Editing Finland (section)

== History ==
{{Main|History of Finland}}

===Prehistory===
{{Main|History of Finland#Prehistory}}
[[File:Kivikautinen karhunpäänuija.jpg|thumb|right|Stone Age bear head gavel found in [[Paltamo]], Kainuu<ref>Haggrén et al. 2015, p. 109.</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.finna.fi/Record/musketti.M012:KM13275:1#image| title = eläinpääase; karhunpäänuija| work = Museovirasto| language = fi| access-date = 30 November 2017| archive-date = 1 December 2017| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171201035941/https://www.finna.fi/Record/musketti.M012:KM13275:1#image| url-status = live}}</ref>]]

The area that is now Finland was settled in, at the latest, around 8,500 BC during the [[Stone Age]] towards the end of the [[last glacial period]]. The [[Artifact (archaeology)|artefacts]] the first settlers left behind present characteristics that are shared with those found in [[Estonia]], Russia, and Norway.<ref name=":1">[http://herkules.oulu.fi/isbn9514281411/isbn9514281411.pdf Herkules.oulu.fi] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303194910/http://herkules.oulu.fi/isbn9514281411/isbn9514281411.pdf |date=3 March 2016 }}. ''People'', material, culture and environment in the north. Proceedings of the 22nd Nordic Archaeological Conference, University of Oulu, 18–23 August 2004 Edited by Vesa-Pekka Herva.</ref> The earliest people were [[hunter-gatherer]]s, using stone tools.<ref name="VF-Pre">Pirjo Uino of the National Board of Antiquities, ThisisFinland—"Prehistory: The ice recedes—man arrives". Retrieved 24 June 2008.</ref>

The first pottery appeared in 5200&nbsp;BC, when the [[Comb Ceramic culture]] was introduced.<ref name="Hist-Fin-Geo">[https://web.archive.org/web/20071123072314/http://www.geocities.com/ojoronen/EARLYFIN.HTM History of Finland and the Finnish People from stone age to WWII]. Retrieved 24 June 2008.</ref> The area of present-day Finland was in the western limits of the culture, which produced pottery with a distinct [[Comb Ceramic|comb pattern]].{{sfn|Kirby|2006|p=2}} The arrival of the [[Corded Ware culture]] in the south of coastal Finland between 3000 and 2500 BC may have coincided with the start of agriculture.<ref name="Virt-Mino">Professor Frank Horn of the Northern Institute for Environmental and the Minority Law University of Lappland writing for Virtual Finland on [https://web.archive.org/web/20080611022047/http://virtual.finland.fi/netcomm/news/showarticle.asp?intNWSAID=26470 National Minorities of Finland]. Retrieved 24 June 2008.</ref> Even with the introduction of agriculture, hunting and fishing continued to be important parts of the subsistence economy.

In the [[Bronze Age]], permanent all-year-round cultivation and [[animal husbandry]] spread, but the cold climate slowed the change.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |title=Muinaisuutemme jäljet|first1=Georg|last1=Haggren|first2=Petri|last2=Halinen|first3=Mika|last3=Lavento|first4=Sami|last4=Raninen|first5=Anna|last5=Wessman|publisher=Gaudeamus |year=2015 |location=Helsinki |pages=199, 210–211}}</ref> The [[Seima-Turbino phenomenon]] brought the first bronze artefacts to the region and possibly also the [[Finno-Ugric languages]].<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite book|title=Muinaisuutemme jäljet|first1=Georg|last1=Haggren|first2=Petri|last2=Halinen|first3=Mika|last3=Lavento|first4=Sami|last4=Raninen|first5=Anna|last5=Wessman|publisher=Gaudeamus|year=2015|location=Helsinki|pages=171–178}}</ref> Commercial contacts that had so far mostly been to Estonia started to extend to Scandinavia. Domestic manufacture of bronze artefacts started 1300 BC.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Muinaisuutemme jäljet|first1=Georg|last1=Haggren|first2=Petri|last2=Halinen|first3=Mika|last3=Lavento|first4=Sami|last4=Raninen|first5=Anna|last5=Wessman|publisher=Gaudeamus|year=2015|location=Helsinki|pages=189–190}}</ref>

In the [[Iron Age]], population grew. [[Finland Proper]] was the most densely populated area. Commercial contacts in the [[Baltic Sea]] region grew and extended during the eighth and ninth centuries. Main exports from Finland were furs, slaves, [[castoreum]], and falcons to European courts. Imports included silk and other fabrics, jewelry, [[Ulfberht swords]], and, in lesser extent, glass. Production of iron started approximately in 500 BC.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Muinaisuutemme jäljet|first1=Georg|last1=Haggren|first2=Petri|last2=Halinen|first3=Mika|last3=Lavento|first4=Sami|last4=Raninen|first5=Anna|last5=Wessman|publisher=Gaudeamus |year=2015 |location=Helsinki |pages=332, 364–365}}</ref> At the end of the ninth century, indigenous artefact culture, especially weapons and women's jewelry, had more common local features than ever before. This has been interpreted to be expressing common Finnish identity.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Muinaisuutemme jäljet|first1=Georg|last1=Haggren|first2=Petri|last2=Halinen|first3=Mika|last3=Lavento|first4=Sami|last4=Raninen|first5=Anna|last5=Wessman|publisher=Gaudeamus |year=2015 |location=Helsinki |page=269}}</ref>

An early form of [[Finnic languages]] spread to the Baltic Sea region approximately 1900 BC. Common Finnic language was spoken around [[Gulf of Finland]] 2000 years ago. The dialects from which the modern-day Finnish language was developed came into existence during the Iron Age.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Muinaisuutemme jäljet|first1=Georg|last1=Haggren|first2=Petri|last2=Halinen|first3=Mika|last3=Lavento|first4=Sami|last4=Raninen|first5=Anna|last5=Wessman|publisher=Gaudeamus|year=2015|location=Helsinki|pages=211–212}}</ref> Contacts with the ancient [[Baltic peoples|Baltic]] and eastern [[Germanic peoples]] greatly influenced the [[Proto-Finnic language]].{{sfn|Kirby|2006|p=2}} Although distantly related, the [[Sami people]] retained the hunter-gatherer lifestyle longer than the Finns. The Sami cultural identity and the [[Sami language]] have survived in [[Lapland (Finland)|Lapland]], the northernmost province.

