2021 Edition

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 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. In the subsequent 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 - currently challenged by an aging population and the fluctuations of an export-driven economy.

Area

land

303,815 sq km

total

338,145 sq km

water

34,330 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly more than two times the size of Georgia; 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

1,250 km

Elevation

highest point

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

lowest point

Baltic Sea 0 m

mean elevation

164 m

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

690 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

border countries

Norway 709 km, Sweden 545 km, Russia 1309 km

total

2,563 km

Land use

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.)

Location

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

Major lakes (area sq km)

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

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

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)

Natural hazards

severe winters in the north

Natural resources

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

Population distribution

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

Terrain

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

Age structure

0-14 years

16.41% (male 467,220/female 447,005)

15-24 years

10.95% (male 312,179/female 297,717)

25-54 years

37.37% (male 1,064,326/female 1,017,545)

55-64 years

13.02% (male 357,687/female 367,610)

65 years and over

22.26% (male 543,331/female 697,045) (2020 est.)

Birth rate

10.49 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

85.5% (2015)

note

note: percent of women aged 18-49

Current Health Expenditure

9% (2018)

Death rate

10.33 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

36.6

potential support ratio

2.7 (2020 est.)

total dependency ratio

62.4

youth dependency ratio

25.8

Drinking water source

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 (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

Education expenditures

6.3% of GDP (2018)

Ethnic groups

Finn, Swede, Russian, Estonian, Romani, Sami

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.1% (2018)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

4,000 (2018)

Hospital bed density

3.6 beds/1,000 population (2018)

Infant mortality rate

female

1.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

male

2.33 deaths/1,000 live births

total

2.15 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Languages

Finnish (official) 86.9%, Swedish (official) 5.2%, Russian 1.5%, other 6.4% (2020 est.)

major-language sample(s)

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

84.6 years (2021 est.)

male

78.63 years

total population

81.55 years

Major urban areas - population

1.317 million HELSINKI (capital) (2021)

Maternal mortality ratio

3 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age

female

44.4 years (2020 est.)

male

41.3 years

total

42.8 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

29.4 years (2019 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Finnish

noun

Finn(s)

Net migration rate

2.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

22.2% (2016)

Physicians density

3.81 physicians/1,000 population (2016)

Population

5,587,442 (July 2021 est.)

Population distribution

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

Population growth rate

0.26% (2021 est.)

Religions

Lutheran 67.8%, Greek Orthodox 1.1%, other 1.7%, unspecified 29.4% (2020 est.)

Sanitation facility access

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 (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

20 years (2019)

male

18 years

total

19 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.05 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.05 male(s)/female

25-54 years

1.05 male(s)/female

55-64 years

0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.78 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.97 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.74 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

19.4% (2020 est.)

male

23.2%

total

21.4%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

85.6% of total population (2021)

Administrative divisions

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]

Capital

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

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

Constitution

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

Country name

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/Republiken Finland

local short form

Suomi/Finland

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Ian CAMPBELL (since 14 January 2021)

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Mikko Tapani HAUTALA (since 17 September 2020)

consulate(s) general

Los Angeles, New York

email address and website

sanomat.was@formin.fihttps://finlandabroad.fi/web/usa/mission

FAX

[1] (202) 298-6030

telephone

[1] (202) 298-5800

Executive branch

cabinet

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

chief of state

President Sauli NIINISTO (since 1 March 2012)

election results

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); election last held on 28 January 2018 (next to be held in January 2024); prime minister appointed by Parliament

head of government

Prime Minister Sanna MARIN (since 10 December 2019)

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

Government type

parliamentary republic

Independence

6 December 1917 (from Russia)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

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, MINUSMA, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Judicial branch

highest courts

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

Legal system

civil law system based on the Swedish model

Legislative branch

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 - SDP 17.7%, PS 17.5%, Kok 17.0%. Center Party  13.8%, Vihr 11.5%, Vas 8.2%, SFP 4.5%, KD 3.9%, other 5.9%; seats by party/coalition - SDP 40, PS 39, Kok 38, Centre Party 31, Vihr 20, Vas 16, SFP 9, KD 5; composition men 108, women 92, percent of women 46%

elections

last held on 14 April 2019 (next to be held in April 2023)

National anthem

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

National holiday

Independence Day, 6 December (1917)

