We Might as Well Be Finnish
Finland is often said to be one of the world's happiest countries, but behind that image lies a nation profoundly shaped by two very different neighbours: Russia and Sweden.
These days, Finland is considered to be one of the best governed, least corrupt, most educated nations in the world. It has even earned itself the title of 'world鈥檚 happiest country'. Yet the self-deprecating Finns have long seen Finland as a scrappy underdog wedged between two much bigger countries, Sweden and Russia. There鈥檚 even a saying of sorts that captures this sentiment: 鈥淲e can鈥檛 be Swedish. We don鈥檛 want to be Russian. We might as well be Finnish.鈥 Kavita Pillay travels to Finland during the country鈥檚 centenary of independence to find out how this Nordic nation has been profoundly shaped by its two much bigger - and very different - neighbours.
Podcast
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Neighbourhood
Five neighbourhoods from across the globe that reflect the complexity of our local worlds