Finland

republicIndependence 6 December 1917 (from Soviet Union)

Finland as the 1992 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 74 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalHelsinki

Area337,030 km2

Populationas each edition published it

5 million July 1992 · 4.98m in 1990

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 0.37% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 40.3 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 75.65 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

1.7 children per woman 1992 · 1.7 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

6 deaths per 1,000 live births 1992 · 6 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $15,900 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition -3.5% in 1993

Geography

13 fields

Total area

337,030km2

Comparative area: slightly smaller than Montana

Coastline

1,126km

excludes islands and coastal indentationsContiguous zone: 6 nmContinental shelf: 200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitationExclusive fishing zone: 12 nmTerritorial sea: 4 nm

Land boundaries

2,628km

Norway 729 km, Sweden 586 km, Russia 1,313 km

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

Land use

arable land 8%;
permanent crops 0%;
meadows and pastures NEGL%;
forest and woodland 76%;
other 16%;
includes irrigated NEGL%

Environment

permanently wet ground covers about 30% of land; population concentrated on small southwestern coastal plain

Note

long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national capital on European continent

People

14 fields

Population

5,004,273

(July 1992), growth rate 0.3% (1992)

Per 1,000 population(1992)

Birth

12Death

Religions

Evangelical Lutheran 89%Greek Orthodox 1%none 9%other 1%

Literacy

100%

(male NA%, female NA%) age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)

Languages

Finnish 93.5%, Swedish (both official) 6.3%; small Lapp- and Russian-speaking minorities

Labor force

2,533,000;
public services 30.4%;
industry 20.9%;
commerce 15.0%;
finance, insurance, and business services 10.2%;
agriculture and forestry 8.6%;
transport and communications 7.7%;
construction 7.2%

Government

Republic

19 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

48%

Mauno KOIVISTO 48%Paavo VAYRYNEN 20%Harri HOLKERI 18%

Administrative divisions

12 provinces (laanit, singular - laani); Ahvenanmaa, Hame, Keski-Suomi, Kuopio, Kymi, Lappi, Mikkeli, Oulu, Pohjois-Karjala, Turku ja Pori, Uusimaa, Vaasa

Legal system

civil law system based on Swedish law;
Supreme Court may request legislation interpreting or modifying laws;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Executive branch

president, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Council of State (Valtioneuvosto)

Leaders

Chief of State:: President Mauno KOIVISTO (since 27 January 1982)
Head of Government:: Prime Minister Esko AHO (since 26 April 1991); Deputy Prime Minister Ilkka KANERVA (since 26 April 1991)

Elections

Parliament:: last held 17 March 1991 (next to be held March 1995);
results - Center Party 24.8%, Social Democratic Party 22.1%, National Coalition (Conservative) Party 19.3%, Leftist Alliance (Communist) 10.1%, Green League 6.8%, Swedish People's Party 5.5%, Rural 4.8%, Finnish Christian League 3.1%, Liberal People's Party 0.8%;
seats - (200 total) Center Party 55, Social Democratic Party 48, National Coalition (Conservative) Party 40, Leftist Alliance (Communist) 19, Swedish People's Party 12, Green League 10, Finnish Christian League 8, Rural 7, Liberal People's Party 1
President:: last held 31 January - 1 February and 15 February 1988 (next to be held January 1994); results - Mauno KOIVISTO 48%, Paavo VAYRYNEN 20%, Harri HOLKERI 18%

Communists

28,000 registered members; an additional 45,000 persons belong to People's Democratic League

Other political or pressure groups

Finnish Communist Party-Unity, Yrjo HAKANEN;
Constitutional Rightist Party;
Finnish Pensioners Party;
Communist Workers Party, Timo LAHDENMAKI

AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA (associate), FAO, G-9, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LORCS, MTCR, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIIMOG, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Jukka VALTASAARI;
Chancery at 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016;
telephone (202) 363-2430;
there are Finnish Consulates General in Los Angeles and New York, and Consulates in Chicago and Houston

US:: Ambassador John H. KELLY (as of December 1991);
Embassy at Itainen Puistotie 14A, SF-00140, Helsinki (mailing address is APO AE 09723);
telephone [358] (0) 171931;
FAX [358] (0) 174681

Flag

white with a blue cross that extends 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 has a highly industrialized, largely free market economy, with per | capita output nearly three-fourths the US figure.

