What Are The Characteristics Of Women From Finland? 

As we will discuss in a little more detail, later on, one of the most notable features of Finnish women (and men) is their privacy. With this thought in mind, it’s unsurprising that family structures in Finland are much more private than in many other European nations. Indeed, while many other countries often have large families that meet up regularly with cousins, grandparents, and the like, family culture in Finland is usually a lot smaller, more tight-knit, and private. As such, while parents and children may spend a lot of time together as a family unit, developing powerful bonds, these will often become a little weaker once young Finnish children move out of the family home. Of course, that isn’t to say that Finnish women won’t want to spend time with their families, but they may have less strong bonds with their wider family members than is common in many other countries. With this thought in mind, don’t be surprised if your new Finnish girlfriend doesn’t immediately rush to introduce you to her family. She’s likely not being rude, but the family ties aren’t quite as strong as in other countries due to the independence and privacy of Finnish women and men.

In terms of marriages, the number has been falling significantly in recent years. For example, in 2017, around 26,500 marriages were registered. However, in 2020, this had dropped to just over 22,000. Thus, this strongly indicates that many Finnish women and men are starting to question the traditional family structure. In addition, only around 68% of people over the age of 20 have been married at least once, indicating that the age at first marriage may increase for Finnish women. Unfortunately, perhaps due to their strong levels of independence and privacy, the number of divorces in Finland is relatively high, with almost 60% of all marriages ending in divorce. If you want to avoid this fate for your marriage, dedicate plenty of time to getting to know your new Finnish girlfriend or partner. And, even as your relationship progresses, remember not to push her to be too open about things. Her privacy is important, and respecting this may increase the chances of your marriage lasting into the foreseeable future.

 In terms of family sizes, it’s worth considering that the average Finnish family size is relatively small. Currently, the average family size is 2.7 people, indicating that most families have one or fewer children; this has declined sharply in recent years and is likely a trend that could continue. This is backed up by the low fertility rate in Finland, with the average Finnish woman having just 1.37 children – far fewer than the replacement rate of around 2.0 children per woman. As such, it’s easy to see that Finnish families are often much smaller – but, considering their private nature, this does allow parents to spend more time with a single child rather than splitting their time between multiple children.

Education is of the utmost importance in Finland, undeniably influencing culture significantly. Finnish educational systems are often considered some of the best internationally, contributing to around 93% of Finnish children graduating from high school. OECD rankings claim that education in Finland is the second highest in the world in terms of personal graduate achievements. Ironically, however, with a total budget of about €11.9 billion, the spending per student in Finland can be much lower than in other countries. This fact may indicate that education in Finland provides much better value for money for taxpayers accordingly. The high level of education has contributed to an overall literacy rate average of 99.5%. Furthermore, there is a very slight split between vocational and academic systems, indicating excellent opportunities for learners of every background, regardless of their preference. However, research typically finds that the country is strongest in reading, science, and mathematics. As such, a greater focus may be placed on these classes during a child’s learning.

Children in Finland must attend education for eleven years between the ages of seven and eighteen. However, the Finnish educational system also supports daycare and pre-school education, which helps prepare students for school at an earlier age. Thanks to this structure, well over 60% of Finnish students continue their education to a higher level. This figure undeniably influences the overall skill level in the country, making Finland a highly educated nation with very low illiteracy. However, one vital fact that people visiting Finland for the first time notice regarding their educational systems is that the system focuses heavily on personal achievement. This focus differs drastically from many other nations, where the emphasis is placed on competition between peers. Of course, this trend aligns with the typical Finnish trend of leading a very private life. Thus, many Finnish learners study not because they worry about being outclassed by their peers but because they genuinely want to learn. This fact makes the Finnish educational system a breath of fresh air compared to many other international educational systems.

 Outside the classroom, the high emphasis on personal achievement and higher education becomes apparent. Considering that the average per-capita nominal GDP is almost $54,000, it’s easy to see that Finnish families are among the wealthiest in the world. Finnish workers earn around €4,500 per month or over €50,000 per year. However, even the lower average for Finnish workers is in line with or higher than the norm at around €14,000, indicating that people in Finland often achieve excellent earning opportunities overall. Unemployment in Finland is also relatively stable at approximately 7.5%, making it potentially a wonderful country to live in for job prospects. However, obtaining a job immediately out of university or college can be more challenging than in many other countries, which may be worth noting. Some of the biggest employers in Finland include electronics, machinery, engineered mental products, forestry, and chemical manufacturing. As such, Finland could be a perfect opportunity for you if you have skills or experience in these fields.

