Tag: Fun Facts about Finland

10 Fun Facts about Fishing in Finland

Fun facts about fishing in a land of a thousand lakes

Fishing is a very popular sport in a land of a thousand lakes.
But did you know these fun facts about fishing in Finland?

10 Fun Facts about Fishing in Finland

1. Fishing Is Very Popular in Finland

Recreational fishing is very popular in Finland. There are about 1.5 million fishermen and fisherwomen in Finland, which means that about 27 percent of Finns enjoy fishing regularly.

2. In Finland it’s called “Kalastus”

In Finnish, fish is “kala” and fishing is “kalastus”. And when Finns go fishing, they say “mennä kalastamaan”. If you want to learn more Finnish words about fishing, check these articles; what is fish in Finnish and what is fishing in Finnish?

3. What Fish Species You Can Catch in Finland?

In Finnish waters, there are about 70 fish species, of which about 20 are fairly easy to fish. Some of the most common Finnish fish species are perch, bronze bream, pike-perch, salmon, pike, burbot, whitefish and vendace.

4. Perch is Finland’s National Fish

If you go fishing in Finland, there is a good chance that you’re first catch is a perch. Perch is very common in Finland. It is also the Finland’s national fish.

5. Angling is the Most Popular Method of Fishing

There are many fishing methods being used in Finland, but perhaps the most popular is angling with a hook and line. That’s because it’s very easy, you can do it almost anywhere, and it can be very relaxing…as long as you don’t take fishing too seriously.

6. What is the Biggest Fish Caught in Finland?

According to the statistics of the Kalatalouden Keskusliitto (The Federation of Finnish Fisheries Associations) the biggest fish caught in Finland waters was a cod that weighted 29 kilograms. It was caught near Åland Islands in the Baltic Sea in 2022.

7. How About Fishing in Winter?

In Finland there is a long winter season. But luckily, winter is no problem for fishing. You just need a different fishing method. When lakes and rivers get frozen, Finns go ice fishing.

8. Do I Need a Fishing License?

If you just want to go angling with a hook and line, or enjoy ice fishing, you don’t need a fishing license. By paying the fishing management fee, you are allowed to go lure fishing using one rod, reel and lure. For any other fishing method, or if you are fishing with more than one rod, you’ll also need a permission from the owner of the water area. Visit Eräluvat website for more info about the fishing licenses in Finland.

9. Instead of Good Luck, Finns Wish “Kireitä Siimoja”

Wishing luck is believed to bring bad luck for fishing. So instead of wishing good luck, Finns say “kireitä siimoja” which means tight lines.

10. Ahti Gives

If you catch a fish in Finland, you might hear someone say “Ahti suo antejaan”. It means Ahti gives. Ahti is an old Finnish name, but what he has got to do with fishing?
In the Finnish national epic, Kaleva, Ahti is the god of water and fish. So when you catch a fish, a small thanks goes to Ahti.

Don’t Worry If You Didn’t Catch Anything

Of course it would be nice to catch something after all the hard work, but unfortunately this doesn’t happen every time. But does it really matter. For most Finns, fishing isn’t just about catching a fish. It is also about enjoying outdoors, visiting new places and spending great time with friends or family. So don’t worry if you didn’t catch anything…you’ll probably have better luck next time!

Visit these sites for more info:
Metsähallitus
Fishing in Finland
Image by Jaakko Julkunen, 1993, Finnish Heritage Agency

10 Fun Facts about Kuopio

What do you know about the city of Kuopio? Before you visit this great Finnish city yourself, here are some fun facts about Kuopio.

What do you know about the city of Kuopio?
Before you visit this great Finnish city yourself,
here are some fun facts about Kuopio.

Fun Facts about Kuopio

1. Where is Kuopio?

Kuopio is a city and a municipality located in the region of North Savo, about 340 km distance from Helsinki.

2. Kuopio is Surrounded by Lake Kallavesi

Lake Kallavesi is an important part of the city of Kuopio. It surrounds Kuopio from almost every direction.

3. Kuopio was Founded in 1775

Kuopio was founded in 1653, but Kuopio officially became a city in 1775 by the order of King Gustav III of Sweden.

4. The Name Kuopio Comes From…?

It is not known where the city’s name comes from, but there are a few theories. According to one theory, it is related to horses and comes from the Finnish word kuopia (=paw). Another theory was a traveling salesman named Prokopij who gave his name to this place. And the third explanation was a man named Skopa, who the locals called Coopia or Cuopio.

