Finland is the easternmost of the Scandinavian countries, sharing borders with Norway and Sweden to the west and Russia to the east. Though Finland is the eighth largest country on the European continent, it has a proportionally small population of just over 5 million citizens. Throughout much of Finland’s history it has either been incorporated into the borders of Sweden or Russia, only recently gaining recognition as an independent country in the early 20th century.

Helsinki is the country’s capital and largest city, so not surprisingly it is also the most popular destination where to embark on a high school program abroad in Finland. Roughly a quarter of the Finnish population lives in the metropolitan area of Helsinki, which is a major economic, political, and cultural hub of northern Europe. Because of its laid back attitude, pristine setting on the gulf of Finland, and innovative architectural layout, Helsinki is also perennially listed as one of the most livable cities in the world.

Vantaa is another popular destination where you can enroll in a high school abroad program in Finland. Home to the country’s largest airport, Vantaa is Finland’s major hub of international travel and scientific research. Many citizens of Vantaa are bilingual, speaking both Finnish and Swedish.