Finland

Republic of FinlandSuomen Tasavalta

republicIndependence 6 December 1917 (from Russia)

Finland as the 2002 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 114 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 Bothnia, and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia
2002

Every edition of Finland

Populationas each edition published it
5.18 million July 2002 est. · 4.98m in 1990
Population growth% a year
0.14% 2002 est. · 0.37% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 40.3 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
77.75 years 2002 est. · 75.65 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
1.7 children per woman 2002 est. · 1.7 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
3.76 deaths per 1,000 live births 2002 est. · 6 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$26,200 2002 est. · $15,900 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
1.1% 2002 est. · -3.5% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

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 finally won its complete independence in 1917. During World War II, it was able to successfully defend its freedom and fend off invasions by the Soviet Union and Germany. In the subsequent half century, the Finns have made a remarkable transformation from a farm/forest economy to a diversified modern industrial economy; per capita income is now on par with Western Europe. As a member of the European Union, Finland was 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

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Land useshare of 337,030 sq km

arable land 6.98%permanent crops 0.01%other 93.01% (1998 est.)irrigated 640 sq km (1998 est.)
Area
337,030sq km
water: 31,560 sq kmland: 305,470 sq kmslightly smaller than Montana
Coastline
1,126km
(excludes islands and coastal indentations)continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitationexclusive fishing zone: 12 NM; extends to continental shelf boundary with Swedenterritorial sea: 12 NM (in the Gulf of Finland - 3 NM)
Highest point
1,328m
Haltilowest 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

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

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-Marine Living Resources, 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

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Population
5,183,545
(July 2002 est.)growth rate: 0.14% (2002 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2002 est.)

Birth
10.6Death
9.78Net migration
0.62

Ethnic groups

Finn 93%Swede 6%Sami 0.11%Roma 0.12%Tatar 0.02%

Religions

Evangelical Lutheran 89%Russian 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:
17.9% (male 471,920; female 454,082)
15-64 years:
66.9% (male 1,752,493; female 1,717,544)
65 years and over:
15.2% (male 306,216; female 481,290) (2002 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.64 male(s)/female
total population:
0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate

3.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:
77.75 years
female:
81.52 years (2002 est.)
male:
74.1 years

Total fertility rate

1.7 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Finn(s)
adjective:
Finnish

Languages

Finnish 93.4% (official), Swedish 5.9% (official), small Lapp- and Russian-speaking minorities

Government

Republic; President Tarja HALONEN (since 1 March 2000); Prime Minister Paavo LIPPONEN (since 13 April 1995) and Deputy Prime Minister Ville ITALA (since 31 August 2001)

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Presidential electionpercent of vote

51.6%
Tarja HALONEN (SDP) 51.6%Esko AHO (Kesk) 48.4%election last held 6 February 2000 (next to be held NA February 2006)

Parliament or Eduskunta, 200 seats, elected 21 March 1999one dot, one seat

SDP 51Kesk 48Kok 46Leftist Alliance (Communist) 20SFP 11Green League 11SKL 10other 3

Percent of vote

SDP 22.9%Kesk 22.5%Kok 21.0%Leftist Alliance (Communist) 10.9%SFP 5.1%Green League 7.2%SKL 4.2%

Country name

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

Capital

Helsinki

Administrative divisions

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

Independence

6 December 1917 (from Russia)

National holiday

Independence Day, 6 December (1917)

Constitution

17 July 1919

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:
President Tarja HALONEN (since 1 March 2000)
head of government:
Prime Minister Paavo LIPPONEN (since 13 April 1995) and Deputy Prime Minister Ville ITALA (since 31 August 2001)
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 6 February 2000 (next to be held NA February 2006);
  • prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed from the majority party by the president after parliamentary elections

note: government coalition - SDP, Kok, Leftist Alliance (People's Democratic Union and Democratic Alternative), SFP, and Green League

election results:
Tarja HALONEN elected president; percent of vote - Tarja HALONEN (SDP) 51.6%, Esko AHO (Kesk) 48.4%

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament or Eduskunta (200 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis to serve four-year terms)

election results:
  • percent of vote by party - SDP 22.9%, Kesk 22.5%, Kok 21.0%, Leftist Alliance (Communist) 10.9%, SFP 5.1%, Green League 7.2%, SKL 4.2%;
  • seats by party - SDP 51, Kesk 48, Kok 46, Leftist Alliance (Communist) 20, SFP 11, Green League 11, SKL 10, other 3
elections:
last held 21 March 1999 (next to be held NA March 2003)

