Statistics Finland 
Finland in the World
Finland - Introduction 2017
top of pageBackground: 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 gained complete independence in 1917. During World War II Finland successfully defended its independence through cooperation with Germany and resisted subsequent invasions by the Soviet Union - albeit with some loss of territory. In the subsequent half century Finland transformed from a farm/forest economy to a diversified modern industrial economy; per capita income is among the highest in Western Europe. A member of the EU since 1995 Finland was the only Nordic state to join the euro single currency at its initiation in January 1999. In the 21st century the key features of Finland's modern welfare state are high quality education promotion of equality and a national social welfare system - currently challenged by an aging population and the fluctuations of an export-driven economy.
Area
Total: 338,145 km²
Land: 303,815 km²
Water: 34,330 km²
Rank: 66
Comparative: slightly more than two times the size of Georgia; slightly smaller than Montana
Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm; extends to continental shelf boundary with Sweden Estonia and Russia
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
Elevation
Mean elevation: 164 m
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m: highest point: Halti (alternatively Haltia Haltitunturi Haltiatunturi) 1328 m
Land use
Agricultural land: 7.5%
arable land: 7.4%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pasture: 0.1%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pasture: 0.1%
Forest: 72.9%
Other: 19.6%
Geography
Note: long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national capital on European continent; population concentrated on small southwestern coastal plain
Finland - People 2017
top of pagePopulation
Distribution: the vast majority of people are found in the south; the northern interior areas remain sparsely poplulated: 5,518,371 (July 2017 est.)
Rank: 117
Growth rate: 0.36% (2017 est.)
Growth rate rank: 162
Below poverty line: NA%
Age structure
0-14 years: 16.43%
15-24 years: 11.4%
25-54 years: 37.78%
55-64 years: 13.29%
65 years and over: 21.1% (2017 est.)
Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 57.9
Youth dependency ratio: 25.9
Elderly dependency ratio: 32
Potential support ratio: 3.1
Population distribution: the vast majority of people are found in the south; the northern interior areas remain sparsely poplulated
Urbanization
Urban population: 84.5% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 0.46% annual rate of change
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: 1.05 male/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male/female
15-24 years: 1.04 male/female
25-54 years: 1.04 male/female
55-64 years: 0.97 male/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male/female
Total population: 0.97 male/female
Infant mortality rate
Total: 2.5 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 2.7 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 2.4 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 220
Drinking water source:
urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2015 est.)
Sanitation facility access:
urban: 99.4% of population
rural: 88% of population
total: 97.6% of population
urban: 0.6% of population
rural: 12% of population
total: 2.4% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 88% of population
total: 97.6% of population
urban: 0.6% of population
rural: 12% of population
total: 2.4% of population (2015 est.)
Finland - Government 2017
top of pageCountry name
Conventional long form: Republic of Finland
Conventional short form: Finland
Local long form: Suomen tasavalta/Republiken Finland
Local short form: Suomi/Finland
Etymology: name may derive from the ancient Fenni peoples who are first described as living in northeastern Europe in the first centuries A.D.
