Finland

Republic of FinlandSuomen Tasavalta

republicIndependence 6 December 1917 (from Russia)

Finland as the 1999 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 108 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

5.16 million July 1999 est. · 4.98m in 1990

Population growth% a year

0.15% 1999 est. · 0.37% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 40.3 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

77.32 years 1999 est. · 75.65 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

1.68 children per woman 1999 est. · 1.7 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

3.8 deaths per 1,000 live births 1999 est. · 6 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$20,100 1998 est. · $15,900 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

5.1% 1998 est. · -3.5% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

Long ruled by foreign powers, including Sweden and the pre-revolutionary Russian Empire, Finland finally declared independence in 1917. During World War II, Finland fought the USSR twice and then the Germans toward the end of the war. In the following half-century, the Finns made a remarkable transformation from a farm/forest economy to a diversified modern industrial economy. Per capita income has risen to the West European level; Finland is a member of the European Union and is the only Nordic state to join the euro system at its initiation in January 1999.

Geography

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

18 fields

Land useshare of 337,030 sq km

arable land 8%forests and woodland 76%other 16% (1993 est.)irrigated 640 sq km (1993 est.)permanent crops: NA% · permanent pastures: NA%

Area

337,030sq km

land: 305,470 sq kmwater: 31,560 sq kmslightly 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: 12 nm (in the Gulf of Finland--3 nm)

Highest point

1,328m

Haltiatunturilowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m

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

Geographic coordinates

64 00 N, 26 00 E

Map references

Europe

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

Natural hazards

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

Environment--international agreements

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

Geography--note

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

People

15 fields

Population

5,158,372

(July 1999 est.)growth rate: 0.15% (1999 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1999 est.)

Birth

10.77Death

9.67Net migration

0.4

Ethnic groups

Finn 93%Swede 6%Lapp 0.11%Gypsy 0.12%Tatar 0.02%

Religions

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

Literacy

100%

(1980 est.)definition: age 15 and over can read and writemale: NA%female: NA%

Age structure

0-14 years:: 18% (male 483,700; female 464,431)
15-64 years:: 67% (male 1,743,340; female 1,706,873)
65 years and over:: 15% (male 289,405; female 470,623) (1999 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
total population:: 0.95 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

3.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:: 77.32 years
male:: 73.81 years
female:: 80.98 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.68 children born/woman (1999 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); Prime Minister Paavo LIPPONEN (since 13 April 1995) and Deputy Prime Minister Sauli NIINISTO (since 13 April 1995)

19 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

54%

-Martti AHTISAARI 54%Elisabeth REHN 46%election last held 31 January-6 February 1994 (next to be held NA January 2000)

Legislature, 154 seats, elected 21 March 1999one dot, one seat

-Social Democratic Party 51Center Party 48Leftist Alliance (Communist) 20Swedish People's Party 11Green Union 11Finnish Christian League 10other 3

Country name

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

Data code

Government type

republic

Capital

Helsinki

Administrative divisions

6 provinces (laanit, singular--laani); Aland, Etela-Suomen Laani, Ita-Suomen Lanni, Lansi-Suomen Laani, Lappi, Oulun Laani

Independence

6 December 1917 (from Russia)

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)
head of government:: Prime Minister Paavo LIPPONEN (since 13 April 1995) and Deputy Prime Minister Sauli NIINISTO (since 13 April 1995)
cabinet:: Council of State or Valtioneuvosto appointed by the president, responsible to Parliament
elections:: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 31 January-6 February 1994 (next to be held NA January 2000);
prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed from the majority party by the president after parliamentary elections
election results:: Martti AHTISAARI elected president; percent of vote--Martti AHTISAARI 54%, Elisabeth REHN 46%

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 21 March 1999 (next to be held NA March 2003)
election results:: percent of vote by party--Social Democratic Party 22.9%, Center Party 22.5%, National Coalition (Conservative) Party 21.0%, Leftist Alliance (Communist) 10.9%, Swedish People's Party 5.1%, Green Union 7.2%, Finnish Christian League 4.2%;
seats by party--Social Democratic Party 51, Center Party 48, National Coalition (Conservative) Party 46, Leftist Alliance (Communist) 20, Swedish People's Party 11, Green Union 11, Finnish Christian League 10, other 3