===Swedish era===
{{Main|Finland under Swedish rule}}
[[File:Erik den helige och biskop Henrik.jpg|thumb|right|[[Eric IX of Sweden]] and [[Henry (bishop of Finland)|Bishop Henry]] en [[First Swedish Crusade|route to Finland]]. Late medieval depiction from [[Uppland]].]]
The 12th and 13th centuries were a violent time in the northern Baltic Sea. The [[Livonian Crusade]] was ongoing and the [[Finnish tribes]] such as the [[Tavastians]] and [[Karelia (historical province of Finland)|Karelians]] were in [[Early Finnish wars|frequent conflicts]] with [[Republic of Novgorod|Novgorod]] and with each other. Also, during the 12th and 13th centuries several crusades from the Catholic realms of the Baltic Sea area were made against the Finnish tribes. [[Danes]] waged at least three crusades to Finland, in 1187 or slightly earlier,<ref name=":3">{{cite book| author = Kurt Villads Jensen| title = Ristiretket| publisher = Turun Historiallinen Yhdistys| year = 2019| pages = 126–127}}</ref> in 1191 and in 1202,<ref>{{Cite book |title=Muinaisuutemme jäljet|first1=Georg|last1=Haggren|first2=Petri|last2=Halinen|first3=Mika|last3=Lavento|first4=Sami|last4=Raninen|first5=Anna|last5=Wessman|publisher=Gaudeamus |year=2015 |location=Helsinki |page=380}}</ref> and [[Swedes]], possibly the so-called [[Second Swedish Crusade|second Crusade to Finland]], in 1249 against Tavastians and the [[Third Swedish Crusade|third Crusade to Finland]] in 1293 against the Karelians. The so-called [[First Swedish Crusade|first Crusade to Finland]], possibly in 1155, most likely never occurred.<ref>{{Cite book |title=''Ruotsin itämaa'' |last=Tarkiainen |first=Kari |publisher=Svenska litteratursällskapet i Finland |year=2010 |location=Helsinki |page=88}}</ref>

As a result of the Crusades, mostly with the Second Swedish Crusade led by [[Birger Jarl]], and the [[Swedish colonisation of Finland|colonization of some Finnish coastal areas]] with Christian [[Swedish-speaking population of Finland|Swedes]] during the Middle Ages,<ref>{{Cite book|title=Ruotsin itämaa|last=Tarkiainen|first=Kari|publisher=Svenska litteratursällskapet i Finland |year=2010 |isbn=978-951-583-212-2 |location=Helsinki|pages=104–147}}</ref> Finland gradually became part of the kingdom of Sweden and the sphere of influence of the [[Catholic Church]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=Ruotsin itämaa|last=Tarkiainen|first=Kari|publisher=Svenska litteratursällskapet i Finland |year=2010 |isbn=978-951-583-212-2 |location=Porvoo |pages=167–170}}</ref> Under Sweden, Finland was annexed as part of the cultural order of [[Western Europe]].<ref name="infoFinland.fi">{{cite web | url=https://www.infofinland.fi/en/information-about-finland/finnish-history | title=Finnish history | publisher=infoFinland.fi | access-date=13 April 2023 | archive-date=13 April 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413121612/https://www.infofinland.fi/en/information-about-finland/finnish-history | url-status=live }}</ref> The Swedes built fortresses in [[Häme]] and [[Turku]], while a Swedish royal council was instituted, an administrative structure and fiscal apparatus was created, and law codes were codified during the reigns of [[Magnus Ladulås]] (1275–1290) and [[Magnus Eriksson]] (1319–1364).{{sfn|Kirby|2006|p=9}} As a result, the Finnish lands were firmly integrated into the Swedish realm.{{sfn|Kirby|2006|p=9}}

[[File:Suomenlinna.jpg|thumb|left|Now lying within Helsinki, [[Suomenlinna]] is a UNESCO [[World Heritage Site]] consisting of an inhabited 18th-century sea fortress built on six islands. It is one of Finland's most popular tourist attractions.]]
[[Finland Swedish|Swedish]] was the dominant language of the nobility, administration, and education; [[Finnish language|Finnish]] was chiefly a language for the [[peasant]]ry, clergy, and local [[court]]s in predominantly Finnish-speaking areas.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Sanders |first1=Ruth H. |title=The Languages of Scandinavia: Seven Sisters of the North |date=2021 |publisher=University of Chicago Press |pages=94–95 |isbn=978-0-226-75975-3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EL4lEAAAQBAJ}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=The Nordic Languages |date=2002 |publisher=W. de Gruyter |page=1648 |isbn=978-3-11-017149-5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6b7WwBC5tRAC}}</ref> During the [[Protestant Reformation]], the [[Finns]] gradually converted to [[Lutheranism]].<ref>{{cite book |title=Historical Dictionary of Finland |date=2021 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield Publishers |page=282 |isbn=978-1-5381-1154-3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Fgo0EAAAQBAJ}}</ref> The end of the [[Kalmar Union]] ushered in an era of religious, social, and economic changes.{{sfn|Kirby|2006|p=28}} [[Gustav Vasa]] ({{reign|1523|1560}}) made his second son [[John III of Sweden|Johan]] the [[duke of Finland]], while [[Gustavus Adolphus|Gustav Adolf]] ({{reign|1611|1632}}) created the office of [[Governor-General of Finland|governor-general]] for Finland as part of his restructuring of the administration of the Swedish realm.{{sfn|Kirby|2006|pp=37–38}}

