Finland

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 gained complete independence in 1917. During World War II, Finland successfully defended its independence through cooperation with Germany and resisted subsequent invasions by the Soviet Union, albeit with some loss of territory. During the next half-century, Finland transformed from a farm/forest economy to a diversified modern industrial economy; per-capita income is among the highest in Western Europe. A member of the EU since 1995, Finland was the only Nordic state to join the euro single currency at its initiation in January 1999. In the 21st century, the key features of Finland's modern welfare state are high-quality education, promotion of equality, and a national social welfare system, although the system is currently facing the challenges of an aging population and the fluctuations of an export-driven economy. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Finland opted to join NATO; it became the organization's 31st member in April 2023.

land

303,815 sq km

total

338,145 sq km

water

34,330 sq km

slightly more than two times the size of Georgia; 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

1,250 km

highest point

Halti (alternatively Haltia, Haltitunturi, Haltiatunturi) 1,328 m

lowest point

Baltic Sea 0 m

mean elevation

164 m

64 00 N, 26 00 E

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

80 sq km (2015)

border countries

Norway 709 km; Sweden 545 km; Russia 1,309 km

total

2,563 km

agricultural land

7.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 7.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0.1% (2018 est.)

forest

72.9% (2018 est.)

other

19.6% (2018 est.)

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

fresh water lake(s)

Saimaa - 1,760 sq km; Paijanne - 1,090 sq km; Inarijarvi - 1,000 sq km; Oulujarvi - 900 sq km; Pielinen - 850 sq km

Europe

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

exclusive fishing zone

12 nm; extends to continental shelf boundary with Sweden, Estonia, and Russia

territorial sea

12 nm (in the Gulf of Finland - 3 nm)

severe winters in the north

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

the vast majority of people are found in the south; the northern interior areas remain sparsely populated

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

0-14 years

16.2% (male 464,939/female 444,585)

15-64 years

60.3% (male 1,725,072/female 1,668,604)

65 years and over

23.5% (2024 est.) (male 583,645/female 739,569)

beer

3.76 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.91 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

1.96 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

8.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

1.59 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

10.2 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

women married by age 18

0.1% (2017 est.)

NA

85.5% (2015)

note

note: percent of women aged 18-49

9.6% of GDP (2020)

57.2% (2023 est.)

10.4 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Finland has a relatively high fertility rate for Europe at about 1.75 children per woman in 2023.  Finnish women have high labor force participation rates, and their educational attainment is higher than that of Finnish men. Finland’s family policy, like other Nordic countries, puts an emphasis on reconciling work and family life.  Both parents can stay at home with an earnings-based allowance until the baby is about 11 months old.  Finland also has a publicly subsidized childcare system.  Alternatively, parents can choose to take care of a small child through home care leave with a flat allowance rate.  These benefits have encouraged fathers to do a greater share of housework and childcare, although women still perform the lion’s share of domestic work.  In other instances, women have reduced the burden of household work by outsourcing domestic chores, rather than men taking on more of the responsibilities.  Finland has high family size ideals compared to other European countries, and childlessness and one-child families are not favored.  The proportion of couples having at least three children has been growing since the 1970s. Finland has historically been a country of emigration.  In the 20th century, Finns emigrated largely in two waves.  Before World War II, the majority of Finns went to North America, and after World War II most went to Sweden, where industrialization was generating much-needed jobs that offered higher salaries and a better standard of living.  In the 1980s and early 1990s, Finnish returnees (mainly from Sweden) began to outnumber Finnish emigrants.  Also arriving in Finland between April 1990 and 2010, were Ingrian Finns – descendants of ethnic Finns who settled near St. Petersburg, Russia, in the 17th century – who immigrated to Finland under the Right of Return Law.  In addition, the country has absorbed immigrants from Russia, Estonia, the former Yugoslavia, and Sweden for a variety of reasons, most commonly for marriage and family reunification.  Finland has also accepted refugees and asylum seekers from Somalia, Iraq, China, and Thailand.

elderly dependency ratio

37.1

potential support ratio

2.7 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

62.1

youth dependency ratio

25

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

5.9% of GDP (2020 est.)

Finnish, Swedish, Russian, Estonian, Romani, Sami

note

note: 90.9% of the population has a Finnish background (2022 est.)

0.85 (2024 est.)

