In addition, Finland is home to significant groups of Finno-Swedish, Sámi and Roma minorities, which have long historical roots in the country.

[4] Due to recent immigration, significant populations of ethnic Estonians, Russians, Iraqis, Chinese, Somalis, Kurds and Indians now reside in the country.

[1] In the history of Finland, the first human settlement originated approximately 11,000 BC, following the end of the Ice Age.

Finland was a part of the Swedish Kingdom until it became a Grand Duchy ruled by the Russian Empire in 1809, and finally gained its full independence in 1917.

In the late 19th and 20th centuries, significant emigration, primarily from rural areas, occurred to Sweden and North America, while Finland's primary immigrant source was other European countries.

[7] One of the primary challenges facing society in the future is adapting to demographic changes, particularly the aging of the population.

If the current trend persists, the population of Finland will continue to increase and could even reach the milestone of 6 million people by 2040.

[6] Archaeological, linguistic, and genetic studies support the notion that the country was inhabited from south to north, with a population of a few thousand during prehistoric times.

The threshold of one million inhabitants was surpassed subsequent to the Finnish War (1808–1809) in 1811, upon the annexation of the Old Finland region.

[10] The significant demographic and economic transformations that took place in Finland post-World War II affected the composition of Finnish families.

In recent years, however, population growth has recovered partially, rising to approximately 0.5%, partly due to increased immigration.

[1] The populace is heavily clustered in the west and south of Finland, where the largest urban centres are situated.

A total of 43,320 children were born, and 38,179 (85%) of them were delivered by women who speak Finnish, Swedish or Sámi, the country's national languages.

[14] As of 2021[update], people with a foreign background in Finland had higher fertility rates than those with Finnish roots.

In contrast, men of foreign origin, whether born abroad or in Finland, exhibited a fertility rate of approximately 1.45 each.

During times of conflict, such as the Finnish war, and periods of famine, birth rates declined, but eventually normalised.

Simultaneously, the industrial and service sectors witnessed a surge in job opportunities, and urban migration intensified.

Although the ceasefire caused a spike in births, the resumption of hostilities stalled family planning efforts.

Post-war in autumn 1944, there was a resurgence in births, leading to a total fertility rate of 3.1 in 1945, reaching a peak of 3.5 in 1947–1948, a record that remains unbroken.

During this time, the highest mortality rates were recorded during the Finnish War of 1808-09 and the cholera outbreak of 1832–33, which caused the deaths of a significant portion of the population.

Starting from the beginning of the 20th century, improvements in hygiene, prevention of communicable diseases, and advancements in vaccinations and medicines played crucial roles in accelerating the decline in mortality rates, as compared to previous decades.

It is also spoken in Sweden, Norway, Eastern Karelia, Ingria (Russia), the USA and Australia, with various dialects.

[30] Swedish, an Indo-European language within the North Germanic branch, is spoken by approximately 9 million people worldwide, including 296,000 speakers in Finland.

[31] Population by mother tongue (2023)[1] As of 2023[update], 558,294 people, or 10.0%, live in Finland with a first language other than Finnish, Swedish or Sámi.

International census recommendations define an ethnic group by the perception of its members of historical, regional, or national origin.

Due to the fact that Finland's census is registry-based, official statistics regarding ethnic groups cannot be provided.

Currently, urbanization continues to be a significant internal migration pattern, with growth centers and sparsely populated regions.

Approximately 250,000 people, mainly young adults, make annual municipal moves, which have notable implications for regional development in the 21st century.

[48] Religious education is mandatory in Finnish schools, customized to a student's registered denomination if there are a minimum of three pupils who profess that religion.

In contrast, foreign-language immigrants in Finland demonstrate lower literacy proficiency than native Finns, consistent with the international average.