In the 16th century, a bishop and Lutheran Reformer [[Mikael Agricola]] published the first written works in Finnish;<ref>{{cite book|title=Books from Finland|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_qNKAQAAIAAJ|year=1992|publisher=Publishers' Association of Finland|page=180}}</ref> and Finland's current capital city, [[Helsinki]], was founded by King [[Gustav I of Sweden|Gustav Vasa]] in 1555.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tabblo.com/studio/stories/view/409531/ |title=Ruttopuisto&nbsp;– Plague Park |publisher=Tabblo.com |access-date=3 November 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080411112934/http://www.tabblo.com/studio/stories/view/409531/ |archive-date=11 April 2008 }}</ref> The first university in Finland, the [[Royal Academy of Turku]], was established by Queen [[Christina of Sweden]] at the proposal of Count [[Per Brahe the Younger|Per Brahe]] in 1640.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.maailmanmuisti.fi/index.php?page=archives-of-the-royal-academy-of-turku-and-the-imperial-alexander-university|title=Archives of the Royal Academy of Turku and the Imperial Alexander University|work=Memory of the World Programme|publisher=[[UNESCO|UNESCO National Committee]]|access-date=1 July 2022|archive-date=26 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230326033832/https://www.maailmanmuisti.fi/index.php?page=archives-of-the-royal-academy-of-turku-and-the-imperial-alexander-university|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Jussi Välimaa|title=A History of Finnish Higher Education from the Middle Ages to the 21st Century|chapter=The Founding of the Royal Academy of Turku in 1640|pages=77–78|publisher=Springer|year=2019|isbn=978-3030208073}}</ref>

The Finns reaped a reputation in the [[Thirty Years' War]] (1618–1648) as a well-trained [[cavalrymen]] called "[[Hakkapeliitta]]".<ref>{{cite book|first=Matti J.|last=Kankaanpää|year=2016|title=Suomalainen ratsuväki Ruotsin ajalla|publisher=T:mi Toiset aijat|location=Porvoo|page=790|isbn=978-952-99106-9-4|language=fi}}</ref> Finland suffered a severe [[Great Famine of Finland (1695–1697)|famine in 1695–1697]], during which about one third of the Finnish population died,<ref name="empire"/> and a [[The plague during the Great Northern War|devastating plague a few years later]].

In the 18th century, wars between Sweden and Russia twice led to the occupation of Finland by Russian forces, times known to the Finns as the [[Greater Wrath]] (1714–1721) and the [[Russo-Swedish War (1741–1743)|Lesser Wrath]] (1742–1743).<ref name="tif">{{Cite web|url=https://finland.fi/life-society/tracing-finlands-eastern-border/|title=Tracing Finland's eastern border|date=22 March 2011|website=thisisFINLAND|access-date=14 July 2021|archive-date=12 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200712110116/https://finland.fi/life-society/tracing-finlands-eastern-border/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="empire">"[http://countrystudies.us/finland/9.htm Finland and the Swedish Empire] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161226013534/http://countrystudies.us/finland/9.htm |date=26 December 2016 }}". ''Federal Research Division, [[Library of Congress]]''.</ref> It is estimated that almost an entire generation of young men was lost during the Great Wrath, due mainly to the destruction of homes and farms, and the burning of Helsinki.<ref name="Nordstrom, Scandinavia">{{cite book|last=Nordstrom|first=Byron J.|title=Scandinavia Since 1500|year=2000|publisher=University of Minnesota Press|location=Minneapolis, US|isbn=978-0-8166-2098-2|page=[https://archive.org/details/scandinaviasince0000nord/page/142 142]|url=https://archive.org/details/scandinaviasince0000nord/page/142}}</ref>

===Grand Duchy of Finland===
{{Main|Grand Duchy of Finland}}
The Swedish era ended with the [[Finnish War]] of 1809. On 29 March 1809, after being conquered by the armies of [[Alexander I of Russia]], Finland became [[Grand Duchy of Finland|an autonomous grand duchy]] within the [[Russian Empire]], as recognised by the [[Diet of Porvoo]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Merivirta |first1=Raita |last2=Koivunen |first2=Leila |last3=Särkkä |first3=Timo |title=Finnish Colonial Encounters: From Anti-Imperialism to Cultural Colonialism and Complicity |date=1 January 2022 |publisher=Springer Nature |isbn=978-3-030-80610-1 |page=43 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l2ZXEAAAQBAJ |language=en}}</ref> This situation continued until the end of 1917.<ref name="tif"/> In 1812, Alexander I incorporated the Russian [[Vyborg Governorate|province of Vyborg]] into the Grand Duchy of Finland. In 1854, Finland became involved in Russia's involvement in the [[Crimean War]] when the British and French navies bombed the Finnish coast and [[Åland]] during the so-called [[Åland War]].<ref name="Junnila">{{cite book| first = Olavi | last = Junnila | title = Suomen historia 5 | year = 1986 | chapter = Autonomian rakentaminen ja kansallisen nousun aika | page = 151 | location = Helsinki | publisher = Weilin + Göös | isbn = 951-35-2494-9 | language = fi }}</ref>

[[File:Suomineito.jpg|thumb|[[Edvard Isto]], ''[[The Attack (painting)|The Attack]]'', 1899. The [[Russian eagle]] is attacking the [[Finnish Maiden]], trying to steal her book of laws.]]
Although Swedish was still widely spoken, the Finnish language began to gain recognition during this period. From the 1860s, a strong Finnish [[Ethnic nationalism|nationalist movement]], known as the [[Fennoman movement]], grew. One of the movement's most prominent leaders was the philosopher and politician [[Johan Vilhelm Snellman|J.V. Snellman]], who worked to stabilise the status of the Finnish language and its own currency, the [[Finnish markka]], in the Grand Duchy of Finland.<ref name="Junnila"/><ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.suomenpankki.fi/fi/media-ja-julkaisut/puheet-ja-haastattelut/2006/pankinjohtaja-sinikka-salon-puhe-snellman-ja-suomen-markka--nayttelyn-avajaisissa-suomen-pankin-rahamuseossa/ | title = Pankinjohtaja Sinikka Salon puhe Snellman ja Suomen markka -näyttelyn avajaisissa Suomen Pankin rahamuseossa | publisher = Bank of Finland | date = 10 January 2006 | access-date = 7 December 2020 | language = fi | archive-date = 9 December 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171209100458/https://www.suomenpankki.fi/fi/media-ja-julkaisut/puheet-ja-haastattelut/2006/pankinjohtaja-sinikka-salon-puhe-snellman-ja-suomen-markka--nayttelyn-avajaisissa-suomen-pankin-rahamuseossa/ | url-status = live }}</ref> Milestones included the publication of what would become Finland's [[national epic]], the ''[[Kalevala]]'', in 1835 and the legal equality of the Finnish language with Swedish in 1892. In the spirit of [[Adolf Ivar Arwidsson]] – "we are not Swedes, we do not want to become Russians, so let us be Finns" – a Finnish national identity was established.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Lefaivre|first1=Liane|last2=Tzonis|first2=Alexander|title=Architecture of Regionalism in the Age of Globalization: Peaks and Valleys in the Flat World|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FkYHEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT144|year=2020|publisher=Routledge|location=New York|isbn=978-1-00-022106-0|page=144}}</ref> Nevertheless, there was no real independence movement in Finland until the early 20th century.<ref name="a1">{{cite book |last=Nordstrom |first=Byron J. |title=Scandinavia Since 1500 |year=2000 |publisher=University of Minnesota Press |location=Minneapolis, US |isbn=978-0-8166-2098-2 |page=[https://archive.org/details/scandinaviasince0000nord/page/143 143] |url=https://archive.org/details/scandinaviasince0000nord/page/143 }}</ref>