National symbol(s)

lion; national colors: blue, white

Political parties and leaders

Aland Coalition (a coalition of several political parties on the Aland Islands)Center Party or Kesk [Annika SAARIKKO]Christian Democrats or KD [Sari ESSAYAH]Finns Party or PS [Riikka PURRA]Green League or Vihr [Maria OHISALO]Left Alliance or Vas [Li ANDERSSON]National Coalition Party or Kok [Petteri ORPO]Social Democratic Party or SDP [Sanna MARIN]Swedish People's Party or RKP or SFP [Anna-Maja HENRIKSSON]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

milk, barley, oats, wheat, potatoes, sugar beet, rye, pork, poultry, beef

Budget

expenditures

135.6 billion (2017 est.)

note

note: Central Government Budget data; these numbers represent a significant reduction from previous official reporting

revenues

134.2 billion (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-0.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

AA+ (2016)

Moody's rating

Aa1 (2016)

Standard & Poors rating

AA+ (2014)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2018

-$4.908 billion (2018 est.)

Current account balance 2019

-$603 million (2019 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2018

$536.301 billion (2018 est.)

Debt - external 2019

$631.549 billion (2019 est.)

Economic overview

Finland has a highly industrialized, largely free-market economy with per capita GDP almost as high as that of Austria and the Netherlands and slightly above that of Germany and Belgium. Trade is important, with exports accounting for over one-third of GDP in recent years. The government is open to, and actively takes steps to attract, foreign direct investment.Finland is historically competitive in manufacturing, particularly in the wood, metals, engineering, telecommunications, and electronics industries. Finland excels in export of technology as well as promotion of startups in the information and communications technology, gaming, cleantech, and biotechnology sectors. Except for timber and several minerals, Finland depends on imports of raw materials, energy, and some components for manufactured goods. Because of the cold climate, agricultural development is limited to maintaining self-sufficiency in basic products. Forestry, an important export industry, provides a secondary occupation for the rural population.Finland had been one of the best performing economies within the EU before 2009 and its banks and financial markets avoided the worst of global financial crisis. However, the world slowdown hit exports and domestic demand hard in that year, causing Finland’s economy to contract from 2012 to 2014. The recession affected general government finances and the debt ratio. The economy returned to growth in 2016, posting a 1.9% GDP increase before growing an estimated 3.3% in 2017, supported by a strong increase in investment, private consumption, and net exports. Finnish economists expect GDP to grow a rate of 2-3% in the next few years.Finland's main challenges will be reducing high labor costs and boosting demand for its exports. In June 2016, the government enacted a Competitiveness Pact aimed at reducing labor costs, increasing hours worked, and introducing more flexibility into the wage bargaining system. As a result, wage growth was nearly flat in 2017. The Government was also seeking to reform the health care system and social services. In the long term, Finland must address a rapidly aging population and decreasing productivity in traditional industries that threaten competitiveness, fiscal sustainability, and economic growth.

Exchange rates

currency

euros (EUR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2013

0.7634 (2013 est.)

Exchange rates 2014

0.885 (2014 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

0.87789 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

0.90338 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

0.82771 (2020 est.)

Exports

Exports 2017

$109.513 billion (2017 est.)

Exports 2018

$106.01 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Exports 2019

$108.22 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Exports - commodities

refined petroleum, paper and wood pulp products, cars, stainless steel, lumber (2019)

Exports - partners

Germany 14%, Sweden 10%, United States 8%, Netherlands 6%, China 6%, Russia 5% (2019)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

38.5% (2017 est.)

government consumption

22.9% (2017 est.)

household consumption

54.4% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-38.2% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

22.1% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

0.4% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

2.7% (2017 est.)

industry

28.2% (2017 est.)

services

69.1% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$269.259 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 1995

22.2 (1995)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2017

27.4 (2017 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

45.2% (2013)

lowest 10%

6.7%

Imports

Imports 2017

$110.701 billion (2017 est.)

Imports 2018

$109.45 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Imports 2019

$107.39 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Imports - commodities

crude petroleum, cars and vehicle parts, refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, packaged medicines (2019)

Imports - partners

Germany 16%, Sweden 14%, Russia 13%, China 6%, Netherlands 6% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

6.2% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

0.7% (2017 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018

1% (2018 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

1% (2019 est.)

Labor force

2.52 million (2020 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

4%

industry

20.7%

services

75.3% (2017 est.)

Population below poverty line

12.2% (2019 est.)

Public debt

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 2016

62.9% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

61.3% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2010 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$265.46 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$268.84 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$261.39 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2017

3.27% (2017 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2018

1.52% (2018 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2019

1.15% (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2010 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2018

$48,100 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2019

$48,700 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$47,300 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$11.2 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$10.51 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

53.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2018

7.38% (2018 est.)

