Finland

republicIndependence 6 December 1917 (from Soviet Union)

Finland as the 1994 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 123 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

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CapitalHelsinki
LocationNordic State, Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea between Sweden
1994

Every edition of Finland

Populationas each edition published it
5.07 million July 1994 est. · 4.98m in 1990
Population growth% a year
0.34% 1994 est. · 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
1.79 children per woman 1994 est. · 1.7 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
5.3 deaths per 1,000 live births 1994 est. · 6 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$16,100 1993 · $15,900 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
-2.6% 1993 · -3.5% in 1993

Geography

Nordic State, Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea between Sweden | and Russia

25 fields
Coastline
1,126km
(excludes islands and coastal indentations)
Land boundaries
2,628km
total · Norway 729 km, Sweden 586 km, Russia 1,313 km
Irrigated land
620sq km
(1989 est.)

Location

Nordic State, Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea between Sweden and Russia

Map references

Arctic Region, Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World

total area

337,030 sq km

land area

305,470 sq km

comparative area

slightly smaller than Montana

contiguous zone

6 nm

continental shelf

200-m depth or to depth of exploitation

exclusive fishing zone

12 nm

territorial sea

4 nm

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

Natural resources

timber, copper, zinc, iron ore, silver

arable land

8%

permanent crops

0%

meadows and pastures

0%

forest and woodland

76%

other

16%

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

natural hazards

NA

international agreements

  • party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber, Wetlands, Whaling;
  • signed, but not ratified - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea

Note

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

People

21 fields
Population
5,068,931
(July 1994 est.)growth rate: 0.34% (1994 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1994 est.)

Birth
12.41Death
9.84Net migration
0.81

Religions

Evangelical Lutheran 89%Greek Orthodox 1%none 9%other 1%
Labor force
2.533million
Literacy
15and over can read and write
age · (1980 est.)

Infant mortality rate

5.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

total population

75.93 years

male

72.18 years

female

79.86 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.79 children born/woman (1994 est.)

noun

Finn(s)

adjective

Finnish

Ethnic divisions

Finn, Swede, Lapp, Gypsy, Tatar

Languages

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

total population

100%

male

NA%

female

NA%

by occupation

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

34 fields

Legislature, 200 seatsone dot, one seat

Center Party 55Social Democratic Party 48Leftist Alliance (Communist) 19Swedish People's Party 12Green League 10Finnish Christian League 8Rural 7Liberal People's Party 1

conventional long form

Republic of Finland

conventional short form

Finland

local long form

Suomen Tasavalta

local short form

Suomi

Type

republic

Capital

Helsinki

Administrative divisions

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

Independence

6 December 1917 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday

Independence Day, 6 December (1917)

Constitution

17 July 1919

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

chief of state

  • President Martti AHTISAARI (since 1 March 1994);
  • election last held 31 January - 6 February 1994 (next to be held January 2000);
  • results - Martti AHTISAARI 54%, Elisabeth REHN 46%

head of government

Prime Minister Esko AHO (since 26 April 1991); Deputy Prime Minister Pertti SALOLAINEN (since at least January 1992)

cabinet

Council of State (Valtioneuvosto); appointed by the president, responsible to Parliament

Parliament (Eduskunta)

  • elections 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

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Korkein Oikeus)

government coalition

  • Center Party, Esko AHO;
  • National Coalition (conservative) Party, Perti SALOLAINEN;
  • Swedish People's Party, (Johan) Ole NORRBACK;
  • Finnish Christian League, Toimi KANKAANNIEMI

other parties

  • Social Democratic Party, Paavo LIPPONEN, acting chairman;
  • Leftist Alliance (Communist) People's Democratic League and Democratic Alternative, Claes ANDERSON;
  • Green League, Pekka SAURI;
  • Rural Party, Tina MAKELA;
  • Liberal People's Party, Kalle MAATTA

Other political or pressure groups

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

Member of

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

chief of mission

Ambassador Jukka VALTASAARI

chancery

3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016

telephone

(202) 363-2430

FAX

(202) 363-8233

consulate(s) general

Los Angeles and New York

chief of mission

Ambassador John H. KELLY

embassy

Itainen Puistotie 14A, SF-00140, Helsinki

mailing address

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 two-thirds of the US figure.

