Fascinating Finland in Ten Words Quiz

Answer: Largest lake

Lake Saimaa, Finland's largest lake at 4,279 square kilometres, is located in the southeastern Finnish Lakeland. Formed by glacial melting, it has numerous islands and channels, with cities such as Lappeenranta and Savonlinna on its shores. The River Vuoksi connects it to Lake Ladoga. Saimaa's various basins offer different types of lakes, making it a popular destination for summer cottages and lake cruises.

Answer: Longest river

River Kemijoki is Finland's longest river, flowing 550 kilometres through Lapland before reaching the Baltic Sea. It rises at the confluence of the Naltiohaara, Keskihaara and Kemihaara Rivers in Savukoski and flows southwest. Converted to hydroelectric power after the Second World War, it has numerous power stations and is a major contributor to Finland's hydroelectric energy. Once teeming with fish, especially salmon, its ecology changed after the dams were built.

Answer: Highest peak

Haltitunturi, a mountain range on the Norwegian-Finnish border, contains Finland's highest point at 1,324 metres, located in the municipality of Enontekiö, Lapland. Although the peak itself is in Norway, the border marker is on a slope. This configuration dates back to a 1734 Swedish-Danish treaty, which defined the border by prominent natural features, and subsequent decisions by the Boundary Commission.

Answer: National anthem

"Maamme" ("Our Land") is the Finnish national anthem and was composed by Fredrik Pacius, a German immigrant, with Swedish lyrics by Johan Ludvig Runeberg. First performed on 13 May 1848, it was originally written for the 500th anniversary of Porvoo. The anthem's Finnish lyrics are attributed to Paavo Cajander's 1889 translation.

Despite attempts to replace it with Jean Sibelius's "Finlandia" in the 1880s and 1920s, "Maamme" has remained the national anthem,

Answer: Western region

Satakunta is one of Finland's 19 regions and is located in the western part of the country on the Gulf of Bothnia. Its administrative centre and largest city is Pori. The region was created in 1997 as part of Finland's local government reform, from the northern part of the province of Turku-Pori.

It is named after the historic Satakunta, an administrative province of the Swedish Empire until 1634.

Answer: Minority language

Sami languages, spoken by the Sámi people in Northern Europe, comprise a group of Uralic languages, with ten or more languages depending on classification. The Sami Language Act of 2003 recognized Sami as an official language in specific Finnish and Swedish municipalities.

Answer: Telephone company

Nokia was founded in 1865 in Tampere by engineer Fredrik Idestam. The company began by producing paper goods for export. Over the years, Nokia diversified through acquisitions and became a conglomerate. From rubber boots to telecommunications, Nokia was a leader in mobile phones until Microsoft acquired its mobile division in 2014.

In 2016, HMD Global acquired the rights to the Nokia brand and began offering Nokia smartphones worldwide in 2017.

Answer: Sweet dessert

A laskiaispulla, known by various names in the Nordic countries, is a traditional sweet roll associated with Lent and Shrove Tuesday, and comes in various forms. The Finnish version usually consists of a cardamom-spiced wheat roll filled with a mixture of milk and almond paste and decorated with whipped cream and icing sugar.

It can also be made with strawberry or raspberry jam instead of almond paste. It is usually eaten on its own, with coffee or tea, but some people prefer it in a bowl of warm milk.

Answer: Traditional pastry

Karjalanpiirakka is a traditional pastry with a thin rye crust stuffed with a variety of fillings such as barley, potatoes, buckwheat, rice or carrots. They are spread with butter, often mixed with chopped boiled egg. These pastries are eaten throughout Finland and in neighbouring countries.

The dish was granted the status of "Traditional Speciality Guaranteed" in Europe in 2003, which ensures that the traditional recipe is followed for an authentic experience.

Answer: Finnish composer

Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) was a Finnish composer of late romantic and early modern music. Famous for his symphonies and tone poems, his music played an important role in shaping Finland's national identity. Sibelius' compositions, such as "Finlandia" and the "Karelia Suite", are celebrated for their power and have had a lasting influence on classical music.