend, is the home of St Nicholas of Santa Claus fame.