1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
Introduction
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
Area
total: 337,030 sq km land: 305,470 sq km water: 31,560 sq km
Area--comparative
slightly smaller than Montana
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
Coastline
1,126 km (excludes islands and coastal indentations)
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Haltiatunturi 1,328 m
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
Geographic coordinates
64 00 N, 26 00 E
Geography--note
long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national capital on European continent; population concentrated on small southwestern coastal plain
Irrigated land
640 sq km (1993 est.)
Land boundaries
total: 2,628 km border countries: Norway 729 km, Sweden 586 km, Russia 1,313 km
Land use
arable land: 8% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: 76% other: 16% (1993 est.)
Location
Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia
Map references
Europe
Maritime claims
contiguous zone: 6 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm territorial sea: 12 nm (in the Gulf of Finland--3 nm)
Natural hazards
NA
Natural resources
timber, copper, zinc, iron ore, silver
Terrain
mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low hills
People and Society
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.)
Birth rate
10.77 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
9.67 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups
Finn 93%, Swede 6%, Lapp 0.11%, Gypsy 0.12%, Tatar 0.02%
Infant mortality rate
3.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages
Finnish 93.5% (official), Swedish 6.3% (official), small Lappand Russian-speaking minorities
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 77.32 years male: 73.81 years female: 80.98 years (1999 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% (1980 est.) male: NA% female: NA%
Nationality
noun: Finn(s) adjective: Finnish
Net migration rate
0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Population
5,158,372 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
0.15% (1999 est.)
Religions
Evangelical Lutheran 89%, Greek Orthodox 1%, none 9%, other 1%
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.)
Total fertility rate
1.68 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
6 provinces (laanit, singular--laani); Aland, Etela-Suomen Laani, Ita-Suomen Lanni, Lansi-Suomen Laani, Lappi, Oulun Laani
Capital
Helsinki
Constitution
17 July 1919
Country name
conventional long form: Republic of Finland conventional short form: Finland local long form: Suomen Tasavalta local short form: Suomi
Data code
FI
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%
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)
Government type
republic
Independence
6 December 1917 (from Russia)
International organization participation
AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G9, 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
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
Legal system
civil law system based on Swedish law; Supreme Court may request legislation interpreting or modifying laws; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
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
National holiday
Independence Day, 6 December (1917)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture--products
cereals, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy cattle; fish
Budget
revenues: $33 billion expenditures: $40 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996 est.)
Currency
1 markka (FMk) or Finmark = 100 pennia
Debt--external
$30 billion (December 1993)
Economic aid--donor
ODA, $388 million (1995)
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.
Electricity--consumption
71.169 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports
1.7 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports
5.4 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production
67.469 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 54.73% hydro: 17.35% nuclear: 27.9% other: 0.02% (1996)
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
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)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
purchasing power parity--$103.6 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: 5% industry: 32% services: 63% (1997)
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$20,100 (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
5.1% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 4.2% highest 10%: 21.6% (1991)
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)
Industrial production growth rate
7.4% (1995)
Industries
metal products, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, copper refining, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
1.5% (1998 est.)
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%
Population below poverty line
NA%
Unemployment rate
12% (1998 est.)
Communications
Radio broadcast stations
AM 6, FM 105, shortwave 0
Radios
4.98 million (1991 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)
Telephones
2.5 million (1995 est.)
Television broadcast stations
120 (in addition, there are 431 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions
1.92 million (1995 est.)
Transportation
Airports
157 (1998 est.) Airports--with paved runways: total: 68 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 under 914 m: 9 (1998 est.) Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 89 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 83 (1998 est.)
Highways
total: 77,796 km paved: 49,789 km (including 444 km of expressways) unpaved: 28,007 km (1997 est.)
Merchant marine
total: 101 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,192,559 GRT/1,161,594 DWT ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 23, chemical tanker 6, oil tanker 11, passenger 1, railcar carrier 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 38, short-sea passenger 12 (1998 est.)
Pipelines
natural gas 580 km Ports and harbors: Hamina, Helsinki, Kokkola, Kotka, Loviisa, Oulu, Pori, Rauma, Turku, Uusikaupunki, Varkaus
Railways
total: 5,859 km broad gauge: 5,859 km 1.524-m gauge (2,073 km electrified; 480 km doubleor more-track) (1996)
Waterways
6,675 km total (including Saimaa Canal); 3,700 km suitable for steamers
Military and Security
Military branches
Army, Navy, Air Force, Frontier Guard (includes Sea Guard)
Military expenditures--dollar figure
$1.8 billion (1999)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP
2% (1999)
Military manpower--availability
males age 15-49: 1,274,654 (1999 est.) Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,050,944 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--military age
17 years of age
Military manpower--reaching military age annually
males: 34,336 (1999 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international
none
Illicit drugs
minor transshipment point for Latin American cocaine for the West European market