16 fields

Inflation, consumer prices

2.9%

(1991)

Unemployment rate

7.6%

(1991)

External debt

$5.3billion

(1989)

Budget

Revenues

$35.8 billionExpenditures

$41.5 billion

expenditures, including capital expenditures of NA billion (1991)

Overview

Finland has a highly industrialized, largely free market economy, with per capita output nearly three-fourths the US figure. Its main economic force is the manufacturing sector - principally the wood, metals, and engineering industries. Trade is important, with the export of goods representing about 30% of GDP. Except for timber and several minerals, Finland depends on imported raw materials, energy, and some components of manufactured goods.

Because of the climate, agricultural development is limited to maintaining self-sufficiency in basic commodities. The economy, which experienced an average of 4.9% annual growth between 1987 and 1989, sank into a deep recession in 1991 as growth contracted by 6.2%. The recession - which is expected to bottom out in late 1992 - has been caused by economic overheating, depressed foreign markets, and the dismantling of the barter system between Finland and the former Soviet Union in which Soviet oil and gas had been exchanged for Finnish manufactured goods.

The Finnish Government has proposed efforts to increase industrial competitiveness and efficiency by an increase in exports to Western markets, cuts in public expenditures, partial privatization of state enterprises, and foreign investment and exchange liberalization. Helsinki tied the markkaa to the EC's European Currency Unit to promote stability but was forced to devalue the markkaa by about 12% in November 1991.

The devaluation should improve industrial competitiveness and business confidence in 1992. Finland, as a member of EFTA, negotiated a European Economic Area arrangement with the EC that allows for free movement of capital, goods, services, and labor within the organization as of January 1993. Finland applied for full EC membership in March 1992.

GDP

purchasing power equivalent - $80.6 billion, per capita $16,200; real growth rate - 6.2% (1991)

Exports

$22.9 billion (f.o.b., 1991)

commodities:: timber, paper and pulp, ships, machinery, clothing and footwear
partners:: EC 50.25%, Germany 15.5%, UK 10.4%, EFTA 20.7%, Sweden 14%, US 6.1%, Japan 1.5%, USSR/EE 6.71% (1991)

Imports

$21.6 billion (c.i.f., 1991)

commodities:: foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, transport equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile yarn and fabrics, fodder grains
partners:: EC 45.9% (Germany 16.9%), UK 7.7%, EFTA 19.9%, Sweden 12.3%, US 6.9%, Japan 6%, USSR/EE 10.7%

Industrial production

growth rate - 8.6% (1991 est.)

Electricity

13,324,000 kW capacity; 49,330 million kWh produced, 9,857 kWh per capita (1991)

Industries

metal products, shipbuilding, forestry and wood processing (pulp, paper), copper refining, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing

Agriculture

accounts for 8% of GDP (including forestry);
livestock production, especially dairy cattle, predominates;
forestry is an important export earner and a secondary occupation for the rural population;
main crops - cereals, sugar beets, potatoes;
85% self-sufficient, but short of foodgrains and fodder grains;
annual fish catch about 160,000 metric tons

Economic aid

donor - ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $2.7 billion

Currency

markka (plural - markkaa); 1 markka (FMk) or Finmark = 100 pennia

Exchange rates

markkaa (FMk) per US$1 - 4.2967 (January 1992), 4.0440 (1991), 3.8235 (1990), 4.2912 (1989), 4.1828 (1988), 4.3956 (1987)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

9 fields

Merchant marine, 80 ships by typeone square, one ship

passenger 1short-sea passenger 9cargo 16refrigerated cargo 1roll-on/roll-off 26petroleum tanker 12chemical tanker 6liquefied gas 2bulk 780 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 794,094 GRT/732,585 DWT

Airports, 159 total, 156 usable

permanent-surface runways

58runways | over 3,659 m

nonerunways 2,440-3,659 m

23runways 1,220-2,439 m

Networkskm

Railroads

5,924Inland waterways

6,675

Railroads: ; Finnish State Railways (VR) operate a total of 5,863 km 1.524-meter gauge, of which 480 km are multiple track and 1,445 km are electrified · Inland waterways: (including Saimaa Canal); 3,700 km suitable for steamers

Railroads

5,924 km total; Finnish State Railways (VR) operate a total of 5,863 km 1.524-meter gauge, of which 480 km are multiple track and 1,445 km are electrified

Highways

about 103,000 km total, including 35,000 km paved (bituminous, concrete, bituminous-treated surface) and 38,000 km unpaved (stabilized gravel, gravel, earth);
additional 30,000 km of private (state-subsidized) roads

good service from cable and radio relay network;
3,140,000 telephones;
broadcast stations - 6 AM, 105 FM, 235 TV;
1 submarine cable;
INTELSAT satellite transmission service via Swedish earth station and a receive-only INTELSAT earth station near Helsinki