[Math] Manifolds with a finite but not trivial fundamental group

algebraic-topologydifferential-geometryfundamental-groupsgeneral-topology

I came across this nice result:

Theorem: If $M$ is a connected smooth manifold with finite fundamental group, then its first de Rham cohomology is trivial:
$$H^1_{dR}(M)=0.$$

However, I don't know any example of manifold with a finite but not trivial fundamental group. What are the nice examples of such manifolds?

Best Answer

Real projective space $\mathbb{RP}^n$ has fundamental group $\mathbb Z/2\mathbb Z$ for $n\geq 2$. This the quotient of the sphere $S^n$ by the antipodal action $x\sim -x$. In fact $S^n$ is a $2$-sheeted universal cover, which implies by covering space theory that its fundamental group is of order $2$.