Finland

Introduction - Finland

Background:

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.

Geography - Finland

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 water: 33,672 sq km land: 304,473 sq km
Area - comparative:	slightly smaller than Montana
Land boundaries:	total: 2,690 km border countries: Norway 736 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) continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm; extends to continental shelf boundary with Sweden
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
Elevation extremes:	lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Halti 1,328 m
Natural resources:	timber, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, nickel, gold, silver, limestone
Land use:	arable land: 7.19% permanent crops: 0.03% other: 92.78% (2001)
Irrigated land:	640 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:	NA
Environment - current issues:	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-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: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
Geography - note:	long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national capital on European continent; population concentrated on small southwestern coastal plain

People - Finland

Population:	5,214,512 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:	0-14 years: 17.5% (male 466,036; female 448,339) 15-64 years: 66.7% (male 1,760,472; female 1,719,917) 65 years and over: 15.7% (male 323,082; female 496,666) (2004 est.)
Median age:	total: 40.7 years male: 39.1 years female: 42.2 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:	0.18% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:	10.56 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:	9.69 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:	0.95 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:	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: 0.65 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:	total: 3.59 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 3.91 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:	total population: 78.24 years male: 74.73 years female: 81.89 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:	1.73 children born/woman (2004 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%, Swede 6%, Sami 0.11%, Roma 0.12%, Tatar 0.02%
Religions:	Evangelical Lutheran 89%, Russian Orthodox 1%, none 9%, other 1%
Languages:	Finnish 93.4% (official), Swedish 5.9% (official), small Sami- and Russian-speaking minorities
Literacy:	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% (1980 est.) male: NA female: NA

Government - Finland

Country name:	conventional long form: Republic of Finland conventional short form: Finland local short form: Suomi local long form: Suomen Tasavalta
Government type:	republic
Capital:	Helsinki
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; Supreme Court may request legislation interpreting or modifying 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) and Deputy Prime Minister Antti KALLIOMAKI (since 17 April 2003); note - former Prime Minister Anneli JAATTEENMAKI resigned 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 NA February 2006); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed from the majority party by the president after parliamentary elections note: government coalition - KESK, SDP, and SFP election results: Tarja HALONEN elected president; percent of vote - Tarja HALONEN (SDP) 51.6%, Esko AHO (Kesk) 48.4%
Legislative branch:	unicameral Parliament or Eduskunta (200 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis to serve four-year terms) 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 elections: last held 16 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2007)
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 [Bjarne KALLIS]; Green League or VIHR [Osmo SOININVAARA]; Left Alliance or VAS composed of People's Democratic League and Democratic Alternative [Suvi-Anne SIIMES]; National Coalition (conservative) Party or Kok [Ville Heimo Antero ITALA]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Paavo LIPPONEN]; Swedish People's Party or SFP [Jan-Erik ENESTAM]
International organization participation:	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, 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, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:	chief of mission: Ambassador Jukka Robert VALTASAARI consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York FAX: [1] (202) 298-6030 telephone: [1] (202) 298-5800 chancery: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US:	chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) embassy: Itainen Puistotie 14A, FIN-00140, Helsinki mailing address: APO AE 09723 telephone: [358] (9) 616250 FAX: [358] (9) 174681
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 - Finland

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, with exports equaling one-third of GDP. 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 will pick up in 2004 provided the world economy suffers no further blows.
GDP:	purchasing power parity - $142.2 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:	1.9% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:	purchasing power parity - $27,400 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:	agriculture: 4.3% industry: 32.7% services: 62.9% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):	18% of GDP (2003)
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:	25.6 (1991)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):	0.9% (2003 est.)
Labor force:	2.599 million (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:	agriculture and forestry 8%, industry 22%, construction 6%, commerce 14%, finance, insurance, and business services 10%, transport and communications 8%, public services 32%
Unemployment rate:	9% (2003 est.)
Budget:	revenues: $87.03 billion expenditures: $81.62 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)
Public debt:	48.7% of GDP (2003)
Agriculture - products:	barley, wheat, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy cattle; fish
Industries:	metal products, electronics, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, copper refining, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing
Industrial production growth rate:	0.8% (2003 est.)
Electricity - production:	71.2 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source:	fossil fuel: 39% hydro: 18.7% other: 11.8% (2001) nuclear: 30.4%
Electricity - consumption:	76.18 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:	1.81 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:	11.77 billion kWh (2001)
Oil - production:	0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:	211,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:	101,000 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:	318,300 bbl/day (2001)
Natural gas - production:	0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:	4.557 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:	0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:	4.567 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Current account balance:	$10.3 billion (2003)
Exports:	$54.28 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:	machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals; timber, paper, pulp (1999)
Exports - partners:	Germany 11.8%, Sweden 9.9%, US 8.2%, UK 8%, Russia 7.5%, Netherlands 4.8% (2003 est.)
Imports:	$37.35 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:	foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, transport equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile yarn and fabrics, grains (1999)
Imports - partners:	Germany 16.2%, Sweden 14.1%, Russia 11.7%, Netherlands 6.3%, Denmark 5.7%, UK 5.3%, France 4.3% (2003 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:	$11.17 billion (2003)
Debt - external:	$30 billion (December 1993)
Economic aid - donor:	ODA, $379 million (2001)
Currency:	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 - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)
Fiscal year:	calendar year

Communications - Finland

Telephones - main lines in use:	2.548 million (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:	4.7 million (2003)
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
Internet hosts:	1,219,173 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):	3 (2002)
Internet users:	2.65 million (2002)

Transportation - Finland

Railways:	total: 5,851 km broad gauge: 5,851 km 1.524-m gauge (2,400 km electrified) (2003)
Highways:	total: 78,137 km paved: 50,398 km (including 750 km of expressways) unpaved: 27,739 km (2003)
Waterways:	7,842 km note: includes Saimaa Canal system of 3,577 km; southern part leased from Russia (2004)
Pipelines:	gas 694 km (2003)
Ports and harbors:	Hamina, Helsinki, Kokkola, Kotka, Loviisa, Oulu, Pori, Rauma, Turku, Uusikaupunki, Varkaus
Merchant marine:	total: 90 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,152,175 GRT/1,053,906 DWT registered in other countries: 39 (2003 est.) by type: bulk 9, cargo 26, chemical tanker 5, container 1, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 9, roll on/roll off 28, short-sea/passenger 10 foreign-owned: Estonia 1
Airports:	148 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:	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 (2003 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:	total: 73 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 69 (2003 est.)

Military - Finland

Military branches:	Army, Navy, Air Force
Military manpower - military age:	18 years of age (2004 est.)
Military manpower - availability:	males age 15-49: 1,226,890 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:	males age 15-49: 1,013,961 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:	males: 32,058 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:	$1.8 billion (FY98/99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:	2% (FY98/99)

Transnational Issues - Finland

Disputes - international:

none

This page was last updated on 5 October, 2004