Genetics and the Origins of the Finns

The population of Finland initiated from neighbouring south-eastern areas 10 000 years ago when the glacial ice melted, and it developed further from several European sources, among them the Ukrainian and Iberian refuges.

According to nuclear gene studies, the Finns belong to the European family, with some eastern components. In mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid (mtDNA) studies, the Finns are indistinguishable from other Europeans. High values of Y-chromosomal C>T transition point to male population movements on the east–west axis.

The Finnish Disease Heritage (FDH) means overrepresentation of approximately 40 rare recessive disorders. It is due to national isolation between Sweden and Russia and regional isolation from 500-year-old internal migrations. This rare disease flora enjoys favourable conditions for clinical and molecular genetic research.

Keywords: Finland; population genetics; hereditary diseases in Finland; mtDNA; Y-chromosome

Figure 1. Finland and its neighbouring areas in northern Europe.
Figure 2. Population density of Finland by counties in 1960 (inhabitants per square kilometre land area).
Figure 3. Main lines of settlement into the area of Finland.
Figure 4. A line dividing Finland into western and eastern parts, compiled from lines of anthropological, dialectal and some folkloristic boundaries, the first political boundary between Sweden–Finland and Russia in 1323, the eastern extension of the Battle-Axe culture approximately 4000 years back and the boundary between lower and higher mortality from coronary heart disease during the last few years.
Figure 5. The areas of early and late settlement in Finland. The late settlement area was populated permanently by immigrants from the Southern Savo region in the 1500s and onwards.
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    Schulz HP (2002) The lithic industry from Layers IV–V, Susiluola Cave, Western Finland, dated to the Eemian interglacial. Préhistoire Européenne 16–17(2000–2001): 43–56.
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Norio, Reijo(May 2008) Genetics and the Origins of the Finns. In: eLS. John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chichester. http://www.els.net [doi: 10.1002/9780470015902.a0020806]