Capital
Name: Helsinki
Geographic coordinates: 60 10 N 24 56 E
Time difference: UTC+2
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]
Constitution
History: previous 1906 1919; latest drafted 17 June 1997 approved by Parliament 11 June 1999 entered into force 1 March 2000
Amendments: proposed by Parliament; passage normally requires simple majority vote in two readings in the first parliamentary session and at least two-thirds majority vote in a single reading by the newly elected Parliament; proposals declared “urgent” by five-sixths of Parliament members can be passed by at least two-thirds majority vote in the first parliamentary session only; amended several times last in 2012
International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Finland
Dual citizenship recognized: yes
Residency requirement for naturalization: 6 years
Executive branch
Chief of state: President Sauli NIINISTO
Head of government: Prime Minister Juha SIPILA
Cabinet: Council of State or Valtioneuvosto appointed by the president responsible to Parliament
Electionsappointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 6-year term ; election last held on 22 January 2012 and 5 February 2012 (next to be held in February 2018); prime minister appointed by Parliament in 2015
Election results: percent of vote in first round - Sauli NIINISTO 37% Pekka HAAVISTO (Vihr) 18.8% Paavo VAYRYNEN (Kesk) 17.5% Timo SOINI (TF) 9.4% Paavo LIPPONEN (SDP) 6.7% Paavo ARHINMAKI (Vas) 5.5% Eva BIAUDET (SFP) 2.7% Sari ESSAYAH (KD) 2.5%; Sauli NIINISTO elected president in second round; percent of vote - NIINISTO 62.6% HAAVISTO 37.4%; Juha SIPILA appointed prime minister
Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Parliament or Eduskunta
Elections: last held on 19 April 2015
Election results: percent of vote by party/coalition - Kesk 21.1% PS 17.6% Kok 18.2% SDP 16.5% Vihr 8.5% Vas 7.1% SFP 4.9% KD 3.5% other 2.6%; seats by party/coalition - Kesk 49 PS 38 Kok 37 SDP 34 Vihr 15 Vas 12 SFP 9 KD 5 Aland Coalition 1
Judicial branch
Highest court: Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus ; Supreme Administrative Court (consists of 21 judges including the court president and organized into 3 chambers); 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
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) ICCt ICRM IDA IEA IFAD IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO IMSO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO ITSO ITU ITUC (NGOs) MIGA MINUSMA NC NEA NIB NSG OAS (observer) OECD OPCW OSCE Pacific Alliance (observer) 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 chief of mission: Ambassador Kirsti KAUPPI
In the us chancery: 3,301 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] 298-5,800
In the us FAX: [1] 298-6,030
In the us consulate general: Los Angeles New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador ; Charge d'Affaires Donna Ann WELTON (since 20 January 2017)
From the us embassy: Itainen Puistotie 14B 00140 Helsinki
From the us mailing address: APO AE 9,723
From the us telephone: [358] 616,250
From the us FAX: [358] 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 anthem
Name: 'Maamme'
Lyrics and music: 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
Finland - Economy 2017
top of pageEconomy overview:
Finland has a highly industrialized largely free-market economy with per capita GDP almost as high as that of Austria and the Netherlands and slightly above that of Germany and Belgium. Trade is important with exports accounting for over one-third of GDP in recent years. The government is open to and actively takes steps to attract foreign direct investment.
Finland is historically competitive in manufacturing - principally the wood metals engineering telecommunications and electronics industries. Finland excels in export of technology as well as promotion of startups in the information and communications technology gaming cleantech and biotechnology sectors. Except for timber and several minerals Finland depends on imports of raw materials energy and some components for manufactured goods. Because of the cold climate agricultural development is limited to maintaining self-sufficiency in basic products. Forestry an important export industry provides a secondary occupation for the rural population.
Finland had been one of the best performing economies within the EU before 2009 and its banks and financial markets avoided the worst of global financial crisis. However the world slowdown hit exports and domestic demand hard in that year causing Finland’s economy to contract from 2012 to 2014. The recession affected general government finances and the debt ratio. The economy returned to growth in 2015 posting a 0.3% GDP increase before growing 1.4% in 2016.
Finland's main challenges will be reducing high labor costs and boosting demand for its exports. In June 2016 the government enacted a Competitiveness Pact aimed at reducing labor costs increasing hours worked and introducing more flexibility into the wage bargaining system. The Government was also seeking to reform the health care system and social services. In the long term Finland must address a rapidly aging population and decreasing productivity in traditional industries that threaten competitiveness fiscal sustainability and economic growth.
Finland is historically competitive in manufacturing - principally the wood metals engineering telecommunications and electronics industries. Finland excels in export of technology as well as promotion of startups in the information and communications technology gaming cleantech and biotechnology sectors. Except for timber and several minerals Finland depends on imports of raw materials energy and some components for manufactured goods. Because of the cold climate agricultural development is limited to maintaining self-sufficiency in basic products. Forestry an important export industry provides a secondary occupation for the rural population.
