Famous Finns - Finland is a really small country - only a little bit over 5 million inhabitants in the whole country - that's why it's miracle that we have so many famous persons, some of them world-famous, over here.
Some of them are famous only in Finland. The ones known outside used to be mainly involved in sport. That still applies but there is a wider spread now. Today's list includes high-tech wizards and industrial designers plus big names in music and the movies.
C.G.E.Mannerheim, the Marshal of Finland
Paavo Nurmi, runner, olympic champion
Linus Torvalds, master programmer
Sari Baldauf, business executive
Santa Claus
Political personalities
Harri Holkeri
Tarja Halonen - President of Finland 2000
Martti Ahtisaari - President of Finland 1994 -2000
Mauno Koivisto - President of Finland 1982-1994
Urho Kekkonen - President of Finland 1956 - 1982
Music
Karita Mattila, soprano
Since her breakthrough in 1983, she's become one of the planet's most acclaimed and radiant sopranos
Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor
Once a wunderkind, now an accomplished master conductor and composer
Paavo Berglund, conductor
Mikko Frank, conductor
Ralf Gothoni, pianist
Monica Groop, mezzosoprano
Jorma Hynninen, baritone
Soile Isokoski, soprano
Magnus Lindberg, composer
Olli Mustonen, pianist, composer
Einojuhani Rautavaara, composer
Kaija Saariaho, composer
Aulis Sallinen, composer
Matti Salminen, bass
Jukka-Pekka Saraste, conductor
Jean Sibelius, composer
John Storgårds, conductor
Osmo Vänskä, conductor
Sakari Oramo, conductor
Literature
Tove Jansson
Immortalised through the charm of her Moomin characters
Paavo Haavikko
Mauri Kunnas
Arto Paasilinna
Märta Tikkanen
Elias Lönnrot, creator of Kalevala
Aleksis Kivi, Finland´s national author
Frans Emil Sillanpää, Nobel writer
Mika Waltari
Architecture and design
Alvar Aalto
Still the man to beat in the history of 20th century Finnish architecture
Mikko Heikkinen and Markku Komonen
Pekka Helin and Tuomo Siitonen
Juha Leiviskä
Timo Sarpaneva, designer
Tapio Wirkkala, designer and scuptor
Painting
Albert Edelfelt
Akseli Gallen-Kallela
Film
Aki Kaurismäki
Eccentric, iconoclastic, admirably successful and, some would say, good
Renny Harlin
Scientists
Anders Chydenius, socially engaged writer
Ragnar Granit, Nobel Prize in biophysic
Anders Johan Lexell, mathematician
Ernst Lindelöf, mathematician
Rolf Nevanlinna, mathematician
Artturi Ilmari Virtanen, Nobel Prize in chemistry
Sports personalities
Kalle Palander, skier
Tanja Poutiainen, skier, World Cup Winner
Mikael Forssell, footballer
Marcus Grönholm, rally driver
Veikka Gustafsson, mountain climber
Sami Hyypiä, footballer
Antti Niemi, footballer
Mika Häkkinen, Formula One driver
Tommi Mäkinen, rally driver
Aki Riihilahti, footballer
Kimi Räikkönen, Formula One driver
Ari Vatanen, rally driver
And another alphabethical list of Famous Finns (may include some people that are already named above):
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Alvar Aalto, architect
"More has been written about him and his work - especially abroad - than about any other architect in the post-war period."
Wäinö Aaltonen
Wäinö Aaltonen (1894 - 1966) was one of the most prominent sculptors of his time in Finland.
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Akseli Gallen-Kallela, Finland's National Artist
Akseli Gallen-Kallela (1865-1931) was described as Finland's National Artist.
Element Gadolinium - Johan Gadolin
"Gadolinium, symbol Gd, silvery white metallic element with an atomic number of 64. Gadolinium is one of the rare earth elements in the lanthanide series of the periodic table (see Periodic Law). It is named after the Finnish chemist John Gadolin."
Janina Frostell, model and singer
Unofficial website. "Janina Frostell has been voted the sexiest woman in Finland for four years in succession."
Ragnar Granit, Nobel Laureate
Ragnar Granit (1900-1991) received the Nobel Prize in medicine in 1967 (together with the American biophysicist, Haldan Keffer Hartline and biochemist, George Wald) for his work on the electrophysiology of the eye. Professor Ragnar Granit has also received several honors from universities and institutes around the world.
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Renny Harlin, film director
Tarja Halonen - The President of Finland
Tarja Kaarina Halonen is Finland’s eleventh President. She assumed office on 1.3.2000. "Ms. Halonen was a Member of Parliament from 1979 until her election and has served as a minister in three governments since 1987. She was Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1995 until her election."
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Tove Jansson (Nordic author biographies), writer, artist, painter and illustrator (1914-2001) is known as the creator of the children's Moomintroll books and was a gifted artist. Short biography. ".....a strip cartoon entitled Moomin, which was drawn by Tove Jansson and her brother Lars Jansson. It was syndicated and, at the height of its success, was read in 60 languages in the newspapers of 40 countries."
