Finland is the world’s most northerly agricultural country. Located between latitudes 60oN and 70oN, it is as far north as Alaska, southern Greenland and the Siberian tundra.

Finland is also a large and sparsely populated country with long distances between population centres. Lakes cover almost a quarter of the total land area of 390,920 km². Most of the rest of the country is covered by forests. Only 9% of Finland consists of farmland.

Most farmland is in the south and west. Due to regional climate and soil conditions, cereals and other crops are most widely grown in southern and western Finland, whereas agricultural areas in the east and north are more characterised by dairy farming.

Seasonal extremes

In many parts of northern Finland the sun does not set during high summer. People make the most of the light summer nights, but crops cannot utilise all of the light they receive during this season.

The growing season in Finland is short. Limiting factors include the last and first night frosts in late spring and early autumn.

Farmers cannot work the fields in spring until the snow has all melted, which in many regions may not be until May. The challenges associated with northern conditions considerably increase the costs of farming.

But on the plus side, the cold winters mean that Finland suffers from crop pests less than other countries, and this greatly reduces the need for chemical pesticides.

Well–loved rural landscapes

Farming has traditionally been a family business in Finland. Consequently farms still tend to be small, although their average area has increased in recent decades. Fields tend to be small and scattered due to local variations in soil conditions and the way the landscape is typically broken up by lakes, bogs and areas of rocky terrain.

Rural landscapes shaped by generations of farmers are an essential part of Finland’s cultural heritage. Many people see such landscapes as “the real Finland”. Areas farmed using traditional methods are also very important for biodiversity. People are widely prepared to work to preserve our valuable cultural landscapes and their natural values.