The [[Finnish famine of 1866–1868]] occurred after freezing temperatures in early September devastated crops and killed around 15% of the population, making it one of the worst [[famine]]s in European history.<ref>{{cite book|title=Nutrition and immunology: principles and practice |first1=M. Eric|last1= Gershwin|first2=J. Bruce |last2=German|first3= Carl L.|last3= Keen |publisher =Humana Press|year=2000 |isbn=0-89603-719-3}}</ref> The famine led the Russian Empire to relax financial regulations, and investment increased in the following decades. Economic development was rapid.<ref name="equity">{{cite web |url=http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTRANETSOCIALDEVELOPMENT/Resources/finland.pdf |title=Growth and Equity in Finland |publisher=World Bank |access-date=22 March 2008 |archive-date=13 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181113032435/http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTRANETSOCIALDEVELOPMENT/Resources/finland.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[gross domestic product]] (GDP) per capita was still half of that of the United States and a third of that of Britain.<ref name="equity" />

From 1869 to 1917, the Russian Empire pursued [[Russification of Finland|a policy of Russification]], which was suspended between 1905 and 1908. In 1906, [[universal suffrage]] was introduced in the Grand Duchy of Finland. However, relations between the Grand Duchy of Finland and the Russian Empire soured when the Russian government began to take steps to restrict Finland's special status and autonomy. For example, universal suffrage was virtually meaningless in practice, as the [[tsar]] did not have to approve any of the laws passed by the Finnish parliament. The desire for independence gained ground, first among radical [[Liberalism|liberals]]<ref>Mickelsson, Rauli (2007). ''Suomen puolueet—Historia, muutos ja nykypäivä''. Vastapaino. {{in lang|fi}}</ref> and [[Socialism|socialists]], partly driven by a declaration called the'' [[February Manifesto]]'' by the last tsar of the Russian Empire, [[Nicholas II of Russia|Nicholas II]], on 15 February 1899.<ref>Alenius, Kari. "Russification in Estonia and Finland Before 1917", ''Faravid'', 2004, Vol. 28, pp. 181–194.</ref>

===Civil war and early independence===
{{Main|Independence of Finland|Finnish Civil War}}
After the [[February Revolution]] of 1917, Finland's position as a Grand Duchy under the rule of the Russian Empire was questioned. The [[Parliament of Finland|Finnish parliament]], controlled by the [[Social Democratic Party of Finland|Social Democrats]], passed the so-called [[Independence of Finland#Power act|Power Act]] to give the parliament supreme authority. This was rejected by the [[Russian Provisional Government]], which decided to dissolve the parliament.<ref>[http://countrystudies.us/finland/15.htm The Finnish Civil War, Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161228235436/http://countrystudies.us/finland/15.htm |date=28 December 2016 }}. Countrystudies.us. Retrieved 18 May 2016.</ref> New elections were held in which the right-wing parties won by a small majority. Some social democrats refused to accept the result, claiming that the dissolution of parliament and the subsequent elections were extra-legal. The two almost equally powerful political blocs, the right-wing parties and the Social Democratic Party, were deeply divided.

[[File:The victory parade of the White Army 1918.jpg|thumb|left|Finnish military leader and statesman [[C. G. E. Mannerheim]] as [[general officer]] leading the [[White Victory Parade]] at the end of the [[Finnish Civil War]] in Helsinki, 1918]]
The [[October Revolution]] in Russia changed the geopolitical situation once again. Suddenly the right-wing parties in Finland began to reconsider their decision to block the transfer of supreme executive power from the Russian government to Finland when the [[Bolsheviks]] came to power in Russia. The right-wing government, led by Prime Minister [[P. E. Svinhufvud]], presented the [[Finnish Declaration of Independence|Declaration of Independence]] on 4 December 1917, which was officially approved by the Finnish Parliament on 6 December. The [[Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic]] (RSFSR), led by [[Vladimir Lenin]] was the first country to recognise Finland's independence on 4 January 1918.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://formin.finland.fi/public/default.aspx?contentid=107215&contentlan=1&culture=fi-FI | title = Uudenvuodenaatto Pietarin Smolnassa – Itsenäisyyden tunnustus 31.12.1917 | publisher = Ulkoministeriö | access-date = 14 September 2020 | language = fi | archive-date = 26 November 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161126002743/http://formin.finland.fi/public/default.aspx?contentid=107215&contentlan=1&culture=fi-FI | url-status = dead }}</ref>

