Finland

Republic of FinlandSuomen Tasavalta

republicIndependence 6 December 1917 (from Soviet Union)

Finland as the 1996 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 89 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

Position64 00 N, 26 00 E

Area337,030 sq km

LocationNorthern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of

Populationas each edition published it

5.11 million July 1996 est. · 4.98m in 1990

Population growth% a year

0.1% 1996 est. · 0.37% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 40.3 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

75.47 years 1996 est. · 75.65 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

1.68 children per woman 1996 est. · 1.7 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

4.9 deaths per 1,000 live births 1996 est. · 6 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$18,200 1995 est. · $15,900 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

5% 1995 est. · -3.5% in 1993

Geography

Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of | Bothnia, and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia

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Land useshare of 337,030 sq km

arable land 8%meadows and pastures 0%forest and woodland 76%other 16%permanent crops 0% in all · irrigated 620 sq km (1989 est.)

Area

337,030sq km

land area: 305,470 sq kmcomparative area: slightly smaller than Montana

Coastline

1,126km

(excludes islands and coastal indentations)contiguous zone: 6 nmcontinental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitationexclusive fishing zone: 12 nmterritorial sea: 4 nm

Land boundaries

2,628km

border countries: Norway 729 km, Sweden 586 km, Russia 1,313 km

Location

Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia

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

lowest point:: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point:: Haltiatunturi 1,328 m

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
natural hazards:: NA
international agreements:: party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling;
signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea

Geographic note

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

People

15 fields

Population

5,105,230

(July 1996 est.)growth rate: 0.1% (1996 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1996 est.)

Birth

11.32Death

10.92Net migration

0.58

Religions

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

Literacy

15and over can read and write

age · (1980 est.)total population: 100%male: NA%female: NA%

Age structure

0-14 years:: 19% (male 492,616; female 471,736)
15-64 years:: 67% (male 1,725,113; female 1,687,974)
65 years and over:: 14% (male 275,927; female 451,864) (July 1996 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.61 male(s)/female
all ages:: 0.96 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate

4.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:: 75.47 years
male:: 73.82 years
female:: 77.18 years (1996 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Finn(s)
adjective:: Finnish

Languages

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

Government

Republic; President Martti AHTISAARI (since 1 March 1994) was elected for a six-year term by popular vote; Prime Minister Paavo LIPPONEN (since 13 April 1995) and Deputy Prime Minister Sauli NIINISTO (since 13 April 1995) were appointed by the president

22 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

54%

Martti AHTISAARI 54%Elisabeth REHN 46%

Legislature, 200 seatsone dot, one seat

Social Democratic Party 63Center Party 44Leftist Alliance (Communist) 22Swedish People's Party 11Green League 9Ecology Party 1Rural 1Finnish Christian League 7Young Finns 2Aaland Islands 1

Name of country

conventional long form:: Republic of Finland
conventional short form:: Finland
local long form:: Suomen Tasavalta
local short form:: Suomi

Data code

Type of government

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

Legal system

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:: President Martti AHTISAARI (since 1 March 1994) was elected for a six-year term by popular vote;
election last held 31 January-6 February 1994 (next to be held NA January 2000);
results - Martti AHTISAARI 54%, Elisabeth REHN 46%
head of government:: Prime Minister Paavo LIPPONEN (since 13 April 1995) and Deputy Prime Minister Sauli NIINISTO (since 13 April 1995) were appointed by the president
cabinet:: Council of State (Valtioneuvosto) was appointed by the president, responsible to Parliament

Legislative branch

unicameral

Parliament (Eduskunta)

elections last held 19 March 1995 (next to be held NA March 1999);
results - Social Democratic Party 28.3%, Center Party 19.9%, National Coalition (Conservative) Party 17.9%, Leftist Alliance (Communist) 11.2%, Swedish People's Party 5.1%, Green League 6.5%, Ecology Party 0.3%, Rural 1.3%, Finnish Christian League 3.0%, Liberal People's Party 0.6%, Young Finns 2.8%;
seats - (200 total) Social Democratic Party 63, Center Party 44, National Coalition (Conservative) Party 39, Leftist Alliance (Communist) 22, Swedish People's Party 11, Green League 9, Ecology Party 1, Rural 1, Finnish Christian League 7, Young Finns 2, Aaland Islands 1

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Korkein Oikeus), judges appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders

government coalition:: Social Democratic Party, Paavo LIPPONEN;
National Coalition (conservative) Party, Sauli NIINISTO;
Leftist Alliance (Communist) People's Democratic League and Democratic Alternative, Claes ANDERSSON;
Swedish People's Party, (Johan) Ole NORRBACK;
Green League, Pekka HAAVISTO
other:: Center Party, Esko AHO;
Finnish Christian League, Toimi KANKAANNIEMI;
Rural Party, Raimo VISTBACKA;
Liberal People's Party, Tuulikki UKKOLA;
Greens Ecological Party (EPV);
Young Finns, Risto PENTTILAE

Other political or pressure groups

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

International organization participation

AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, EBRD, ECE, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMOGIP, UNPREDEP, UNPROFOR, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Jaakko LAAJAVA
chancery:: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:: [1] (202) 298-5800

FAX

[1] (202) 298-6030; consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador Derek N. SHEARER
embassy:: Itainen Puistotie 14A, FIN-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 equaling that of the UK, | France and Italy.

