Early History and Swedish Rule

The region of Finland has been inhabited since the end of the last Ice Age. From the 12th century onward, the area was gradually incorporated into the Kingdom of Sweden through a series of crusades. For over 600 years, Finland was an integral eastern part of Sweden, with Swedish law and social systems taking root. Swedish became the language of the elite, administration, and education, while Finnish was mainly spoken by the peasantry. This era established Finland's strong ties to the Western European cultural sphere and the Lutheran Church. 

Russian Grand Duchy

In 1809, in the aftermath of the Finnish War, Sweden ceded Finland to the Russian Empire. Finland was not simply annexed but became an autonomous 

Grand Duchy of Finland

 under the Russian Tsar, who ruled as the Grand Duke. This period allowed the Finns to retain their Swedish-era laws, currency, and the Lutheran religion, fostering the emergence of a strong Finnish national consciousness and identity. This national awakening focused on the Finnish language, folklore (the Kalevala epic), and culture. 

Independence and World War II

The chaos of World War I and the Russian Revolution in 1917 provided Finland with the opportunity to declare its independence on December 6, 1917. This was followed by a brief but bitter civil war in 1918 between the "Reds" (socialists, supported by Russian Bolsheviks) and the "Whites" (conservatives, supported by Germany), won by the White forces led by Carl Gustaf Mannerheim. 

During World War II, Finland fought the Soviet Union in two conflicts: the Winter War (1939–1940) and the Continuation War (1941–1944). Finland successfully defended its independence, though it was forced to cede significant territory, including parts of Karelia, and pay heavy war reparations to the Soviet Union. It remained an independent democracy, the only one of the countries bordering the Soviet Union on the European continent to do so. 

Post-War Neutrality and Modern Finland

After the war, Finland adopted a pragmatic policy of neutrality and friendly relations with the Soviet Union, a stance sometimes referred to as "Finlandization". This allowed it to maintain its independence while developing a robust welfare state and a highly industrialized, modern economy. The country successfully paid off its reparations and experienced an "economic miracle". 

The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 allowed Finland to fully shed its cautious foreign policy stance. Finland joined the European Union in 1995. In the wake of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, public opinion in Finland shifted, leading the nation to apply for and officially join NATO in April 2023, ending its long-standing military non-alignment.