3.6 beds/1,000 population (2018)

female

1.9 deaths/1,000 live births

male

2.3 deaths/1,000 live births

total

2.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Languages

Finnish (official) 85.9%, Swedish (official) 5.2%, Russian 1.7%, other 7.2% (2022 est.)

major-language sample(s)

World Factbook, korvaamaton perustietolähde. (Finnish)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

female

85.2 years

male

79.3 years

total population

82.2 years (2024 est.)

female

NA

male

NA

total population

NA

1.338 million HELSINKI (capital) (2023)

8 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

female

44.9 years

male

41.8 years

total

43.3 years (2024 est.)

29.5 years (2020 est.)

adjective

Finnish

noun

Finn(s)

2.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

22.2% (2016)

4.64 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

female

2,852,758 (2024 est.)

male

2,773,656

total

5,626,414

the vast majority of people are found in the south; the northern interior areas remain sparsely populated

0.2% (2024 est.)

Lutheran 66.6%, Greek Orthodox 1.1%, other 1.7%, none 30.6% (2022 est.)

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

female

20 years (2020)

male

18 years

total

19 years

0-14 years

1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.79 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

female

16.3% (2020 est.)

male

26.9% (2020 est.)

total

21.6% (2020 est.)

1.74 children born/woman (2024 est.)

rate of urbanization

0.42% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

85.8% of total population (2023)

19 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); 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]; Pohjanmaa (Finnish), Osterbotten (Swedish) [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]

daylight saving time

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

etymology

the name may derive from the Swedish helsing, an archaic name for "neck" (hals), and which may refer to a narrowing of the Vantaa River that flows into the Gulf of Finland at Helsinki; fors refers to "rapids," so helsing fors meaning becomes "the narrows' rapids"

geographic coordinates

60 10 N, 24 56 E

name

Helsinki

time difference

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

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Finland

dual citizenship recognized

yes

residency requirement for naturalization

6 years

amendments

proposed by Parliament; passage normally requires simple majority vote in two readings in the first parliamentary session and at least two-thirds majority vote in a single reading by the newly elected Parliament; proposals declared "urgent" by five-sixths of Parliament members can be passed by at least two-thirds majority vote in the first parliamentary session only; amended several times, last in 2018

history

previous 1906, 1919; latest drafted 17 June 1997, approved by Parliament 11 June 1999, entered into force 1 March 2000

conventional long form

Republic of Finland

conventional short form

Finland

etymology

name may derive from the ancient Fenni peoples who are first described as living in northeastern Europe in the first centuries A.D.

local long form

Suomen tasavalta (Finnish)/ Republiken Finland (Swedish)

local short form

Suomi (Finnish)/ Finland (Swedish)

chief of mission

Ambassador Douglas HICKEY (since 11 May 2022)

email address and website

HelsinkiACS@state.govhttps://fi.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Itainen Puistotie 14 B, 00140 Helsinki

FAX

[358] (9) 174-681

mailing address

5310 Helsinki Place, Washington DC  20521-5310

telephone

[358] (9) 616-250

chancery

3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Leena-Kaisa MIKKOLA (since 18 September 2024)

consulate(s) general

Los Angeles, New York

email address and website

sanomat.WAS@gov.fihttps://finlandabroad.fi/web/usa/mission

FAX

[1] (202) 298-6030

telephone

[1] (202) 298-5800

cabinet

Council of State or Valtioneuvosto appointed by the president, responsible to Parliament

chief of state

President Alexander STUBB (since 1 March 2024)

election results

2024:  Alexander STUBB elected in the second round; percent of vote in the first round - Alexander STUBB (KoK) 27.2%, Pekka HAAVISTO (Vihr) 25.8%, Jussi HALLA-AHO (PS) 19.0%, Olli REHN (Kesk) 15.3%; percent of vote in second round - STUBB 51.6%, HAAVISTO 48.4%2018:  Sauli NIINISTO reelected president; percent of vote - Sauli NIINISTO (independent) 62.7%, Pekka HAAVISTO (Vihr) 12.4%, Laura HUHTASAARI (PS) 6.9%, Paavo VAYRYNEN (independent) 6.2%, Matti VANHANEN (Kesk) 4.1%, other 7.7%

elections/appointments

president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 6-year term (eligible for a second term); first round held on 28 January 2024 with a runoff on 11 February 2024 (next to be held by 28 January 2030); prime minister appointed by Parliament

head of government

Prime Minister Petteri ORPO (since 20 June 2023)