Judicial branch

Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus, judges appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders

Alliance (Communist) composed of People's Democratic League and

Political pressure groups and leaders

Finnish Communist

International organization participation

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Jaakko Tapani LAAJAVA
chancery:: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general:: Los Angeles and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Eric EDELMAN
embassy:: Itainen Puistotie 14A, FIN-00140, Helsinki
mailing address:: APO AE 09723

Flag description

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 roughly that of the UK, | France, Germany, and Italy.

31 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$20,100

purchasing power parity? · (1998 est.)

Real growth rate

5.1%

(1998 est.)industrial production growth: 7.4% (1995)

Inflation, consumer prices

1.5%

(1998 est.)

Unemployment rate

12%

(1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector(1997)

agriculture 5%industry 32%services 63% (1997)

Budget

Revenues

$33 billionExpenditures

$40 billion (1996 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Electricity

fossil fuel 54.73%hydro 17.35%nuclear 27.9%other 0.02% (1996)

Electricity production

67.469 billion (1996)Electricity consumption

71.169 billion (1996)Electricity exports

1.7 billion (1996)Electricity imports

5.4 billion (1996)

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, 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 has come back from the recession of 1990-92, which had been caused by economic overheating, depressed foreign markets, and the dismantling of the barter system between Finland and the former Soviet Union.

Rapidly increasing integration with Western Europe--Finland was one of the 11 countries joining the euro monetary system (EMU) on 1 January 1999--will dominate the economic picture over the next several years. Growth in 1999 probably will slow, perhaps to 3%, a barrier to any substantial drop in unemployment.

GDP

purchasing power parity--$103.6 billion (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Labor force

2.533 million

Labor force--by occupation

public services 30.4%, industry 20.9%, commerce 15%, 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--products

cereals, sugar beets, potatoes;
dairy cattle;
fish

Exports

$43 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports--commodities

machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals; timber, paper, and pulp

Exports--partners

Germany 11%, UK 10%, Sweden 10%, US 7%, Russia 7%, France 4%, Japan (1997)

Imports

$30.7 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Imports--commodities

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

Imports--partners

Germany 15%, Sweden 12%, UK 8%, Russia 8%, US 7%, Japan 5% (1997)

Debt--external

$30 billion (December 1993)

Economic aid--donor

ODA, $388 million (1995)

Currency

1 markka (FMk) or Finmark = 100 pennia

Exchange rates

markkaa (FMk) per US$1--5.12 (January 1999), 5.3441 (1998), 5.1914 (1997), 4.5936 (1996), 4.3667 (1995), 5.2235 (1994);

note: on 1 January 1999, the European Union introduced a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in some member countries at the rate of 0.8597 euros per US$ and a fixed rate of 5.93472 Markkaa per euro;

the euro will replace the local currency in consenting countries for all transactions in 2002

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

6 fields

Fixed lines

2.5 million

(1995 est.)

Telephone system

modern system with excellent service

domestic:: cable, microwave radio relay, and an extensive cellular net care for domestic needs
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)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 6, FM 105, shortwave 0

Radios

4.98 million (1991 est.)

Television broadcast stations

120 (in addition, there are 431 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions

1.92 million (1995 est.)

Transportation

9 fields

Merchant marine, 101 ships by type(1998 est.)

bulk 9cargo 23chemical tanker 6oil tanker 11passenger 1railcar carrier 1roll-on/roll-off cargo 38short-sea passenger 12

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

under 914 m

over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 26 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 20

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

under 914 m

total: 89 914 to 1,523 m: 6

Networkskm

Highways

77,796Railways

5,859Waterways

6,675

Highways: paved: 49,789 km (including 444 km of expressways) · unpaved: 28,007 km (1997 est.) · Railways: broad gauge: 5,859 km 1.524-m gauge (2,073 km electrified; 480 km double- or more-track) (1996) · Waterways: (including Saimaa Canal); 3,700 km suitable for steamers