Finland had been one of the best performing economies within the EU before 2009 and its banks and financial markets avoided the worst of global financial crisis. However the world slowdown hit exports and domestic demand hard in that year causing Finland’s economy to contract from 2012 to 2014. The recession affected general government finances and the debt ratio. The economy returned to growth in 2015 posting a 0.3% GDP increase before growing 1.4% in 2016.
Finland's main challenges will be reducing high labor costs and boosting demand for its exports. In June 2016 the government enacted a Competitiveness Pact aimed at reducing labor costs increasing hours worked and introducing more flexibility into the wage bargaining system. The Government was also seeking to reform the health care system and social services. In the long term Finland must address a rapidly aging population and decreasing productivity in traditional industries that threaten competitiveness fiscal sustainability and economic growth.
Real gdp purchasing power parity:
$231.9 billion (2016 est.)
$224.6 billion (2015 est.)
$222.3 billion (2014 est.)
$224.6 billion (2015 est.)
$222.3 billion (2014 est.)
Note: data are in 2016 dollars
Rank: 63
Real gdp per capita:
$42,300 (2016 est.)
$41,600 (2015 est.)
$41,700 (2014 est.)
$41,600 (2015 est.)
$41,700 (2014 est.)
Note: data are in 2016 dollars
Rank: 41
Gross national saving:
20.8% of GDP (2016 est.)
20.3% of GDP (2015 est.)
19.7% of GDP (2014 est.)
20.3% of GDP (2015 est.)
19.7% of GDP (2014 est.)
Rank: 86
Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 55.2%
Government consumption: 24%
Investment in fixed capital: 21.5%
Investment in inventories: 0.5%
Exports of goods and services: 35.2%
Imports of goods and services: -36.5%
Industries: metals and metal products electronics machinery and scientific instruments shipbuilding pulp and paper foodstuffs chemicals textiles clothing
Labor force: 2.685 million (2016 est.)
Rank: 111
By occupation agriculture: 4.5%
By occupation industry: 24%
By occupation services: 71.5%
Budget
Revenues: $128.4 billion
Expenditures: $133 billion
Note: Central Government Budget
Surplus or deficit: -1.9% of GDP (2016 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 88
Public debt:
63.6% of GDP (2016 est.)
63.7% of GDP (2015 est.)
63.7% of GDP (2015 est.)
Note: data cover general government debt and includes debt instruments issued by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities as well as intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds such as for retirement medical care and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions
Rank: 64
Central bank discount rate:
0.25% (31 December 2016)
0.3% (31 December 2010)
0.3% (31 December 2010)
Note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area
Rank: 136
Stock of narrow money:
$124 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$121.4 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$121.4 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
Note: see entry for the European Union for money supply for the entire euro area; the European Central Bank controls monetary policy for the 18 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
Rank: 31
Stock of broad money:
$152.9 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$155.6 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$155.6 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
Rank: 45
Stock of domestic credit:
$351.6 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$358 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$358 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
Rank: 32
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$133.7 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$N/A (31 December 2015 est.)
$154.4 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$N/A (31 December 2015 est.)
$154.4 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
Rank: 38
Exports:
$58.32 billion (2016 est.)
$59.65 billion (2015 est.)
$59.65 billion (2015 est.)
Rank: 43
Commodities: electrical and optical equipment machinery transport equipment paper and pulp chemicals basic metals; timber
Partners: Germany 13.1% Sweden 10.6% US 7.6% Netherlands 6.7% Russia 5.7% China 5.2% UK 4.8% (2016)
Imports:
$57.66 billion (2016 est.)
$57.48 billion (2015 est.)
$57.48 billion (2015 est.)
Rank: 45
Commodities: foodstuffs petroleum and petroleum products chemicals transport equipment iron and steel machinery computers electronic industry products textile yarn and fabrics grains
Partners: Germany 16.9% Sweden 16.1% Russia 11.1% Netherlands 8.6% (2016)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$10.48 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$10.02 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$10.02 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
Rank: 73
Stock of direct foreign investment at home:
$114.6 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$130.8 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$130.8 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
Rank: 43
Stock of direct foreign investment abroad:
$153.7 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$142.7 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$142.7 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
Rank: 29
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar -
0.9214 (2016 est.)
0.885 (2015 est.)
