CIA - The World Factbook

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 won its complete independence in 1917. During World War II, it was able to successfully defend its freedom and resist invasions by the Soviet Union - albeit with some loss of territory. In the subsequent half century, the Finns made a remarkable transformation from a farm/forest economy to a diversified modern industrial economy; per capita income is now among the highest in Western Europe. A member of the European Union since 1995, Finland was the only Nordic state to join the euro system at its initiation in January 1999.

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

slightly smaller than Montana

cold temperate; potentially subarctic but comparatively mild because of moderating influence of the North Atlantic Current, Baltic Sea, and more than 60,000 lakes

mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low hills

timber, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, nickel, gold, silver, limestone

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

5,250,275 (July 2009 est.)

10.38 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

10.07 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

0.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

1.73 children born/woman (2009 est.)

less than 0.1% (2007 est.)

fewer than 100 (2003 est.)

Finn 93.4%, Swede 5.6%, Russian 0.5%, Estonian 0.3%, Roma (Gypsy) 0.1%, Sami 0.1% (2006)

Lutheran Church of Finland 82.5%, Orthodox Church 1.1%, other Christian 1.1%, other 0.1%, none 15.1% (2006)

Finnish 91.2% (official), Swedish 5.5% (official), other 3.3% (small Sami- and Russian-speaking minorities) (2007)

6 provinces (laanit, singular - laani); Ahvenanmaan Laani (Aland), Etela-Suomen Laani (Southern Finland), Ita-Suomen Laani (Eastern Finland), Lansi-Suomen Laani (Western Finland), Lapin Laani (Lapland), Oulun Laani

6 December 1917 (from Russia)

Independence Day, 6 December (1917)

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

18 years of age; universal

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

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

Center Party or Kesk [Matti VANHANEN]; Christian Democrats or KD [Paivi RASANEN]; Green Party or VIHR [Tarja CRONBERG]; Left Alliance or VAS [Martti KORHONEN] (composed of People's Democratic League and Democratic Alternative); National Coalition Party (conservative) or Kok [Jyrki KATAINEN]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Jutta URPILAINEN]; Swedish People's Party or SFP [Stefan WALLIN]; True Finns [Timo SOINI]

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G-9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

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

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; Finland's ratio of exports to GDP has risen from a quarter to 37% over the past 15 years. Finland excels in high-tech exports such as mobile phones. 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. Although Finland has been one of the best performing economies within the EU in recent years and its banks and financial markets have avoided the worst of global financial crisis, the world slowdown has hit export growth and domestic demand and will serve as a brake on economic growth in 2009 and 2010. The slowdown of construction, other investment, and exports will cause unemployment to rise. During 2009, unemployment will climb to over 8% of the labor force. Long-term challenges include the need to address a rapidly aging population and decreasing productivity that threaten competitiveness, fiscal sustainability, and economic growth.

$194 billion (2008 est.)

$192.4 billion (2007 est.)

$184.8 billion (2006 est.)

$271.9 billion (2008 est.)

2.703 million (2008 est.)

agriculture and forestry 4.5%, industry 18.3%, construction 7.3%, commerce 16%, finance, insurance, and business services 14.5%, transport and communications 7%, public services 32.4% (2008)

20.6% of GDP (2008 est.)

33.7% of GDP (2008 est.)

46.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

3% (31 December 2008)

5% (31 December 2007)

5.79% (31 December 2008)

$NA (31December 2008)

$NA (31 December 2007)

$NA (31 December 2008)

$NA (31 December 2007)

$241.1 billion (31 December 2008)

$225.4 billion (31 December 2007)

$NA (31 December 2008)

$369.2 billion (31 December 2007)

$265.5 billion (31 December 2006)

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

metals and metal products, electronics, machinery and scientific instruments, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing

77.24 billion kWh (2007 est.)

86.9 billion kWh (2008)

3.335 billion kWh (2008 est.)

16.11 billion kWh (2008 est.)

9,789 bbl/day (2008 est.)

215,600 bbl/day (2008 est.)

133,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

347,400 bbl/day (2008 est.)

4.735 billion cu m (2008 est.)

4.739 billion cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

$5.518 billion (2008 est.)

$10.12 billion (2007 est.)

$96.62 billion (2008 est.)

$90.2 billion (2007 est.)

electrical and optical equipment, machinery, transport equipment, paper and pulp, chemicals, basic metals; timber

Russia 11.6%, Sweden 10%, Germany 10%, US 6.4%, UK 5.5%, Netherlands 5.1% (2008)

$87.51 billion (2008 est.)

$78.22 billion (2007 est.)

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

Russia 16.3%, Germany 15.7%, Sweden 13.6%, Netherlands 6.3%, China 5.1%, UK 4.2% (2008)

$8.346 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

$8.385 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

$339.5 billion (31 December 2008)

$314.1 billion (31 December 2007)

$84.44 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

$88.69 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

$116 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

$114.2 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

AM 2, FM 59, shortwave 2 (2008)

120 (plus 431 repeaters) (1999); note - on 1 September 2007, Finland began broadcasting all television signals digitally; analog broadcasts via cable networks were discontinued 29 February 2008

.fi; note - Aland Islands assigned .ax

4.205 million (2009)

4.383 million (2008)

Hamina, Helsinki, Kokkola, Kotka, Naantali, Pori, Raahe, Rauma, Turku

Finnish Defense Forces (FDF): Army, Navy (includes Coastal Defense Forces), Air Force (Suomen Ilmavoimat) (2007)

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 (2008)

2% of GDP (2005 est.)

various groups in Finland advocate restoration of Karelia and other areas ceded to the Soviet Union, but the Finnish Government asserts no territorial demands