Finland Timeline of Events

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Finland

Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside in Finland, with the majority concentrated in the southern region...

Timeline of Events

1605

8.8.1605

The city of Oulu, Finland, is founded by Charles IX of Sweden.

1771

10.9.1771

The Dutch merchant ship ''Vrouw Maria'' sinks near the coast of Finland.

1809

3.29.1809

King Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden abdicates after a coup d'état. At the Diet of Porvoo, Finland's four Estates pledge allegiance to Alexander I of Russia, commencing the secession of the Grand Duchy of Finland from Sweden.

9.17.1809

Peace between Sweden and Russia in the Finnish War. The territory to become Finland is ceded to Russia by the Treaty of Fredrikshamn.

1848

5.13.1848

First performance of Finland's national anthem.

1882

11.2.1882

Oulu, Finland was decimated by the Great Oulu Fire of 1882

1917

12.6.1917

Finland declares independence from Russia.

1918

1.12.1918

Finland's "Mosaic Confessors" law went into effect, making Finnish Jews full citizens.

3.3.1918

Germany, Austria and Russia sign the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk ending Russia's involvement in World War I, and leading to the independence of Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland.

1920

10.14.1920

Part of Petsamo Province is ceded by the Soviet Union to Finland.

1929

9.7.1929

Steamer ''Kuru'' capsizes and sinks on Lake Näsijärvi near Tampere in Finland. 136 lives are lost.

1932

4.5.1932

Alcohol prohibition in Finland ends. Alcohol sales begin in Alko liquor stores.

1939

8.23.1939

World War II: Germany and the Soviet Union sign a non-aggression treaty, the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. In a secret addition to the pact, the Baltic states, Finland, Romania, and Poland are divided between the two nations.

11.26.1939

Shelling of Mainila: The Soviet Army orchestrates the incident which is used to justify the start of the Winter War with Finland four days later.

11.30.1939

Winter War: Soviet forces cross the Finnish border in several places and bomb Helsinki and several other Finnish cities, starting the war.

12.14.1939

Winter War: The Soviet Union is expelled from the League of Nations for invading Finland.

1940

2.29.1940

Finland initiates Winter War peace negotiations

3.12.1940

Winter War: Finland signs the Moscow Peace Treaty with the Soviet Union, ceding almost all of Finnish Karelia. Finnish troops and the remaining population are immediately evacuated.

1941

12.5.1941

World War II: Great Britain declares war on Finland, Hungary and Romania.

12.6.1941

World War II: The United Kingdom declares war on Finland in support of the Soviet Union during the Continuation War.

1944

6.9.1944

World War II: the Soviet Union invades East Karelia and the previously Finnish part of Karelia, occupied by Finland since 1941.

9.19.1944

Armistice between Finland and Soviet Union is signed. (End of the Continuation War).

1945

3.4.1945

Lapland War: Finland declares war on Nazi Germany.

1955

12.14.1955

Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Laos, Libya, Nepal, Portugal, Romania, Spain and Sri Lanka join the United Nations.

1963

4.12.1963

The Soviet nuclear powered submarine K-33 collides with the Finnish merchant vessel M/S ''Finnclipper'' in the Danish straits.

1980

2.24.1980

The United States Olympic Hockey team completes their Miracle on Ice by defeating Finland 4-2 to win the gold medal.

1982

4.6.1982

Estonian Communist Party bureau declares "fight against bourgeois TV" — meaning Finnish TV — a top priority of the propagandists of Estonian SSR

1995

1.1.1995

The Kingdom of Sweden and the republics of Austria and Finland are admitted into the European Union.

2002

10.11.2002

A bomb attack in a shopping mall in Vantaa, Finland kills seven.

2004

3.19.2004

Konginkangas bus disaster: A semi-trailer truck and a bus crash head-on in Äänekoski, Finland. 24 people are killed and 13 injured.

2007

11.7.2007

Jokela school shooting in Tuusula, Finland, resulting in the death of nine people.