Map of Finland | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

top of page


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 among the highest in 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. In the 21st century the key features of Finland's modern welfare state are a high standard of education equality promotion and national social security system - currently challenged by an aging population and the fluctuations of an export-driven economy.


top of page


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 reference: Europe

Area
Total: 338,145 km²
Rank: 65
Land: 303,815 km²
Water: 34,330 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Montana

Land boundaries
Total: 2,654 km
Border countries: (3) Norway 727 km; Sweden 614 km; Russia 1313 km

Coastline: 1250 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 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

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
Extremes highest point: Halti (alternatively Haltia Haltitunturi Haltiatunturi) 1328 m

Natural resources: timber iron ore copper lead zinc chromite nickel gold silver limestone

Land use
Arable land: 6.54%
Permanent crops: 0.02%
Other: 93.44% (2005)

Irrigated land: 770 km² (2008)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 110 km³ (2005)

Natural hazards: NA

Geography
Note: long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national capital on European continent; population concentrated on small southwestern coastal plain


top of page


Population: 5,259,250 (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 114
Growth rate: 0.075% (2011 est.)
Growth rate rank: 185
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Finn
Adjective: Finnish

Ethnic groups: Finn 93.4% Swede 5.6% Russian 0.5% Estonian 0.3% Roma (Gypsy) 0.1% Sami 0.1% (2006)

Languages: Finnish (official) 91.2% Swedish (official) 5.5% other (small Sami- and Russian-speaking minorities) 3.3% (2007)

Religions: Lutheran Church of Finland 82.5% Orthodox Church 1.1% other Christian 1.1% other 0.1% none 15.1% (2006)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 16%
15-64 years: 66.1% (male 1,759,059/female 1,719,173)
65 years and over: 17.8% (male 385,671/female 551,327) (2011 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 42.5 years
Male: 40.8 years
Female: 44.3 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.075% (2011 est.)
Rank: 185

Birth rate: 10.37 births/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 183

Death rate: 10.24 deaths/1000 population (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 49

Net migration rate: 0.62 migrant(s)/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 60

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 85% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 0.6% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas

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
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
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.04 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 3.43 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 211
Male: 3.73 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 3.11 deaths/1000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 79.27 years
Rank: 39
Male: 75.79 years
Female: 82.89 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.73 children born/woman (2011 est.)
Rank: 163

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source:

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 2.735 physicians/1000 population (2008)
Rank: 48

Hospital bed density: 6.52 beds/1000 population (2008)
Rank: 20

Sanitation facility access:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2009 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 125
People living with hivaids: 2,600 (2009 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 130
Deaths: fewer than 100 (2009 est.)
Deaths rank: 138

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 15.7% (2008)
Rank: 32

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 5.9% of GDP (2007)
Rank: 33

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 100%
Male: 100%
Female: 100% (2000 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 17 years
Male: 16 years
Female: 18 years (2008)

Youth unemployment


top of page


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 56 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: 19 regions (maakunnat singular - maakunta (Finnish); landskapen singular - landskapet (Swedish)); Aland (Swedish) Ahvenanmaa (Finnish); Etela-Karjala (Finnish) Sodra Karelen (Swedish) [South Karelia]; Etela-Pohjanmaa (Finnish) Sodra Osterbotten (Swedish) [South Ostrobothnia]; Etela-Savo (Finnish) Sodra Savolax (Swedish) [South Savo]; Kanta-Hame (Finnish) Egentliga Tavastland (Swedish); Kainuu (Finnish) Kajanaland (Swedish); Keski-Pohjanmaa (Finnish) Mellersta Osterbotten (Swedish) [Central Ostrobothnia]; Keski-Suomi (Finnish) Mellersta Finland (Swedish) [Central Finland]; Kymenlaakso (Finnish) Kymmenedalen (Swedish); Lappi (Finnish) Lappland (Swedish); Paijat-Hame (Finnish) Paijanne-Tavastland (Swedish); Pirkanmaa (Finnish) Birkaland (Swedish) [Tampere]; Osterbotten (Swedish) Pohjanmaa (Finnish) [Ostrobothnia]; Pohjois-Karjala (Finnish) Norra Karelen (Swedish) [North Karelia]; Pohjois-Pohjanmaa (Finnish) Norra Osterbotten (Swedish) [North Ostrobothnia]; Pohjois-Savo (Finnish) Norra Savolax (Swedish) [North Savo]; Satakunta (Finnish and Swedish); Uusimaa (Finnish) Nyland (Swedish) [Newland]; Varsinais-Suomi (Finnish) Egentliga Finland (Swedish) [Southwest Finland]

Dependent areas

Independence: 6 December 1917 (from Russia)

National holiday: Independence Day 6 December (1917)

Constitution: 1 March 2000

Legal system: civil law system based on the Swedish model; note - the president may request the Supreme Court to review laws