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Aleksis Kivi (1834-1872), writer, poet
"Finnish national writer, playwright, poet, novelist, the creator of Finland's modern literary language." The Finnish Land, a poem by Aleksis Kivi (1834-1872), the Finnish writer best loved by his countrymen. His novel "Seven Brothers" has been widely translated, as has his comedy "The Country Peddlers", and his tragedy "Kullervo" (developed from a "Kalevala" story) is the basis of Aulis Sallinen's opera of the same name. Keith Bosley's English translation of the poem is given.
Kirka, rock and pop singer
Kirka Babitzin is one of the best-known Finnish male rock and pop singers. Kirka has been on the stage for over 35 years and to date has recorded 27 albums. Biography, Interviews, Photo album, Fan club. (The English language edition is maintained by Dörte Faatz.)
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Anders Johan Lexell, mathematician
Anders Lexell (1740-1784) made major contributions to spherical geometry and trigonometry.
Christine Lahti, actress
Jessica Lange, actress, producer
Kalevala, Kainuu and Elias Lönnrot
Paavo Lipponen, Prime Minister Finland
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C. G. E. Mannerheim
Course of his Life, Family, Time of Growth, Military Career, War of Independence, Regent 1919-1919, Civilian, Defence Council, Commander-in Chief 1939-1946, President of the Republic 1944-1946
C. G. E. Mannerheim, marshal
Mannerheim was "leader of the "White" forces in the civil war, first head of state of the independent republic that emerged with the end of Russian rule, commander-in-chief of the Defence Forces during the Second World War, and sixth President of the Republic." His reputation as a war leader is legendary.
Karita Mattila, Soprano
Ms. Mattila, opera singer, was born born 5.9.1960, Somero.
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Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld, explorer and scientist
"Finnish-born explorer and scientist who was in exile in Sweden from 1857. Nordenskiöld made his most famous expedition in 1878-1880. He navigated the 'North-east passage' on the Vega from northern Norway to the Bering Strait and described his journey in several books. They were translated during the following years into 11 languages. Nordenskiöld's literary oeuvre includes some 200 publications, from books to articles. The collection of his maps and geographical works is considered by UNESCO one of the world's most important collections of documents."
Paavo Nurmi, runner
Article from Encarta Encyclopedia on the "Flying Finn".
Rolf Herman Nevanlinna, mathematician
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Jorma Ollila, CEO - Time Digital 50 Archive
Nokia Corp., Chairman and CEO
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Virpi Pahkinen, choreographer and solo dancer
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Eero Saarinen (1910-1961), architect
Finnish born US architect.
Eero Saarinen, architect
Finnish-American architect Saarinen (1910-1961) was noted for his St-Louis "Gateway Arch" plus many other projects.
Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor, composer
Salonen became an international sensation when he made his debut in London with the Philharmonia Orchestra in 1983, at the age of 25. He was appointed artistic director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 1989, assuming the appointment in 1992.
Frans Emil Sillanpää, Nobel Laureate
Received the Nobel Prize in literature in 1939.
Hanna-Maria Seppälä, swimmer
World champion 100 meter free-styler.
Jani Sievinen, swimmer
Jani has been world champion in individual medley.
Jarno "Paroni" Saarinen, motorcycle racer
World champion, 1972 - 250 cc class.
Jarno Saarinen (1945-1973), motorcycle racer
"Saarinen's flame still burns"; article in Helsingin Sanomat, International Edition. Saarinen, Road Racing World Champion at 250 cc. was killed in a racing accident.
Jean Sibelius, composer
Jukka-Pekka Saraste, conductor
Maestro on two continents - Artistic director of the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra since 1987. Appointed principal conductor of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in 1993.
Teemu Selänne, hockey player
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Linus Torvalds - Master Programmer
Written by Patrick Humphreys, Secretary-General of the Association of European Journalists. Drawing by Pekka Vuori. Torvalds is the creator of the Linux computer operating system. Bio and brief history of the development of Linux.
Linus Torvalds, computer software guru
Märta Tikkanen, writer and poet
Ms Tikkanen was born 3.4.1935 Helsinki. Her Finland-Swedish work "The Love Story of the Century" has been translated into some 20 languages.
Zachris Topelius, author
Biography and works (references to) of Zachris Topelius (1818 1898). In addition to writing plays, poems, fairytales, and historical novels, he was also a journalist and educator.
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Riitta Uosukainen, Speaker of Parliament.
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Artturi Ilmari Virtanen, Nobel Laureate
A. I. Virtanen (1895 - 1973) was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1945 for his research and inventions in agriculture and nutrition chemistry, especially for his fodder preservation method.
Tapio Wirkkala, designer and sculptor
Written for Virtual Finland by professor Juhani Pallasmaa. Drawing by Pekka Vuori. Photos: © Iittala Glass. "Tapio Wirkkala (1915-1985) was a father figure of Finnish applied art. He is best known as a glass designer although his artistry ranged from postage stamps to a fell-sized landscape memorial and from a tumbler to a futuristic cityscape."
And there are lots of more names and titles that Finnish persons are famous for.
