The Republic of Finland, the third northernmost state of

the European continent, has an area of 130,559 sq. mi. (338,127

sq. km.) and a population of 5.1 million. Capital: Helsinki.

Lumbering, shipbuilding, metal and woodworking are the

leading industries. Paper, timber, wood pulp, plywood and metal

products are exported.

The Finns, who probably originated in the Volga region

of Russia, took Finland from the Lapps late in the 7th century.

They were conquered in the 12th century by Eric IX of Sweden,

and brought into contact with Western Christendom. In 1809,

Sweden was conquered by Alexander I of Russia, and the

peace terms gave Finland to Russia which became a grand

duchy, with autonomy, within the Russian Empire until Dec. 6,

1917, when, shortly after the Bolshevik revolution it declared

its independence. After a brief but bitter civil war between the

Russian communists and Finnish nationalists in which the

Whites (nationalists) were victorious, a new constitution was

adopted, and on Dec. 6, 1917 Finland was established as a

republic. In 1939 Soviet troops attacked Finland over disputed

territorial concessions which were later granted in the peace

treaty of 1940. When the Germans invaded Russia, Finland

became involved and in the Armistice of 1944 lost the Petsamo

area to the Soviets.