2003 Edition

Administrative divisions

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 17.7% (male 468,077; female 450,785) 15-64 years: 66.9% (male 1,753,760; female 1,719,253) 65 years and over: 15.4% (male 312,883; female 486,027) (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

150 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 27 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 23

total

74

under 914 m

12 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

76 914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m

72 (2002) Military Finland

Area

land

305,470 sq km

total

337,030 sq km

water

31,560 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Montana

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 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 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 Finland

Birth rate

10.54 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$31 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

revenues

$36.1 billion

Capital

Helsinki

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)

Constitution

1 March 2000

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Finland

conventional short form

Finland

local long form

Suomen Tasavalta

local short form

Suomi

Currency

euro (EUR)

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

Currency code

EUR

Death rate

9.82 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Debt - external

$30 billion (December 1993)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Bonnie McELVEEN-HUNTER

embassy

Itainen Puistotie 14A, FIN-00140, Helsinki

mailing address

APO AE 09723

telephone

[358] (9) 616250

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Jukka Robert VALTASAARI

consulate(s) general

Los Angeles and New York

Disputes - international

none This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Distribution of family income - Gini index

25.6 (1991)

Economic aid - donor

ODA, $379 million (2001)

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 European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) on 1 January 1999 - will dominate the economic picture over the next several years. Growth in 2003 was held back by the global slowdown but will pick up in 2004 provided the world economy suffers no further blows.

Electricity - consumption

76.18 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

1.81 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

11.77 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

71.2 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

39%

hydro

18.7%

nuclear

30.4%

other

11.8% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Halti 1,328 m

lowest point

Baltic Sea 0 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-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

Ethnic groups

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

Exchange rates

euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94 (1999)

Executive branch

cabinet

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

chief of state

President Tarja HALONEN (since 1 March 2000)

election results

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

elections

president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 16 January 2000 and 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

head of government

Prime Minister Matti VANHANEN (since 24 June 2003) and Deputy Prime Minister Antti KALLIOMAKI (since 17 April 2003); note - former Prime Minister Anneli JAATTEENMAKI resigned

note

government coalition - KESK, SDP, and SFP

Exports

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

Exports - commodities

machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals; timber, paper, pulp (1999)

Exports - partners

Germany 11.8%, UK 9.6%, US 9%, Sweden 8.5%, Russia 6.6%, Netherlands 4.6%, France 4.5% (2002)

FAX

[1] (202) 298-6030

[358] (9) 174681

chancery

3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone

[1] (202) 298-5800

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Finland

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

GDP

purchasing power parity - $133.8 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

4%

industry

34%

services

62% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $25,800 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

1.6% (2002 est.)

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 People Finland

Government type

republic

Highways

paved

50,305 km (including 750 km of expressways)

total

77,943 km

unpaved

27,688 km (2001)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 100 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

1,200 (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

21.6% (1991)

lowest 10%

4.2%

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 (1999)

Imports - partners

Germany 14.5%, Sweden 10.9%, Russia 9.9%, UK 5.7%, France 4.3%, Denmark 4.2% (2002)

Independence

6 December 1917 (from Russia)

Industrial production growth rate

5% (2002 est.)

Industries

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

Infant mortality rate

female

3.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

male

4.21 deaths/1,000 live births

total

3.73 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.9% (2002 est.)

International organization participation

AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, 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, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Internet country code

.fi

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

3 (2002)

Internet users

2.69 million (2002) Transportation Finland

Irrigated land

640 sq km (1998 est.)

Judicial branch

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

Labor force

2.6 million (2000 est.)

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%

Land boundaries

border countries

Norway 729 km, Sweden 586 km, Russia 1,313 km

total

2,628 km

Land use

arable land

6.98%

other

93.01% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

0.01%

Languages

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

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)

election results

percent of vote by party - Kesk 24.7%, SDP 24.5%, Kok 18.5%, VAS 9.9%, VIHR 8%, KD 5.3%, SFP 4.6%; seats by party - Kesk 55, SDP 53, Kok 40, VAS 19, VIHR 14, KD 7, SFP 8, others 4

elections

last held 16 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2007)

Life expectancy at birth

female

81.68 years (2003 est.)

male

74.28 years

total population

77.92 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

NA% Government Finland

male

NA%

total population

100% (1980 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

continental shelf

200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

exclusive fishing zone

12 NM; extends to continental shelf boundary with Sweden

territorial sea

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

Median age

female

41.8 years (2002)

male

38.8 years

total

40.3 years

Merchant marine

convenience

Germany 1, Sweden 1 (2002 est.)

note

includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of

ships by type

bulk 9, cargo 24, chemical tanker 5, container 1, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 11, roll on/roll off 32, short-sea passenger 9

total

93 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,181,687 GRT/1,185,653 DWT

Military branches

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$1.8 billion (FY98/99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

2% (FY98/99) Transnational Issues Finland

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49

1,230,934 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49

1,016,693 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

31,926 (2003 est.)

National holiday

Independence Day, 6 December (1917)

Nationality

adjective

Finnish

noun

Finn(s)

Natural gas - consumption

4.557 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

4.567 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

timber, copper, zinc, iron ore, silver

Net migration rate

0.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

211,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

101,000 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports

318,300 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Pipelines

gas 694 km (2003)

Political parties and leaders

Center Party or Kesk [Matti VANHANEN]; Christian Democrats or KD [Bjarne KALLIS]; Green League or VIHR [Osmo SOININVAARA]; Left Alliance or VAS (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]

Population

5,190,785 (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

0.14% (2003 est.)

Ports and harbors

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

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 186, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios

7.7 million (1997)

Railways

broad gauge

5,850 km 1.524-m gauge (2,400 km electrified) (2002)

total

5,850 km

Religions

Evangelical Lutheran 89%, Russian Orthodox 1%, none 9%, other 1%

Sex ratio

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

cable, microwave radio relay, and an extensive cellular net provide domestic needs

general assessment

modern system with excellent service

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 - main lines in use

2,847,900 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular

3,728,600 (2001)

Television broadcast stations

120 (plus 431 repeaters) (1999)

Televisions

3.2 million (1997)

Terrain

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

Total fertility rate

1.7 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate

8.5% (2002 est.)

Waterways

6,675 km

note

includes Saimaa Canal; 3,700 km suitable for large ships