FinlandYour task: Choose an Eastern European country. Give a brief history of the country before and after the breakup of the Soviet Union. As you explore your country, consider the following: What were the major political and economic forces at work when the Soviet Union held power in the region, and how have those forces behaved over the past 10 years? I chose to write about Finland for my trip. As you can see, Finland is located in the far north of this map and borders Russia, Sweden and Norway. Traces of human settlement in Finland date back to the thaw of the last ice age, around 10,000 years ago. The ancestors of the Finns appear to have dominated half of northern Russia before arriving on the northern Baltic coast well before the Christian era. By the end of the Viking Age, Swedish traders and chieftains had extended their interests throughout the Baltic region. Over the centuries, Finland remained precariously between the Protestant Swedish Empire and Eastern Orthodox Russia. For seven centuries, from the 12th century until 1809, it was part of Sweden. Finland was plagued by constant battles with Russia and severe famines. From 1696 to 1697, famine killed a third of all Finns. What are the ethnic, religious and cultural issues in that country, and how have they changed or been influenced over time? Tove Jansson, the author of the Moominland stories, probably has the highest international profile among contemporary Finns, although there is no escaping Alvar Aalto's design work in public buildings, cities and furniture. Jean Sibelius, one of the greatest modern composers, wrote recognizable Finnish songs glorifying his people and in contempt of the Russian oppressor... middle of paper... reached 2.9% of GNP in 1999 Industry and economy Finland's industrialization path began in the 19th century with the exploitation of forest resources. Forests still represent Finland's most important raw material resource, although engineering and high-tech industries, led by Nokia, have long been the main branches of production. The most important export product today is the mobile phone, and Finland is one of the few European countries whose exports exceed imports in data and communications technology. Finland has more cell phones per capita than any other country, about 65 cell phones per 100 inhabitants. Today Finland is a typical advanced industrial economy. The net wealth of Finnish families is at the average level of the European Union member states. In 2000, Finland's GNP per capita was approximately 25,500 euros (approx. 22,600 USD).