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.

Geographic coordinates: 64 00 N 26 00 E

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 338,145 km²
Rank: 64
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: 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: 640 km² (2003)

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

Population: 5,250,275 (July 2009 est.)
Rank: 113
Growth rate: 0.098% (2009 est.)
Growth rate rank: 191
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 91.2% (official) Swedish 5.5% (official) other 3.3% (small Sami- and Russian-speaking minorities) (2007)

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

Age structure
0-14 years: 16.4%
15-64 years: 66.8% (male 1,773,495/female 1,732,792)
65 years and over: 16.8% (male 357,811/female 524,975) (2009 est.)

Median age
Total: 42.1 years
Male: 40.5 years
Female: 43.7 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.098% (2009 est.)
Rank: 191

Birth rate: 10.38 births/1000 population (2009 est.)
Rank: 187

Death rate: 10.07 deaths/1000 population (July 2009 est.)
Rank: 62

Net migration rate: 0.68 migrant(s)/1000 population (2009 est.)
Rank: 61

Urbanization
Urban population: 63% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 0.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

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

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: 0.68 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 3.47 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 216
Male: 3.78 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 3.15 deaths/1000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 78.97 years
Rank: 37
Male: 75.48 years
Female: 82.61 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.73 children born/woman (2009 est.)
Rank: 166

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2007 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 137
People living with hivaids: 2,400 (2007 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 136
Deaths: fewer than 100 (2003 est.)
Deaths rank: 147

Education expenditures: 6.4% of GDP (2005)
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: 17 years
Female: 18 years (2006)

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: 6 provinces (laanit singular - laani); Ahvenanmaan Laani (Aland) Etela-Suomen Laani (Southern Finland) Ita-Suomen Laani (Eastern Finland) Lansi-Suomen Laani (Western Finland) Lapin Laani (Lapland) 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
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 reelected prime minister; election results 121-71
Note: government coalition - Kesk KOK VIHR 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 Party (conservative) or Kok [Jyrki KATAINEN]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Jutta URPILAINEN]; Swedish People's Party or SFP [Stefan WALLIN]; True Finns [Timo SOINI]

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Pekka LINTU
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 Barbara BARRETT
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

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; Finland's ratio of exports to GDP has risen from a quarter to 37% over the past 15 years. 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. Although Finland has been one of the best performing economies within the EU in recent years and its banks and financial markets have avoided the worst of global financial crisis the world slowdown has hit export growth and domestic demand and will serve as a brake on economic growth in 2009 and 2010. The slowdown of construction other investment and exports will cause unemployment to rise. During 2009 unemployment will climb to over 8% of the labor force. Long-term challenges include the need to address a rapidly aging population and decreasing productivity that threaten competitiveness fiscal sustainability and economic growth.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 55
Note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 183

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 31
Note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 2.8%
Industry: 32.4%
Services: 64.9% (2008 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: 0.4% (2008 est.)
Rank: 129

Labor force: 2.703 million (2008 est.)
Rank: 106
By occupation agriculture and forestry: 4.5%
By occupation industry: 18.3%
By occupation construction: 7.3%
By occupation commerce: 16%
By occupation finance insurance and business services: 14.5%
By occupation transport and communications: 7%
By occupation public services: 32.4% (2008)

Unemployment rate: 6.9% (2007 est.)
Rank: 81

Population below poverty line: NA%

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: 117

Budget
Revenues: $143.8 billion
Expenditures: $132.3 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt: 46.8% of GDP (2004 est.)
Rank: 67

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2.5% (2007 est.)
Rank: 69

Central bank discount rate: 5% (31 December 2007)
Rank: 95
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: 5.79% (31 December 2008)

Stock of domestic credit: $225.4 billion (31 December 2007)
Rank: 29

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 26

Current account balance: $10.12 billion (2007 est.)
Rank: 33

Exports: $90.2 billion (2007 est.)
Rank: 38
Commodities: electrical and optical equipment machinery transport equipment paper and pulp chemicals basic metals; timber
Partners: Russia 11.6% Sweden 10% Germany 10% US 6.4% UK 5.5% Netherlands 5.1% (2008)

Imports: $78.22 billion (2007 est.)
Rank: 38
Commodities: foodstuffs petroleum and petroleum products chemicals transport equipment iron and steel machinery textile yarn and fabrics grains
Partners: Russia 16.3% Germany 15.7% Sweden 13.6% Netherlands 6.3% China 5.1% UK 4.2% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $8.385 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Rank: 72

Debt external: $314.1 billion (31 December 2007)
Rank: 25

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $88.69 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Rank: 38

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $114.2 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Rank: 24

Exchange rates: euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.) 0.7345 (2007) 0.7964 (2006) 0.8041 (2005) 0.8054 (2004)

Electricity
Production: 77.24 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Production rank: 36
Consumption: 86.9 billion kWh (2008)
Consumption rank: 32
Exports: 3.335 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Imports: 16.11 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Production rank: 183
Consumption: 4.735 billion m³ (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 60
Exports: 0 m³ (2008)
Exports rank: 59
Imports: 4.739 billion m³ (2008 est.)
Imports rank: 34
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2009 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 182

Telephones
Main lines in use: 1.65 million (2008)
Main lines in use rank: 63
Mobile cellular: 6.83 million (2008)
Mobile cellular rank: 73

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; 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)

Internet
Country code: .fi; note - Aland Islands assigned .ax
Hosts: 4.205 million (2009)
Hosts rank: 18
Users: 4.383 million (2008)
Users rank: 46

Military expenditures: 2% of GDP (2005 est.)
Rank: 83

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 (2008)

Airports: 148 (2009)
Rank: 37
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 (2009)
With unpaved runways total: 73
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 70 (2009)

Pipelines: gas 694 km (2008)

Railways
Total: 5,794 km
Rank: 31
Broad gauge: 5,794 km 1.524-m gauge (3,047 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways
Total: 78,141 km
Rank: 62
Paved: 50,914 km (includes 700 km of expressways)
Unpaved: 27,227 km (2009)

Waterways: 7,842 km
Rank: 18
Note: includes Saimaa Canal system of 3,577 km; southern part leased from Russia (2008)

Merchant marine
Total: 98
Rank: 51
By type: bulk carrier 3 cargo 28 carrier 1 chemical tanker 6 container 3 passenger 5 passenger/cargo 18 petroleum tanker 5 roll on/roll off 27 vehicle carrier 2
Foreign owned: 8 (Estonia 2 Germany 1 Norway 3 Sweden 2)
Registered in other countries: 47 (Bahamas 9 Germany 4 Gibraltar 3 Netherlands 14 Norway 1 Panama 2 Saint Kitts and Nevis 1 Sweden 12 UK 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals: Hamina Helsinki Kokkola Kotka Naantali Pori Raahe Rauma Turku

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