Capital – Helsinki Capital – Helsinki

Blue represents Finland‘s 60,000 lakes.

White stands for the snow which covers the ground for 5–7 months each year.

Snow

Lakes

Finn’s have a liberal attitude, Damaging relations is hard and takes

time, Relaxed code of behaviour, Finns place great value on words, which

is reflected in the tendency to say little and avoid 'unnecessary' small talk.

•Finns have a strong sense of national identity. •They would be happy if visitors knew something about the achievements of well-known Finns in sports and culture.•This is rooted in the country's history - particularly its honourable wartime achievements and significant sporting merits•Finns love reading things written about them abroad and visitors should not feel uncomfortable to answer, repeatedly.•Finns ready to criticize, don’t wish to hear it from foriegners

Religions – Evangelical Lutheran 89%, Orthodox Russian 1% ,

None 9%,

Others1%.

People in general are fairly secular in their views.

The Church and its ministers are held in high esteem, and personal religious views are respected.

•Finn’s are better at listening than at talking and interrupting is considered rude.

•The conception that Finns are reserved is not valid any more especially with the younger lots.

•A Finn will carefully consider what he (or she) says and expect others to do so too.

•A Finn does not grow nervous if there are breaks in the conversation; silence is regarded as a part of communication.

•Finns usually speak unhurriedly, even in their mother tongue

Having once got to know a stranger moderately well, Finns are quite willing to discuss any topic, Shared hobbies, culture and arts are natural topics for conversation, Sports is a particularly feasible topic because in recent years Finns have enjoyed success in sports other than the traditional long-distance running and winter sports.

Mobile phones have no doubt changed visitors' perceptions of Finland. Whereas a few decades ago a visitor might report back home on an uncommunicative, reserved and introvert Arctic tribe, the more common view today is that of a hyper-communicative people.

•Languages spoken – Finnish (93%), Swedish (6%)

•A Finn's mother tongue is either Finnish, Swedish or Saami (some 8,000 native speakers).

•Finns take care of their language competence by studying a wide range of foreign languages.

•German is no longer widely taught but many Finns in their 50s or older learned it as their first foreign language at school. French, Spanish and Russian have grown in popularity both in schools and among adult learners.

• Finns are transactional and do not need long-standing personal relationships in order to conduct business.

• The basic business style is formal – Finns prefer people to speak concisely and to focus purely on business.

• Finns do not require face-to- face contact and, in fact, are quite comfortable using e- mail.

• Finns are excellent time managers who prefer to organize their workday in order to accomplish as much as possible.

• Finns are interested in long- term relationships. • Relationship building often takes place outside the

office: in a restaurant or the sauna.• Never turn down an invitation to use the sauna, as

it is an important part of the Finnish culture.

• When introducing themselves, Finns will say their forename followed by their surname.

• Women who use both their maiden name and their husband's surname will state them in that order.

• Although Finns are conscious and proud of any official titles they may have, they rarely mention these when introducing themselves. In contrast, they do expect to be addressed by their title in professional and official contexts: Doctor Ricky Garg, AIIMS etc. Foreigners, however, are not expected to follow this practice and can use Mr, Mrs, Miss, Ms, Sir or Madam.

Its better to hear one's name spoken, Finns will not be offended if they are not addressed by name.

There are no special rituals related to exchanging business cards in Finland. For a visitor, receiving a business card provides a convenient opportunity to ask how a name is pronounced or what a cryptic title might mean.

Using first names requires a closer relationship. It is relatively easy to get onto first-name terms with a Finn, especially if it is evident that the parties will continue to meet regularly for business or pleasure.

When greeting, the parties shake hands and make eye contact. A deep bow denotes special respect - in normal circumstances, a nod of the head is enough.•A Finnish handshake is brief and firm, involves no supporting gestures such as touching the shoulder or upper arm. •When greeting a married couple, the wife is greeted first.•Children are greeted by shaking hands too. •Embracing people when greeting them is rare in Finland. •A man greeting someone in the street should raise his hat; in the cold of winter, a touch of the hand to the brim of the hat is enough.

Arrive on time. Finns are punctual in both business and social situations.

Remove your outdoor shoes before entering the

house. Contact the hostess ahead of time to see if she

would like you to bring a dish. Offer to help the hostess with the preparation or

clearing up after a meal is served. If you are invited for coffee and cake, there may

be as many as 7 cakes to sample. Do not discuss business (social meets). Thank the hosts for the hospitality before saying

good-bye to the other guests.

One in four Finns owns a summer cabin, and for many, it is regarded as a second home. Sociologists like to explain that the summer dwelling is a tie that Finns maintain to their rural past; and it is true that many Finns transform into surprisingly competent fishermen, gardeners, farmers, carpenters or foresters when they withdraw to their summer homes.

A guest is not expected to take part in this role-play, at least not actively. On the other hand, he is expected to submit without complaint to the sometimes primitive conditions at the summer residence, since not all of them have electricity, running water, a flushing toilet or other urban amenities

An experienced guest understands that under these conditions the hosts, particularly the hostess, have to go to a lot of trouble to give the guest an enjoyable stay. Help with routine chores is greatly appreciated

•A visitor hesitant about having a sauna should remember that if it has been heated specially for him or her, it is a matter of pride for the hosts

•In Finland, both men and women bathe in the sauna, but never together except within the family.•The feeling of being slapped on the skin with a bundle of soft birch leaves in the heat of the steam room can be a pleasant therapeutic experience.•The sauna is no place for anyone in a hurry. After sauna, it is customary to continue with conversation, drinks and a light meal. A guest's comments on the sauna experience will be listened to with interest, After all, this is a subject that Finns never get tired talking about.

If you are invited to a Finn’s home, bring flowers, good quality chocolates or wine to the host.

Flowers should not be given in even numbers.

Do not give white or yellow flowers since they are used at funerals.

Do not give potted plants.

Gifts are opened when received.

•More coffee per person is drunk in Finland than anywhere else in the world.

•Finns consume the equivalent of slightly over 10 litres of pure alcohol per person per year, which is close to the European average.

•In Finland, the blood alcohol level for drunken driving is very low, and the penalties are severe.

•For Swedish-speaking Finns, almost always - a meal is preceded by a shot of vodka Finns have a custom of enlivening the occasion with a line or two of a drinking song before each shot.