The geography of Finland is characterized by its northern position, its ubiquitous landscapes of intermingled boreal forests and lakes, and its low population density. Finland can be divided into three areas: archipelagoes and coastal lowlands, a slightly higher central lake plateau and uplands to north and northeast. Bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Gulf of Finland, as well as Sweden, Norway, and Russia, Finland is the northernmost country in the European Union. Most of the population and agricultural resources are concentrated in the south. Northern and eastern Finland are sparsely populated containing vast wilderness areas. Taiga forest is the dominant vegetation type.
The Gulf of Bothnia is the northernmost arm of the Baltic Sea. It is situated between Finland's west coast (Ostrobothnia) and Sweden's east coast. In the south of the gulf lie the Åland Islands, between the Sea of Åland and the Archipelago Sea.
Oulujärvi is a large lake in Finland located in the Kainuu region. With an area of 928 square kilometres (358 sq mi) it is the fifth largest lake in the country. The lake is drained by the Oulu River, which flows northwestward from the lake into the Gulf of Bothnia. Its nickname is the "Kainuu sea", and it is bordered by three municipalities: Vaala, Paltamo and Kajaani. About 40 percent of the lake is in the Vaala municipality.
The Kokemäenjoki is a river in southwestern Finland.
The Kajaani, Finnish: Kajaaninjoki; Swedish: Kajana älv, is a river in the region of Kainuu, Finland.
Yli-Kitka is a lake in Finland, in the municipalities of Kuusamo and Posio. The lake is connected to Ala-Kitka at Kilkilösalmi strait. Yli-Kitka combined with Ala-Kitka is the largest unregulated lake in Finland. Together they are called Kitkajärvi or simply Kitka. Riisitunturi National Park is located north of the lake. From Ala-Kitka the waters flow through the Kitkanjoki river to the Oulankajoki river which is part of the Kovda River basin that drains into the White Sea in Russia.
Kiehimänjoki is a river of Finland. It flows for 16 kilometres (10 mi). The river begins from lake Iijärvi in Paltamo in Kainuu region and ends to the lake Oulujärvi, from which the waters flow through the Oulujoki River into the Gulf of Bothnia. The river drains a chain of lakes that originates in the municipalities of Suomussalmi and Hyrynsalmi in Kainuu.
Hiidenvesi is the second largest lake in the Uusimaa region in Finland. The biggest part of the lake is located in the municipality of Vihti and smaller parts in the town of Lohja. The lake drains through the Väänteenjoki River into the lake Lohjanjärvi and the both lakes are part of the Karjaanjoki basin that drains into the Gulf of Finland.
Iso-Roine is medium-sized lake in the Kokemäenjoki main catchment area in the Tavastia Proper region in Finland. The lake is located in the area of the city of Hämeenlinna. It is part of a chain of lakes that begins from the lakes Lummene and Vesijako at the drainage divide between the Kokemäenjoki and Kymijoki basins and flows westwards from there through the lakes Kuohijärvi and Kukkia into the Lake Iso-Roine, which in turn drains into lake Mallasvesi through the lakes Hauhonselkä and Ilmoilanselkä.
Vanajavesi is a rather large lake in Finland. It is part of the Kokemäenjoki basin. The lake gathers waters from a wide area in the regions of Pirkanmaa, Tavastia Proper and parts of the Päijänne Tavastia region.
Vehkajärvi is a medium-sized lake in Finland. It is located at the border of Pirkanmaa, Päijänne Tavastia and Central Finland regions in the Finnish Lakeland and there mostly in the municipality of Kangasala, and for lesser parts in the municipalities of Pälkäne, Padasjoki and Kuhmoinen.
Vesijako is a lake in Finland. It is situated in Padasjoki in the region of Päijänne Tavastia.
Kulovesi is a medium-sized lake in Finland. It is situated in the area of the towns Nokia and Sastamala in the Pirkanmaa region. The lake is part of the Kokemäenjoki basin. The lake Pyhäjärvi drains through the Nokianvirta River into the Lake Kulovesi from the west and the lake Kyrösjärvi through a chain of lakes and the Siuronkoski rapids from the north. The lake gathers waters from an area of 20 822 km² that includes the whole upper part of the Kokemäenjoki basin. Lake Kulovesi drains into the lake Rautavesi which in its turn drains into the lake Liekovesi and this finally into the Kokemäenjoki River.
Kuolimo is a medium-sized lake in south-eastern Finland, in the municipalities of Savitaipale and Suomenniemi.
Lohjanjärvi is a lake located in the Uusimaa region of Finland. The majority of the lake is located within the borders of the city of Lohja and smaller parts in the municipality of Karjalohja and in the city of Raseborg. The lake drains into the Gulf of Finland through Mustionjoki. Together with Hiidenvesi, which drains into the gulf from the north, Lohjanjärvi is a part of the Karjaanjoki basin.
Loppijärvi is a medium-sized lake in Finland. It is situated in the municipality of Loppi in the Tavastia Proper region. The lake is part of Kokemäki River basin and it drains through Tervajoki River into Lake Kernaalanjärvi which in its turn drains into Lake Vanajavesi through Hiidenjoki River. On the north shore of the lake is Kirkonkylä, the administrative center of the Loppi, and on the south shore the village of Läyliäinen.
Lummene is a lake in Finland in the municipality of Kuhmoinen in the Central Finland region.
A bifurcation lake is a lake that has outflows into two different drainage basins and thus the drainage divide cannot be defined exactly because it is situated in the middle of the lake.
Kernaalanjärvi is a medium-sized lake in Finland. It is situated in the municipality of Janakkala in the Tavastia Proper region. The lake is part of Kokemäenjoki basin and it drains into Lake Vanajavesi through Hiidenjoki River.
Inhottu (Inhottujärvi) is a rather small lake in the Karvianjoki main catchment area. It is located in the region of Satakunta in Finland. It is a bifurcation lake because there are two outlets on the lake: the waters flow into the Gulf of Bothnia through the river Eteläjoki in Pori and into lake Isojärvi through the river Pomarkunjoki.
