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| Introduction | Finland |
| 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 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. |
| People | Finland |
| Population: | 5,214,512 (July 2004 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 17.5% (male 466,036; female 448,339) 15-64 years: 66.7% (male 1,760,472; female 1,719,917) 65 years and over: 15.7% (male 323,082; female 496,666) (2004 est.) |
| Median age: | total: 40.7 years male: 39.1 years female: 42.2 years (2004 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 0.18% (2004 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 10.56 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Death rate: | 9.69 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 0.95 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| 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: 0.65 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 3.59 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 3.91 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 78.24 years male: 74.73 years female: 81.89 years (2004 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 1.73 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | less than 0.1% (2003 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 1,500 (2003 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | less than 100 (2003 est.) |
| Nationality: | noun: Finn(s) adjective: Finnish |
| Ethnic groups: | Finn 93.4%, Swede 5.7%, Russian 0.4%, Estonian 0.2%, Roma 0.2%, Sami 0.1% |
| Religions: | Evangelical Lutheran 89%, Russian Orthodox 1%, none 9%, other 1% |
| Languages: | Finnish 93.4% (official), Swedish 5.9% (official), small Sami- and Russian-speaking minorities |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% (2000 est.) male: NA female: NA |
| Government | Finland |
| Country name: | conventional long form: Republic of Finland conventional short form: Finland local short form: Suomi local long form: Suomen Tasavalta |
| Government type: | republic |
| Capital: | Helsinki |
| Administrative divisions: | 6 provinces (laanit, singular - laani); Aland, Etela-Suomen Laani, Ita-Suomen Laani, Lansi-Suomen Laani, Lappi, Oulun Laani |
| Independence: | 6 December 1917 (from Russia) |
| National holiday: | Independence Day, 6 December (1917) |
| Constitution: | 1 March 2000 |
| Legal system: | civil law system based on Swedish law; the president may request the Supreme Court to review laws; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: President Tarja HALONEN (since 1 March 2000) 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 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 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 note: government coalition - KESK, SDP, and SFP election results: Tarja HALONEN elected president; percent of vote - Tarja HALONEN (SDP) 51.6%, Esko AHO (Kesk) 48.4% |
| 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) |
| Judicial branch: | Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus (judges appointed by the president) |
| Political parties and leaders: | Center Party or Kesk [Matti VANHANEN]; Christian Democrats or KD [Paivi RASANEN]; Green League or VIHR [Osmo SOININVAARA]; Left Alliance or VAS composed of People's Democratic League and Democratic Alternative [Suvi-Anne SIIMES]; National Coalition (conservative) Party or Kok [Jyrki KATAINEN]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Paavo LIPPONEN]; Swedish People's Party or SFP [Jan-Erik ENESTAM] |
| International organization participation: | AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, 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, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Jukka Robert VALTASAARI consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York FAX: [1] (202) 298-6030 telephone: [1] (202) 298-5800 chancery: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Earle I. MACK embassy: Itainen Puistotie 14B, FIN-00140, Helsinki mailing address: APO AE 09723 telephone: [358] (9) 616250 FAX: [358] (9) 6162 5800 |
| 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) |
| Communications | Finland |
| Telephones - main lines in use: | 2.548 million (2003) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular: | 4.7 million (2003) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: modern system with excellent service domestic: digital fiber-optic fixed-line network and an extensive cellular network provide domestic needs international: country code - 358; 1 submarine cable (Finland Estonia Connection); 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) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | AM 2, FM 186, shortwave 1 (1998) |
| Radios: | 7.7 million (1997) |
| Television broadcast stations: | 120 (plus 431 repeaters) (1999) |
| Televisions: | 3.2 million (1997) |
| Internet country code: | .fi |
| Internet hosts: | 1,219,173 (2004) |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 3 (2002) |
| Internet users: | 2.65 million (2002) |
| Transportation | Finland |
| Railways: | total: 5,851 km broad gauge: 5,851 km 1.524-m gauge (2,400 km electrified) (2003) |
| Highways: | total: 78,137 km paved: 50,398 km (including 750 km of expressways) unpaved: 27,739 km (2003) |
| Waterways: | 7,842 km note: includes Saimaa Canal system of 3,577 km; southern part leased from Russia (2004) |
| Pipelines: | gas 694 km (2004) |
| Ports and harbors: | Hamina, Helsinki, Kokkola, Kotka, Loviisa, Oulu, Pori, Rauma, Turku, Uusikaupunki, Varkaus |
| Merchant marine: | total: 90 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,152,175 GRT/1,053,906 DWT registered in other countries: 39 (2003 est.) by type: bulk 9, cargo 26, chemical tanker 5, container 1, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 9, roll on/roll off 28, short-sea/passenger 10 foreign-owned: Estonia 1 |
| Airports: | 148 (2003 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways: | total: 75 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 under 914 m: 13 (2004 est.) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 73 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 69 (2004 est.) |
| Military | Finland |
| Military branches: | Army, Navy, Air Force |
| Military manpower - military age and obligation: | 18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service (October 2004) |
| Military manpower - availability: | males age 15-49: 1,226,890 (2004 est.) |
| Military manpower - fit for military service: | males age 15-49: 1,013,961 (2004 est.) |
| Military manpower - reaching military age annually: | males: 32,058 (2004 est.) |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $1.8 billion (FY98/99) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 2% (FY98/99) |
| Transnational Issues | Finland |
| Disputes - international: | none |
| This page was last updated on 16 December, 2004 |
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