Finland was a province and then a grand duchy under Sweden from the 12th to the 19th centuries, and an autonomous grand duchy of Russia after 1809. It won its complete independence in 1917. During World War II, it was able to successfully defend its freedom and resist invasions by the Soviet Union - albeit with some loss of territory. In the subsequent half century, the Finns made a remarkable transformation from a farm/forest economy to a diversified modern industrial economy; per capita income is now on par with Western Europe. A member of the European Union since 1995, Finland was the only Nordic state to join the euro system at its initiation in January 1999.
Location
Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia
Geographic coordinates
64 00 N, 26 00 E
Map references
Europe
Area
total
338,145 sq km
land
304,473 sq km
water
33,672 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly smaller than Montana
Land boundaries
total
2,681 km
border countries
Norway 727 km, Sweden 614 km, Russia 1,340 km
Coastline
1,250 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea
12 nm (in the Gulf of Finland - 3 nm)
contiguous zone
24 nm
exclusive fishing zone
12 nm; extends to continental shelf boundary with Sweden
continental shelf
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate
cold temperate; potentially subarctic but comparatively mild because of moderating influence of the North Atlantic Current, Baltic Sea, and more than 60,000 lakes
Terrain
mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low hills
air pollution from manufacturing and power plants contributing to acid rain; water pollution from industrial wastes, agricultural chemicals; habitat loss threatens wildlife populations
Environment - international agreements
party to
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified
none of the selected agreements
Geography - note
long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national capital on European continent; population concentrated on small southwestern coastal plain
Population
5,238,460 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
16.9% (male 449,548/female 433,253)
15-64 years
66.7% (male 1,768,996/female 1,727,143)
65 years and over
16.4% (male 344,798/female 514,722) (2007 est.)
Median age
total
41.6 years
male
40 years
female
43.1 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate
0.127% (2007 est.)
Birth rate
10.42 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate
9.93 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate
0.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years
1.038 male(s)/female
15-64 years
1.024 male(s)/female
65 years and over
0.67 male(s)/female
total population
0.958 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total
3.52 deaths/1,000 live births
male
3.84 deaths/1,000 live births
female
3.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population
78.66 years
male
75.15 years
female
82.31 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.73 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
less than 0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
1,500 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths
less than 100 (2003 est.)
Nationality
noun
Finn(s)
adjective
Finnish
Ethnic groups
Finn 93.4%, Swede 5.7%, Russian 0.4%, Estonian 0.2%, Roma (Gypsy) 0.2%, Sami 0.1%
Religions
Lutheran Church of Finland 84.2%, Orthodox Church 1.1%, other Christian 1.1%, other 0.1%, none 13.5% (2003)
Languages
Finnish 92% (official), Swedish 5.6% (official), other 2.4% (small Sami- and Russian-speaking minorities) (2003)
Literacy
definition
age 15 and over can read and write
total population
100%
male
100%
female
100% (2000 est.)
Country name
conventional long form
Republic of Finland
conventional short form
Finland
local long form
Suomen tasavalta/Republiken Finland
local short form
Suomi/Finland
Government type
republic
Capital
name
Helsinki
geographic coordinates
60 10 N, 24 58 E
time difference
UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time
+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions
6 provinces (laanit, singular - laani); Aland, Etela-Suomen Laani, Ita-Suomen Laani, Lansi-Suomen Laani, Lappi, Oulun Laani
Independence
6 December 1917 (from Russia)
National holiday
Independence Day, 6 December (1917)
Constitution
1 March 2000
Legal system
civil law system based on Swedish law; the president may request the Supreme Court to review laws; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state
President Tarja HALONEN (since 1 March 2000)
head of government
Prime Minister Matti VANHANEN (since 24 June 2003); Deputy Prime Minister Jyrki KATAINEN (since 19 April 2007)
cabinet
Council of State or Valtioneuvosto appointed by the president, responsible to parliament
elections
president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 15 January 2006 (next to be held in January 2012); the president appoints the prime minister and deputy prime minister from the majority party or the majority coalition after parliamentary elections and the parliament must approve the appointment; Prime Minister VANHANEN reelected 17 April 2007
election results
percent of vote - Tarja HALONEN (SDP) 46.3%, Sauli NIINISTO (Kok) 24.1%, Matti Vanhanen (Kesk) 18.6%, Heidi HAUTALA (VIHR) 3.5%; a runoff election between HALONEN and NIINISTO was held 29 January 2006 - HALONEN 51.8%, NIINISTO 48.2%; Matti VANHANEN relected prime minister; election results 121-71
note
government coalition - Kesk, SDP, and SFP
Legislative branch
unicameral Parliament or Eduskunta (200 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 18 March 2007 (next to be held March 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - Kesk 23.1%, Kok 22.3%, SDP 21.4%, VAS 8.8%, VIHR 8.5%, KD 4.9%, SFP 4.5%, True Finns 4.1%, other 3.4%; seats by party - Kesk 51, Kok 50, SDP 45, VAS 17, VIHR 15, SFP 9, KD 7, True Finns 5, other 1
Judicial branch
Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus (judges appointed by the president)
Political parties and leaders
Center Party or Kesk [Matti VANHANEN]; Christian Democrats or KD [Paivi RASANEN]; Green Party or VIHR [Tarja CRONBERG]; Left Alliance or VAS [Martti KORHONEN] (composed of People's Democratic League and Democratic Alternative); National Coalition (conservative) Party or Kok [Jyrki KATAINEN]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Eero HEINALUOMA]; Swedish People's Party or SFP [Stefan WALLIN]; True Finns
3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone
[1] (202) 298-5800
FAX
[1] (202) 298-6030
consulate(s) general
Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission
Ambassador Marilyn WARE
embassy
Itainen Puistotie 14B, 00140 Helsinki
mailing address
APO AE 09723
telephone
[358] (9) 616250
FAX
[358] (9) 6162 5800
Flag description
white with a blue cross extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)
Economy - overview
Finland has a highly industrialized, largely free-market economy with per capita output roughly that of the UK, France, Germany, and Italy. Its key economic sector is manufacturing - principally the wood, metals, engineering, telecommunications, and electronics industries. Trade is important; exports equal two-fifths of GDP. Finland excels in high-tech exports, e.g., mobile phones. Except for timber and several minerals, Finland depends on imports of raw materials, energy, and some components for manufactured goods. Because of the climate, agricultural development is limited to maintaining self-sufficiency in basic products. Forestry, an important export earner, provides a secondary occupation for the rural population. High unemployment remains a persistent problem.
