Statistics on Finnish literary exports
The Translation Database maintained by FILI contains information on translations of Finnish literature published since 1839. Use the database to search for translations by author, language or year of publication. The database is updated regularly, but it does have some gaps. We are always happy to receive details of translations that are missing from the database.
A total of around 300–400 translations of Finnish books are published each year in around 40 different languages. Number of books published (according to our Translation Database):
2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|
307 | 361 | 457 | 389 | 378 | 416 | 351 | 320 | 124 |
Last updated: 08/2020. Source: FILI Translation Database.
- What are the top languages for translations of Finnish literature?
- Most widely translated books
- Most widely translated authors
- The value of Finnish literary exports, 2011–2018
What are the top languages for translations of Finnish literature?
Last updated: 08/2020. Source: FILI Translation Database.
2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|||||||
German | 110 | English | 36 | English | 28 | Estonian | 45 | Estonian | 35 | Russian | 33 | Estonian | 18 |
Estonian | 26 | Estonian | 28 | Danish | 28 | German | 39 | German | 31 | German | 26 | Swedish | 10 |
English | 24 | French | 27 | Estonian | 28 | Russian | 28 | Russian | 25 | Estonian | 24 | German | 10 |
Chinese | 20 | German | 26 | French | 27 | English | 27 | French | 23 | English | 23 | Polish | 8 |
Danish | 20 | Danish | 24 | German | 26 | French | 20 | Czech | 20 | French | 22 | Norwegian | 7 |
Hungarian | 18 | Russian | 18 | Czech | 18 | Hungarian | 20 | English | 18 | Czech | 19 | French | 7 |
Russian | 18 | Swedish | 17 | Chinese | 17 | Chinese | 18 | Italian | 15 | Spanish | 15 | English | 6 |
French | 17 | Spanish | 16 | Hungarian | 17 | Swedish | 17 | Swedish | 15 | Latvian | 14 | Russian | 6 |
Spanish | 16 | Czech | 16 | Bulgarian | 13 | Danish | 17 | Danish | 15 | Hungarian | 12 | Czech | 5 |
Italian, Czech |
15 | Hungarian | 15 | Russian | 13 | Latvian | 16 | Polish | 13 | Danish | 11 | Turkish | 5 |
View this information as a map illustration created by Koponen+Hildén.
Most widely translated works
These refer to translations that have been published, not to rights sold.
Last updated: 11/2019. Source: FILI Translation Database.
Fiction / adults
Author | Title | Languages (Total number of languages into which each author’s all works have been translated) |
1. Lönnrot, Elias | Kalevala | 55 (55) |
2. Waltari, Mika | Sinuhe egyptiläinen | 40 (42) |
3. Oksanen, Sofi | Puhdistus | 38 (39) |
4. Kivi, Aleksis | Seitsemän veljestä | 34 (35) |
5. Paasilinna, Arto | Jäniksen vuosi | 29 (35) |
6. Jansson, Tove | Sommarboken | 27 (47) |
7. Oksanen, Sofi | Kun kyyhkyset katosivat | 26 (39) |
7. Paasilinna, Arto | Ulvova mylläri | 26 (35) |
8. Sillanpää, Frans Emil | Nuorena nukkunut | 25 (32) |
9. Linna, Väinö | Tuntematon sotilas | 24 (28) |
9. Waltari, Mika | Valtakunnan salaisuus | 24 (42) |
10. Paasilinna, Arto | Hurmaava joukkoitsemurha | 23 (35) |
Books for children and young readers
Author | Title | Languages (Total number of languages into which each author’s all works have been translated) |
1. Simukka, Salla | Punainen kuin veri | 37 (37) |
2. Jansson, Tove | Trollkarlens hatt | 33 (47) |
2. Simukka, Salla | Valkea kuin lumi | 33 (37) |
3. Jansson, Tove | Kometen kommer | 32 (47) |
4. Jansson, Tove | Trollvinter | 30 (47) |
4. Simukka, Salla | Musta kuin eebenpuu | 30 (37) |
5. Jansson, Tove | Farlig midsommar | 28 (47) |
6. Jansson, Tove | Pappan och havet | 27 (47) |
7. Jansson, Tove | Det osynliga barnet och andra berättelser | 25 (47) |
8. Kunnas, Mauri | Joulupukki | 24 (32) |
9. Jansson, Tove | Muminpappans memoarer | 23 (47) |
10. Jansson, Tove | Sent i november | 20 (47) |
For more information on translations that have been published, as well as their languages, translators and publishers, visit the Translation Database.
The value of Finnish literary exports, 2011–2018
FILI has commissioned reports on changes in the value of Finnish literary exports. These reports have monitored the revenues received in Finland for the sale of translation rights, both the advances paid and royalties received. The figures do not include details for authors represented by agencies outside Finland, so the actual value of literary exports is significantly higher. Reports were produced by Media Clever.
- Report covering the years 2011–2015 (PDF)
- Report from 2016 (PDF)
- Report from 2018 (PDF)
- Report from 2019 (PDF, 0.8MB)