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Background:
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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. As a
member of the European Union, Finland was the only
Nordic state to join the euro system at its initiation
in January 1999. |
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Location:
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Northern
Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and
Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia |
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Geographic coordinates:
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64 00 N,
26 00 E |
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Map references:
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Europe
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Area:
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total:
338,145 sq km
land: 304,473 sq km
water: 33,672 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly
smaller than Montana |
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Land boundaries:
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total:
2,681 km
border countries: Norway 727 km, Sweden 614 km,
Russia 1,340 km |
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Coastline:
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1,250 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm (in the Gulf of Finland - 3
nm)
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of
exploitation
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm; extends to
continental shelf boundary with Sweden |
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Climate:
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cold
temperate; potentially subarctic but comparatively mild
because of moderating influence of the North Atlantic
Current, Baltic Sea, and more than 60,000 lakes |
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Terrain:
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mostly
low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and
low hills |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Haltiatunturi 1,328 m |
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Natural resources:
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timber,
iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, nickel, gold,
silver, limestone |
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Land use:
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arable
land: 7.19%
permanent crops: 0.03%
other: 92.78% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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640 sq km
(1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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NA |
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Environment - current issues:
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air
pollution from manufacturing and power plants
contributing to acid rain; water pollution from
industrial wastes, agricultural chemicals; habitat loss
threatens wildlife populations |
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Environment - international agreements:
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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 |
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Geography - note:
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long
boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national
capital on European continent; population concentrated
on small southwestern coastal plain |
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Population:
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5,223,442
(July 2005 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14
years: 17.3% (male 460,977/female 443,859)
15-64 years: 66.8% (male 1,764,874/female
1,723,385)
65 years and over: 15.9% (male 328,952/female
501,395) (2005 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
40.97 years
male: 39.43 years
female: 42.52 years (2005 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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0.16%
(2005 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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10.5
births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Death rate:
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9.79
deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0.89
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at
birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
3.57 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 3.89 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 78.35 years
male: 74.82 years
female: 82.02 years (2005 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.73
children born/woman (2005 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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less than
0.1% (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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1,500
(2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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less than
100 (2003 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Finn(s)
adjective: Finnish |
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Ethnic groups:
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Finn
93.4%, Swede 5.7%, Russian 0.4%, Estonian 0.2%, Roma
0.2%, Sami 0.1% |
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Religions:
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Lutheran
National Church 84.2%, Greek Orthodox in Finland 1.1%,
other Christian 1.1%, other 0.1%, none 13.5% (2003) |
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Languages:
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Finnish
92% (official), Swedish 5.6% (official), other 2.4%
(small Sami- and Russian-speaking minorities) (2003)
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100% (2000 est.)
male: 100%
female: 100% |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Republic of Finland
conventional short form: Finland
local long form: Suomen Tasavalta
local short form: Suomi |
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Government type:
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republic
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Capital:
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Helsinki
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Administrative divisions:
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6
provinces (laanit, singular - laani); Aland,
Etela-Suomen Laani, Ita-Suomen Laani, Lansi-Suomen
Laani, Lappi, Oulun Laani |
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Independence:
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6
December 1917 (from Russia) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 6 December (1917) |
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Constitution:
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1 March
2000 |
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Legal system:
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civil law
system based on Swedish law; the president may request
the Supreme Court to review laws; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations |
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Suffrage:
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18 years
of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief
of state: President Tarja HALONEN (since 1 March
2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Matti VANHANEN
(since 24 June 2003) and Deputy Prime Minister Eero
HEINALUOMA (since 24 September 2005)
cabinet: Council of State or Valtioneuvosto
appointed by the president, responsible to parliament
elections: president elected by popular vote for
a six-year term; election last held 16 January 2000 and
6 February 2000 (next to be held February 2006); 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
election results: Tarja HALONEN elected
president; percent of vote - Tarja HALONEN (SDP) 51.6%,
Esko AHO (Kesk) 48.4%
note: government coalition - Kesk, SDP, and SFP
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral Parliament or Eduskunta (200 seats; members
are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis to
serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 16 March 2003 (next to be
held March 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - Kesk
24.7%, SDP 24.5%, Kok 18.5%, VAS 9.9%, VIHR 8%, KD 5.3%,
SFP 4.6%; seats by party - Kesk 55, SDP 53, Kok 40, VAS
19, VIHR 14, KD 7, SFP 8, others 4 |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme
Court or Korkein Oikeus (judges appointed by the
president) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Center
Party or Kesk [Matti VANHANEN]; Christian Democrats or
KD [Paivi RASANEN]; Green League or VIHR [Tarja
CRONBERG]; Left Alliance or VAS composed of People's
Democratic League and Democratic Alternative [Suvi-Anne
SIIMES]; National Coalition (conservative) Party or Kok
[Jyrki KATAINEN]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Eero
HEINALUOMA]; Swedish People's Party or SFP [Jan-Erik
ENESTAM] |
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International organization participation:
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AfDB,
AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD,
EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM
(guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW,
OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU,
WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador Jukka Robert VALTASAARI
chancery: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 298-5800
FAX: [1] (202) 298-6030
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador Earle I. MACK
embassy: Itainen Puistotie 14B, 00140 Helsinki
mailing address: APO AE 09723
telephone: [358] (9) 616250
FAX: [358] (9) 6162 5800 |
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Flag description:
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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) |
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Economy - overview:
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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, with exports equaling
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. Rapidly
increasing integration with Western Europe - Finland was
one of the 12 countries joining the European Economic
and Monetary Union (EMU) - will dominate the economic
picture over the next several years. Growth in 2003 was
held back by the global slowdown but picked up in 2004.