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$176.4 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$199 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
5.5% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$33,700 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture
2.7%
industry
30.3%
services
67% (2006 est.)
Labor force
2.62 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture and forestry 4.4%, industry 17.5%, construction 6%, commerce 22%, finance, insurance, and business services 12%, transport and communications 8%, public services 30.2%
Unemployment rate
7% (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
4.2%
highest 10%
21.6% (1991)
Distribution of family income - Gini index
26.9 (2000)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
1.7% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed)
18.9% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget
revenues
$105.6 billion
expenditures
$101 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)
Public debt
37.7% of GDP (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products
barley, wheat, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy cattle; fish
Industries
metals and metal products, electronics, machinery and scientific instruments, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing
Industrial production growth rate
3% (2006 est.)
Electricity - production
81.6 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel
39%
hydro
18.7%
nuclear
30.4%
other
11.8% (2001)
Electricity - consumption
80.79 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports
6.8 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports
11.7 billion kWh (2004)
Oil - production
9,105 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption
220,400 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports
101,000 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports
318,300 bbl/day (2001)
Natural gas - production
0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption
4.86 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - exports
0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - imports
4.866 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Current account balance
$8.749 billion (2006 est.)
Exports
$84.72 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities
machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals; timber, paper, pulp (1999)
Exports - partners
Germany 11.3%, Sweden 10.5%, Russia 10.1%, UK 6.5%, US 6.5%, Netherlands 5.1% (2006)
Imports
$71.69 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities
foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, transport equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile yarn and fabrics, grains
Imports - partners
Germany 15.6%, Russia 14%, Sweden 13.7%, Netherlands 6.6%, China 5.4%, UK 4.7%, Denmark 4.5% (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$6.561 billion (August 2006 est.)
Debt - external
$251.9 billion (30 June 2006)
Economic aid - donor
ODA, $850,536,746.4905 (2005)
Currency (code)
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries
Currency code
EUR
Exchange rates
euros per US dollar - 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Telephones - main lines in use
2.12 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular
5.231 million (2005)
Telephone system
general assessment
modern system with excellent service
domestic
digital fiber-optic fixed-line network and an extensive cellular network provide domestic needs
international
country code - 358; 1 submarine cable (Finland Estonia Connection); satellite earth stations - access to Intelsat transmission service via a Swedish satellite earth station, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Finland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 2, FM 186, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios
7.7 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations
120 (plus 431 repeaters) (1999)
Televisions
3.2 million (1997)
Internet country code
.fi; note - the ICANN has assigned the ccTLD of .ax to the Aland Islands
Internet hosts
1.634 million (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
3 (2002)
Internet users
3.286 million (2005)
Airports
148 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways
total
76
over 3,047 m
2
2,438 to 3,047 m
27
1,524 to 2,437 m
10
914 to 1,523 m
23
under 914 m
14 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total
72
914 to 1,523 m
5
under 914 m
67 (2006)
Pipelines
gas 694 km (2006)
Railways
total
5,741 km
broad gauge
5,741 km 1.524-m gauge (2,619 km electrified) (2005)
Roadways
total
78,189 km
paved
50,633 km (includes 653 km of expressways)
unpaved
27,556 km (2006)
Waterways
7,842 km
note: includes Saimaa Canal system of 3,577 km; southern part leased from Russia (2006)
Merchant marine
total
87 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,250,600 GRT/952,072 DWT
by type
bulk carrier 4, cargo 22, chemical tanker 6, container 1, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 20, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 25
Hamina, Hanko, Helsinki, Kotka, Naantali, Pori, Porvoo, Raahe, Rauma, Turku
Military branches
Finnish Defense Forces: Army, Navy (includes coastal defense forces), Air Force (2003)
Military service age and obligation
18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service (October 2004)
Manpower available for military service
males age 18-49
1,121,275
females age 18-49
1,076,684 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service
males age 18-49
913,617
females age 18-49
875,689 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually
males age 18-49
32,040
females age 18-49
30,519 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
2% (2005 est.)
Disputes - international
various groups in Finland advocate restoration of Karelia and other areas ceded to the Soviet Union, but the Finnish Government asserts no territorial demands
