Maanpäällisiä

Maanpäällisiä is a Finnish term used to refer to people who live on the surface of the Earth. The word is most often encountered in fictional, speculative, or descriptive contexts, but it can also function as a generic label for the general population described as being on the ground rather than underground.

It is a compound built from maan (earth, ground) and päällinen (surface, top layer). The form maanpäällinen (surface, upper) yields the plural maanpäällisiä when referring to people. The term emphasizes physical location relative to the planet's interior.

In folklore, science fiction, and discussions about urban space or disaster scenarios, maanpäällisiä may be used to distinguish those who inhabit the visible, exposed surface from maanalaisten (the underground dwellers). In everyday language, the term is less common and more likely to appear in descriptive or literary contexts than as a standard demographic term.

Related terms include maanalaisten (underground people) and maanpäällinen/maanpäällinen (singular), which allow writers to describe a land- or space-based dichotomy. The exact sense of maanpäällisiä depends on context and may range from literal to metaphorical usage.