Flags, Symbols & Currency of Finland
The National Flag of Finland was officially adopted on May 29, 1918. It is also referred to as Siniristilippu (鈥淏lue Cross Flag鈥�)
The National Flag of Finland features a white background with a blue cross that extends to the edges of the flag. The vertical part of the blue Nordic cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag). The blue color represents the blue skies and the thousands of lakes which are scattered across the country. The white color symbolizes the snow that covers the land during winter. The Scandinavian cross represents the religion of Christianity. The flag has a width-to-length proportion ratio of 11:18.
History of the Flag of Finland
The modern blue-crossed flag was first used in 1861 by a yacht club in Helsinki called Nylandska Jaktklubben. From 1899-1917, Finland was occupied by Russia. During this time, a Russian flag was added to the Finnish flag. This flag was referred as the 鈥渟lave鈥檚 flag鈥� and was refused to be used by most of the citizens. After the independence of Finland in 1917, a competition was organized for designing of the flag. The Finnish 鈥渂lue-crossed flag鈥� was officially adopted on May 29, 1918.
Historical Flags of Finland
State Flag of Finland
Symbols of Finland
The National Coat of Arms of Finland
The original design of the coat of arms first appeared in the 1580's on the monument of Gustav Vasa in Uppsala Cathedral. It was later adopted by the newly independent Finland as its national arms in 1917. It features a crowned lion placed on a red background. The lion is found holding a raised sword in an armoured hand, that has replaced the animal's right front leg. The lion is also trampling a sabre with its hind legs. The lion, the crown, the hilts and the joints of the armour are in gold, while the blades of the weapons, and the armour are in silver. Nine silver rosettes are found scattered on the background.
National Motto
"Vart Land" "Our Land"
National Anthem
- Anthem Title: "Maamee" (Finnish) or V氓rt land (Swedish)
- Composer: Fredrik Pacius
- Lyricist: Johan Ludvig Runeberg
- Date of First Performance: May 13th, 1848
- Date of Adoption: Unspecified
"Maamee" ("Our Land") is the national anthem of Finland. The music of the anthem have been composed by Fredrik Pacius. The lyrics of the anthem have been authored by Johan Ludvig Runeberg. The anthem has never been officially legislated as the Finnish anthem. The anthem has full 11 -verses; only the first and last verses (marked in bold) are usually sung.聽
V氓rt land (Swedish)
1.
V氓rt land, v氓rt land, v氓rt fosterland,
Ljud h枚gt, o dyra ord!
? Ej lyfts en h枚jd mot himlens rand,
Ej s盲nks en dal, ej sk枚ljs en strand,
Mer 盲lskad 盲n v氓r bygd i nord,
脛n v氓ra f盲ders jord. ?
2.
V氓rt land 盲r fattigt, skall s氓 bli
F枚r den, som guld beg盲r.
En fr盲mling far oss stolt f枚rbi:
Men detta landet 盲lska vi,
F枚r oss med moar, fj盲ll och sk盲r
Ett guldland dock det 盲r.
3.
Vi 盲lska v氓ra str枚mmars brus
Och v氓ra b盲ckars spr氓ng.
Den m枚rka skogens dystra sus,
V氓r stj盲rnenatt, v氓rt sommarljus.
Allt, allt, vad h盲r som syn, som s氓ng
V氓rt hj盲rta r枚rt en g氓ng.
4.
H盲r striddes v氓ra f盲ders strid
Med tanke, sv盲rd och plog.
H盲r, h盲r, i klar som mulen tid.
Med lycka h氓rd, med lycka blid.
Det finska folkets hj盲rta slog.
H盲r bars vad det f枚rdrog.
5.
Vem t盲ljde v盲l de striders tal.
Som detta folk bestod.
D氓 kriget r枚t fr氓n dal till dal.
D氓 frosten kom med hungers kval.
Vem m盲tte allt dess spillda blod
Och allt dess t氓lamod?
6.
Och det var h盲r det blodet fl枚t,
Ja, h盲r f枚r oss det var,
Och det var h盲r sin fr枚jd det nj枚t,
Och det var h盲r sin suck det g枚t.
Det folk som v氓ra b枚rdor bar
L氓ngt f枚re v氓ra dar.
7.
H盲r 盲r oss ljuvt, h盲r 盲r oss gott,
H盲r 盲r oss allt besk盲rt;
Hur 枚det kastar 盲n v氓r lott.
Ett land, ett fosterland vi f氓tt,
Vad finns p氓 jorden mera v盲rt
Att h氓llas dyrt och k盲rt?
8.
Och h盲r och h盲r 盲r detta land.
V氓rt 枚ga ser det h盲r,
Vi kunna str盲cka ut v氓r hand
Och visa glatt p氓 sj枚 och strand
Och s盲ga: se det landet d盲r.
V氓rt fosterland det 盲r.
9.