0.885 (2014 est.)
0.7634 (2013 est.)
0.7752 (2012 est.)
0.9214 (2016 est.)
0.885 (2015 est.)
0.885 (2014 est.)
0.7634 (2013 est.)
0.7752 (2012 est.)
Finland - Energy 2017
top of pageElectricity
Access electrification total population: 100%
Production: 65.17 billion kWh (2015 est.)
Production rank: 42
Consumption: 79.07 billion kWh (2015 est.)
Consumption rank: 37
Exports: 3.159 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Exports rank: 42
Imports: 22.11 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 9
Installed generating capacity: 15.88 million kW (2015 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 51
Generation sources fossil fuels: 44.5% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 162
Generation sources nuclear: 17.3% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 10
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 20.5% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 87
Generation sources other renewable sources: 23.5% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 25
Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 134
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 121
Crude oil imports: 220,400 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 29
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2017 es)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 133
Refined petroleum
Products production: 303,600 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products production rank: 41
Products consumption: 200,700 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products consumption rank: 55
Products exports: 167,200 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products exports rank: 36
Products imports: 147,600 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products imports rank: 47
Natural gas
Production: 8 million m³ (2015 est.)
Production rank: 97
Consumption: 3.243 billion m³ (2015 est.)
Consumption rank: 75
Exports: 0 m³ (2016 est.)
Exports rank: 102
Imports: 2.713 billion m³ (2015 est.)
Imports rank: 49
Proven reserves: NA m³ (1 January 2016 es)
Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 43 million Mt (2016 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 66
Finland - Communication 2017
top of pageTelephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 457,300
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 8
Fixed lines rank: 90
Mobile cellular total: 7,366,100
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 134
Mobile cellular rank: 99
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 ; note - Finland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark Iceland Norway and Sweden) (2015)
Broadcast media: a mix of 3 publicly operated TV stations and numerous privately owned TV stations; several free and special-interest pay-TV channels; cable and satellite multi-channel subscription services are available; all TV signals are broadcast digitally; Internet television such as Netflix and others is available; public broadcasting maintains a network of 13 national and 25 regional radio stations; a large number of private radio broadcasters and access to Internet radio (2017)
Internet
Country code: .fi; note - Aland Islands assigned .ax
Users total: 4,822,132
Users percent of population: 87.7%
Users rank: 64
Finland - Military 2017
top of pageMilitary expenditures:
1.33% of GDP (2017 est.)
1.37% of GDP (2016)
1.29% of GDP (2015)
1.3% of GDP (2014)
1.41% of GDP (2013)
1.37% of GDP (2016)
1.29% of GDP (2015)
1.3% of GDP (2014)
1.41% of GDP (2013)
Rank: 62
Military service age and obligation: all Finnish men are called-up for military service the year they turn 18; at 18 women may volunteer for military service; service obligation 6-12 months; individuals enter the reserve upon completing their initial obligation; military obligation to age 60 (2016)
Finland - Transportation 2017
top of pageNational air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 3
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 73
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 9,972,333
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 713.484 million mt-km
Airports: 148 (2013)
Rank: 39
With paved runways total: 74
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
With unpaved runways total: 74
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 71
Roadways
Total: 454,000 km
Highways: 78,000 km
Urban roads: 26,000 km
Private and forest roads: 350,000 km
Rank: 16
Waterways: 8,000 km (includes Saimaa Canal system of 3,577 km; southern part leased from Russia; water transport used frequently in the summer and widely replaced with sledges on the ice in winter; there are 187,888 lakes in Finland that cover 31,500 km); Finland also maintains 8,200 km of coastal fairways (2013)
Rank: 17
Merchant marine
Total: 105
By type: bulk carrier 4 cargo 28 carrier 1 chemical tanker 6 passenger/cargo 14 roll on/roll off 34 other 18
Foreign owned: 5 (2010)
Registered in other countries: 47 (2010)
Rank: 52
Finland - Transnational issues 2017
top of pageDisputes international: various groups in Finland advocate restoration of Karelia and other areas ceded to the former Soviet Union but the Finnish Government asserts no territorial demands
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