Map of Finland | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
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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.


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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

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

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

Coastline: 1250 km

Maritime claims
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 highest point: Halti (alternatively Haltia Haltitunturi Haltiatunturi) 1328 m

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

Land use
Permanent crops: 0.01%
Other: 93.34% (2011)

Irrigated land: 685.8 km² (2010)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 110 km³ (2011)

Natural hazards: NA

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


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Population: 5,266,114 (July 2013 est.)
Rank: 117
Growth rate: 0.06% (2013 est.)
Growth rate rank: 187
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
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
15-24 years: 12.3% (male 329,625/female 316,585)
25-54 years: 38.3% (male 1,026,525/female 988,772)
55-64 years: 14.4% (male 374,685/female 385,933)
65 years and over: 19.2% (male 421,854/female 587,522) (2013 est.)

Dependency ratios
Youth dependency ratio: 25.5 %
Elderly dependency ratio: 29.5 %
Potential support ratio: 3.4 (2013)

Median age
Male: 41.2 years
Female: 44.8 years (2013 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.06% (2013 est.)
Rank: 187

Birth rate: 10.36 births/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 186

Death rate: 10.42 deaths/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 44

Net migration rate: 0.62 migrant(s)/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 64

Population distribution

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

Major urban areas
Population: HELSINKI (capital) 1.107 million (2009)

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 signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2013 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 27.9 (2005 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 213
Male: 3.68 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 3.07 deaths/1000 live births (2013 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 41
Male: 76.09 years
Female: 83.15 years (2013 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.73 children born/woman (2013 est.)
Rank: 166

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source:

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 2.74 physicians/1000 population (2008)

Hospital bed density: 5.9 beds/1000 population (2010)

Sanitation facility access:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2009 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 124
People living with hivaids: 2,600 (2009 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 131
Deaths: fewer than 100 (2009 est.)
Deaths rank: 152

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 23% (2008)
Rank: 77

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 6.8% of GDP (2009)
Rank: 24

Literacy
Total population: 100%
Male: 100%
Female: 100% (2000 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Male: 16 years
Female: 18 years (2011)

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional short form: Finland
Local long form: Suomen tasavalta/Republiken Finland
Local short form: Suomi/Finland

Government type: republic

Capital
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]; Pohjanmaa (Finnish) Osterbotten (Swedish) [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: previous 1906 1919; latest drafted 17 June 1997 approved by Parliament 11 June 1999 entered into force 1 March 2000; amended several times last in 2011 (2011)

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
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 5 February 2012 (next to be held in February 2018); the parliament elects a prime minister who is then appointed to office by the president
Election results: percent of vote - Sauli NIINISTO (Kok) 36.96% Pekka HAAVISTO (Vihr) 18.76% Paavo VAYRYNEN (Kesk) 17.53% Timo SOINI (TF) 9.4% Paavo LIPPONEN (SDP) 6.7% Paavo ARHINMÄKI (Vas) 5.48% Eva BIAUDET (SFP) 2.7% Sari ESSAYAH (KD) 2.47%; a runoff election between NIINISTO and HAAVISTO was held 5 February 2012 - NIINISTO 62.59% HAAVISTO 37.41%; Jyrki KATAINEN elected prime minister; election results 118-72

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 19.1% Kesk 15.8% Vas 8.1% Vihr 7.3% SFP 4.3% KD 4% other 1.9%; 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: note - Finland has a dual judicial system - courts with civil and criminal jurisdiction and administrative courts with jurisdiction for litigation between individuals and administrative organs of the state and communities
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court and Supreme Administrative Court judges appointed by the president of the republic; judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 65
Subordinate courts: 6 Courts of Appeal; 8 regional administrative courts; 27 district courts; special courts for issues relating to markets labor insurance impeachment land tenancy and water rights

Political parties and leaders:

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

Diplomatic representation
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 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
Lyrics and music: Johan Ludvig RUNEBERG/Fredrik PACIUS

National heritage


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Economy overview: Finland has a highly industrialized largely free-market economy with per capita output almost as high as 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 2010-11. The recession affected general government finances and the debt ratio turning previously strong budget surpluses into deficits but Finland has taken action to ensure it will meet EU deficit targets by 2013 and retains its triple-A credit rating. Finland's main challenge in 2013 will be to stimulate growth in the face of weak demand in EU export markets and government austerity measures meant to reduce its budget deficit. 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