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

parliamentary republic

6 December 1917 (from Russia)

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNSOM, UNTSO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

highest court(s)

Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus (consists of the court president and 18 judges); Supreme Administrative Court (consists of 21 judges, including the court president and organized into 3 chambers); note - Finland has a dual judicial system - courts with civil and criminal jurisdiction and administrative courts with jurisdiction for litigation between individuals and administrative organs of the state and communities

judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court and Supreme Administrative Court judges appointed by the president of the republic; judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 68

subordinate courts

6 Courts of Appeal; 8 regional administrative courts; 27 district courts; special courts for issues relating to markets, labor, insurance, impeachment, land, tenancy, and water rights

civil law system based on the Swedish model

description

unicameral Parliament or Eduskunta (200 seats; 199 members directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and 1 member in the province of Aland directly elected by simple majority vote; members serve 4-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party/coalition - Kok 24%, PS 23%, SDP 21.5%. Center Party 11.5%, Vihr 6.5%, Vas 5.5%, SFP 4.5%, KD 2.5%, Aland 0.5%; Movement Now 0.5%; seats by party/coalition - Kok 48, PS 46, SDP 43, Center Party 23, Vihr 13, Vas 11, SFP 9, KD 5; Aland 1; Movement Now 1; composition - men 108, women 92, percentage women 46%

elections

last held on 2 April 2023 (next to be held on 30 April 2027)

lyrics/music

Johan Ludvig RUNEBERG/Fredrik PACIUS

name

"Maamme" (Our Land)

note

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

selected World Heritage Site locales

Fortress of Suomenlinna (c); Old Rauma (c); Petäjävesi Old Church (c); Verla Groundwood and Board Mill (c); Bronze Age Burial Site of Sammallahdenmäki (c); High Coast / Kvarken Archipelago (n); Struve Geodetic Arc (c)

total World Heritage Sites

7 (6 cultural, 1 natural)

Independence Day, 6 December (1917)

lion; national colors: blue, white

Aland Coalition (a coalition of several political parties on the Aland Islands)Center Party or Kesk Christian Democrats or KD Finns Party or PS Green League or Vihr Left Alliance or Vas Movement Now or Liike Nyt National Coalition Party or Kok Social Democratic Party or SDP Swedish People's Party or RKP or SFP 

18 years of age; universal

milk, barley, oats, wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, pork, chicken, peas, beef (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

on alcohol and tobacco

5.1% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

on food

11.9% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

expenditures

$106.991 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

revenues

$105.182 billion (2022 est.)

Fitch rating

AA+ (2016)

Moody's rating

Aa1 (2016)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

AA+ (2014)

Current account balance 2021

$1.222 billion (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$7.074 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$4.364 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

high-income, export-based EU and eurozone economy; major timber, metals, engineering, telecom, and electronics industries; emerging from recession triggered by inflation, weak consumer and export demand, and lower private investment; labor market reform plan to address structural rigidities

Currency

euros (EUR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

0.893 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

0.876 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

0.845 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

0.95 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

0.925 (2023 est.)

Exports 2021

$116.762 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$127.706 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$122.953 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

paper, refined petroleum, steel, wood pulp, wood (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Germany 11%, US 10%, Sweden 10%, Netherlands 7%, China 5% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

exports of goods and services

41% (2023 est.)

government consumption

25.2% (2023 est.)

household consumption

52.5% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-41.4% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

23.4% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

-0.7% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

agriculture

2.5% (2023 est.)

industry

24.5% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

60.7% (2023 est.)

$300.187 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2021

27.7 (2021 est.)

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

highest 10%

22.9% (2021 est.)

lowest 10%

3.8% (2021 est.)

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports 2021

$116.72 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$134.575 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$124.221 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

crude petroleum, refined petroleum, cars, garments, electricity (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Sweden 15%, Germany 14%, China 8%, Norway 7%, Netherlands 6% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

-2.72% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

2.19% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

7.12% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

6.25% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

2.88 million (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

12.2% (2022 est.)

note

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

note

note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions

Public debt 2017

61.3% of GDP (2017 est.)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$320.209 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$324.486 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$321.126 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

2.84% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

1.34% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

-1.04% (2023 est.)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$57,800 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$58,400 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$57,500 (2023 est.)

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

0.23% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

0.23% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

0.23% of GDP (2023 est.)

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$16.744 billion (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$16.036 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$16.929 billion (2023 est.)

