Rural areas are an essential element of Finnish settlement and culture. They provide food and wood as well as produce other important goods and services to the whole society. Our objective is to maintain the countryside as an attractive residential environment with sufficient opportunities for work and living.
Finland is the most rural country in the EU. Of the Finnish population 27 per cent, almost 1.5 million people, live in the most rural areas, i.e. rural heartland areas and remote rural areas. The countryside is a residential environment to a growing number of people who commute to work in population centres. The countryside is also an important place for leisure, where the people living in population centres search for recreation and sports, or simply peace and quiet. For all this, the countryside needs to stay viable.
The countryside is host to a wide range of economic activities. Agriculture is still by farm the most important livelihood, with a significant impact on rural landscape as well. Other common types of business are the wood products sector, food processing, rural tourism, arts and crafts and various kinds of services.