5. Kuopio is Finland’s 8th Biggest City

With the population of 122 000, Kuopio is Finland’s eight biggest city.

6. Kuopio is the Capital of Lakeland

Kuopio has named itself as the “Capital of Lakeland”. In total there are over 900 lakes in Kuopio municipality, so the name is well justified.

7. Kuopio is the Summer Cottage Capital of Finland

Kuopio municiapility could also be called the the summer cottage capital of Finland. There are over 10 800 summer homes in the area of Kuopio, which is more that in any other municipality in Finland.

8. Puijo is Kuopio’s Best Known Landmark

Kuopio is a very popular travel destination. The City’s best known landmark is the Puijo hill and the Puijo Tower on top of the Puijo hill. So it is one of the must-visit places in Kuopio!

9. Kuopio Market Square is the Centre of the Universe

Kuopio Market Square is called in Savo dialect as “Mualiman Napa”. Which means nothing less than the centre of the universe…

10. Kalakukko is is very Popular in Kuopio

And when you are visiting the centre of the universe, you should taste the kalakukko. Kalakukko is a traditional Finnish dish that is especially popular in Kuopio. It is a fish baked inside a loaf of rye bread. It might not be everyone’s favorite but you should taste one when in Kuopio!

+The Best Saying in Savo Dialect

The Savo dialect is full of funny sayings. Probably the best known, and one that works in every situation, is “suattaahan se olla vuan suattaahan se olla olemmattakkii”. This could be translated as “it might be or it might not be”. How wrong you can go with that?

More info:
City of Kuopio

Image by Vicente Serra / City of Kuopio

10 Fun Facts about Turku

What do you know about the city of Turku? Don’t worry if you don’t know much, you can start with these fun facts about Turku!

What do you know about the city of Turku?
Don’t worry if you don’t know much, you can start with these fun facts about Turku!

Fun Facts about Turku

1. Turku is Located by the River Aura

Turku is located by the Aura River, on the shore of the Baltic Sea, and is surrounded by a beautiful archipelago. So water is an important part of Turku.

2. Turku is Finland’s Oldest Town

Turku is the oldest town in Finland. It’s not known exactly when Turku was founded, but in 1229 the Pope Gregory IX moved the episcopal seat to the area of the present-day Turku. This is the year when the history of Turku “officially” begins.

3. Name Turku means a Trading Place

Turku’s name derives from the ancient word tǔrgǔ, which means a trading place.

4. Turku is also known as Åbo

Turku is a bilangual city. About 5 percent of the population of Turku speaks Swedish as their first language. Is Swedish Turku is called Åbo. The Swedish name is quite accurate, because in Swedish å means “river” and bo is a verb “to live”.

5. Turku is Finland’s 6th Biggest City

With the population of 195 000, Turku is Finland’s sixth biggest city.

6. Turku is Finland’s Former Capital

Before Helsinki became the capital in 1812, Turku was Finland’s first capital.

7. Turku Cathedral is Finland’s National Shrine

Turku Cathedral is Finland’s national shrine. It was consecrated as a cathedral in 1300.

8. Turku Castle is the Best-Known Landmark of the City

Turku castle is probably the best-known building in the city of Turku. It is almost as old as the city itself. The construction of the castle began in the late 13th century. During its history, the castle has been a defense building, a residential building, an administrative building, a prison, an army barracks and a storage building. Nowdays Turku Castle is a popular museum.

9. City Almost Disappeared in the Great Fire

Throughout its history, there have been many fires in Turku. One of the worst happened in September 1827, when most of the city burned down. This disaster is known as the Turun Palo (the Great Fire of Turku).

10. The Christmas Peace is declared in Turku Every Year

The declaration of the Christmas Peace is one of Finnish Christmas traditions. It is declared in Turku every Christmas Eve at noon. This Christmas tradition has continued almost uninterrupted since the 1300s.

Sources:
City of Turku
Turku Cathedral
InfoFinland
Image by Suomen Ilmakuva / City of Turku

Fun Facts about the Finnish Language

Do you know anything about the Finnish language? You can start with these fun facts about the Finnish language

Do you know anything about the Finnish language?
You can start with these fun facts about the Finnish language.

Where is Finnish Language Spoken?

Finnish is mainly spoken only in Finland. Finnish is a native language for most of the Finns. In addition, there are Finnish speakers living in the neighboring countries Sweden, Norway and Russia, but also in the United States and Australia.

How Many Speak Finnish Language?

In Finland, about 4.8 million speak Finnish as their first language and about half a millon people speak it as a second language.

How Old is Finnish Language?

