Finland

Some of the key events about Finland

• 1808

  Finland was conquered by Russia, ending over 600 years of Swedish rule
• 1866

  A severe famine struck Finland, resulting in the deaths of approximately 150,000 people
• 1917

  Finland gained independence from Russia
• 1918

  A bitter civil war erupted between the Reds and Whites, causing significant loss of life and societal division
• 1921

  The Åland Islands were granted autonomy within Finland
• 1939

  The Soviet Union invaded Finland, initiating the Winter War
• 1941

  Finland entered World War II as a co-belligerent with Nazi Germany against the Soviet Union
• 1944

  Finland was forced to cede territory to the Soviet Union as part of the Moscow Armistice
• 1950s

  Finland experienced a period of "Finlandization", limiting its sovereignty in foreign policy due to Soviet influence
• 1952

  Helsinki hosted the Summer Olympics
• 1955

  Finland joined the United Nations
• 1975

  Helsinki hosted the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe
• 1990

  Finland entered a severe economic depression, with unemployment reaching nearly 20%
• 1995

  Finland became a member of the European Union
• 2000

  Helsinki was one of the nine European Capitals of Culture
• 2004

  A tsunami in the Indian Ocean killed 179 Finnish tourists in Thailand
• 2007

  A school shooting in Jokela resulted in the deaths of nine people, shocking the nation
• 2010

  Finland became the first country to make broadband internet access a legal right
• 2017

  Finland became the first country to experiment with a nationwide basic income program
• 2019

  Finland ranked as the happiest country in the world for the second consecutive year

Disclaimer: This material is written based on information taken from open sources, including Wikipedia, news media, podcasts, and other public sources.