Finland

total:

2.33 cu km/yr (14%/84%/3%)

per capita:

444 cu m/yr (1999)

• air pollution from manufacturing and power plants contributing to acid rain;
• water pollution from industrial wastes, agricultural chemicals;
• habitat loss threatens wildlife populations

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

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:

0.69 male(s)/female

total population:

0.96 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

noun:

Finn(s)

adjective:

Finnish

conventional long form:

Republic of Finland

conventional short form:

Finland

local long form:

Suomen tasavalta/Republiken Finland

local short form:

Suomi/Finland

name:

Helsinki

geographic coordinates:

60 10 N, 24 56 E

time difference:

UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time:

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

• 20 regions (maakunnat, singular - maakunta (Finnish); landskapen, singular - landskapet (Swedish));
• Aland (Swedish), Ahvenanmaa (Finnish);
• Etela-Karjala (Finnish), Sodra Karelen (Swedish) [South Karelia];
• Etela-Pohjanmaa (Finnish), Sodra Osterbotten (Swedish) [South Ostrobothnia];
• Etela-Savo (Finnish), Sodra Savolax (Swedish) [South Savo];
• Kanta-Hame (Finnish), Egentliga Tavastland (Swedish);
• Ita-Uusimaa (Finnish), Ostra Nyland (Swedish) [East Newland];
• Kainuu (Finnish), Kajanaland (Swedish);
• Keski-Pohjanmaa (Finnish), Mellersta Osterbotten (Swedish) [Central Ostrobothnia];
• Keski-Suomi (Finnish), Mellersta Finland (Swedish) [Central Finland];
• Kymenlaakso (Finnish), Kymmenedalen (Swedish);
• Lappi (Finnish), Lappland (Swedish);
• Paijat-Hame (Finnish), Paijanne-Tavastland (Swedish);
• Pirkanmaa (Finnish), Birkaland (Swedish) [Tampere];
• Osterbotten (Swedish), Pohjanmaa (Finnish) [Ostrobothnia];
• Pohjois-Karjala (Finnish), Norra Karelen (Swedish) [North Karelia];
• Pohjois-Pohjanmaa (Finnish), Norra Osterbotten (Swedish) [North Ostrobothnia];
• Pohjois-Savo (Finnish), Norra Savolax (Swedish) [North Savo];
• Satakunta (Finnish and Swedish);
• Uusimaa (Finnish), Nyland (Swedish) [Newland];
• Varsinais-Suomi (Finnish), Egentliga Finland (Swedish) [Southwest Finland]

• civil law system based on Swedish law;
• the president may request the Supreme Court to review laws;
• accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

chief of state:

President Tarja HALONEN (since 1 March 2000)

head of government:

Prime Minister Mari KIVINIEMI (since 22 June 2010); Deputy Prime Minister Jyrki KATAINEN (since 19 April 2007)

cabinet:

Council of State or Valtioneuvosto appointed by the president, responsible to parliament; (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website)

elections:

• president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term);
• election last held on 15 January 2006 (next to be held in January 2012);
• the president appoints the prime minister and deputy prime minister from the majority party or the majority coalition after parliamentary elections and the parliament must approve the appointment;
• Prime Minister VANHANEN reelected on 17 April 2007

election results:

• percent of vote - Tarja HALONEN (SDP) 46.3%, Sauli NIINISTO (Kok) 24.1%, Matti VANHANEN (Kesk) 18.6%, Heidi HAUTALA (VIHR) 3.5%;
• a runoff election between HALONEN and NIINISTO was held 29 January 2006 - HALONEN 51.8%, NIINISTO 48.2%;
• Matti VANHANEN reelected prime minister;
• election results 121-71

note: government coalition - Kesk, KOK, VIHR, and SFP

• Center Party or Kesk [Mari KIVINIEMI];
• Christian Democrats or KD [Paivi RASANEN];
• Green Party or VIHR [Anni SINNEMAKI];
• Left Alliance or VAS [Paavo ARHINMAKI];
• National Coalition Party or Kok [Jyrki KATAINEN];
• Social Democratic Party or SDP [Jutta URPILAINEN];
• Swedish People's Party or SFP [Stefan WALLIN];
• True Finns [Timo SOINI]

chief of mission:

Ambassador Pekka LINTU

chancery:

3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:

[1] (202) 298-5800

FAX:

[1] (202) 298-6030

consulate(s) general:

Los Angeles, New York

chief of mission:

Ambassador Bruce J. ORECK

embassy:

Itainen Puistotie 14B, 00140 Helsinki

mailing address:

APO AE 09723

telephone:

[358] (9) 616250

FAX:

[358] (9) 6162 5800

• 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);
• the blue represents the thousands of lakes scattered across the country, while the white is for the snow that covers the land in winter

name:

"Maamme" (Our Land)

lyrics/music:

Johan Ludvig RUNEBERG/Fredrik PACIUS

note: in use since 1848; although never officially adopted by law, the anthem has been popular since it was first sung by a student group in 1848; Estonia's anthem uses the same melody as that of Finland

agriculture and forestry:

4.5%

industry:

18.2%

construction:

7.3%

commerce:

15.9%

finance, insurance, and business services:

14.5%

transport and communications:

6.9%

public services:

32.7% (2008)

lowest 10%:

3.6%

highest 10%:

24.7% (2007)

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

general assessment:

modern system with excellent service

domestic:

digital fiber-optic fixed-line network and an extensive mobile-cellular network provide domestic needs

international:

• country code - 358;
• submarine cables provide links to Estonia and Sweden;
• 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)

• a mix of publicly-operated TV stations and privately-owned TV stations;
• the 2 publicly-owned TV stations recently expanded services and the largest private TV station has introduced several special-interest pay-TV channels;
• cable and satellite multi-channel subscription services are available;
• all TV signals have been broadcast digitally since September 2007;
• analog broadcasts via cable networks were terminated in February 2008;
• public broadcasting maintains a network of 13 national and 25 regional radio stations;
• a large number of private radio broadcasters (2008)

total:

5,794 km

country comparison to the world: 31

broad gauge:

5,794 km 1.524-m gauge (3,047 km electrified) (2008)

total:

78,141 km

country comparison to the world: 62

paved:

50,914 km (includes 739 km of expressways)

unpaved:

27,227 km (2009)

• 18 years of age for male voluntary and compulsory - and female voluntary - national military and nonmilitary service;
• service obligation 6-12 months;
• mandatory retirement at age 60 (2010)

males age 16-49:

1,160,812

females age 16-49:

1,111,743 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49:

958,949

females age 16-49:

916,818 (2010 est.)

male:

33,297

female:

32,233 (2010 est.)