On 27 January 1918, the government began to disarm the Russian forces in [[Ostrobothnia (historical province)|Ostrobothnia]]. The socialists took control of southern Finland and Helsinki, but the white government continued in exile in [[Vaasa]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Tuomas Tepora & Aapo Roselius|title=The Finnish Civil War 1918|chapter=The War of Liberation, the Civil Guards, and the Veterans’ Union: Public Memory in the Interwar Period|series=History of Warfare (vol. 101)|year=2014|isbn=978-90-04-24366-8}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://europecentenary.eu/reds-vs-whites-the-finnish-civil-war-january-may-1918/ |title=«Reds» vs. «Whites»: The Finnish Civil War (January- May 1918) |last=Simbeteanu |first=Iulian |work=Europe Centenary |date= 29 November 2018|access-date=13 May 2024 |quote= |archive-date=1 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220701004827/https://europecentenary.eu/reds-vs-whites-the-finnish-civil-war-january-may-1918/amp/ |url-status=live }}</ref> This led to a short but bitter [[Finnish Civil War|civil war]]. The [[White Guard (Finland)|Whites]], backed by [[German Empire|Imperial Germany]], prevailed over the [[Red Guards (Finland)|Reds]]<ref>{{cite web |title=A Country Study: Finland—The Finnish Civil War |url=http://memory.loc.gov/frd/cs/fitoc.html |work=Federal Research Division, Library of Congress |access-date=11 December 2008 |archive-date=10 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120310171449/http://memory.loc.gov/frd/cs/fitoc.html |url-status=live }}</ref> and their self-proclaimed [[Finnish Socialist Workers' Republic]].<ref>[https://www.verkkouutiset.fi/sdpn-puheenjohtaja-halusi-punadiktaattoriksi-mutta-kuoli-stalinin-vankileirilla-69089/#cd1f8043 "SDP:n puheenjohtaja halusi punadiktaattoriksi, mutta kuoli Stalinin vankileirillä"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211128041947/https://www.verkkouutiset.fi/sdpn-puheenjohtaja-halusi-punadiktaattoriksi-mutta-kuoli-stalinin-vankileirilla-69089/#cd1f8043 |date=28 November 2021 }} {{in lang|fi}}.</ref> After the war, tens of thousands of Reds were interned in camps where thousands were executed or died of malnutrition and disease. A deep social and political enmity was sown between the Reds and the Whites that would last until the [[Winter War]] and beyond.<ref>[https://www.is.fi/paakirjoitus/art-2000005492424.html "Pääkirjoitus: Kansalaissota on arka muistettava"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220526204428/https://www.is.fi/paakirjoitus/art-2000005492424.html |date=26 May 2022 }} {{in lang|fi}}.</ref><ref>[https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-8831374 "Punaisten ja valkoisten perintöä vaalitaan yhä – Suomalaiset lähettivät yli 400 muistoa vuoden 1918 sisällissodasta"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521072139/https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-8831374 |date=21 May 2022 }} {{in lang|fi}}.</ref> The civil war and the activist expeditions to Soviet Russia in 1918–1920, known as the "[[Heimosodat|Kinship Wars]]", strained relations with the East.<ref>{{Cite book | last=Manninen | first=Ohto | title=Suur-Suomen ääriviivat: Kysymys tulevaisuudesta ja turvallisuudesta Suomen Saksan-politiikassa 1941 | location=Helsinki | publisher=Kirjayhtymä | year=1980 | isbn= 951-26-1735-8}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book | last=Nygård | first=Toivo | title=Suur-Suomi vai lähiheimolaisten auttaminen: Aatteellinen heimotyö itsenäisessä Suomessa | location=Helsinki | publisher=Otava | year=1978 | isbn=951-1-04963-1}}</ref>

[[File:Helsinki Olympic stadium and stadium tower, 1938 (29438954721).jpg|thumb|[[Helsinki Olympic Stadium]] in 1938]]
After a [[Kingdom of Finland (1918)|brief experiment with monarchy]], when an attempt to make [[Prince Frederick Charles of Hesse]] the king of Finland failed, a [[Constitution of Finland|republican constitution]] was adopted and Finland became a [[presidential republic]], with [[K. J. Ståhlberg]] elected as its first president on 25 July 1919.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Singleton |first1=Fred |last2=Upton |first2=Anthony F. |title=A short history of Finland |date=1998 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |page=113 |isbn=978-0-521-64701-4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w3qwCHn3EgEC}}</ref> A [[Civic nationalism|liberal nationalist]] with a legal background, Ståhlberg anchored the state in [[liberal democracy]], promoted the [[rule of law]] and initiated internal reforms.<ref>{{cite web | first = Juha | last = Mononen | title = War or Peace for Finland? Neoclassical Realist Case Study of Finnish Foreign Policy in the Context of the Anti-Bolshevik Intervention in Russia 1918–1920 | url = https://tampub.uta.fi/handle/10024/80491 | date = 2 February 2009 | publisher = University of Tampere | access-date = 25 August 2020 | archive-date = 7 June 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150607035630/http://tampub.uta.fi/handle/10024/80491 | url-status = dead }}</ref> Finland was also one of the first European countries to strongly promote [[Women's rights|women's equality]], with [[Miina Sillanpää]] becoming the first female minister in Finnish history in [[Tanner Cabinet|Väinö Tanner's cabinet]] in 1926–1927.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://finland.fi/life-society/real-bridge-builder-became-finlands-first-female-government-minister/|title=Real bridge-builder became Finland's first female government minister – thisisFINLAND|date=29 September 2017|work=thisisFINLAND|access-date=7 December 2020|language=en-US|archive-date=1 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230401030539/https://finland.fi/life-society/real-bridge-builder-became-finlands-first-female-government-minister/|url-status=live}}</ref> The Finnish-Russian border was established in 1920 by the [[Treaty of Tartu (Finland–Russia)|Treaty of Tartu]], which largely followed the historical border but gave Finland [[Pechengsky District|Pechenga]] ({{langx|fi|Petsamo}}) and its [[Barents Sea]] port.<ref name="tif"/> Finnish democracy survived Soviet coup attempts and the anti-communist [[Lapua movement]].

In 1917 there were three million people in the country. After the civil war, a credit-based [[land reform]] was introduced, increasing the proportion of the population with access to capital.<ref name="equity" /> About 70% of the workforce was employed in agriculture and 10% in industry.<ref>{{cite web |series=Finland 1917–2007 |url=http://www.stat.fi/tup/suomi90/helmikuu_en.html |title=From slash-and-burn fields to post-industrial society—90 years of change in industrial structure |website=Statistics Finland |date=20 February 2007 |access-date=26 August 2010 |first=Pekka |last=Myrskylä |archive-date=20 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120120050148/http://www.stat.fi/tup/suomi90/helmikuu_en.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

