Outstanding interest in Finland: NATO provides boosted Finland’s country picture

When asked about the reason why for the improvement in their perception, 20% of the respondents pointed out Finnish people, 14% the NATO process, and 10% the Government and foreign plan. Other reasons mentioned were financial growth (9%), environment (8%), global causes (7%), education and learning (7%), stance in the battle in Ukraine (7%) plus public policy (5%).
News about Finland has improved people’s perceptions of Finland: half of the participants who recalled news regarding Finland indicated that the news coverage had a positive impact on their perception of Finland. Because of Russia’s invasion associated with Ukraine, we have examined the particular survey results also without the Russian responses. In this light, as many as 54% of the participants indicated that the news coverage improved their perception associated with Finland.

High visibility provides affected perceptions of Finland

An international country image study commissioned by the Ministry intended for Foreign Affairs reveals that will Finland’s NATO membership process has drawn exceptional attention to Finland. The survey has been carried out in ten countries: the United States, Germany, Japan, the uk, India, Brazil, Türkiye, South Korea, China and Russia. As many as 72% of the respondents recalled having heard news about Finland during the past 12 months. Finland’s NATO process has been mentioned by 49% since the news event they remember about Finland.
Overall, awareness of Finland have become better. Disregarding the Russian responses, 48% of the respondents pointed out that their perception associated with Finland improved during the last year. Only 3% reported that will their perception worsened. One of the Russian respondents, 17% pointed out an improvement and 28% a worsening in their perception associated with Finland.

Finland’s picture improved significantly

As many as 74% from the respondents who are aware of NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION and its mission reported being aware of Finland’s NATO membership procedure. Disregarding the Russian responses, 56% of the respondents that are aware of NATO indicated that news about Finland’s NATO process has improved their overall perception of Finland. The greatest positive impact is at the United States, where 77% of the respondents reported an improvement within their perception of Finland. Only 14% of the Russian respondents indicated that Finland’s NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION process had improved their own perception, while 50% reported that their perception had worsened. In China, enhanced perception and worsened belief were reported by 28% of the respondents, respectively. In the other countries, the discuss of respondents reporting an improvement was higher than the talk about reporting a worsening.
The particular Ministry for Foreign Matters will be publishing more study results about Finland’s nation image in early 2023 with the release of the annual overview of Finland’s country image and Finland in the World Media survey.
The survey is based on the responses of about 4, 000 adults in middle or high earnings households. All the respondents were internationally active: they have lived or studied abroad, these people travel abroad at least the twice year or their own job involves dealing with worldwide clients. All the respondents have a graduate degree. The study had been conducted by Bloom Talking to in July–August 2022.

Finland’s NATO membership process impacts perceptions

Finland’s NATO process had a beneficial impact on the respondents’ willingness to relocate to Finland (43%), to visit Finland (49%), to invest in Finland (47%) and to buy Finnish products (47%). Disregarding the Russian reactions, more than 50% of the participants indicated that they would be more willing to visit Finland, purchase Finland and buy Finnish items because of the NATO process.
Almost half the respondents to an international country image survey pointed out that their perception of Finland improved during the last yr. Finland’s NATO membership process has greatly contributed to increasing Finland’s visibility abroad and to improving perceptions of Finland.

Information regarding the survey

Finland’s overall visibility has been record high in 2022. The Foreign Ministry’s own press monitoring shows that Finland’s global visibility doubled or even tripled in 2022 compared to 2021. In May 2022, the number of internet searches for Finland grew tenfold compared to the year start typical. The highest numbers of searches were related to Finland’s political management and to the EU and NATO. Interest in Finland’s Protection Forces and Finland’s relations with Türkiye grew the most.
Learning much more:
The survey implies that perceptions of Finland have changed the most in Indian, Brazil, Türkiye and the Usa. Perceptions of Finland during the past year improved among 82% of respondents in India, 63% in Brazil, 54% in Türkiye and 52% in the United States.

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