It is a small country with endless winters and yet, for the fourth consecutive year, Finland has just been crowned the happiest country in the world according to the UN. The recipe for complete happiness is simple: a good dose of confidence in the future and a pinch of wild nature with kilometres of forest.
But the list of advantages of the Finnish way of life is actually very long: an education system among the best in the world, excellent social security, no insecurity or corruption and a country at the forefront of equality between men and women. Finland is led by a 35-year-old woman and a female-dominated government. Here, they have faith in its institutions to the point of leaving the prisons open. Tourists can even walk in peace among the prisoners.
So is Finland really the happiest country in the world? Maybe not! In Finland, winters are endless and alcoholism is high. Finland, a country of less than 6 million inhabitants, shares an immense border with Russia, 1,300 kilometres long. The Finns have developed a network of bomb shelters and bunkers that can host more than the capital’s population. Finnish bomb shelter technology is the best in the world, capable of withstanding nuclear and chemical attacks.
The Finns also have a much darker side than their smooth, polished surroundings might suggest. The proof is: their passion for black metal music and thrash metal, with violent overtones and even satanic references, which is hugely popular. Black metal has even been performed in churches! So what does Finnish happiness look like?