===World War II===
{{Main|Finland in World War II}}

[[File:Kolmen valtakunnan rajapyykki 27.4.1945.png|thumb|left|Finnish troops [[Raising the Flag on the Three-Country Cairn|raise a flag on the three-country cairn]] in April 1945 at the close of the [[Military history of Finland during World War II|World War II in Finland]].]]
The [[Soviet Union]] launched the [[Winter War]] on 30 November 1939 to annex Finland in accordance with the [[Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact]] with [[Nazi Germany]] to divide Europe into spheres of influence between the two dictatorships.<ref>[[#Manninen2008|Manninen (2008)]], pp. 37, 42, 43, 46, 49</ref><ref>[https://share.america.gov/the-secret-pact-that-ushered-in-world-war-ii/ The secret pact that ushered in World War II and changed Europe] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240502061448/https://share.america.gov/the-secret-pact-that-ushered-in-world-war-ii/ |date=2 May 2024 }}. Share America, U.S. Department of State. 19 August 2022.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=How Finland protected its WW2 independence during the Winter War |url=https://www.history.co.uk/articles/how-finland-protected-its-ww2-independence-during-the-winter-war |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=Sky HISTORY TV channel |language=en}}</ref> The [[Finnish Democratic Republic]] was set up by [[Joseph Stalin]] at the beginning of the war to govern Finland after Soviet conquest.<ref name=Tannerv>{{cite book |last=Tanner|first=Väinö |title=The Winter War: Finland Against Russia, 1939–1940, Volume 312 |location=Palo Alto |publisher=Stanford University Press |year=1956| page= 114 }}</ref> There was widespread international condemnation of the unprovoked attack and it led to the Soviet Union being expelled from the [[League of Nations]].<ref>History.com (2009): [https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/ussr-expelled-from-the-league-of-nations USSR expelled from the League of Nations] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240314014339/https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/ussr-expelled-from-the-league-of-nations |date=14 March 2024 }}. A&E Television Networks.</ref> The [[Red Army]] was defeated in numerous battles, most notably the [[Battle of Suomussalmi]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Simons |first=Paul |date=2024-11-30 |title=Winter war: Snow skills gave Finland advantage over Soviet invaders in 1939 |url=https://www.thetimes.com/comment/register/article/weather-forecast-winter-war-1939-snow-w3h528mhl?region=global |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=www.thetimes.com |language=en}}</ref> After two months of negligible progress on the battlefield, as well as heavy losses in men and material,<ref>[[#Trotter2002|Trotter (2002)]], pp. 234–235</ref> Soviet forces began to advance in February and [[Battle of Vyborg Bay (1940)|reached Vyborg]] ({{langx|fi|Viipuri}}) in March. The [[Moscow Peace Treaty]] was signed on 12 March 1940, and the war ended the following day. Finland had defended its independence, but ceded 9% of its territory to the Soviet Union.<ref>{{Cite web |title=USSR and Finland signed the Moscow Treaty |url=https://www.prlib.ru/en/history/619090 |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=Presidential Library |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":4">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Russo-Finnish War". Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Jan. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/event/Russo-Finnish-War. Accessed 9 April 2025</ref>

[[File:Finnish areas ceded in 1944.png|thumb|upright|Areas ceded by Finland to the [[Soviet Union]] during [[World War II]]. The [[Porkkala]] land lease was returned to Finland in 1956.]]
Hostilities resumed in June 1941 with the [[Continuation War]], when Finland allied itself with Germany following the [[Operation Barbarossa|latter's invasion of the Soviet Union]]; the main aim was to regain the territory lost to the Soviets barely a year earlier.<ref>Michael Jones (2013). "''[https://books.google.com/books?id=uGzfnIm97vQC&pg=PA38 Leningrad: State of Siege]''". Basic Books. p. 38. {{ISBN|0-7867-2177-4}}</ref> Finnish troops [[Finnish military administration in Eastern Karelia|occupied Eastern Karelia]] from 1941 to 1944. The massive Soviet [[Vyborg-Petrozavodsk offensive]] in the summer of 1944 led to a breakthrough until the Finns finally repulsed it at [[Battle of Tali–Ihantala|Tali-Ihantala]]. This partial Soviet success led to a stalemate and later an [[Moscow Armistice|armistice]]. This was followed by the [[Lapland War]] of 1944–1945, when Finland fought retreating German forces in northern Finland.

The [[Moscow Armistice|Armistice]] and [[Finno-Soviet Treaty of 1948|treaty]] signed with the Soviet Union in 1944 and 1948 included Finnish obligations, restraints, and reparations, as well as further territorial concessions. As a result of the two wars, Finland lost 12% of its land area, 20% of its industrial capacity, its second largest city, Vyborg ({{langx|fi|Viipuri}}), and the ice-free port of [[Liinakhamari]] ({{langx|fi|Liinahamari}}).<ref name=":4" /> The Finns lost around 97,000 soldiers and were forced to pay war reparations initially set at $300 million in 1938 prices, later adjusted to $226.5 million.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gamla hamn i Jakobstad |url=https://www.gamla-hamn.fi/en/vega/bordan_vi_fick_bara |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=www.gamla-hamn.fi}}</ref> However, the country avoided occupation by Soviet forces and managed to retain its independence. Along with [[Great Britain]], Finland emerged from the war as one of the only European countries to have taken part in hostilities that was never occupied and managed to preserve its democracy throughout.<ref>[https://finland.fi/life-society/defensive-victory-led-the-way-to-peace/ Defensive victory led the way to peace] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240502062222/https://finland.fi/life-society/defensive-victory-led-the-way-to-peace/ |date=2 May 2024 }} Max Jakobson, Helsingin Sanomat, 3 September 2004.</ref>

For a few decades after 1944, the [[Communist Party of Finland|Communists]] were a strong political party. Furthermore, the Soviet Union persuaded Finland to refuse [[Marshall Plan]] aid. However, in the hope of preserving Finland's independence, the United States provided secret development aid and supported the [[Social Democratic Party of Finland|Social Democratic Party]].<ref>[http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Hidden+help+from+across+the+Atlantic/1135223633788 Hidden help from across the Atlantic] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070129165823/http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Hidden+help+from+across+the+Atlantic/1135223633788 |date=29 January 2007 }}, ''Helsingin Sanomat''.</ref>

===After the war===
[[File:Urho-Kekkonen-1975b (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright|[[Urho Kekkonen]] was Finland's longest-serving president in 1956–1982.]]
The development of trade with the Western powers, such as the United Kingdom, and the payment of reparations to the Soviet Union led to Finland's transformation from a primarily [[agrarian society]] to an industrialised one. [[Valmet]], originally a shipyard and then several metal workshops, was established to produce materials for war reparations. After the reparations were paid, Finland continued to trade with the Soviet Union as part of [[bilateral trade]].

