Finland Grade 1+

Which type of country is ranked the happiest in the world?

• Where the winter is long, dark, and bitterly cold?

Or,

• Where it’s warm year-round, with great beaches?

Well, if you picked the second one, you would be …

Wrong!

Finland is one of the most northern countries on the planet. The winters are cold and dark. Yet Finland has been named Happiest Country in the World five years in a row!  In fact, many points separate it from Denmark, ranked second.

Finland has long, freezing winters. Lack of sunlight during winter should make people sad, lonely, and tired. Yet, Finns aren’t like that at all!

So, what is Finland’s secret?

Finland has a strong democracy. Finns take pride in their government and in the police and military that protect them. There is very little crime. Healthcare and education are free.

Most of all, Finns take joy in life. During winter, people ice-skate, snowmobile, ski, and ski-jour (having a dog pull you on skis). Some even put on special suits and float among ice in the ocean!

Others watch as the aurora borealis dances in the sky. Still others play with their unique pets – reindeer and huskies, which are dogs that love to run in the snow.

In the summer, Finns jog, swim, and play soccer. They often do those at midnight – because in summer the sun rarely goes down! Maybe that’s why Paavo Nurmi, known as the Flying Finn, became one of the greatest runners of all time. He won nine gold medals in the Olympics. He could practice running all “night” if he wanted to, and during winter he could ski to strengthen his legs even more.

Finns also love to take saunas. There are three million saunas in Finland. That is the most of any country in the world! Almost every home has one. There, the Finns relax in the heat several times a week. They and friends laugh as the heat takes away any troubles they might have. After taking a steam, they enjoy tea together or a jump into icy water, which is said to be excellent for health!