21.08% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

note

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

7.61% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

6.72% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

7.16% (2023 est.)

female

15.5% (2023 est.)

male

16.4% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

15.9% (2023 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke

8.577 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from consumed natural gas

2.231 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

25.198 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

36.006 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

consumption

4.141 million metric tons (2022 est.)

exports

37,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

imports

4.068 million metric tons (2022 est.)

production

808,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

consumption

80.082 billion kWh (2022 est.)

exports

6.896 billion kWh (2022 est.)

imports

19.825 billion kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

24.784 million kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

3.009 billion kWh (2022 est.)

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

biomass and waste

19% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

fossil fuels

9.9% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

hydroelectricity

19.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

nuclear

34.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

0.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

wind

17% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

181.313 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

consumption

1.157 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

exports

106.77 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

imports

1.372 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors

4.93GW (2023 est.)

Number of operational nuclear reactors

5 (2023)

Percent of total electricity production

42% (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

175,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

total petroleum production

8,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

33 (2020 est.)

total

1.846 million (2020 est.)

a mix of 3 publicly operated TV stations and numerous privately owned TV stations; several free and special-interest pay-TV channels; cable and satellite multi-channel subscription services are available; all TV signals are broadcast digitally; Internet television, such as Netflix and others, is available; public broadcasting maintains a network of 13 national and 25 regional radio stations; a large number of private radio broadcasters and access to Internet radio

.fi  

note

note - Aland Islands assigned .ax

percent of population

93% (2021 est.)

total

5.115 million (2021 est.)

domestic

fixed-line 4 per 100 subscriptions and nearly 129 per 100 mobile-cellular (2021)

general assessment

Finland’s telecom market is among the more progressive in Europe, with operators having been at the forefront in deploying technologies and with the regulator being among the first to auction spectrum for 5G use; these efforts have been supported by the government which is working towards its target of providing a broadband service of at least 100Mb/s by 2025; 5G services were available to more than 40% of the population by early 2021, and take-up among subscribers has been strong although most will remain with LTE in the short term; the country enjoys one of the highest broadband and mobile subscription rates in the region, with customers able to make use of the latest iterations of technologies including DOCSIS3.1, LTE-A, 5G, and GPON fiber infrastructure; Finland has emerged as one of the pioneers in 5G; the auction of spectrum in the 700MHz and 3.5GHh bands has enabled network operators to extend the availability of LTE services nationally and to prepare for 5G services; Spectrum in the 2.5GHz band was auctioned in mid-2020 and has since enabled the MNOs to widen their 5G footprint considerably; there is an ongoing shift away from DSL to fiber and mobile networks (2021)

international

country code - 358; landing points for Botnia, BCS North-1 & 2, SFL, SFS-4, C-Lion1, Eastern Lights, Baltic Sea Submarine Cable, FEC, and EESF-2 & 3 submarine cables that provide links to many Finland points, Estonia, Sweden, Germany, and Russia; 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) (2019)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

3 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

186,000 (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

129 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

7.13 million (2022 est.)

98 (2024)

OH

15 (2024)

by type

bulk carrier 9, general cargo 75, oil tanker 4, other 194

total

282 (2023)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

957.64 million (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

13,364,839 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

77

number of registered air carriers

3 (2020)

1,288 km gas transmission pipes, 1,976 km distribution pipes (2016)

key ports

Helsinki, Kaskinen, Kokkola, Kotka, Kristinestad, Mantyluoto, Oulu, Pietarsaari, Pori, Rauma, Turku, Vaasa

large

5

medium

7

ports with oil terminals

21

small

11

total ports

37 (2024)

very small

14

total

5,918 km (2020) 3,349 km electrified

private and forest roads

350,000 km (2012)

total

108,637 km (2019)

urban

26,000 km (2012)