25 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$16,100
(1993)
Real growth rate
-2.6%
(1993)industrial production growth: growth rate 7.6% (1992 est.)

Overview

Finland has a highly industrialized, largely free market economy, with per capita output two-thirds of the US figure. Its key economic sector is manufacturing - 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 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. The economy, which experienced an average of 4.9% annual growth between 1987 and 1989, sank into deep recession in 1991 as growth contracted by 6.5%. The recession - which continued in 1992 with growth contracting by 4.1% - has been caused by economic overheating, depressed foreign markets, and the dismantling of the barter system between Finland and the former Soviet Union under 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 changes in monetary policy. In June 1991 Helsinki had tied the markka to the European Union's (EU) European Currency Unit (ECU) to promote stability.

Ongoing speculation resulting from a lack of confidence in the government's policies forced Helsinki to devalue the markka by about 12% in November 1991 and to indefinitely break the link in September 1992. The devaluations have boosted the competitiveness of Finnish exports to the extent the recession bottomed out in 1993 with renewed economic growth expected in 1994.

Unemployment probably will remain a serious problem during the next few years, with the majority of Finnish firms facing a weak domestic market and the troubled German and Swedish export markets. Declining revenues, increased transfer payments, and extensive funding to bail out the banking system pushed the central government's budget deficit to nearly 13% in 1993.

Helsinki continues to harmonize its economic policies with those of the EU during Finland's current EU membership bid. In early 1995, Finland is expected to join the European Union (formerly the European Community), thus broadening European economic unity.

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $81.1 billion (1993)

revenues

$26.8 billion

expenditures

$40.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992)

Exports

$23.4 billion (f.o.b., 1993)

commodities

timber, paper and pulp, ships, machinery, clothing and footwear

partners

EC 53.2% (Germany 15.6%, UK 10.7%), EFTA 19.5% (Sweden 12.8%), US 5.9%, Japan 1.3%, Russia 2.8% (1992)

Imports

$18 billion (c.i.f., 1993 est.)

commodities

foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, transport equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile yarn and fabrics, fodder grains

partners

EC 47.2% (Germany 16.9%, UK 8.7%), EFTA 19.0% (Sweden 11.7%), US 6.1%, Japan 5.5%, Russia 7.1% (1992)

External debt

$30 billion (December 1993)

capacity

13,500,000 kW

production

55.3 billion kWh

consumption per capita

11,050 kWh (1992)

Industries

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

Agriculture

  • accounts for 5% 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

donor

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

Currency

1 markka (FMk) or Finmark = 100 pennia

Exchange rates

markkaa (FMk) per US$1 - 5.6920 (January 1994), 5.7123 (1993), 4.4794 (1992), 4.0440 (1991), 3.8235 (1990), 4.2912 (1989)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

15 fields

Networkskm

Railroads
5,924Inland waterways
6,675
Railroads: ; Finnish State Railways (VR) operate a total of 5,863 km 1,524-mm gauge, of which 480 km are multiple track and 1,710 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-mm gauge, of which 480 km are multiple track and 1,710 km are electrified

total

76,631 km (1991)

paved

bituminous concrete, bituminous treated soil 46,745 km

unpaved

gravel 29,886 km

Inland waterways

6,675 km total (including Saimaa Canal); 3,700 km suitable for steamers

Pipelines

natural gas 580 km

Ports

Helsinki, Oulu, Pori, Rauma, Turku

Merchant marine

93 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,040,905 GRT/1,143,276 DWT, bulk 7, cargo 20, chemical tanker 5, liquefied gas 3, oil tanker 15, passenger 3, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 30, short-sea passenger 9

total

160

usable

157

with permanent-surface runways

66

with runways over 3,659 m

0

with runways 2,440-3,659 m

26

with runways 1,220-2,439 m

20

Telecommunications

  • good service from cable and microwave 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

Defense Forces

Army, Navy, Air Force, Frontier Guard (including Coast Guard)

3 fields

Branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, Frontier Guard (including Coast Guard)

Manpower availability

  • males age 15-49 1,323,322;
  • fit for military service 1,089,300;
  • reach military age (17) annually 33,594 (1994 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $1.6 billion, about 1.5% of GDP (1993)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Finland.” The World Factbook 1994. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/finland/1994.

How to cite ← 1993 edition 1995 edition →