Finland
Finland is a country in Northern Europe and is a member state of the European Union. Its neighbors are Sweden to the west, Norway to the north, Russia to the east and Estonia to the south, beyond the sea called Gulf of Finland. Most of the western and southern coast is on the shore of the Baltic Sea. The capital of Finland is Helsinki and over 5 million people live in Finland. It is a highly industrialized developed country. The most important Finnish industrial products are paper, and steel products such as machines and electronics. Nokia (the mobile company) is originally a company of Finland, named after a small town called Nokia. Finland has been top of the list of least corrupted countries on the Corruption Perceptions Index more times than any other country.
Finns study mandatory English in schools. Education is one of the cornerstones of the Finnish welfare society that offers equal educational opportunities for all. Education all the way from pre-primary to higher education is free of charge in Finland. Teachers in Finland spend fewer hours at school each day and spend less time in classrooms than American teachers. Teachers use the extra time to build curriculums and assess their students. Children spend far more time playing outside, even in the depths of winter. Homework is minimal.
Social security or welfare in Finland is very comprehensive compared to what almost all other countries provide. The hallmark of the Nordic welfare systems is their comprehensiveness. Unlike the welfare systems of the United States or most West European countries, those of the Nordic countries cover the entire population, and they are not limited to those groups unable to care for themselves. Examples of this universality of coverage are national flat rate pensions available to all once they reach a certain age, regardless of what they paid into the plan, and national health plans based on medical needs rather than financial means. In addition, the citizens of the Nordic countries have the legal right to the benefits provided by their welfare systems, the provisions of which are designed to meet what is perceived as the collective responsibility to ensure everyone a decent standard of living. The Nordic system is also distinguished by the many aspects of people's lives it affects.