8,000 km (2013) (includes Saimaa Canal system of 3,577 km; southern part leased from Russia; water transport used frequently in the summer and widely replaced with sledges on the ice in winter; there are 187,888 lakes in Finland that cover 31,500 km); Finland also maintains 8,200 km of coastal fairways

the Finnish Defense Forces (FDF) are focused primarily on territorial defense, which is based on having a large, trained reserve force created by general conscription; active-duty FDF units absorb and train more than 20,000 conscripts annually; the resulting pool of trained reservists gives the FDF a wartime strength of approximately 280,000 and a total reserve of some 900,000 citizens with military service; other FDF responsibilities include support to international peacekeeping operations and some domestic security duties, such as assisting the National Police in maintaining law and order in crisesthe FDF is also focused on fulfilling its new commitment to NATO; following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Finland reassessed its security policy situation and applied for NATO membership, gaining entry in April 2023; as a member of the Alliance, Finland is part of NATO’s collective defense and is covered by the security guarantees enshrined in Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty); Finland had been part of NATO’s Partnership for Peace program since 1994, and the FDF exercised with some NATO members and participated in NATO-led military missions in the Balkans, Afghanistan, and Iraq; in 2024, it joined NATO's Air Policing mission in Eastern EuropeFinland is a signatory of the EU’s Common Security and Defense Policy and actively participates in EU crisis management missions and operations; the FDF also cooperates closely with the militaries of other Nordic countries through the Nordic Defense Cooperation structure (NORDEFCO; established 2009), which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden and involves cooperation in such areas as armaments, education, human resources, training and exercises, and operations; Sweden, the UK, and the US are close bi-lateral defense partners; in 2022, Finland signed a mutual security agreement with the UK, and since 2014 has been part of the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force, a pool of high-readiness military forces from 10 Baltic and Scandinavian countries designed to respond to a wide range of contingencies in the North Atlantic, Baltic Sea, and High North regions (2024)

Finnish Defense Forces (FDF; Puolustusvoimat): Army (Maavoimat), Navy (Merivoimat), Air Force (Ilmavoimat) (2024)

note

note: the Border Guard (Rajavartiolaitos) and National Police are under the Ministry of the Interior; the Border Guard becomes part of the FDF in wartime

approximately 31,000 active-duty personnel (23,000 Army; 5,000 Navy; 3,000 Air Force) (2024)

note

note: active-duty figures include about 21,000 conscripts carrying out their obligated military service (approximately 17,000 Army; 3,500 Navy; 1,000 Air Force)

165 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (2024)

the military's inventory consists of a wide mix of modern US, European, Israeli, South Korean, and domestically produced weapons systems; the Finnish defense industry produces a variety of military equipment, including wheeled armored vehicles and naval vessels; Finland also cooperates with other European countries and the US in the joint production of arms (2024)

Military Expenditures 2020

1.5% of GDP (2020)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.9% of GDP (2021)

Military Expenditures 2022

2% of GDP (2022)

Military Expenditures 2023

2.5% of GDP (2023)

Military Expenditures 2024

2.4% of GDP (2024 est.)

at age 18, all Finnish men are obligated to serve 5.5-12 months of service within a branch of the military or the Border Guard (length of service depends on the type of duty); women 18-29 may volunteer for service; there is also an option to perform non-military service which lasts for 8.5 or 11.5 months; after completing their initial conscript obligation, individuals enter the reserves and remain eligible for mobilization until the age of 50 for rank-and-file and 60 for non-commissioned and commissioned officers (2024)

note

note 1: Finland has had conscription since 1951; each year, the military inducts and trains approximately 21,000 conscripts; women have served on a voluntary basis since 1995, and as of 2022 made up about 19% of the military's full-time personnel

refugees (country of origin)

9,175 (Iraq) (mid-year 2022); 66,195 (Ukraine) (as of 29 February 2024)

stateless persons

3,546 (2022)

carbon dioxide emissions

45.87 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

4.46 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

5.47 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

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

limited air pollution in urban centers; some water pollution from industrial wastes, agricultural chemicals; habitat loss threatens wildlife populations

party to

Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

global geoparks and regional networks

Impact Crater Lake - Lappajarvi; Rokua; Lauhanvuori-Haemeenkangas; Saimaa; Salpausselka (2024)

total global geoparks and regional networks

4 (2024)

agricultural land

7.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 7.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0.1% (2018 est.)

forest

72.9% (2018 est.)

other

19.6% (2018 est.)

fresh water lake(s)

Saimaa - 1,760 sq km; Paijanne - 1,090 sq km; Inarijarvi - 1,000 sq km; Oulujarvi - 900 sq km; Pielinen - 850 sq km

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

0.36% of GDP (2018 est.)

110 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

agricultural

500 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

2 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

1 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

rate of urbanization

0.42% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

85.8% of total population (2023)

municipal solid waste generated annually

2.738 million tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

769,926 tons (2015 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

28.1% (2015 est.)