|
Home
Missions
Ministries
Bible
Institute & School
Contact
Us
Careers,
Opportunities in Ministry
|
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. |
|
Location:
|
Northern Europe,
bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Gulf of
Finland, between Sweden and Russia |
|
Map references:
|
Europe |
|
Area:
|
total:
337,030 sq km
water: 31,560 sq km
land: 305,470 sq km |
|
Area - comparative:
|
slightly smaller
than Montana |
|
Land boundaries:
|
total:
2,628 km
border countries: Norway 729 km, Sweden 586 km, Russia
1,313 km |
|
Coastline:
|
1,126 km
(excludes islands and coastal indentations) |
|
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 |
|
Terrain:
|
mostly low, flat
to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low hills |
|
Elevation extremes:
|
lowest point:
Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Halti 1,328 m |
|
Natural resources:
|
timber, iron ore,
copper, lead, zinc, chromite, nickel, gold, silver, limestone |
|
Land use:
|
arable land:
6.98%
permanent crops: 0.01%
other: 93.01% (1998 est.) |
|
Irrigated land:
|
640 sq km (1998
est.) |
|
Natural hazards:
|
NA |
|
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-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent
Organic Pollutants |
|
Geography - note:
|
long boundary
with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national capital on
European continent; population concentrated on small
southwestern coastal plain |
|
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.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
|
less than 0.1%
(2001 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
|
1,200 (2001 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
|
less than 100
(2001 est.) |
|
Nationality:
|
noun:
Finn(s)
adjective: Finnish |
|
Ethnic groups:
|
Finn 93%, Swede
6%, Sami 0.11%, Roma 0.12%, Tatar 0.02% |
|
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% (1980 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA% |
|
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; Supreme Court may request legislation
interpreting or modifying laws; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations |
|
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 [Bjarne
KALLIS]; 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 [Ville ITALA]; Social Democratic
Party or SDP [Paavo LIPPONEN]; Swedish People's Party or SFP
[Jan-Erik ENESTAM] |
|
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 (vacant)
embassy: Itainen Puistotie 14A, FIN-00140, Helsinki
mailing address: APO AE 09723
telephone: [358] (9) 616250
FAX: [358] (9) 174681 |
|
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 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 12 countries joining the European
Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) - 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. |
|
GDP:
|
purchasing power
parity - $141.7 billion (2003 est.) |
|
GDP - real growth rate:
|
1.5% (2003 est.) |
|
GDP - per capita:
|
purchasing power
parity - $27,300 (2003 est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector:
|
agriculture:
3.1%
industry: 29.4%
services: 67.5% (2003 est.) |
|
Population below poverty line:
|
NA% |
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|
1.1% (2003 est.) |
|
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% |
|
Unemployment rate:
|
9.2% (2003 est.) |
|
Budget:
|
revenues:
$36.1 billion
expenditures: $31 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
|
Industries:
|
metal products,
electronics, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, copper refining,
foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing |
|
Industrial production growth rate:
|
0.7% (2003 est.) |
|
Electricity - production:
|
71.2 billion kWh
(2001) |
|
Electricity - production by source:
|
fossil fuel:
39%
hydro: 18.7%
other: 11.8% (2001)
nuclear: 30.4% |
|
Electricity - consumption:
|
76.18 billion kWh
(2001) |
|
Electricity - exports:
|
1.81 billion kWh
(2001) |
|
Electricity - imports:
|
11.77 billion kWh
(2001) |
|
Oil - production:
|
0 bbl/day (2001
est.) |
|
Oil - consumption:
|
211,400 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
|
Oil - exports:
|
101,000 bbl/day
(2001) |
|
Oil - imports:
|
318,300 bbl/day
(2001) |
|
Natural gas - production:
|
0 cu m (2001
est.) |
|
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 (200 est.) |
|
Agriculture - products:
|
barley, wheat,
sugar beets, potatoes; dairy cattle; fish |
|
Exports:
|
$54.28 billion
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
|
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) |
|
Imports:
|
$37.35 billion
f.o.b. (2003 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) |
|
Debt - external:
|
$30 billion
(December 1993) |
|
Economic aid - donor:
|
ODA, $379 million
(2001) |
|
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 |
|
Exchange rates:
|
euros per US
dollar - 0.89 (2003), 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000),
0.94 (1999) |
|
Fiscal year:
|
calendar year |
|
Telephones - main lines in use:
|
2,725,600 (2002) |
|
Telephones - mobile cellular:
|
4,516,800 (2002) |
|
Telephone system:
|
general
assessment: modern system with excellent service
domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and an
extensive cellular net provide domestic needs
international: country code - 358; 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) |
|
Radio broadcast stations:
|
AM 2, FM 186,
shortwave 1 (1998) |
|
Television broadcast stations:
|
120 (plus 431
repeaters) (1999) |
|
Internet country code:
|
.fi |
|
Internet hosts:
|
1,220,062 (2002) |
|
Internet users:
|
2.65 million
(2002) |
|
Railways:
|
total:
5,850 km
broad gauge: 5,850 km 1.524-m gauge (2,400 km
electrified) (2002) |
|
Highways:
|
total:
77,943 km
paved: 50,305 km (including 750 km of expressways)
unpaved: 27,688 km (2001) |
|
Waterways:
|
6,675 km
note: includes Saimaa Canal; 3,700 km suitable for
large ships |
|
Pipelines:
|
gas 694 km (2003) |
|
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 (2003 est.) |
|
Airports - with unpaved runways:
|
total: 73
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 69 (2003 est.) |
|
Military branches:
|
Army, Navy, Air
Force |
|
Military manpower - military age:
|
18 years of age
(2004 est.) |
|
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) |
|
Disputes - international:
|
none |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
|