278 Finland. 



in the 12th century, and remained for 500 years, a 

 province of Sweden. In the wars between Sweden 

 and Russia; parts of this province were conquered 

 by Russia, and finally, in 1809, Sweden lost the whole; 

 but the Finns succeeded in preserving national unity 

 and partial independence under a constitution, 

 adopted in 1772 and recognized by the Czar. 



Finland stands very much in the same relation to 

 Russia as does Hungary to Austria, the union being 

 merely a personal one: the Czar is the ruler or Grand 

 Duke, but the administration is otherwise largely 

 separate from that of the empire, under a Governor- 

 General, appointed by the Czar, and a Senate of 18 

 members at Helsingfors, with a national parliament 

 of the four estates, nobles, clergy, burgers, peasants, 

 which convenes every five years; the Czar having the 

 veto power over its legislation. The War Department 

 of Russia, however, is in charge of military affairs, 

 and other departments seem to be under more or 

 less supervision of the Russian administration. 

 Lately repressive measures are threatening or have 

 nearly accomplished the destruction of this autonomy. 



Of the 145,000 square miles of territory, nearly 

 50% is occupied by lakes and bogs, marshes or tundra; 

 less than 9 million acres (9.7%) is in farms, and 37.5 

 million acres or 42%, is forestland, actual or potential; 

 The major part of this is located in the northern and 

 eastern sections, where the population is scanty, 

 agriculture little developed, and sand soils prevail. 

 Beyond the 69th degree, forest growth ceases, and 

 naturally near the forest limit the scrubby growth 

 partakes of the character of all northern forests. 