Lutheran Christianity is the overwhelming religion in Finland, accounting for a substantial amount of the population (around 68.72%). While the level of faith in Finland is gradually declining over the years, this traditional Finnish religion has remained strong; however, the rate of young women and men in Finland being baptized indicates how fast this shift is occurring. The alternative seems to be irreligion for many Finnish women and men after giving up on Lutheran Christianity. In fact, in the modern day, irreligion in Finland has almost doubled since 2000. Meanwhile, over the past century (since 1900), the level of Lutheranism in Finland fell from 98.1% of the total population. No religious preference now represents approximately 28.5% of the Finnish population of women and men, and this trend is likely to continue.

Historically, Finland has been a Christian country for centuries, with the first evidence of Christianity in Finland being Catholic artifacts from around the 11th and 12th centuries. However, it is notable that, while Catholicism in Finland was strong for hundreds of years, the country experienced a widespread shift during the 16th century in line with the Lutheran reformation. During this time, the Swedish crown seized many of Finland’s monastic estates, with one of the most notable examples being Kuusisto Castle, the ruins of which we can still see today. Along with Sweden, many Finnish women and men at the time converted to Lutheranism, and Catholicism has never regained its previous popularity in the country since. Now, only around 15,000 Finnish women and men follow Catholicism, accounting for a marginal proportion of the population. This figure compares strongly with the 3.7 million Lutheran Christians in Finland. A further notable relic of Lutheran Christianity in Finland is the Petäjävesi Old Church, considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site built in the 18th century. The church is still active, mainly for weddings and other celebratory events. As such, it’s clear that Lutheranism has significantly shaped Finland over its history, and many people visit the country to see these ancient historical sites.

 In addition to Lutheran Christianity and irreligion, many other religions are present within Finland. However, the number of people adhering to other religions is minimal. Approximately 91% of the Finnish population is either irreligious or Lutheran Christian. This shocking figure means that only around 9% of the population (about 500,000) follow another faith. Orthodoxy (Orthodox Christianity) is the most prominent minority religion, with just over 1% of the population; interestingly, while Lutheranism has fallen sharply over recent years, Finnish Orthodoxy has remained stable since the 1980s. Other forms of Christianity then account for just under 1%, and finally, other religions amount to about 0.82% of the population. Notably, there is also a tiny proportion of the population of Finland that follows Finnish neopaganism, focusing strongly on themes of love and the motherland, which was the ancient religion of Finnish people before the arrival of Christianity in the country. However, the exact figures can be unclear, as estimates vary significantly. 

Did you know that the stereotypical image of Finnish women and men as being very quiet is surprisingly accurate? It’s an odd trait to get used to for people from other cultures, perhaps, but it is worth the time if you ask us. On the surface, when meeting stunning women from Finland for the first time, they can come across as very unfriendly due to their quietness. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that your new Finnish partner is shy; it’s a prevalent aspect of Finnish life. Indeed, men and women from Finland are both typically quiet people and often don’t engage in small talk like people from many other European countries. Of course, it’s easy to see why this can come as such a huge surprise – but we strongly recommend that you persevere and stick with it, as every conversation with your beautiful new Finnish partner will be meaningful, deep, profound, and thought-provoking.

However, just because men and women from Finland are quiet is not to say they’re unfriendly or don’t want to speak to you! Indeed, because they are quiet, many people think Finnish women aren’t interested in meeting new people. But the opposite is true; you need to give her time to warm up to you and develop conversation topics. Remember: since small talk isn’t often part of Finnish culture, many women from Finland will find it difficult initially to engage in anything other than meaningful conversations. So, don’t push her to chat about the weather; when she is ready to talk, she will, and you know it will be a conversation that holds a tremendous amount of meaning. Indeed, common courtesy in Finland is quite reserved compared to many other countries. Still, this quiet demeanor is a welcome change for many people who are tired of some other cultures’ business and over-exuberant nature.

In line with this reserved nature, it’s also worth considering that Finnish people are very private. As such, you may need to dedicate time to get to know your new Finnish girlfriend, as she likely won’t open up immediately. Topics such as talking about money or how much of something someone owns is mainly private, so this is something we’d recommend leaving out of the conversation unless your partner volunteers the subject herself. Indeed, privacy and personal space are essential for many women from Finland, and denying this to your new partner or a potential partner may be a sure way to get her back up and leave her feeling stressed and unsure about you. The most important tip is to take it slow when meeting gorgeous women from Finland. They might not be the chattiest people at the outset and can come across initially as very reserved, private, and quiet. However, this has its unique charm overall, and with time, she’ll begin to warm up to you, and you may get to know her much better.