21 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$18,200

(1995 est.)

Real growth rate

(1995 est.)industrial production growth: 5% (1993 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

(1995 est.)

Unemployment rate

17%

(1995)

GDP composition by sector(1994)

agriculture 4.6%industry 28%services 67.4% (1994)

Budget

Revenues

$21.7 billionExpenditures

$31.7 billion (1993 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Installed generating capacity, 13,360,000 kW

Electricity production

58 billionElectricity consumption per capita

12,196 (1993)

Economic overview

Finland has a highly industrialized, largely free-market economy, with per capita output equaling that of the UK, France and Italy. 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. Forestry, an important export earner, provides a secondary occupation for the rural population. The economy, which experienced an average of 4.9% annual growth between 1987 and 1989, sank into deep recession in 1991 as GDP contracted by 6.5%. The recession - which continued in 1992 with GDP 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. The recession bottomed out in 1993, and Finland participated in the general European upturn of 1994.

Unemployment probably will remain a serious problem during the next few years; the majority of Finnish firms face a weak domestic market and the troubled German and Swedish export markets. The Finns voted in an October 1994 referendum to enter the EU, and Finland officially joined the Union on 1 January 1995. Increasing integration with Western Europe will dominate the economic picture over the next few years.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $92.4 billion (1995 est.)

Labor force

2.533 million; 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%

Industries

metal products, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, copper refining, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing

Agriculture

cereals, sugar beets, potatoes;
dairy cattle;
annual fish catch about 160,000 metric tons

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for Latin American cocaine for the West European market

Exports

$29.7 billion (f.o.b., 1994)

commodities:: paper and pulp, machinery, chemicals, metals, timber
partners:: EU 46.5% (Germany 13.4%, UK 10.3%), Sweden 11%, US 7.2%, Japan 2.1%, FSU 8.6% (1994)

Imports

$23.2 billion (c.i.f., 1994)

commodities:: foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, transport equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile yarn and fabrics, fodder grains
partners:: EU 44% (Germany 15%, UK 8.3%), Sweden 10.4%, US 7.6%, Japan 6.5%, FSU 10.3 (1994)

External debt

$30 billion (December 1993)

Economic aid

donor: ODA, $355 million (1993)

Currency

1 markka (FMk) or Finmark = 100 pennia

Exchange rates

markkaa (FMk) per US$1 - 4.4425 (January 1996), 4.3667 (1995), 5.2235 (1994), 5.7123 (1993), 4.4794 (1992), 4.0440 (1991)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Transportation

7 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 157 in all

over 3 047 m

2 438 to 3 047 m

1 524 to 2 437 m

914 to 1 523 m

under 914 m

PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways

76,755Railways

5,895Waterways

6,675

Highways: paved: 47,588 km (including 318 km of expressways) · unpaved: 29,167 km (1992 est.) · Railways: broad gauge: 5,895 km 1.524-m gauge (1,993 km electrified; 480 km double- or more-track) (1995) · Waterways: (including Saimaa Canal); 3,700 km suitable for steamers

Railways

total:: 5,895 km
broad gauge:: 5,895 km 1.524-m gauge (1,993 km electrified; 480 km double- or more-track) (1995)

Highways

total:: 76,755 km
paved:: 47,588 km (including 318 km of expressways)
unpaved:: 29,167 km (1992 est.)

total:: 92 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,051,231 GRT/1,075,397 DWT
ships by type:: bulk 8, cargo 20, chemical tanker 5, oil tanker 12, passenger 2, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 31, short-sea passenger 12, vehicle carrier 1 (1995 est.)

Communications

Army, Navy, Air Force, Frontier Guard (includes Sea | Guard)

9 fields

Fixed lines

2.78 million

(1986 est.)

Telephone system

good service from cable and microwave radio relay network

domestic:: cable and microwave radio relay
international:: 1 submarine cable;
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)

males age 15-49:: 1,307,128
males fit for military service:: 1,074,540
males reach military age (17) annually:: 32,760 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $1.9 billion, 1.6% of GDP (1995)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Finland.” The World Factbook 1996. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/finland/1996.

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