Finland, the land of a thousand lakes, has become a well-known phrase that easily reduces Finland to a destination for adventurous travel and its fascinating nature. Its history, language, and thus its culture are less accessible. For some, Finland belonged to the Eastern Bloc until the geopolitical shift of 1989; it was a distant country in the far north, located far to the east on the periphery of Europe. With Finland's accession to the EU, its historical bridging function between East and West gained new significance. Since then, interest in the country and its people, as well as in Finnish history and culture, has grown, and the demand for diverse information has increased. Now, a comprehensive account of Finland's history is available, taking current developments into account.