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Finland
,{{infobox Country
|country = of Finland
|language = Finnish, Swedish; recognised regional languages: Sami
|capital = [[Helsinki]]
|pop = 5,301,701
|currency = Euro ( € )|hitch = {{good}}<rating country='fi' />|BW = FI|map = <map lat='64.8' lng='25.9' zoom='4' view='0' width='300' height='350' country='Finland'/>
}}
'''Finland''' is a part of the Northern [[Europe]], and one of the Nordic Countriescountries. It is a member state of the [[European Union]] as well as the [[Schengen Agreement]]. Its neighbouring countries are [[Sweden]], [[Norway]] and [[Russia]], but possibly the most probable transit country on your way hitchhiking there from Southern Europe is [[Estonia]]. Most people use this way, called as the [[E67|Via Baltica]] ([[E67]]) road connects Finland with [[Prague]] via the Baltic States and [[Poland]].
=== From/to Sweden Regions ===Ferries to [[StockholmFile:Finland european roads.png|thumb|250px|Finnish motorways (blue) with their European numbers and national roads (red and yellow)]] go from [[Helsinki]] File:Erga-and [[Turku]]-a-friendly-finnish-man. The latter being closer is considerably cheaper. Both ferries also stop in [[Maarianhaminajpg|thumb|240px|right|Hitchhiker Erga and a friendly Finnish driver]] in [[Ahvenanmaa]], or [[Mariehamn]] File:Erga-camping-in [[Åland]] as the swedish-speaking population there tend to call itfinland. The two companies running ferries between Finland and Sweden are jpg|thumb|250px|right|Find info on camping on [[http://Www.vikingline.fi Viking Linenomad:Finland|Nomadwiki] and [http://www.silja.com Silja Line]. Both of the companies concentrate on bringing the customers a cruise-experience, and are bound to be tacky. At least Viking Line sells simple tickets without a cabin, which would be rather useless on the daytime trips between [[Turku]] and * [[StockholmLapland]] anyway. A ferry from Stockholm to Turku costs about 25 euros and Stockholm-Helsinki 55 euros (both without a cabin).
== Language ==
The language most people in Finland speak is Finnish, which isn't a Scandinavian language. The country is officially bilingual, as there is a large Swedish-speaking minorityon the west coast of Finland. Anyhow, most of the Most people speak at least some Englishtoo, so most of the international foreign hitchhikers won't have big language communication problems in Finland.Though you might encounter some old people who don't speak English. In this case it's good to know some Swedish (which is useful all over Scandinavia). === Useful expressions for hitchhikers ===* Hello = Moi* Hitchhiking = Liftaaminen* To Hitchhike = Liftata * A Ride = Kyyti* Thank You = Kiitos* Where are you driving to? = Minne ajat? == Safety ==Hitchhiking is quite safe in Finland indeed. As always, common sense is your friend. == Legal matters for hitchhikers ==Hitchhiking is legal in Finland. Anyhow, there are some places where it is illegal for the cars to stop and some places where it's illegal for pedestrians to stand. Both of these make hitchhiking de facto illegal in these places. == Highways ==It is illegal to hitchhike on the highways (called "moottoritie") and some motorways ("moottoriliikennetie") in Finland. You can recognize these from the green signs. The cars can not stop in crossing areas, and some cars not obeying this rule and taking hitchhikers on board are know to be fined.
== Culture ==Useful Finnish expressions for hitchhikers====* Hello = '''Terve'''* Hi = '''Moi''' ''or'' '''Hei'''* Hitchhiking used to be popular in the 70= '''Liftaaminen'''* To hitchhike = '''Liftata''' * A ride = '''Kyyti'''* Thank you very much = '''s and 80Kiitos paljon's, and a considerable amount of the rides will tell the hitchkiker(s) they've hitched themselves back in the day. Nowadays it's quite rare among Finns, but of course there * Where are some European backpackers, often heading you driving to [[Lappi]], [[Lapland]].? = '''Minne ajat?'''* I don't speak Finnish = '''En puhu suomea'''
== Links ==
{{nomadwiki}}* [http[:fi://www.liftari.org Etusivu|Finnish hitchhiker's clubHitchwiki]]* IRC Channel [[Liftari @ IRCnet]] The site is mostly in Finnish but there is an English section in the * [httphttps://www.liftarifacebook.orgcom/groups/liftarit/forum forumFinnish hitchhikers FB group]* [http://www.cs.helsinki.fi/u/kjokisal/liftaus/ Hitchhiker's guide to Europe] A Hitchhiking − a hitchhiking site by a Finn* [http://www.cs.helsinki.fi/u/ssmoland/peukalo/ Liftausvinkkejä] Hitchhiking − hitchhiking tips in Finnish* [http://laavu.org/ List of Laavus] − a site with all the Laavus (hiking shelters) in Finland. [http://laavu.org/lataa.php?paikkakunta=kaikki/ Download] the gpx-file.{{wikipedia-link}}
{{Cities Finland}}
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{{IsIn|Scandinavia}}
[[Category:Finland| ]]
[[Category:Northern Europe]]
[[de:Finnland]]