Finland is often called "the land of a thousand lakes". This is true, as Finland is full of lakes. 

There are over 50 000 lakes in Finland. Lakes are bodies of fresh water that have a surface area that is larger than one hectare. The bodies of fresh water smaller than one hectare are considered ponds, although some of them are sometimes called lakes, as well. 

Lakes are an important part of Finnish nature. Each year, many tourists arrive in Finland in order to witness the beauty of Finnish lakes.

In the regions located on the shores of the Baltic Sea, the landscape is dominated by archipelago. Because the water of the Baltic Sea is relatively low in salt, its species are similar to those of the Finnish lakes.