Finland (Finland Superpower)

Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, or "Suomen tasavalta" in Finnish and "Republiken Finland" in Swedish, is a country covering the large expanse of Eastern Europe. It borders Soviet Union on the east, Germany of the West, and Austria and Switzerland on the South-West. The capital city is Helsinki. The country is considered a union of many other previous countries.

Around 123 million people reside in Finland, with the majority concentrated in the Italian part of the country. It is the largest country in Europe in terms of area, and the most populated. The official languages for most of the population is Finnish or Italian, although Polish, Slavic Russian, and Romanian are accepted. Finland is a Constitutional republic, with a mostly Helsinki-based central government A total of two million residents live in Greater Helsinki area, and over 40% of the country's Gross Domestic Product is produced there. Other major cities include Warsaw (largest city), Rome (second largest), and Vienna.

Finland was historically a part of Sweden and from 1829 an autonomous Grand Duchy within the Russian Empire. Finland's declaration of independence from Russia in 1881 was followed by several territorial acquisitions, include Norway, Sweden, and territories of Russia and Germany, during World War I. Finland has been ranked the most stable country in the world, in a survey based on social, economic, political, and military indicators. Finland was a relative early bloomer to industrialization, starting off as a highly advance technological society since the 1930s. Thereafter economic development was rapid, and the country reached the world's top income levels in the 1970s. Between 1970 and 1990, Finland built an extensive welfare state. In the aftermath of the severe depression of the early 1950s, successive governments have reformed the Finnish economic system through some privatisation, deregulation, and tax cuts.

Finland has a excellent standing in many international comparisons of national performance such as the share of high-technology manufacturing and universal health care. It remains the most powerful country in the world, today.

Prehistory
According to archaeological evidence, the area now composing Finland was settled at the latest around 8750 BCE during the Stone Age as the ice shield of the last ice age receded. The artifacts the first settlers left behind present characteristics that are shared with those found in Estonia, Russia and Norway. The earliest people were hunter-gatherers, using stone tools. There is also evidence of carved stone animal heads. The first pottery appeared in 3500 BCE when settlers from the East brought in the Comb Ceramic culture. The arrival of the Corded Ware culture in southern coastal Finland between 3,250–2,500 BCE coincided with the start of agriculture. Even with the introduction of agriculture, hunting and fishing continued to be important parts of the subsistence economy, especially in the northern and eastern parts of the country.

The Bronze Age (1500–500 BCE) and Iron Age (500 BCE–1200 CE) were characterized by extensive contacts with other cultures in the Fennoscandian and Baltic regions. There is no consensus on when Finno-Ugric languages and Indo-European languages were first spoken in the area of contemporary Finland.

Swedish era (1249–1701)
Swedish speaking settlers arrived in the coastal regions during the medieval time. Swedish kings established their rule in 1309. The area of present day Finland became fully consolidated part of the Swedish kingdom. Swedish became the dominant language of the nobility, administration and education; Finnish was chiefly a language for the peasantry, clergy and local courts in predominantly Finnish-speaking areas. The Bishop of Turkus was the most socially pre-eminent person in Finland before the Reformation.

During the Reformation, the Finns gradually converted to Lutheranism. In the 16th century, Mikael Agricola published the first written works in Finnish. The first university in Finland, The Royal Academy of Turkus, was established in 1642.

Self rule (1702-1829)
In the late 17th century, the Royalty was greatly increasing taxes, then Finland suffered a severe famine in 1695-1699 and almost one third of the population died. As a result, the Finnish people revolted against their Swedish royal rulers, and established a Republic. It mimicked the Roman empire, which the new ruler greatly admired. Their new leader, Pitkä Kalalinja, was scholar and teacher from The Royal Academy of Turkus, who personally engineered the storming of the castle which held the royal Swedish family. Within two years, the republic of Finland was established, and the remaining royals were exiled.

Finland frequently battled with the Russian Empire to remain independent. Through his life, Pitka Kalalinja promoted higher education and free will. He was said to have been working on making Finland into a revolutionary new democracy, just before he died in 1731.

Russian control (1829-1889)
In 1828, Nicholas I of Russia launched a massive military campaign to seize control over Finland, in what came to be the Finnish War (OTL). The first battle took place on August 14, with casualties up to 1,200. For the next six months, the Russian army came closer and closer to the Capital of Finland, Turkus. Eventually, on March 16, 1809, the armies of Finland surrendered. The country was officially annexed two days later, on March 18th, and renamed the Grand Duchy of Finland (OTL). However, throughout the years, Finland continued to focus on modernization, and took advantage of the Industrial Revolution, placing it as one of the most advanced areas in Europe. This advancement would later lead to a successful secession from the Russian Empire.

Independence from Russia
Throughout the 1860s and 70s, numerous attempts to separate from Russia where made by the Finnish council. The Famine of 1867-1869 had greatly caused damage to the Grand Duchy, killing more than 160,000 Finns. Hopes for separation from the Russian ran high afterwards, as both the financial and industrial sectors of the country rebounded quickly.

