Cool facts about Finland
Posted on Oct 16, 2025 / Travel
Some quirky and fun details that make Finland stand out even among the Nordic legends.
- Finland has around 188,000 lakes, so almost every local has a “lake spot” they love to escape to in summer.
- The Finnish word for “please” doesn’t really exist — politeness comes from tone, not phrasing.
- Santa Claus officially lives in Rovaniemi, Lapland, and you can actually visit his post office year-round.
- There’s a national day for failure, celebrated every October — it’s about learning from mistakes, not avoiding them.
- Finland invented the text message, the heart rate monitor, and the Linux operating system — quiet genius vibes.
- Heavy metal is huge here — there are more metal bands per capita than anywhere else in the world.
- People celebrate midsummer by lighting massive bonfires and disappearing to cottages with zero Wi-Fi.
- Most Finnish babies nap outside, even in freezing weather — parents swear it builds toughness.
- The Northern Lights can be seen about 200 nights a year in Lapland, turning the sky into a natural light show.
- In winter, many Finns love taking a hot sauna and then immediately jumping into a freezing cold lake or rolling in the snow. It’s a rush!
- They host some seriously weird world championships, like wife-carrying and air guitar. The Mobile Phone Throwing Championship even originated here!
- The official residence of Santa Claus is in Finnish Lapland, near the Arctic Circle town of Rovaniemi.
- Finnish inventors have given us some pretty cool things, including the Linux operating system and the popular game Angry Birds.
- Back in 1906, Finland was the first European country to give women the right to vote and run for political office.
- Finnish people drink more coffee per capita than anyone else on the planet, so they've got that energy.
- The country has a super low rate of corruption, so you can trust you'll get your lost wallet back if you drop it. It's happened a lot!
Please share the link with friends and neighbors:
Also! Recommended for you:
Why is Finland called the happiest country in the world?
What makes Finnish culture so different from other European countries?
How do Finns handle the long, dark winters?
Why are Finnish saunas such a big deal?
Is Finland really that expensive to visit?
What’s the deal in Finland with the midnight sun and polar night?
Why do Finns speak such good English?
How does Finland handle education so well?