Finland

= Finland =

Finland is a country in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the north, Russia to the east and Sweden to the west. It is mainly inhabited by Finns, but there are Sami and Swedish minorities as well.

Political System
Finland is governed by a highly authoritarian right-wing government. The King has significant political power compared to other monarchs in the nearby regions. The Lapua movement holds all important governmental positions, and could be considered the only political party in the state.

Military
Finland counts on national conscription to form the bulk of the army. There are also many standing divisions deployed at the moment. Finland lacks armored divisions,mostly due to the unsuitable Finnish terrain, which consists mainly of huge forests and thousands of lakes. The airforce is non-existent, but the Navy has great value to the Lapua movement, which has great aspirations to rule the Baltic. Still, Finland is a small nation and its military has many limits. Finland can wage a land war quite succesfully, but the other aspects of warfare need to be greatly improved if it is to stand up to it's larger neighbors.

History
Finland gained her independence during the general collapse of the Russian Empire in 1917, and the country fought a brief, but bitter civil war soon after between the Reds, formed from various leftist activists, and the Whites, made up by conservative-nationalist opposition and the official government. In the end the White forces won with the help of German support, and Finland became a monarchy under the rule of prince Frederick of Hesse, who assumed the name Fredrik Kaarle I. After the civil war nationalist activism remained very strong, and various Finnish activist groups participated in the so-called "Kindred peoples wars" from the United Baltic Duchy to Petsamo in the north, with the goal of creating a united Greater Finland. When the East Karelian national revolt of 1921 threatened to escalate into a full-scale war the Germans forced a peace between Finland and Russia and the Treaty of Tartu signed later that year established a compromise, giving Finland Petsamo but placing East Karelia out of their reach. The treaty also forced Sweden to recognize Finnish control of the Åland Islands, an act of coercion that has created much bad blood between the Central Powers and Sweden.

Finland had now reached a new height of expansion, but many were still dissatisfied. Rumours of a massacre of Karelians in Russia, worldwide anti-democratic sentiment and strong national activism served as the catalysts that gave birth to the Lapua Movement, which started as an anti-leftist organization but quickly developed much more ambitious aims. In 1932 the Lapua Movement gathered its forces and started a revolt in Mäntsälä. Enjoying widespread support, most importantly from voluntary defence organizations, the Movement clearly presented a threat to the existing order. In response to this threat, Fredrik Kaarle I decided that it would be best to join with the Movement rather than fight it, doing so by dismissing the parliament and requesting the Lapua Movement to form a new government.

Foreign Relations
Friendly relations with: Germany, United Baltic Duchy, Ukraine

Cold relations with: Sweden, Russia, Commune of France