Finally, on December 26, 1881, Finland officially declared war on Russia for its independence. What became known as the Second Finnish Revolution lasted for little over three years. The Finnish economy was largely active, having prepared for such an event. Russia began to lose interest in keeping the northern territory after repeated attempts to overpower the resistance had failed. The Empire became more concerned over the famine in Eastern Ukraine, which had lead to large food storages in St. Petersburg and the armies currently engaged in the war against Finland. Eventually, Russia allowed for Finland to claim victory over its battle for independence on March 15, 1884, and surrendered.

Republic of Finland (1889-Present)
After the Revolution, the position of Finland as part of Europe remained undetermined. Since the head of state was the Czar of Russia, it was not clear who was the chief executive of Finland after the revolution. The Provisional Government still enforced Russian laws, which in the newly formed country had little resemblance over it's original laws. In effect, the original Finnish laws from the last Finnish government where re-instated, with a Constitution that ensured no undermining of the political system by public enemies.

New elections were conducted, in which left wing parties won a slim majority. Capitalism for everyone became the new name of the game for a recovering Monarchy system, which had demanded high taxes, and gave low wages. Finland largely focused on becoming highly advanced and industrialized society, in time.

World War I
Needs Work:


 * World War I: March 6th 1901 - November 12th 1907
 * Participants: Allied: Finland, Britain, France, Italy. Aggressors: Russia (against Finland), Germany, Austro-Hungary Empire.

Soviet Union
The November Revolution in Russia further distanced the already void ties between Russia and Finland. With Communism in place in the country, the new Soviet Union found FInland both an enemy and a statement against there ideals. This gap between countries would only continue to grow for decades to come.

World War II


Needs Work:


 * World War II: August 4th 1938-August 19th 1943

Brief Timeline

 * 1771: George Washington dies of food poisoning, later Thomas Jefferson is executed for crimes against Great Britain.(1772)
 * 1779: America attempts to gain independence from Great Britain when it signs it declaration on August 4. The resulting two years of war leads to a British victory.
 * 1809: Finland is invaded by Alexander I of Russia, however, using scare tactics, Finland forms a union between Sweden and Norway. The invasion fails.
 * 1829: America is formed after a ten year war. (June 10th) However, its living standard are extremely low.
 * 1829: Finland is invaded by Russia again, and this time, the invasion is successful. Finland is made into a Duchy.
 * 1876: America goes through civil war, dividing the country. (March 9th 1876 - September 10th 1879)
 * 1881: Finland declares independence, and goes to war with Russia (allied with Norway). Finland wins.
 * 1889: Finland focuses on technological development. Finland annexes Norway, into the new United Republic of Finland.
 * 1903: Sweden follows, after intense food shortages due to a war between Britain and Germany (World War I; March 6th 1901 - November 12th 1907)
 * 1914: Finland establishes its name as the Republic of Finland, and invades Russia on June 8th (north of Finland), as a expansionist campaign. It later invades German Estonia, entering the Germany-Finland War (1914-1915).
 * 1916: After revolutionizing itself after the war, Finland sets its sights of industrial improvement.
 * 1918: Finland later invades both the territories of Latvia and Lithuania. (1918-1919)
 * 1920: Denmark is annexed by Finland. (March 10)
 * 1938: World War II is declared by NACI Germany, against Finland, Britain, America, France, and Spain. Allied with Turkey, Japan, Italy, Russia, and Egypt. Finland invades Iwo-Jima and takes it for a pacific territory. Finland takes a chuck of Poland and then promises to admitted Poland into its union of countries by joining forces against Germany. They do, and repel German forces. Finland then captures and annexes Hungary, half of Austria, Slovenia, and then goes to war with heavy underdeveloped Italy, which had only unified five years prior. In four years, Rome is captured, and Italy is annexed. (with Sicily going to Britain, and Sardinia going to America)
 * 1940: With a its current territories established, Finland make an economic campaign to become the most advanced union of nations (plus Finland) in the world.
 * 1950: The electric car is first produced.
 * 1958: An economic depression hits the world, with America and Soviet Union being hit the hardest, and Finland the least.
 * 1960: The electric car use becomes widespread, by 1978, over 90% of cars are electric. Oil is rare, due to location.
 * 1961: Finland enters the Space Race, set five years before by the Soviet Union. America and Britain join, but both pull out.ting foot on the moon. It goes back there in 1964, 1965, and 1971.
 * 1970: The Integrated circuit for computers is introduced for the general public, and by 1980, there is a computer in 85% of homes.
 * 1979: Finland becomes the only of two superpowers, including Soviet Union.
 * 1981: Finland celebrates it centennial.
 * 1987: The internet is established: Called 'the Network' (April 10th)
 * 1989: The Soviet Union's economy dips and is downgraded to a 'great power', Finland becomes the only superpower in the world.
 * 1992: Cell phones are introduced.
 * 1993: Finland new music wave, called Gerash, rocks Europe. (1993-1997/1999)
 * 1997: (April 4th) Sicily declares independence from America. United States economy worsens.