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Tarja HALONEN
Head of government: Prime Minister Jyrki KATAINEN (since 22 June 2011)
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 on 15 January 2006 (next to be held in January 2012); the parliament elects a prime minister who is then appointed to office by the president; Prime Minister KATAINEN elected on 22 June 2011
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% other 10.5%; a runoff election between HALONEN and NIINISTO was held 29 January 2006 - HALONEN 51.8% NIINISTO 48.2%; Jyrki KATAINEN elected prime minister; election results 118-72
Note: government coalition - KoK SDP VIHR SFP VAS and KD

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Eduskunta (200 seats; members elected by popular vote on a proportional basis to serve four-year terms)
Elections: last held on 17 April 2011 (next to be held in April 2015)
Election results: percent of vote by party - Kok 20.4% SDP 19.1% TF 19% Kesk 15.8% VAS 8.1% VIHR 7.2% SFP 4.3% KD 4% other 2%; seats by party - Kok 44 SDP 42 TF 39 Kesk 35 VAS 14 VIHR 10 SFP 9 KD 6 other 1 (the constituency of Aland)

Judicial branch: general courts - deal with criminal and civil cases (include district courts Courts of Appeal and the Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus whose judges are appointed by the president); administrative courts

Political parties and leaders: Center Party or Kesk [Mari KIVINIEMI]; Christian Democrats or KD [Paivi RASANEN]; Green Party or VIHR [Anni SINNEMAKI]; Left Alliance or VAS [Paavo ARHINMAKI]; National Coalition Party or Kok [Jyrki KATAINEN]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Jutta URPILAINEN]; Swedish People's Party or SFP [Stefan WALLIN]; The Finns or TF [Timo SOINI]

International organization participation: ADB (nonregional member) AfDB (nonregional member) Arctic Council Australia Group BIS CBSS CD CE CERN EAPC EBRD ECB EIB EMU ESA EU FAO FATF G-9 IADB IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC ICRM IDA IEA IFAD IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO IMSO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO ITSO ITU ITUC MIGA NC NEA NIB NSG OAS (observer) OECD OPCW OSCE Paris Club PCA PFP Schengen Convention UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNMIL UNMOGIP UNRWA UNTSO UPU WCO WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTO ZC

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Ritva KOUKKU-RONDE
In the us chancery: 3,301 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 298-5,800
In the us fax: [1] (202) 298-6,030
In the us consulate general: Los Angeles New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Bruce J. ORECK
From the us embassy: Itainen Puistotie 14B 00140 Helsinki
From the us mailing address: APO AE 9,723
From the us telephone: [358] (9) 616,250
From the us fax: [358] (9) 6,162 5,800

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); the blue represents the thousands of lakes scattered across the country while the white is for the snow that covers the land in winter

National symbols: lion

National anthem
Name: 'Maamme'
Lyricsmusic: Johan Ludvig RUNEBERG/Fredrik PACIUS
Note: in use since 1848; although never officially adopted by law the anthem has been popular since it was first sung by a student group in 1848; Estonia's anthem uses the same melody as that of Finland

National heritage


top of page


Economy overview: Finland has a highly industrialized largely free-market economy with per capita output roughly that of Austria Belgium the Netherlands and Sweden. Trade is important with exports accounting for over one third of GDP in recent years. Finland is strongly competitive in manufacturing - principally the wood metals engineering telecommunications and electronics industries. Finland excels in high-tech exports such as 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. Finland had been one of the best performing economies within the EU in recent years and its banks and financial markets avoided the worst of global financial crisis. However the world slowdown hit exports and domestic demand hard in 2009 with Finland experiencing one of the deepest contractions in the euro zone. A recovery of exports domestic trade and household consumption stimulated economic growth in 2010. The recession left a deep mark on general government finances and the debt ratio turning previously strong budget surpluses into deficits. Despite good growth prospects general government finances will remain in deficit during the next few years. The great challenge of economic policy will be to implement a post-recession exit strategy in which measures supporting growth will be combined with general government adjustment measures. Longer-term Finland must address a rapidly aging population and decreasing productivity that threaten competitiveness fiscal sustainability and economic growth.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 56
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 121

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 34
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 2.9%
Industry: 29%
Services: 68.1% (2010 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: 5.1% (2010 est.)
Rank: 80

Labor force: 2.672 million (2010 est.)
Rank: 106
By occupation agriculture and forestry: 4.9%
By occupation industry: 16.7%
By occupation construction: 7.1%
By occupation commerce: 19.4%
By occupation finance insurance and business services: 12.8%
By occupation transport and communications: 6.3%
By occupation public services: 32.8% (2009)

Unemployment rate: 8.2% (2009 est.)
Rank: 98

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 3.6%
Highest 10: 24.7% (2007)

