Today many people are realizing that power, wealth, attractiveness, freedom, or any other things are useless without happiness. Therefore, instead of the traditional things, the happiness of the people in a country has become more important in the world today. The Scandinavian countries have long been at the top of the world happiness report.
As per the world happiness report, Finland has been named the happiest country in the world for the 4th time in a row. So, today’s our fascinating journey to this beautiful country known as the Republic of Finland, to find the secret behind happiness. Here are 10 reasons for their happiness.
#1. Finns Love Being Outside
Finland has about 179,000 islands and 167,000 lakes. As well as the total land area covered by forest and woodland is about 70% of the land area in Finland, and considered as one of the most forested countries in the world. Therefore, forests, open areas, and the natural environment have become part of its culture. Finnish people try to stay outdoors whenever they get a chance and like to do so many fun activities including hiking, cycling, and outdoor sports. Natural sunlight, fresh air, and water, natural beauty, and calmness make Finnish people less likely to cause stress. As a result, Finns are happier than people who live inside buildings throughout their lives. So, they are far ahead of most developed countries in terms of health and fitness.
#2. Drinking Water is Completely Free
Finland is famous due to its clean natural water sauces. Therefore, it is called “Land of the thousand lakes”. This crystal clear water is a wonderful gift of a protected environment and forest cover. The water in Finland’s reservoirs is clean enough to drink straight away. This helps them to save the huge cost of purifying the water. Bottled drinking water is available free of charge at any restaurant in Finland as there is no shortage of water.
#3. An Allowance for Every Child Up to the Age of 17
The Finnish government provides an allowance for every child born in the country. The first child can receive 100 Euros per month continuously until the age of 17 years and the amount is increasing to the second and third child of the family. Although it is possible to spend that money on the needs of the children, many parents save it for their future. The other reason for this is the government provides most of the things that children need. The government sends a cardboard gift box of clothing, sanitary items, toys, and many more things for every child in the country. It also contains a card with general instructions for taking care of children. So, there is no chance that the new baby to be a burden to the home economy.
#4. High Confidence in the Police
The Finland police is a completely independent unit. No one in the country can interfere with the police. As a result, the Finnish police is considered one of the least corrupted police forces in the world. So, Finnish people have great confidence in their police. A Survey has confirmed that more than 90% of Finns trust their police. Due to this Finns take action to report crimes to the police immediately. So, the criminal cases are very low in Finland.
#5. Sports Are a Part of Their Life
The Finns are the people who have lived a more active life since ancient times and have not given up the habit yet. Almost everyone in the country regularly plays a certain sport, and also there are international sports as well as some Finnish sports. These sports are designed to enhance fun, fitness, and togetherness. Wife carrying is a very popular Finnish sport. Husbands carry their wives through a special obstacle track, which takes place all over Finland during holidays. In recent years, husband carrying also being very popular. There are plenty of games, those are not too complicated and anyone can be enjoyed.
#6. Use of the Internet is a Right as Well as Compensation for Low Speed
In 2010, the Finnish government declares that the internet uses to be an adult’s right. Finland was the first country which makes such a decision. Accordingly, the National Telecommunication Companies of Finland have been required to maintain high-speed internet connections throughout the country. People can also complain if they do not have a quick connection to the areas where they live. If the internet speed is low, people can claim compensation as well. Even the network companies are not against this regulation, because the government provides all the facilities required to provide good coverage.
#7. A Country Where Fathers Take Care of Their Children More than Mothers
In many countries, children have little time to spend with their fathers. However, this is very rare in Finland. Various programs are in place to encourage fathers to spend time with their children. Nine weeks of paid leave has been made compulsory for fathers of newborns. As a part of their culture for fathers to introduce young children to public places and engage them in outdoor sports. So Finland is a country where fathers spend more time with their children.
#8. A Country with the Highest Number of Book Readers
The ability to search for information with mobile phones has increased, but it has also led to a slight decrease from reading books. As a result of that, book reading is at a very low level in many countries. However, reading in Finland is very high. More than 70% of Finns’ residents are active members of their local library. Since the Finnish government has formulated tax policies to minimize the cost of printing books and provide all provisions for the maintenance of local libraries, one who wants to read books will not face any financial problems. Finnish education is also designed to encourage reading.
#9. The Best Education System in the World for Free
The Finnish education system is known to be the best education system in the world. It is designed to develop children’s subject knowledge as well as life skills, without traditional methods. This is why Finnish children are considered to be the least stressed children in the world. Due to the uniqueness and success of this education system, many countries in the world follow this system as an example. Although it is the best education system in the world, it is completely free of charge. The school provides a perfect education for all children and the children are fry and relax because there are no stressful competitive examinations.
#10. Sisu
Sisu is an important concept inherent in the people of Finland. There is no equivalent word for this in English. It means maintaining a high level of self-confidence. These include getting used to pain and enduring pain. The key part here is to face any situation calmly. Finnish children who grow according to Sisu, are naturally strong enough to face anything. That’s why Finns are at the forefront of adventure sports.
So it is not surprising that the Finns are one of the happiest nations in the world.
