Although certain aspects of the climate are setbacks for agriculture, virtually all Finland’s geographical features foster its forestry industry. Research conducted by the Institute for Cross-Cultural Research articulates that “About 71 percent of the total land area is covered by 54.5 million acres of forestland, which bolsters Finland’s position as one of the world’s great wood producing economies” (Stoddard, et. al. 183). Two main features generously encourage forestry: first, the snow, and second, the water (Reade 207). Cold, snowy winters may seem quite uninviting, but most parts of Finland receive just enough snow to make transporting logs manageable yet are shallow enough to not thwart the cutting down of timber. With giant waterway networks, logs easily float down to the sea-coast. With over 2,000 rapids, which are useful for producing water power, saw and paper mills incessantly dot the country (Reade 208). Consequently, saw- mills and paper-mills define Finland in a way unlike any other industry could.
With the help of the ice age, Finland’s agriculture and industry remain unique and extraordinary. The multitude of lakes make transportation and inter-regional trade convenient while improving the functionality of the logging industry. Leaving clay deposits which enrich Finish soil, the last stage of the ice age acted as an important factor in the development of agriculture. With a relatively short growing season, the climate in this area only allows for certain types of farming. Nonetheless, Finland has been blessed by a superior forestry industry which acts as a defining characteristic and provides an economy unique to this region.