Finland is one of Europe’s most culturally isolated and least understood countries. Lying between Sweden and Russia, Finland occupies an area of 338,000 square kilometers and is home to 5 million people. A country dominated by forests and glacial lakes, its first habitants can be traced back to the thaw of the last Ice Age some 10,000 years ago. From the 12th century until 1809, Finland was part of Sweden. It then became part of Russia. The Finns struggled for independence, finally winning it after the collapse of Tsarist Russia in 1917. Relations with Russia were to be strained for many more years.