FinnoSwedish

FinnoSwedish, commonly referred to as Finland Swedish, denotes the Swedish-speaking community in Finland and the Swedish varieties spoken there. It describes both the population and the language forms used by Swedish speakers in the country. In Finland, Swedish is one of the two national languages and is used in education, administration, and public life alongside Finnish.

Geography and demography: Swedish speakers are concentrated along the coastal regions of the Baltic Sea and in the autonomous archipelago of Åland, where Swedish is the sole official language. The Åland Islands have the highest proportion of native Swedish speakers, while coastal Ostrobothnia and parts of Uusimaa also have sizable communities. Estimates place the number of Swedish speakers in Finland at roughly 290,000 to 300,000.

Language and usage: Finland Swedish refers to a variant of Swedish spoken in Finland. It shares standard Swedish grammar and vocabulary but shows regional phonological and lexical differences and some influence from Finnish. It is mutually intelligible with Swedish from Sweden but retains distinct identity within Finnish society. Swedish is used in schools, media, and government services, and many municipalities provide bilingual services in Finnish and Swedish. In Åland, Swedish is the official language of administration and daily life.

History and culture: Swedish has been present in Finland since medieval times, when much of Finland was part of the Swedish realm. The status of Swedish remained stable after Finland became part of the Russian Empire (1809) and into modern independent Finland, where Swedish retains official language status and a vibrant minority culture.