High unemployment remains a persistent problem. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$151.2
billion (2004 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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3% (2004
est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $29,000 (2004 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 3.3%
industry: 30.2%
services: 66.5% (2004 est.) |
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Labor force:
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2.66
million (2004 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture and forestry 8%, industry 22%, construction
6%, commerce 14%, finance, insurance, and business
services 10%, transport and communications 8%, public
services 32% |
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Unemployment rate:
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8.9%
(2004 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest
10%: 4.2%
highest 10%: 21.6% (1991) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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25.6
(1991) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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0.7%
(2004 est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed):
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18.3% of
GDP (2004 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $96.43 billion
expenditures: $91.95 billion, including capital
expenditures of NA (2004 est.) |
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Public debt:
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46.8% of
GDP (2004 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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barley,
wheat, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy cattle; fish |
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Industries:
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metals
and metal products, electronics, machinery and
scientific instruments, shipbuilding, pulp and paper,
foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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2% (2004
est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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71.59
billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil
fuel: 39%
hydro: 18.7%
nuclear: 30.4%
other: 11.8% (2001) |
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Electricity - consumption:
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78.58
billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - exports:
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1.5
billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - imports:
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13.5
billion kWh (2002) |
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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211,400
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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101,000
bbl/day (2001) |
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Oil - imports:
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318,300
bbl/day (2001) |
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Natural gas - production:
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0 cu m
(2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
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4.557
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - exports:
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0 cu m
(2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - imports:
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4.567
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Current account balance:
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$11.39
billion (2004 est.) |
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Exports:
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$61.04
billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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machinery
and equipment, chemicals, metals; timber, paper, pulp
(1999) |
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Exports - partners:
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Sweden
11.1%, Germany 10.7%, Russia 8.9%, UK 7%, US 6.4%,
Netherlands 5.1% (2004) |
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Imports:
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$45.17
billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals,
transport equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile
yarn and fabrics, grains (1999) |
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Imports - partners:
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Germany
16.2%, Sweden 14.3%, Russia 12.8%, Netherlands 6.3%,
Denmark 5.2%, UK 4.6%, France 4.3% (2004) |
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$11.17
billion (2003) |
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Debt - external:
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$30
billion (December 1993) |
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Economic aid - donor:
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ODA, $379
million (2001) |
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Currency (code):
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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 |
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Currency code:
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EUR |
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Exchange rates:
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euros per
US dollar - 0.81 (2004), 0.89 (2003), 1.06 (2002), 1.12
(2001), 1.09 (2000) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar
year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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2.548
million (2003) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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4.7
million (2003) |
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Telephone system:
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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) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 2, FM
186, shortwave 1 (1998) |
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Radios:
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7.7
million (1997) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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120 (plus
431 repeaters) (1999) |
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Televisions:
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3.2
million (1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.fi |
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Internet hosts:
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1,219,173
(2004) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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3 (2002)
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Internet users:
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2.65
million (2002) |
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Railways:
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total:
5,851 km
broad gauge: 5,851 km 1.524-m gauge (2,400 km
electrified) (2004) |
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Highways:
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total:
78,197 km
paved: 50,539 km (including 794 km of
expressways)
unpaved: 27,658 km (2004) |
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Waterways:
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7,842 km
note: includes Saimaa Canal system of 3,577 km;
southern part leased from Russia (2004) |
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Pipelines:
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gas 694
km (2004) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Hamina,
Hanko, Helsinki, Kotka, Naantali, Pori, Porvou, Raahe,
Rauma, Turku |
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Merchant marine:
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total:
94 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,152,175 GRT/1,053,906 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 27, chemical
tanker 6, container 1, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 20,
petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll off 25
foreign-owned: 2 (Norway 1, United States 1)
registered in other countries: 42 (2005) |
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Airports:
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148 (2004
est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total:
75
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: 13 (2004 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total:
73
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 69 (2004 est.) |
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Military branches:
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Finnish
Defense Forces: Army, Navy (includes Coastal Defense
Forces), Air Force (2003) |
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Military service age and obligation:
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18 years
of age for voluntary and compulsory military service
(October 2004) |
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Manpower available for military service:
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males
age 18-49: 1,121,275 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower fit for military service:
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males
age 18-49: 913,617 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower reaching military service age annually:
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males:
32,040 (2005 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$1.8
billion (FY98/99) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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2%
(FY98/99) |
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Disputes - international:
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various
groups in Finland advocate restoration of Karelia and
other areas ceded to the Soviet Union, but the Finnish
Government asserts no territorial demands |
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This page was last updated on
20 October, 2005 |
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