Distribution of family income gini index: 25.6 (1991)
Rank: 131

Budget
Revenues: $125.2 billion
Expenditures: $131.9 billion
Note: Central Government Budget (2010 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -2.8% of GDP (2010 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 91

Taxes and other revenues: 52.4% of GDP (2010 est.)
Rank: 17

Public debt: 43.8% of GDP (2009 est.)
Rank: 53

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 1.6% (2009 est.)
Rank: 56

Central bank discount rate: 1.75% (31 December 2009)
Rank: 117
Note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 2.552% (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 184

Stock of narrow money: $113.6 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 29
Note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 17 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money circulating within their own borders

Stock of broad money: $173.4 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 41

Stock of domestic credit: $242.2 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 37

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 43

Current account balance: $5.892 billion (2009)
Rank: 27

Exports: $62.91 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 43
Commodities: electrical and optical equipment machinery transport equipment paper and pulp chemicals basic metals; timber
Partners: Sweden 11.6% Germany 10.2% Russia 8.5% US 7% Netherlands 6.9% China 5% UK 4.9% (2010)

Imports: $58.12 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 40
Commodities: foodstuffs petroleum and petroleum products chemicals transport equipment iron and steel machinery textile yarn and fabrics grains
Partners: Russia 17.4% Germany 14.7% Sweden 14.5% Netherlands 8.2% China 4.4% (2010)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $11.46 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 73

Debt external: $370.8 billion (30 June 2010)
Rank: 24

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $84.44 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 39

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $126.8 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 23

Exchange rates:


top of page


Electricity
Production: 67.94 billion kWh (2009 est.)
Production rank: 39
Consumption: 83.09 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 35
Exports: 3.375 billion kWh (2009 est.)
Imports: 12.09 billion kWh (2009 est.)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Production rank: 181
Consumption: 4.782 billion m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 62
Exports: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Exports rank: 95
Imports: 4.782 billion m³ (2010 est.)
Imports rank: 34
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2011 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 135

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones
Main lines in use: 1.25 million (2010)
Main lines in use rank: 69
Mobile cellular: 8.39 million (2010)
Mobile cellular rank: 78

Telephone system
General assessment: modern system with excellent service
Domestic: digital fiber-optic fixed-line network and an extensive mobile-cellular network provide domestic needs
International: country code - 358; submarine cables provide links to Estonia and Sweden; 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)

Broadcast media: a mix of publicly-operated TV stations and privately-owned TV stations; the 2 publicly-owned TV stations recently expanded services and the largest private TV station has introduced several special-interest pay-TV channels; cable and satellite multi-channel subscription services are available; all TV signals have been broadcast digitally since September 2007; analog broadcasts via cable networks were terminated in February 2008; public broadcasting maintains a network of 13 national and 25 regional radio stations; a large number of private radio broadcasters (2008)

Internet
Country code: .fi; note - Aland Islands assigned .ax
Hosts: 4.394 million (2010)
Hosts rank: 21
Users: 4.393 million (2009)
Users rank: 55

Broadband fixed subscriptions


top of page


Military expenditures: 2% of GDP (2005 est.)
Rank: 70

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for male voluntary and compulsory - and female voluntary - national military and nonmilitary service; service obligation 6-12 months; mandatory retirement at age 60 (2010)

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 148 (2010)
Rank: 38
With paved runways total: 75
With paved runways over 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 26
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 10
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 22
With paved runways under 914 m: 14 (2010)
With unpaved runways total: 73
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 70 (2010)

Heliports

Pipelines: gas 694 km (2010)

Railways
Total: 5,919 km
Rank: 31
Broad gauge: 5,919 km 1.524-m gauge (3,067 km electrified) (2009)

Roadways
Total: 78,141 km
Rank: 61
Paved: 50,914 km (includes 739 km of expressways)
Unpaved: 27,227 km (2009)

Waterways: 7,842 km (includes Saimaa Canal system of 3,577 km; southern part leased from Russia; water transport is used frequently in the summer and is widely replaced with sledges on the ice in winter; there are 187,888 lakes in Finland that cover 31,500 km) (2010)
Rank: 18

Merchant marine
Total: 93
Rank: 53
By type: bulk carrier 1 cargo 26 carrier 1 chemical tanker 6 container 3 passenger 4 passenger/cargo 16 petroleum tanker 5 roll on/roll off 28 vehicle carrier 3
Foreign owned: 6 (Cyprus 1 Estonia 2 Iceland 1 Norway 2)
Registered in other countries: 52 (Bahamas 8 Germany 5 Gibraltar 2 Liberia 2 Malta 2 Netherlands 14 Norway 1 Panama 2 Sweden 16) (2010)

Ports and terminals: Helsinki Kotka Naantali Porvoo Raahe Rauma


top of page


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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs