| The Republic of Finland is a Nordic country in north | | | | illuminated tracks all over the country. There are also |
| Eastern Europe, bounded by the Baltic Sea to the | | | | over 100 downhill skiing resorts. Many resorts have |
| southwest, the Gulf of Finland to the south and the | | | | half pipes and snowboard streets for snowboarding |
| Gulf of Bothnia to the west. Finland has land frontiers | | | | enthusiasts. Off site skiing is available through private |
| with Sweden, Norway and Russia. The Aland Islands, | | | | companies. |
| off the south western coast, are under Finnish | | | | Restaurants are divided into two classes, those |
| sovereignty while enjoying extensive autonomy. | | | | serving all kinds of alcohol and those serving only |
| Finland has a population of only five million people in | | | | beers and wines. Waiter service is common although |
| three hundred thousand square kilometres. The | | | | there are many self service snack bars. Bars and |
| capital of Finland is Helsinki. | | | | cafes may have table and or counter service and |
| Cold temperate and potentially sub arctic, but | | | | internationally known beverages are available. In |
| comparatively mild because of moderating influence | | | | restaurants, beer is served from 0900 and other |
| of the North Atlantic Current, Baltic Sea and more | | | | liquor from 1100. All alcohol is served until half an hour |
| than 60,000 lakes. | | | | before the restaurant closes. Nightclubs are open to |
| On 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union | | | | serve drinks until 0200 or 0400. Service begins at |
| introduced the euro as a common currency to be | | | | 1100 and continues until the restaurant closes. |
| used by financial institutions of member countries. On | | | | Finnish handicrafts, jewellery, hand woven rugs, |
| 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency | | | | furniture, glassware, porcelain, ceramics, furs and |
| for everyday transactions within the member | | | | textiles are amongst the many specialities. Excellent |
| countries. | | | | supermarkets and self service shops can be found all |
| Lapland, far to the north, the indigenous Sami people | | | | over the country. |
| still tend their reindeer herds. Finland is one of the | | | | Most visits to Finland are trouble fee but you should |
| most technologically switched on countries in the | | | | be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate |
| world. It is also renowned for its design and | | | | international terrorist attacks, which could be against |
| architecture, in particular those of Alvar Aalto, whose | | | | civilian targets, including places frequented by |
| humanist approach to modernism extended into fields | | | | foreigners. This advice is based on information |
| such as glassware, furniture and major buildings. | | | | provided by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in |
| Go cross cuntry skiing on Finlands marked and often | | | | the UK. |