FinlandYour mission: Choose a country in Eastern Europe. Give a brief history of the country before and after the breakup of the Soviet Union. As you explore your country, consider the following questions: What were the main political and economic forces at work when the Soviet Union held power in the region, and how have these forces manifested themselves over the past ten years? ? I chose to write about Finland. for my trip. As you can see, Finland is located in the far north of this map and shares borders with Russia, Sweden and Norway. Traces of human occupation in Finland date back to the thaw of the last ice age, around 10,000 years ago. The ancestors of the Finns appear to have dominated half of northern Russia before arriving on the northern Baltic coast well before the Christian era. By the end of the Viking Age, Swedish traders and leaders had expanded their interests throughout the Baltic region. Over the centuries, Finland found itself in a precarious position between the Protestant Swedish Empire and Eastern Orthodox Russia. For seven centuries, from the 12th century until 1809, it was part of Sweden. Finland was ravaged by constant battles with Russia and severe famines. From 1696 to 1697, famine killed a third of all Finns. What are the ethnic, religious and cultural issues in this country, and how have they changed or been affected over time? Tove Jansson, the author of the Moominland stories, probably has the greatest international notoriety among contemporary Finns, although one cannot escape Alvar Aalto's design work in public buildings, towns and cities. the furniture. Jean Sibelius, one of the greatest modern composers, wrote typically Finnish pieces to glorify his people and in defiance of the Russian oppressor...... middle of paper ...... reached 2.9 % of GNP in 1999. Industry and economy Finland's path to industrialization began in the 19th century with the exploitation of forest resources. Forests remain Finland's main raw material resource, although the engineering and high-tech sectors, led by Nokia, have long been the main branches of production. The most important export product today is the mobile phone and Finland is one of the few European countries whose exports exceed imports in the field of data and communication technologies. Finland has more cell phones per capita than any other country, around 65 cell phones per 100 people. Today, Finland is a typical advanced industrial economy. The net wealth of Finnish households is at the average level of European Union member states. In 2000, Finland's per capita GNP was approximately 25,500 euros (approximately 22,600 USD).).