Unemployment rate 2019

6.63% (2019 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

19.4% (2020 est.)

male

23.2%

total

21.4%

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

236,700 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption

82.79 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports

3.159 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

41% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

20% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

17% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

23% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports

22.11 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

16.27 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production

66.54 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2020)

Natural gas - consumption

2.35 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports

4 million cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports

2.322 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

NA cu m (1 January 2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

217,100 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

166,200 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

122,200 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

310,600 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

33.32 (2020 est.)

total

1.846 million (2020)

Broadcast media

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

Internet country code

.fi  

note

note - Aland Islands assigned .ax

Internet users

percent of population

92.17% (2020 est.)

total

5.27 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line 5 per 100 subscription and 129 per 100 mobile-cellular (2019)

general assessment

Finland’s telecom market is among most progressive in Europe through favorable regulatory action and competitive technological innovation; orientation towards high technology, research, and development with high investment in information and communication sectors; large proportion of population on 5G and most on LTE; high broadband and mobile penetration; fixed-voice density falling; government provided universal 5Mb/s broadband (2020)

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)

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

4.06 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

225,000 (2020)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

128.5 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

7.12 million (2020)

Airports

total

148 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

10

2,438 to 3,047 m

26

914 to 1,523 m

21

over 3,047 m

3

total

74

under 914 m

14 (2017)

Airports - with unpaved runways

914 to 1,523 m

3

total

74

under 914 m

71 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

OH

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 9, container ship 1, general cargo 74, oil tanker 4, other 184 (2021)

total

272

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

957.64 million mt-km (2018)

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)

Pipelines

1288 km gas transmission pipes, 1976 km distribution pipes (2016)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Helsinki, Kotka, Naantali, Porvoo, Raahe, Rauma

Railways

broad gauge

5,926 km 1.524-m gauge (3,270 km electrified) (2016)

total

5,926 km (2016)

Roadways

highways

78,000 km (50,000 paved, including 700 km of expressways; 28,000 unpaved) (2012)

private and forest roads

350,000 km (2012)

total

454,000 km (2012)

urban

26,000 km (2012)

Waterways

8,000 km (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 (2013)

Military - note

Finland is not a member of NATO, but the two actively cooperate in peace-support operations, exercise together, and exchange analysis and information; Finland joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace program in 1994; Finnish Armed Forces participated in NATO-led military operations and missions in the Balkans, Afghanistan, and Iraq Finland is a signatory of the EU’s Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP) and actively participates in CSDP crisis management missions and operations the Finnish Armed Forces closely cooperate with the militaries of other Nordic countries through the Nordic Defense Cooperation (NORDEFCO), which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden; areas of cooperation include armaments, education, human resources, training and exercises, and operations; NORDEFCO was established in 2009

Military and security forces

Finnish Defense Forces (FDF): Army (Maavoimat), Navy (Merivoimat), Air Force (Ilmavoimat); Ministry of the Interior: Border Guard (Rajavartiolaitos) (2021)

note

note - the Border Guard becomes part of the FDF in wartime

Military and security service personnel strengths

information varies; approximately 22,000 total active duty personnel (15,000 Army; 4,000 Navy; 3,000 Air Force) (2021)

Military deployments

160 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (Oct 2021)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the inventory of the Finnish Defense Forces consists of a wide mix of mostly modern US, European, and domestically-produced weapons systems; the Finnish defense industry produces a variety of military equipment, including wheeled armored vehicles and naval vessels (2021)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2017

1.4% of GDP (2017)

Military Expenditures 2018

1.4% of GDP (2018)

Military Expenditures 2019

1.5% of GDP (2019)

Military Expenditures 2020

1.53% of GDP (2020)

Military Expenditures 2021

2.2% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military service age and obligation

at age 18, all Finnish men are obligated to serve 6-12 months of service within a branch of the military or the Border Guard, and women may volunteer for service; after completing their initial conscript obligation, individuals enter the reserves and remain eligible for mobilization until the age of 60 (2021)

Disputes - international

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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

8,398 (Iraq) (2020)

stateless persons

3,428 (2020)

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

45.87 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

4.46 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

5.88 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

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

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

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

Land use

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.)

Major lakes (area sq km)

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

Revenue from coal

coal revenues

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

0.36% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

110 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

50 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

1.417 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

400 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

85.6% of total population (2021)

Waste and recycling

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.)