Finland Quiz: Test Your Knowledge of the Land of a Thousand Lakes

Finland is often called “the land of a thousand lakes” because it actually contains around 188,000 lakes, making water bodies an important part of its landscape.

Helsinki is Finland's capital and its most populous city. Situated on the Gulf of Finland, it’s the political, cultural, and economic center of the country.

Finnish Lapland, specifically the town of Rovaniemi, is considered the “official hometown” of Santa Claus, attracting visitors worldwide.

About 65–70% of Finns belong to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, which is the largest religious community.

Finland joined the European Union on January 1, 1995, along with Sweden and Austria.

Finland adopted the euro as its official currency in 2002, becoming one of the first EU countries to do so. Before that, the Finnish markka was in use.

Finnish children begin school at the age of 7. Finland’s education system is highly regarded globally for its quality and equity.

“Sisu” is a famous Finnish concept that denotes stoic perseverance, strength, and the ability to overcome extreme adversity.

Matti Nykänen was one of the greatest ski jumpers of all time, winning multiple Olympic and World Championship medals.

The brown bear is Finland’s national animal and also the largest terrestrial predator found in the country’s vast forests.

Karjalanpiirakka (Karelian pasty) is a traditional Finnish pastry with a rye crust filled with rice porridge or mashed potatoes, often topped with egg butter.

Finland often ranks at the top of global happiness indexes and is also renowned for its outstanding education system.

Nokia was founded in 1865 as a pulp mill and eventually became a world-famous telecommunications company that was once the top mobile phone maker globally.

Although Finland is in Northern Europe, it shares land borders only with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east. Denmark is separated from Finland by the Baltic Sea.

Finnish and Swedish are both official languages. Finnish is part of the Uralic language family and is completely different from most other European languages.

The Finnish flag features a blue Nordic cross on a white background. The blue symbolizes the lakes and skies, and the white represents snow.

“Kiitos” is the most common way to say “thank you” in Finnish and is part of basic Finnish etiquette.

The sauna is an iconic part of Finnish culture. Almost every Finnish home has one, and it’s an important tradition for relaxation and well-being.

Ice hockey is by far Finland’s most popular sport. The national team is internationally successful and a source of pride for Finns.

Moomintroll is one of the beloved characters created by Finnish author Tove Jansson in the famous Moomin book series.

“Moi” is a very casual and common way to say hello in Finnish. Another formal greeting is “Hei.”

Finland declared independence from Russia on December 6, 1917. Before that, it had been an autonomous Grand Duchy under the Russian Empire.

Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, are often visible in Finnish Lapland during dark winter months due to its high latitude and lack of light pollution.

Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) is Finland’s most famous composer. His work “Finlandia” is considered a patriotic anthem representing Finnish national identity.

A traditional Finnish sauna is heated to between 70°C and 100°C. Saunas are an essential part of Finnish culture and daily life.