Och f枚rdes vi att bo i glans
Bland guldmoln i det bl氓,
Och blev v氓rt liv en stj盲rnedans.
D盲r t氓r ej g枚ts, d盲r suck ej fanns.
Till detta arma land 盲nd氓
V氓r l盲ngtan skulle st氓.
10.
O land, du tusen sj枚ars land,
D盲r s氓ng och trohet byggt,
D盲r livets hav oss gett en strand,
V氓r forntids land, v氓r framtids land.
Var f枚r din fattigdom ej skyggt.
Var fritt, var glatt, var tryggt.
11.
Din blomning, sluten 盲n i knopp,
Skall mogna ur sitt tv氓ng;
Se, ur v氓r k盲rlek skall g氓 opp
Ditt ljus, din glans, din fr枚jd, ditt hopp.
Och h枚gre klinga skall en g氓ng
V氓r fosterl盲ndska s氓ng.
"Our Land"
1.
Our land, our land, our Fatherland!
Ring out, dear word, oh sound!
? No rising hill, or mountain grand,
No sloping dale, no northern strand,
There is, more loved, to be found,
Than this 鈥� our fathers鈥� ground. ?
2.
Our land is poor, and so shall be
To him who gold will crave.
The strangers proudly pass, but we
Shall ever love this land, we see,
In moor, and fell, and isle and wave,
A golden land, so brave.
3.
We love our rippling brooks, so bright,
Our gushing streams, so strong,
The whisper of dark woods, at night,
Our starry skies, our summer light,
All, all that we, in sight and song,
Have felt and lived among.
4.
Here fought our fathers, without fear,
With sword, and plough, and thought.
And here, in clouded times, and clear,
With fortune in their front or rear,
Their Finnish hearts have beat, and wrought
And borne what bear they ought.
5.
Who tells, of all the fights, the tale,
In which this folk withstood,
When war did rage from dale to dale,
When frost set in, with hunger鈥檚 wail?
Who measured all their pouring blood,
And all their patience good?
6.
And it was here their blood was shed,
For us, here, on this shore;
And it was here their joys were bred,
Here, that their sighs were heaved and fled,
That people鈥檚 who our burdens bore
Before us, long before.
7.
Here it is sweet and good, we wot,
All, too, is giv鈥檔 us here;
However fate may cast our lot,
A land, a fatherland, we鈥檝e got.
Will there a thing on earth appear
More worthy, to hold dear?
8.
And here鈥檚, and here鈥檚 this fatherland,
Here every eye it sees;
And we can stretch a pointing hand,
To show, with joy, its sea and strand,
And say, 鈥淏ehold this country, this,
Our Fatherland it is.鈥�
9.
And if we once were made to rise
To gold clouds, from below,
And if we moved in starry skies,
Where no one weeps, where no one sighs,
To this poor lonely country, though,
Our longing hearts would go.
10.
Oh land, the thousand lakes鈥� own land,
Of faith, and lay, and glee,
Where life鈥檚 main sea gave us a strand,
Our fore-time鈥檚 land, our future鈥檚 land,
Shy of thy poorness, never be,
Be calm, be glad, be free!
11.
Thy blossom, hidden now from sight,
Shall burst its bud ere long.
Lo! from our love, shall rise aright,
Thy sun, thy hope, thy joy, thy light,
And higher, once, more full and strong,
Shall ring Our Country鈥檚 song.
The Currency of Finland is the Euro
The current official currency in Finland is the euro.
Coins
The Finnish euro coins have three designs, the Heikki Haivaoja design adopted by the one cent and 50 cent coins, the Ramao Heino designed two euro coin, and the Perti Makinen designed 1 euro coin. The Goldenberry of northern Finland is printed on a two euro coin.
Bank Notes
The first Finnish markka notes were designed and issued in 1980 and 1986 respectively. A 20 markka note had an image of Vainio Lina fraudulently; the bank had not received the copyrights from the owners. The fraud was discovered later after several million notes were in circulation. The second series of markka notes came into use in 1955 and were revised in 1965. Unlike euro coins, euro notes have the same design across the euro zone. Its denominations are in 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, and 500. They are made of pure cotton fiber to increase its durability and to give the note a distinct texture.
Euro Banknote
Euro Coin
Historical Currencies of Finland
The National Bank of Finland introduced the Finnish markka in 1860 which brought about the replacement of the first Russian ruble at a rate of one ruble per four Finnish markka. In 1865, the Finnish markka was tied to silver and separated from the Russian ruble. The Latin Monetary Union Gold Standard valuation system was adopted by the Finnish government in 1878-1915 and during 海角社区 War I the markka fluctuated unevenly. After the country gained its independence in 1917, the gold standard system was reinstated in the nation. After undergoing a transition period from 1999 to 2002, the euro became the official legal tender in 2002. The double legal tender system of the markka and the euro ended on February 28, 2002.
Finnish markka Banknotes
