Finland is a country in Europe, in Scandinavia and the Nordic countries, with about 5.65 million people (2025) and an area of 338,480 square kilometres. Its capital is Helsinki, and it shares land borders with 3 countries.
By Team Geography·Last reviewed
Flag of FinlandFinland in solid, land neighbours outlined, capital marked.
The app teaches each country through short hand written lenses: PLACE for physical geography, STORY for history and identity, NOW for the news, and THREAD for the ties between countries. Here is one of Finland's 5, in full.
PLACELens 1 of 5
A land of lakes and boreal forest
Finland stretches from the Baltic coast to well above the Arctic Circle, covering 338,455 square kilometers, roughly a third of which lies north of the 66th parallel. The country contains approximately 188,000 lakes, earning it the informal title of "land of a thousand lakes," though the actual count dwarfs the nickname. Dense boreal forest blankets over 70 percent of the terrain, making Finland the most forested country in Europe. The Finnish Lakeland in the east forms one of Europe's largest interconnected freshwater systems.
More on Finnish Lakeland
The Lakeland region covers roughly a quarter of Finland's surface area and includes Lake Saimaa, the country's largest lake at 4,400 square kilometers. These lakes are remnants of glacial retreat and are connected by a network of rivers and canals that historically served as transport routes through otherwise dense forest.
4 more lenses on Finland in the app
STORY Independence forged between empires
NOW The world's top education system
THREAD NATO's newest northern flank
STORY Sauna as cultural institution
Titles only. The app brings each lens back on a spaced repetition schedule set by how well you knew it: New, Hazy or Clear.
Compare Finland with another country
Opens the country comparison tool with population, area, income and more side by side, every figure dated.
Common questions
What is the capital of Finland?
The capital of Finland is Helsinki. Helsinki lies at about 60.2 degrees north and 24.9 degrees east. Finland is in Europe, in the region often called Scandinavia and the Nordic countries. It is home to about 5.65 million people. The world capitals quiz on this site tests every capital, and the printable capitals sheets cover each continent.
What is the population of Finland?
About 5.65 million people live in Finland, according to the World Bank figures for 2025. That makes it the 116th most populous of the 195 countries. With an area of 338,480 square kilometres, that is about 17 people per square kilometre.
What countries border Finland?
Finland shares land borders with 3 countries: Norway, Russia and Sweden. The map on this page outlines each of them around Finland. The count includes only borders on land, not neighbours across a sea or a lake. Borders here follow Natural Earth at the 1:50 million scale, with Crimea shown as part of Ukraine and Western Sahara as a separate territory.
How big is Finland?
Finland covers 338,480 square kilometres, or about 130,688 square miles. That makes it the 65th largest of the 195 countries. The figure is total surface area, which includes inland water such as lakes and rivers. Its population of about 5.65 million gives a density of 17 people per square kilometre.
Finland is a country in Europe, in Scandinavia and the Nordic countries, with about 5.65 million people (2025) and an area of 338,480 square kilometres. Its capital is Helsinki, and it shares land borders with 3 countries.
Capital
Helsinki
Continent
Europe
Region
Scandinavia and the Nordic countries
Population
5,646,436 2025, World Bank. 116th of 195.
Area
338,480 km² (130,688 sq mi) World Bank, surface area. 65th largest of 195.
Population density
17 people per km²
Land neighbours
3: Norway, Russia, Sweden
Official name
Republic of Finland
UN status
Member state
PLACE · from the Geography app
A land of lakes and boreal forest
Finland stretches from the Baltic coast to well above the Arctic Circle, covering 338,455 square kilometers, roughly a third of which lies north of the 66th parallel. The country contains approximately 188,000 lakes, earning it the informal title of "land of a thousand lakes," though the actual count dwarfs the nickname. Dense boreal forest blankets over 70 percent of the terrain, making Finland the most forested country in Europe. The Finnish Lakeland in the east forms one of Europe's largest interconnected freshwater systems.
Keep going on your iPhone. Scan for Geography: the world, one country at a time, about five minutes a day. No quizzes and no streaks. playgeography.app/countries/finland/ · Map data: Natural Earth. Figures: World Bank and national sources, as listed on the page.
Geography · Country report
Finland
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Colour Finland on the map, then fill in what you find.
Capital
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Rivers or mountains
Three things I learned
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One question I still have
?
Keep going on your iPhone. Scan for Geography: the world, one country at a time, about five minutes a day. No quizzes and no streaks. playgeography.app/countries/finland/ · Map data: Natural Earth. Figures: World Bank and national sources, as listed on the page.
