Finland/Fins: Development of a Nation
How Finland became Finland, and how the Fins became Finnish.

How Fins as a people, and the country of Finland as a nation-state, evolved and materialized into current form, in terms of ancestral bloodlines, the Finnish language, borders, culture, and even how they received their name.

Ancestral Background
Development of Language
Formation of Borders
Etymology (How Name Received)
Culture
Finland in 2008

Finnish Ancestral Background:
 

1. Peoples migrating from the Ural Mountains in modern Russia settled around the Gulf of Finland around 4000 BC, becoming the ancient ancestors to Finnish  and Estonian peoples. From this location, they gradually began to move northwest into modern Finland. Those that separated to the south of the Gulf of Finland became the ancestors to modern Estonians.
2. From no later than the 12^th century, and perhaps much earlier, Swedes began to populate the western coastal areas of Finland, contributing somewhat to the genetic composition of the Finns.

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Development of Finnish Language:
 

1. The Proto-Uralic family of languages (~ 5000 BC) originated in the Ural Mountains in Russia. This may or may not be a Proto-Indo-European family language.
2. The Uralic family of languages branched from the Proto-Uralic around 4000 BC, representing a slight change.
3. The Finno-Ugric branch develops around 3000 BC, west of Ural Mountains, as speakers of this language cover much of the European portion of northern Russia.
4. The Baltic-Finnic language breaks off from Finno-Ugric around 3000 BC, as Uralic peoples subdivide into a northern group (ancestors to modern Finns and Estonians) and a southern group (ancestors to modern Hungarians). Spoken by Uralic peoples that continued to migrate west from Ural Mountain region, now gathered around Gulf of Finland.
5. Around 2000 BC, as some from this Baltic-Finnic group migrate northwest into modern Finland, as part of the group migrates northwest (into modern Finland), and another part to the southwest (modern Estonia), their respective languages diverge from one another, forming the basis for the modern Finnish and Estonian languages.
6. During the Middle Ages, as Finland was typically occupied by foreign powers, such as the Swedish in the west, the Finnish language becomes somewhat influenced by the Swedish language.

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Formation of Finland Borders:
 

1. By the 2^nd millennia BC, the Finnic people had broken off from the Baltic-Finno peoples in modern Estonia, migrating northwest into modern Finland. The Finns that settle in this region become the earliest forefathers to the modern Finland nation.
2. Beginning in the 12^th century and into the 13^th century, the Christianized Swedish began to crusade into Finland, forcibly converting them to Christianity. By the 13^th century, Sweden controlled parts of the southwest coastal region of Finland, expanding within Finland until the beginning of the Kalmar Union in 1397.
3. By the 12^th century, large portions of modern eastern Finland within the possession of the Republic of Novgorod, a Swedish-ruled East Slav political entity.
4. Queen Margaret of Denmark marries the King of Norway, joining the two kingdoms under personal union in 1380. The kingdoms were autonomous, but combined their respective foreign policies. Sweden was mired by civil war, and the nobles sided with Queen Margaret (King of Norway husband had since died), in joining Sweden to the personal union as well, forming a pan-Nordic kingdom. This was finalized as the Kalmar Union in 1397. Each kingdom was autonomous, but foreign policy was dictated by the monarch. Norway included Iceland and Greenland, and Sweden included western Finland. The union was dominated by Denmark. The southwest portion of Finland was controlled by Sweden, and was therefore included in the Union. The eastern part of modern Finland was swallowed by the Grand Duchy of Moscow, placing it under East Slav rule.
   
5. The Swedes grew unhappy with the Danish-dominated government, and the frequent wars they were dragged into, compelling them into an armed revolt. Independence of Sweden (and their territory in Finland) was achieved in 1523. Denmark and Norway remain under personal union, as the Kingdom of Denmark-Norway.
6. 1560 – Sweden conquered part of modern Estonia from the Livonian Order, which is in the process of collapse. Sweden also captured more Baltic territory from 1625 to 1629 during Polish-Sweden Wars. Sweden also continues to expand Finland territory during this time as well.
7. After siding with the victorious Protestant side during the 30 years war in Germany, Sweden gained parts of the German "Holy Roman Empire". By now, it had expanded deeper within Finland as well.
8. 1809: Finnish War with Russia. Russia captures all of Sweden’s Finnish territory. Finland is fashioned into the Grand Duchy of Finland within the Russian Empire.
9. Finland declares independence from Russian after the October Revolution (Communist Revolution), since the personal union with the monarch no longer applied, as the monarch had been overthrown. This would begin the Finnish Civil War, between Reds (pro-Soviets) and Whites (anti-Soviets). The Whites would win, causing Finland to escape Soviet control. Soviets would intervene on behalf of the Reds, while Germany intervened on behalf of the whites, helping them to victory. As a result of opening itself up to Germany, Finland was on the verge of falling under German occupation, but Germany surrendered to the Allies soon after, ending World War I, leaving Finland to become completely independent in 1918.

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Etymology (How Name Received):

Named after the Finns, the principal inhabitant of the region of modern Finland (“Land of the Finns”). It is uncertain how Finns received their name. Probably word from Baltic origin.

Finnish Culture:

Finland culture is reminiscent to that of other Scandinavian nations, such as Sweden, in that it is egalitarian in nature, with a "live and let live" mentality, and an emphasis on equality. Finland has always been more rural, due to its position at away from the mainland continent, and tucked away at the back of the Baltic Sea. Plus, it has spent most of its history under foreign domination, primarily under Swedish and Russian rule. As a result, its culture is influenced by both of these nations.

Finland in 2008:

Economy: Advanced, capitalistic economy. High unemployment has been a problem in this natural resource-limited nation.
Government: Democratic Republic
Religion: Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland (National church, where it is not a state church, but presides over certain religiously ceremonial functions in government) 82.5%, None: 15.1%, remaining mostly other Christian. Survey: 41% believe in God, 41% some other form of intelligent design, 19% atheist/agnostic.
Demographics: Finn 93.4%, Swede 5.6% (long-time Swedish possession during post-Middle Ages)
Foreign Policy: Primary concern is Russia, generally opposes measures in EU that might strengthen Russia, or make EU members too reliant on Russia, as it had long been its greatest nemesis/threat. Sweden had been its greatest threat before Russia, with the dividing point around the year 1700, but relations with Sweden and other Nordic nations are currently very cooperative and friendly. Geopolitically vulnerable to Russia, due to long, hard-to-defend border with Russia (easy to transport troops across, no natural barriers), and low population density.
Population: 5,244,749 (2008)

 

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