In 1950, 46% of Finnish workers were employed in agriculture and a third lived in urban areas, but new jobs in manufacturing, services and trade quickly attracted people to the cities.<ref name="populationdevelopment">{{cite web |url=https://stat.fi/tup/suomi90/joulukuu_en.html |title=Population development in independent Finland—greying Baby Boomers |date=5 December 2007 |website= |publisher=Statistics Finland |access-date=13 May 2024 |quote=Finland 1917–2007 |archive-date=13 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240513192149/https://stat.fi/tup/suomi90/joulukuu_en.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The average number of births per woman fell from a [[baby boom]] peak of 3.5 in 1947 to 1.5 in 1973. As the baby boomers entered the workforce, the economy failed to create jobs fast enough and hundreds of thousands emigrated to more industrialised Sweden, with emigration peaking in 1969 and 1970.<ref name="populationdevelopment" /> Finland participated in trade liberalisation in the [[World Bank]], the [[International Monetary Fund]] and the [[General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade]].

During the [[Cold War]], Finland officially embraced a policy of [[Neutral country|neutrality]]. The [[Finno-Soviet Treaty of 1948|YYA treaty]] (Finno-Soviet Pact of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance) recognized Finland's desire to remain outside great-power conflicts. From 1956 president [[Urho Kekkonen]] had a virtual monopoly on relations with the Soviet Union, which was crucial to his continued popularity. In politics, there was a tendency to avoid any policy or statement that could be interpreted as anti-Soviet. This phenomenon was dubbed "[[Finlandisation]]" by the West German press.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ford|first=Hal|title=ESAU -LVI – ''FINLANDIZATION'' IN ACTION: HELSINKI'S EXPERIENCE WITH MOSCOW|url=https://www.cia.gov/library/readingroom/docs/esau-55.pdf|series=DIRECTORATE OF INTELLIGENCE|date=August 1972|access-date=16 August 2020|archive-date=1 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201214712/https://www.cia.gov/library/readingroom/docs/esau-55.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[File:2018_Helsinki,_Finland_(41401402010).jpg|thumb|left|[[Alvar Aalto]]'s [[Finlandia Hall]] hosted the [[Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe]] in 1975.]]
A [[market economy]] was maintained in Finland. Various industries benefited from trade privileges with the Soviets. Economic growth was rapid in the post-war period, and by 1975 Finland's GDP per capita was the 15th highest in the world. During the 1970s and 1980s, Finland built one of the most extensive [[welfare state]]s in the world. In 1973, Finland negotiated a treaty with the [[European Economic Community]] (EEC) that reduced tariffs, enhancing trade relations.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Finland GDP Per Capita 1960-2025 |url=https://macrotrends.net/global-metrics/countries/FIN/finland/gdp-per-capita |access-date=2025-04-10 |website=macrotrends.net}}</ref>

Miscalculated macroeconomic decisions, a [[Finnish banking crisis of 1990s|banking crisis]], the collapse of its largest trading partner, the Soviet Union, and a global economic downturn caused a deep recession in Finland in the [[Early 1990s depression in Finland|early 1990s]]. The recession bottomed out in 1993 and Finland enjoyed more than a decade of steady economic growth.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Uusitalo|first=Hannu|title=Economic Crisis and Social Policy in Finland in the 1990s|journal=Working Paper Series|url=https://www.sprc.unsw.edu.au/media/SPRCFile/dp070.pdf|series=SPRC Discussion Paper No. 70|date=October 1996|issn=1037-2741|access-date=21 January 2019|archive-date=9 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170809051616/https://www.sprc.unsw.edu.au/media/SPRCFile/dp070.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Finland began to integrate more closely with the West.<ref>[http://formin.finland.fi/public/default.aspx?contentid=55802&contentlan=1&culture=fi-FI formin.finland.fi] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105213131/http://formin.finland.fi/public/default.aspx?contentid=55802&contentlan=1&culture=fi-FI |date=5 January 2016 }}; ''Suurlähettiläs Jaakko Blomberg: Kylmän sodan päättyminen, Suomi ja Viro – Ulkoasiainministeriö: Ajankohtaista''. Retrieved 18 May 2016.</ref> Finland [[1995 enlargement of the European Union|joined]] the [[European Union]] in 1995 and the [[euro zone]] in 1999. Much of the economic growth of the late 1990s was fuelled by the success of mobile phone manufacturer [[Nokia]].<ref name="infoFinland.fi"/><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Kelly |first=Gordon |title=Finland and Nokia: an affair to remember |url=https://www.wired.com/story/finland-and-nokia/ |access-date=2025-04-10 |magazine=Wired |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028}}</ref>

