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The Republic of Finland borders on Sweden in the west, on Norway in the north, on Russia in the east, and on the Gulf of Finland and the Baltic Sea in the south. A quarter of its total area lies north of the Arctic Circle. Finland is rightly known as a land of forests: they cover roughly three quarters of the country's surface area. Other outstanding features of Finland's scenery are its numerous lakes and islands. The main archipelago lies off the southwest coast while the main lake district, centred on Lake Saimaa, is in the east. Much of the country is made up of a gently undulating plateau of worn bedrock and boreal forests, presenting a remarkable mixture of wooded hills and waters. High rounded fells form the landscape in the most northerly part of the country, Finnish Lapland. Finland is one of Europe’s most culturally isolated and least understood countries. It's rich, sometimes tumultuous, history is clear in its buildings: onion-domed Orthodox churches tell of the days when it was part of Russia, while fortresses like Suomenlinna Castle bring to mind centuries of Swedish rule. Helsinki, the country’s capital city, is the centre of cultural, financial and economic activity, and is a western city with a modern Nordic way of life. With many parks and waterways, the city is pleasant with many fine examples of 19th century architecture and some of the best art galleries in the country. Through the twentieth century, the city has become a platform for independent Finland, much of its impressive architecture drawing inspiration from the beginning of Finnish nationalism and the rise of the republic. Land of the Midnight Sun and the Northern Lights, the Finnish province of Lapland is one of the world’s most untamed and unspoiled regions, lightly populated with truly friendly and hospitable people. Blessed with wide open fells and hills, uninhabited forests, pristine lakes, quietly babbling brooks and foaming rapids, this region offers it’s visitors the holiday of a lifetime.
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