Finnish language is one of the Uralic languages which have all descended from Proto-Uralic language. The Proto-Uralic language was spoken about 7 000 to 10 000 years ago in the area of Ural Mountains. It is believed that Finno-Ugric speakers have been living in the area of modern-day Finland for the last 5000 years.

What Languages are similar to Finnish?

Other Uralic languages are Hungarian, Estonian and Sami. Sami is a a language that is spoken in Northern Europe, in the northern parts of Finland, Sweden, Norway and Russia. In addition there are some very rare Finnish related Uralic languages, which are spoken in Russia.

Finnish Language is Hard to Learn?

Is Finnish language hard to learn? Finnish is sometimes listed as one of the hardest to learn, but is that really true. In Finnish language there is no article, no gender, no preposition, or no silent letters. So perhaps Finnish can be easy to learn?

Sources:
Institute for the Languages of Finland

How Cold is Winter in Helsinki?

Helsinki is located in the Southern Finland and on the coast of Gulf of Finland, which means that winters in Helsinki can be quite mild. But how cold is winter in Helsinki. And how much of snow does Helsinki get? Let’s find out!

Finland is located in Northern Europe, which means that winter weather in Finland can be snowy and cold. But what about winter in Helsinki. Helsinki is located in the Southern Finland and on the coast of Gulf of Finland, which means that winters in Helsinki can be quite mild. But how cold is winter in Helsinki. And how much of snow does Helsinki get? Let’s find out!

How Long is Winter in Helsinki?

On average, winter lasts about 3 months in Helsinki. Winter can begin as early as October, but usually winter in November or December. Typical winter months are December, January and February.

How Short is Winter in Helsinki?

Sometimes, winter in Helsinki can be much shorter than usually. Or begin a little later. It is not uncommon for the winter to begin in January.

For example the winter of 2008-2009 was very short. The temperature in Helsinki stayed below zero just for 9 consecutive days at the end of March. The winter of 2019-2020 was even shorter. It lasted just 5 days at the end of February.

How Cold is Winter in Helsinki?

The average temperature for the winter months (December-February) for the past 30 years (1991-2020) is -2.5 °C. On the coldest winter days temperature can drop to -15 or -20 °C. Winter temperature can drop as low as -30 °C in Helsinki, but that is quite rare.

Does Helsinki have Harsh Winters?

In Helsinki, the weather is considered to be very cold when the temperature is -20 °C or colder. The longest cold season in Helsinki was experienced at the beginning of 1968, when the temperature was colder than -20 °C for 13 consecutive days between January 6th and January 13th, 1968.

Another cold winter was experienced in 1986-1987. The temperature remained below -30 °C between January 8th and 13th, 1987.

What has been the Coldest Day in Helsinki?

The coldest winter day in Helsinki was January 10th, 1987, when temperature dropped to -35.9 °C. This is the coldest winter temperature ever recorded in Helsinki.

How Warm is Winter in Helsinki?

Usually winter temperatures are fairly mild in Helsinki. And it’s not even uncommon for the temperature to rise momentarily above 0 °C during the winter months. So don’t be surprised if it sometimes rains water instead of snow.

February is usually the coldest month in Helsinki, but this wasn’t the case in 1943. On February 28th, 1943, temperature rose to 11.8 °C. This is the warmest temperature ever recorded in February in Helsinki, or in Finland.

When it Snows in Helsinki?

On average, the first snow cover appears in Helsinki on November 11th, and the permanent snow cover arrives on January 9th.

The earliest snow cover ever witnessed in Helsinki was on September 29th, 1928, when people in Helsinki got to enjoy an 8 cm (3 inch) thick cover of snow.

How Long is the Snow Season in Helsinki?

On average, the snow season in Helsinki lasts 97 days.

How Short is the Snow Season in Helsinki

Usually Helsinki gets a layer of snow every winter, but sometimes the snow season can be very short. The shortest winter in Helsinki was experienced in 2019-2020. It snowed couple of times during winter but the longest time the ground was white continiously was just 4 days. And the snow cover was just 3 cm (1 inch) deep at its best.

How Much it Snows in Helsinki?

Usually Helsinki gets its fair share of the snow as well. The thickest snow cover in Helsinki was measured on March 23rd, 1941, when snow cover was 109 cm (43 inches) deep.

When Winter ends in Helsinki?

On average the snow melts away in Helsinki by March 25th. But in 1941, snow stayed on the ground much longer. In the spring of 1941, the snow cover didn’t disappear until May 5th.

More info
Finnish Meteorological Institute
Image by