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 191

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 37

Gross national saving:
Rank: 77

Gdp composition by end use
Government consumption: 25.1%
Investment in fixed capital: 19.6%
Investment in inventories: 1.4%
Exports of goods and services: 40.5%
Imports of goods and services: -43.1%: (2012 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Industry: 25.9%
Services: 71.2% (2012 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: -5.2% (2012 est.)
Rank: 172

Labor force: 2.69 million (2012 est.)
Rank: 110
By occupation industry: 15.5%
By occupation construction: 7.1%
By occupation commerce: 21.3%
By occupation finance insurance and business services: 13.3%
By occupation transport and communications: 9.9%
By occupation public services: 28.5% (2011)

Unemployment rate: 7.8% (2011 est.)
Rank: 86

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

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

Distribution of family income gini index: 25.6 (1991)
Rank: 127

Budget
Expenditures: $139.1 billion
Surplus or deficit: -2.3% of GDP (2012 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 94

Taxes and other revenues: 54.6% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 10

Public debt: 49.3% of GDP (2011 est.)
Rank: 55

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 3.3% (2011 est.)
Rank: 99

Central bank discount rate: 1.75% (31 December 2010)
Rank: 117

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 2.68% (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 179

Stock of narrow money: $115.5 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 28

Stock of broad money: $176.6 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 44

Stock of domestic credit: $248.9 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 38

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 40

Current account balance: $-1.781 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 155

Exports: $82.76 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 48
Commodities: electrical and optical equipment machinery transport equipment paper and pulp chemicals basic metals; timber
Partners: Sweden 11.1% Russia 9.9% Germany 9.3% Netherlands 6.3% US 6.2% UK 5.1% China 4.6% (2012)

Imports: $79.27 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 41
Commodities: foodstuffs petroleum and petroleum products chemicals transport equipment iron and steel machinery computers electronic industry products textile yarn and fabrics grains
Partners: Russia 17.7% Sweden 14.8% Germany 13.9% Netherlands 8.1% China 4.4% (2012)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $10.35 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 73

Debt external: $478.5 billion (31 December 2011)
Rank: 22

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $128.2 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 34

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $173 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 24

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Production: 70.34 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Production rank: 39
Consumption: 84.83 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 36
Exports: 1.645 billion kWh (2012 est.)
Exports rank: 45
Imports: 19.09 billion kWh (2012 est.)
Imports rank: 8
Installed generating capacity: 16.68 million kW (2010 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 43
Generation sources fossil fuels: 52.3% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 151
Generation sources nuclear: 16.2% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 15
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 18.8% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 93
Generation sources other renewable sources: 12.7% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 19

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 13,530 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 87
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 111
Crude oil imports: 214,700 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 32
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2013 es)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 129

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 282,300 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products production rank: 46
Products consumption: 204,800 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 57
Products exports: 144,400 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products exports rank: 39
Products imports: 113,800 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products imports rank: 47

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Production rank: 129
Consumption: 4.7 billion m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 63
Exports: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Exports rank: 98
Imports: 3.661 billion m³ (2012 est.)
Imports rank: 39
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2013 es)
Proven reserves rank: 136

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 54.06 million Mt (2011 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 58

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 890,000 (2012)
Main lines in use rank: 79
Mobile cellular: 9.32 million (2012)
Mobile cellular rank: 83

Telephone system
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) (2011)

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: 4.763 million (2012)
Hosts rank: 22
Users: 4.393 million (2009)
Users rank: 55

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 2% of GDP (2005 est.)
Rank: 66

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; military obligation to age 60 (2012)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 148 (2013)
Rank: 39
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: 21
With paved runways under 914 m: 14 (2013)
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3
With unpaved runways: 71 (2013)

Heliports

Pipelines: gas 1689 km (2010)

Railways
Rank: 31
Broad gauge: 5,944 km 1.524-m gauge (3,067 km electrified) (2013)

Roadways
Rank: 61
Paved: 50,000 km (includes 700 km of expressways)
Unpaved: 28,000 km

Waterways: 8,000 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); Finand also maintains 8,200 km of coastal fairways (2013)
Rank: 18

Merchant marine
Rank: 51
By type: bulk carrier 2 cargo 25 carrier 1 chemical tanker 6 container 3 passenger 5 passenger/cargo 16 petroleum tanker 5 roll on/roll off 31 vehicle carrier 3
Foreign owned: 5 (Cyprus 1 Estonia 2 Iceland 1 Sweden 1)
Registered in other countries: 47 (Bahamas 8 Germany 3 Gibraltar 2 Malta 3 Netherlands 13 Panama 2 Sweden 16) (2010)

Ports and terminals


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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