Finnish Nature

A hooded crow — common throughout Finland and a subspecies of the carrion crow — perched on a bare branch against the backdrop of a full moon, symbolising Finland's unspoilt nature far from the lights and smog of the cities. On the left edge the country identifier "FI"; to the right of the design, the mint mark of the Finnish Mint in Vantaa.

Finland is one of Europe's most forested countries: around three-quarters of its land area is covered by forest, and thousands of lakes define a landscape whose vastness and pristine character are unique in Europe. This natural feature is no coincidence but the result of a long settlement history, in which large parts of the country remained sparsely populated, allowing nature to develop largely undisturbed. The blue of the countless lakes and the white of the long winters are so defining for Finnish identity that the national colours, blue and white, are directly derived from this landscape. The hooded crow, a bird species common throughout Northern Europe and especially in Finland, is a permanent part of this natural environment — adaptable, widespread and part of everyday human life in the region for millennia.

The Finns' relationship with their nature has deep cultural roots. The concept of everyman's rights, jokamiehenoikeus in Finnish, has always guaranteed free access to nature for everyone — regardless of property boundaries. This tradition is reflected in a pronounced environmental consciousness that extends from literature and art into politics. Nineteenth-century Finnish painters, above all Akseli Gallen-Kallela, made the wild Nordic landscape the central motif of their work, helping shape the self-image of a country that celebrated its 100th anniversary of independence in 2017. This milestone anniversary gave Finland occasion to honour various facets of the country with a series of commemorative coins — including the untouched nature that continues to define it today.