Country profile: Finland

Around two-thirds of Finland is covered in forest and about a tenth by water.

In the far north, the sun does not set for around 10 weeks during the 'White Nights' of summer, while in winter it does not rise above the horizon for nearly eight weeks.

This wild northern landscape inspired Finland's greatest composer Jean Sibelius. His work came to symbolise the country's struggle for independence in the early 20th century after centuries under the domination of its neighbours.

Hundreds of years of Swedish rule were followed by a further century of Russian control. The country displays distinctive elements of past Scandinavian and Russian links in its style and culture.

ndependence in 1917 failed to stem the demands of Finland's giant eastern neighbour. World War II saw fierce fighting along Finland's eastern border.

Finnish troops mounted a vigorous response to Soviet forces and stalled their advance, but the country was eventually forced to cede 10% of its territory and make extensive war reparation payments to the Soviets.

The collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s allowed Finland to step out of the Cold War shadow. It applied for membership of the EU soon after its friendship treaty with the Soviet Union became void in 1991, becoming a full member in 1995.

Finland is the only Nordic EU member to use the euro as the national currency.

The country spends heavily on education, training and research - investment which pays dividends by delivering one of the best-educated and trained workforces in the world.

This has been a key factor in the development of a modern, competitive economy in which a cutting-edge telecommunications sector has been added to the traditional timber and metals industries.