1.1 The roots of Finnishness
1.2 Swedish rule and autonomy
1.3 Industrialization

1.1 The roots of Finnishness

The ancestors of the first Finns arrived in the area around 1500 BC. The first evidence of inhabitation in Finland dates back much further, to approximately 7300 BC. The Finns belong to the Finno-Ugric linguistic group. The group includes only some 20 million people worldwide. Besides Finland, the countries with the largest Finno-Ugric populations are Hungary and Estonia.

During the medieval period, Finland developed cultural ties with France and its universities and in the sixteenth century with Germany and its Lutheran universities. In the thirteenth century, Swedish rule over the Finnish area was established. During the six centuries under the Swedish crown, Finland began to develop ecclesiastical, judicial and educational institutions and public administration. Culturally, Finland became part of the Nordic region. Finland's first university, Swedish-language Åbo Akademi, was established in Turku in 1640.