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Here are five of the most surprising things about the country.
1. Speeding tickets are based on your income
In Finland, speeding fines are based on how much money a resident makes, along with how fast they were driving.
The country has a “day fine” system, which is calculated from the offender’s daily disposable income and how far over the speed limit they were going.
The system has led to some eyewatering fines. Earlier this year, a Finnish multimillionaire was fined €121,000, or $129,400, for going over the speed limit.
Sauna culture is an important part of Finnish daily life and cultural heritage, and you can find saunas in apartment blocks, homes, restaurants, and even government buildings.
3. The Finnish government gives all new families a “baby box”
Finland’s maternity package — known as äitiyspakkaus or as a “baby box” — is a kit sent by the government to the parents of newborn children.
The box contains essential items such as clothing, bibs, diapers, and bathing products, among other things. The box itself is fitted with a small mattress and a sheet so it can double up as a safe place for a newborn to sleep.
The boxes have proved popular in other countries, including the US. However, unlike in Finland, US parents have to pay for the box.
4. The country is home to a sport called “wife-carrying”
Wife-carrying is now an international sport, but the world championships are still held in Sonkajärvi, Finland.
The sport traditionally involves a male partner carrying their wife on their back while they complete an obstacle course. The rules have evolved slightly over the years and competitors don’t have to carry their real spouses.
However, the “wife” has to be at least 17 years old and weigh a minimum of 49 kilograms. If the female partner is lighter, officials will weigh her down with a rucksack.
5. Finns have a word for staying in and drinking in your underwear
“Kalsarikännit” translates to drinking at home, alone, in your underwear.
Other untranslatable Finnish words include “vahingonilo,” which means to enjoy someone else’s misfortune, and “sisu,” which is a kind of stoic determination or a tenacity of purpose.