Judicial branch

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

Political parties and leaders

  • Center Party or Kesk [Esko AHO];
  • Finnish Christian Democratic Party or SKL [C. P. Bjarne KALLIS];
  • Green League [Osmo SOININVAARA];
  • Leftist Alliance (Communist) composed of People's Democratic League and Democratic Alternative [Suvi-Anne SIIMES];
  • National Coalition (conservative) Party or Kok [Ville ITALA];
  • Social Democratic Party or SDP [Paavo LIPPONEN];
  • Swedish People's Party or SFP [Jan-Erik ENESTAM];
  • True Finns [Timo SOINI]

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, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNMOVIC, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Jukka Robert VALTASAARI
consulate(s) general:
Los Angeles and New York
FAX:
[1] (202) 298-6030
telephone:
[1] (202) 298-5800
chancery:
3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Bonnie McELVEEN-HUNTER
embassy:
Itainen Puistotie 14B, FIN-00140, Helsinki
mailing address:
APO AE 09723
telephone:
[358] (9) 171931
FAX:
[358] (9) 174681

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)

Economy

Finland has a highly industrialized, largely free-market economy, with per capita output roughly that of the UK, France, Germany, and Italy.

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Real growth rate
1.1%
(2002 est.)industrial production growth: 5% (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate
8.5%
(2002 est.)
Labor force
2.6million
(2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(2002 est.)

agriculture 4%industry 34%services 62% (2002 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

12.4%
Germany
14.5%
8.4%
Sweden
10.2%
9.7%
US
6.9%
9.6%
UK
6.4%
5.9%
Russia
9.6%
4.6%
France
4.5%
Exports $40.1 billion f.o.b. (2002)Imports $31.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)(2001)

Budget

Revenues
$36.1 billionExpenditures
$31 billion (2000 est.)
expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Electricity

fossil fuel 41%hydro 19%other 12% (2000)nuclear 28%
Electricity production
75.356 billion (2000)Electricity consumption
81.961 billion (2000)Electricity exports
326 million (2000)Electricity imports
12.206 billion (2000)

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 exports equaling almost one-third 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. 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 2002 was held back by the global slowdown but will pick up in 2003 provided the world economy suffers no further blows.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $136.2 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $26,200 (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%:
4%
highest 10%:
22% (1991) (1991)

Labor force - by occupation

public services 32%, industry 22%, commerce 14%, finance, insurance, and business services 10%, agriculture and forestry 8%, transport and communications 8%, construction 6%

Industries

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

Agriculture - products

  • barley, wheat, sugar beets, potatoes;
  • dairy cattle;
  • fish

Exports

$40.1 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities

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

Imports

$31.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Debt - external

$30 billion (December 1993)

Economic aid - donor

ODA, $379 million (1997)

Currency

euro (EUR); markka (FIM)

note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries;

on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Exchange rates

euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); markkaa per US dollar - 5.3441 (1998), 5.1914 (1997)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

10 fields
Mobile cellular
3,728,600
(2001)
Fixed lines
2,847,900
(2001) · country code .fi

Telephone system

general assessment:
modern system with excellent service
domestic:
cable, microwave radio relay, and an extensive cellular net provide 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 2, FM 186, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios

7.7 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations

120 (plus 431 repeaters) (1999)

Televisions

3.2 million (1997)

Internet users

2.69 million (2002)

Transportation

9 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right

2
over 3,047 m
27
2,438 to 3,047 m
10
1,524 to 2,437 m
23
914 to 1,523 m
4
12
under 914 m
72
Paved 74Unpaved 76

Networkskm

Highways
77,831Railways
5,865Waterways
6,675
Highways: paved: 49,789 km (including 444 km of expressways) · unpaved: 28,042 km (1999) · Railways: broad gauge: 5,865 km 1.524-m gauge (2,234 km electrified; 480 km double- or multiple-track) (2000 est.) · Waterways: note: includes Saimaa Canal; 3,700 km suitable for large ships

Railways

total:
5,865 km
broad gauge:
5,865 km 1.524-m gauge (2,234 km electrified; 480 km double- or multiple-track) (2000 est.)

Highways

total:
77,831 km
paved:
49,789 km (including 444 km of expressways)
unpaved:
28,042 km (1999)

Waterways

6,675 km note: includes Saimaa Canal; 3,700 km suitable for large ships

Pipelines

natural gas 580 km

Ports and harbors

Hamina, Helsinki, Kokkola, Kotka, Loviisa, Oulu, Pori, Rauma, Turku, Uusikaupunki, Varkaus

Merchant marine

total:
98 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,172,404 GRT/1,144,139 DWT
ships by type:
bulk 9, cargo 26, chemical tanker 5, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 11, roll on/roll off 36, short-sea passenger 10

note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 1, Sweden 1 (2002 est.)

Airports

160 (2001)

Military

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

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Military branches

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

Military manpower - military age

17 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 1,240,762 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 1,024,379 (2002 est.)

Transnational Issues

1 field

Central Intelligence Agency. “Finland.” The World Factbook 2002. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/finland/2002.

How to cite ← 2001 edition 2003 edition →