===21st century===

[[File:Presidentti Sauli Niinistö ja pääministeri Sanna Marinin tiedotustilaisuus 15.5.2022 (52075250080).jpg|thumb|Prime Minister [[Sanna Marin]] and President [[Sauli Niinistö]] at the press conference announcing Finland's intent to apply to NATO on 15 May 2022]]
The Finnish people elected [[Tarja Halonen]] in the [[2000 Finnish presidential election|2000 Presidential election]], making her the first female President of Finland.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.councilwomenworldleaders.org/tarja-halonen.html|title=TARJA HALONEN – President of Finland (2000–2012)|publisher=Council of Women World Leaders|access-date=29 April 2022|archive-date=19 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220519024324/https://www.councilwomenworldleaders.org/tarja-halonen.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Her predecessor, President [[Martti Ahtisaari]], later won the [[Nobel Peace Prize]] in 2008. The [[2008 financial crisis]] paralysed <!--DO NOT change to paralyzed, see [[Oxford spelling#Defining feature]].--> Finland's exports in 2008, leading to weaker economic growth throughout the decade.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://vnk.fi/documents/10616/339615/The+nature+of+Finland%E2%80%99s+economic+crisis+and+the+prerequisites+for+growth+-memorandum/07f3b69a-25cb-4347-a713-b0f91c23a931|title=The nature of Finland's economic crisis and the prerequisites for growth|first1=Bengt|last1=Holmström|first2=Sixten|last2=Korkman|first3=Matti|last3=Pohjola|website=VNK.fi|date=21 February 2014|access-date=29 April 2022|archive-date=20 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220120214313/https://vnk.fi/documents/10616/339615/The%20nature%20of%20Finland%E2%80%99s%20economic%20crisis%20and%20the%20prerequisites%20for%20growth%20-memorandum/07f3b69a-25cb-4347-a713-b0f91c23a931|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bofbulletin.fi/en/2015/3/shortage-of-new-firms-jams-labour-market-recovery/|title=Shortage of new firms jams labour market recovery|first1=Matti|last1=Virén|first2=Juuso|last2=Vanhala|work=Bank of Finland Bulletin|date=30 June 2015|access-date=29 April 2022|archive-date=21 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521192236/https://www.bofbulletin.fi/en/2015/3/shortage-of-new-firms-jams-labour-market-recovery/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Sauli Niinistö]] was elected President of Finland from 2012 until 2024, when [[Alexander Stubb]] took over.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://yle.fi/news/3-10960387|title=Poll suggests record-level support for Finnish President|work=[[Yle News]]|date=7 September 2019|access-date=29 April 2022|archive-date=29 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220429054955/https://yle.fi/news/3-10960387|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.euronews.com/2024/02/12/five-things-to-know-about-finlands-new-selfie-president-alex-stubb|title=Five things to know about Finland's new 'selfie' president Alex Stubb|date=12 February 2024|website=euronews}}</ref>

Finnish support for [[NATO]] rose sharply after the [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine|Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022]]. Before February 2022, opinion polls showed a narrow but decisive majority against NATO membership;<ref>{{Cite web |date=26 January 2022 |title=MTV Uutisten kysely: Nato-jäsenyyden kannatus on noussut 30 prosenttiin, vastustus laskenut selvästi – "Turvallisempaa olisi lännen kanssa" |url=https://www.mtvuutiset.fi/artikkeli/mtv-uutisten-kysely-nato-jasenyyden-kannatus-on-noussut-30-prosenttiin-vastustus-laskenut-selvasti-turvallisempaa-olisi-lannen-kanssa/8340650 |access-date=1 September 2023 |website=mtvuutiset.fi |language=fi |archive-date=16 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220516045147/https://www.mtvuutiset.fi/artikkeli/mtv-uutisten-kysely-nato-jasenyyden-kannatus-on-noussut-30-prosenttiin-vastustus-laskenut-selvasti-turvallisempaa-olisi-lannen-kanssa/8340650 |url-status=live }}</ref> by April, a supermajority was in favour of membership.<ref>{{Cite web |date=11 April 2022 |title=MTV:n kysely: Nato-jäsenyyttä kannattaa 68 prosenttia suomalaisista – Venäjän vastatoimet huolestuttavat |url=https://www.mtvuutiset.fi/artikkeli/mtv-n-kysely-nato-jasenyytta-kannattaa-68-prosenttia-suomalaisista/8400808 |access-date=1 September 2023 |website=mtvuutiset.fi |language=fi |archive-date=26 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220426215025/https://www.mtvuutiset.fi/artikkeli/mtv-n-kysely-nato-jasenyytta-kannattaa-68-prosenttia-suomalaisista/8400808 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-61093302|title=Ukraine War: Finland to decide on Nato membership in weeks says PM Marin|work=BBC News|date=13 April 2022|access-date=29 April 2022|archive-date=13 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220513004125/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-61093302|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/04/22/finland-sweden-nato-membership-russia-ukraine-war/|title='Thanks, Putin': Finnish and Swedish Lawmakers Aim for NATO Membership|first=Robbie|last=Gramer|work=Foreign Policy|date=22 April 2022|access-date=29 April 2022|archive-date=29 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220429054955/https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/04/22/finland-sweden-nato-membership-russia-ukraine-war/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2022/04/28/nato-chief-says-finland-and-sweden-could-join-quickly-as-both-warm-to-membership|title=NATO chief says Finland and Sweden could join 'quickly' as both warm to membership|first=Joshua|last=Askew|work=Euronews|date=29 April 2022|access-date=29 April 2022|archive-date=28 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220428223530/https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2022/04/28/nato-chief-says-finland-and-sweden-could-join-quickly-as-both-warm-to-membership|url-status=live}}</ref> On 11 May 2022, Finland signed a mutual security pact with the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-61408700|date=11 May 2022|title=UK agrees mutual security deals with Finland and Sweden|publisher=BBC|quote=The UK has agreed mutual security pacts with Sweden and Finland, agreeing to come to their aid should either nation come under attack. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson visited both countries to sign the deals, amid debate about them joining Nato.|access-date=12 May 2022|archive-date=31 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220531030455/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-61408700|url-status=live}}</ref> On 12 May, Finland's president and Prime Minister called for NATO membership "without delay".<ref>{{Cite web |date=12 May 2022 |title=Finland's leaders call for NATO membership 'without delay' |url=https://apnews.com/article/sweden-finland-sauli-niinisto-4ede1942b679dd15bd3021f9b194cbec |access-date=12 May 2022 |website=AP NEWS |language=en |archive-date=14 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220514041815/https://apnews.com/article/sweden-finland-sauli-niinisto-4ede1942b679dd15bd3021f9b194cbec |url-status=live }}</ref> Subsequently, on 17 May, the Finnish Parliament voted 188–8 in favour of Finland's accession to NATO.<ref>{{cite news | url = https://yle.fi/news/3-12449487 | title = Finland's Parliament approves Nato application in historic vote | work = Yle News | date = 17 May 2022 | accessdate = 18 May 2022 | archive-date = 17 May 2022 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220517123320/https://yle.fi/news/3-12449487 | url-status = live }}</ref> [[Finland–NATO relations|Finland became a member of NATO]] on 4 April 2023.<ref name="finland-and-nato">[https://valtioneuvosto.fi/en/finland-and-nato Finland and Nato] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220725152939/https://valtioneuvosto.fi/en/finland-and-nato |date=25 July 2022 }}. Finnish Government 3 April 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023.</ref>