BACK															FINNISH HISTORY
10.000 BC.	Finland is revealed from the sea.
1.000 AD	Christianity begins to spread to Finland.
1389	The Nordic countries signed the Treaty of the Union of Kalmar.
1523	Gustavus Vasa becomes King of Sweden and the Union of Kalmar comes to an end. The Reformation spreads to Finland.
1548	The Bishop of Turku, Mikael Agricola, translates the New Testament into Finnish, thus forming the base of the Finnish language.							Mikael Agricola
1617	Peace of Stolbova: consolidation of Finland's eastern border.
1640	Foundation of the University of Turku.
1642	The entire Bible appears in Finnish.
1695-1697	One third of the Finnish population died during the great hunger years.
1700-1721	Sweden lost its position as a great power in the "Great Northern War".
1809	Finland ceded to Russia under the Treaty of Hamina. Finland gains a position of autonomy under Russia and the Czar Alexander I rules Finland as a Grand Duke.
1811	Finland's populations reaches 1 Million.
1812	Helsinki is made the capital of Finland.
1827	Turku is destroyed by fire. The University is moved to Helsinki.
1835	Elias Lönnrot publishes the Kalevala, Finland's national epic.							Kalevala manuscript
																Read the Kalevala
1848	The Finnish Anthem is sung for the 1st time.
1860	Finland introduces its own currency: The Markka.
	12 silver Markka note of 1862
1867-1868	The "Great Hunger" is the last famine catastrophe.
1875	Zacharias Topelius (1818-1898) publishes "Vårt land" (Our country).					Z. Topelius
1899-1905	Finland is subjected to "Russification".
1906	Parliamentary reform. The Diet of the four estates is replaced by a unicameral parliament. Universal suffrage is granted. (Finnish women became the first in Europe to get the vote).
1908-1917	Second period of "Russification.
1912	Finland has a population of 3 Millions.
1914	Begin of WW 1. Finland is not a theatre of operation.
1917	On the 6^th of December Finland's autonomous government declares Finnish independence.
	Independence Senate
1918	Socialist Revolution against the government. The senate's troops led by Mannerheim are able to restore order and secure the country.
1919	Founding of the Republic.
								1919: Begin of the Prohibition (Which was voted 1906). The Prohibition ended 1932 in towns and 1968 on the country side.
1920	Peace of Tartu between Russia and Soviet-Russia.
1921	The League of Nations resolves the question of the ownership of Ahvenanmaa (Åland) in favour of Finland.
1932	Extreme right-wing rebellion, which ends in bloodless victory for the government and democracy.
1939	Germany and the Soviet Union do agree on Finland falling under the interest of the Soviet Union.
1939	Begin of the Winter War with the Soviet Union's attack on Finland.
	Finnish machine gun m31 Suomi
1940	End of the Winter War. The Winter War did last for 101 days. 20 000 Finns died.
1941	Finland attacks the Soviet Union alongside Germany and occupies East Karelia.
1944	Finland loses East Karelia to the Soviet Union.
1944	Finland signs a truce with the Soviet Union.
1944-1945	The German are driven out during the war in Lapland.									Flag raising in Skibotten 27.4.1945
1946	J.K. Paasikivi becomes President of Finland and works out the so called Paasikivi Line, which define the forced relation with the Soviet Union.
1947	Finland decide not to take part in the Marshall aid plan.
1950	Finland has a population of 4 Millions.
1952	Olympic Summer Games in Helsinki.
1956			Urho Kekkonen becomes President of the Republic.
1957	Television broadcasts begins								Salora Finlandia VT01 1^st color TV, 1968
1975	Finland hosted the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe.
		CSCE plenum in Helsinki
												More by Wikipedia
1981	Urho Kekkonen resigns.
												Click here for a list of all Finnish Presidents
1982	Mauno Koivisto is elected President of the Republic.
1994	Martti Ahtisaari becomes President of the Republic.
1995	Finland becomes a member of the European Union.
1995	The Finnish ice hockey team wins the World Championship 4-1 against Sweden.
1998 - 1999	Mika Häkkinen wins the Formula 1 World Championship
2000	Tarja Halonen becomes President of the Republic.						T. Halonen
											Check Wikipedia for more infos
2005	IAAF World Athletics Championship in Helsinki.
											Check: www.stadion.fi for more infos
					"Findy" the official mascot
2006				Tarja Halonen is re-elected
CLOSE
Partly based on: Finnland, The Northern Experience, New Europe and the Next Millennium, Tammi Publishers, Helsinki