Eurovision Song Contest 2007

Eurovision Song Contest 2007
True Fantasy
Dates
Semi-final	10 May 2007 (2007-05-10)
Final	12 May 2007 (2007-05-12)
Host
Venue	Hartwall Areena Helsinki, Finland
Presenter(s)	Jaana Pelkonen Mikko Leppilampi Krisse Salminen (green room; final)
Directed by	Timo Suomi
Executive supervisor	Svante Stockselius
Executive producer	Heikki Seppälä
Host broadcaster	Yleisradio (YLE)
Website	eurovision.tv/event/helsinki-2007
Participants
Number of entries	42
Number of finalists	24
Debuting countries	Czech Republic  Georgia  Montenegro  Serbia
Returning countries	Austria  Hungary
Non-returning countries	Monaco
Participation map      Finalist countries     Countries eliminated in the semi-final     Countries that participated in the past but not in 2007
Vote
Voting system	Each country awarded 12, 10, 8–1 point(s) to their 10 favourite songs.
Winning song	Serbia "Molitva"
2006 ← Eurovision Song Contest → 2008

The Eurovision Song Contest 2007 was the 52nd edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Helsinki, Finland, following the country's victory at the 2006 contest with the song "Hard Rock Hallelujah" by Lordi. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcaster Yleisradio (YLE), the contest was held at the Hartwall Areena, and consisted of a semi-final on 10 May, and a final on 12 May 2007. The two live shows were presented by Finnish television presenter Jaana Pelkonen and musician and TV-host Mikko Leppilampi. In addition, Krisse Salminen acted as guest host in the green room, and reported from the crowds at the Senate Square.

Forty-two countries participated in the contest - three more than the previous record of thirty-nine, that took part in 2005. The EBU decided to put aside its limit of 40 countries, which would have meant excluding some countries using a ranking order scheme.^[1] The Czech Republic and Georgia participated for the first time this year, with Montenegro and Serbia taking part as independent nations for the first time.^[2] Austria and Hungary both returned, after their absence from the previous edition. Meanwhile, Monaco decided not to participate,^[3] despite initially confirming participation.^[4] Monaco has not competed in Eurovision Song Contest ever since.

The winner was Serbia with the song "Molitva", performed by Marija Šerifović and written by Vladimir Graić and Saša Milošević Mare. This was Serbia's first victory in the contest, coincidentally the first year it competed as an independent nation. It was also the first winning song entirely performed in a country's native language since Israel's "Diva" in 1998. Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and Bulgaria rounded out the top five. Further down the table, Belarus achieved their best placing to date, finishing sixth. Meanwhile, Ireland achieved its worst placing in the contest up until that point, finishing twenty-fourth (last place) in the final. Of the "Big Four" countries, Germany placed the highest, finishing nineteenth.