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Compare Finland (2003) - Solomon Islands (2006)

Compare Finland (2003) z Solomon Islands (2006)

 Finland (2003)Solomon Islands (2006)
 FinlandSolomon Islands
Administrative divisions 6 provinces (laanit, singular - laani); Aland, Etela-Suomen Laani, Ita-Suomen Laani, Lansi-Suomen Laani, Lappi, Oulun Laani 9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central, Choiseul, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell and Bellona, Temotu, Western
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.)
0-14 years: 41.3% (male 116,370/female 111,834)


15-64 years: 55.4% (male 154,793/female 151,308)


65 years and over: 3.3% (male 8,696/female 9,437) (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products barley, wheat, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy cattle; fish cocoa beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; timber; cattle, pigs; fish
Airports 150 (2002) 35 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways total: 74


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: 12 (2002)
total: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 76


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 72 (2002)
total: 33


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 9


under 914 m: 23 (2006)
Area total: 337,030 sq km


land: 305,470 sq km


water: 31,560 sq km
total: 28,450 sq km


land: 27,540 sq km


water: 910 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Montana slightly smaller than Maryland
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. The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon Islands in the 1890s. Some of the bitterest fighting of World War II occurred on this archipelago. Self-government was achieved in 1976 and independence two years later. Ethnic violence, government malfeasance, and endemic crime have undermined stability and civil society. In June 2003, Prime Minister Sir Allen KEMAKEZA sought the assistance of Australia in reestablishing law and order; the following month, an Australian-led multinational force arrived to restore peace and disarm ethnic militias. The Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) has been very effective in restoring law and order and rebuilding government institutions.
Birth rate 10.54 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 30.01 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Budget revenues: $36.1 billion


expenditures: $31 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
revenues: $49.7 million


expenditures: $75.1 million; including capital expenditures of NA (2003)
Capital Helsinki name: Honiara


geographic coordinates: 9 26 S, 159 57 E


time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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 tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather
Coastline 1,126 km (excludes islands and coastal indentations) 5,313 km
Constitution 1 March 2000 7 July 1978
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Finland


conventional short form: Finland


local long form: Suomen Tasavalta


local short form: Suomi
conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Solomon Islands


local long form: none


local short form: Solomon Islands


former: British Solomon Islands
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
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Death rate 9.82 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 3.92 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Debt - external $30 billion (December 1993) $166 million (2004)
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


FAX: [358] (9) 174681
the US does not have an embassy in Solomon Islands (embassy closed July 1993); the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to the Solomon Islands
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Jukka Robert VALTASAARI


chancery: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 298-5800


FAX: [1] (202) 298-6030


consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
chief of mission: Ambassador Collin David BECK


chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400L, New York, NY 10017


telephone: [1] (212) 599-6192, 6193


FAX: [1] (212) 661-8925
Disputes - international none Australian Defense Force leads the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) at the invitation of the Solomon Islands' Government to maintain civil and political order and reinforce regional security
Economic aid - donor ODA, $379 million (2001) -
Economic aid - recipient - $122 million annually, mainly from Australia (2004 est.)
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. The bulk of the population depends on agriculture, fishing, and forestry for at least part of its livelihood. Most manufactured goods and petroleum products must be imported. The islands are rich in undeveloped mineral resources such as lead, zinc, nickel, and gold. Prior to the arrival of the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI), severe ethnic violence, the closing of key businesses, and an empty government treasury culminated in economic collapse. RAMSI has enabled a return to law and order, a new period of economic stability, and modest growth as the economy rebuilds.
Electricity - consumption 76.18 billion kWh (2001) 51.15 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports 1.81 billion kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports 11.77 billion kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - production 71.2 billion kWh (2001) 55 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 39%


hydro: 18.7%


nuclear: 30.4%


other: 11.8% (2001)
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Elevation extremes lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m


highest point: Halti 1,328 m
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 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 deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying
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
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Finn 93%, Swede 6%, Sami 0.11%, Roma 0.12%, Tatar 0.02% Melanesian 94.5%, Polynesian 3%, Micronesian 1.2%, other 1.1%, unspecified 0.2% (1999 census)
Exchange rates euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94 (1999) Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - 7.5299 (2005), 7.4847 (2004), 7.5059 (2003), 6.7488 (2002), 5.278 (2001)
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


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


note: government coalition - KESK, SDP, and SFP
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Nathaniel WAENA (since 7 July 2004)


head of government: Prime Minister Manasseh SOGAVARE (since 4 May 2006); note - Prime Minister Snyder RINI, elected on 18 April 2006 and sworn in on 20 April 2006, resigned on 26 April prior to no confidence vote in parliament; SOGAVARE elected on 4 May


cabinet: Cabinet consists of 20 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of Parliament for up to five years (eligible for a second term); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by Parliament; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament
Exports 101,000 bbl/day (2001) NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals; timber, paper, pulp (1999) timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa
Exports - partners Germany 11.8%, UK 9.6%, US 9%, Sweden 8.5%, Russia 6.6%, Netherlands 4.6%, France 4.5% (2002) China 40.7%, South Korea 13.2%, Thailand 6.9%, Japan 6.3%, Philippines 4.5%, Italy 4.1% (2005)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
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) divided diagonally by a thin yellow stripe from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is blue with five white five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern; the lower triangle is green
GDP purchasing power parity - $133.8 billion (2002 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 4%


industry: 34%


services: 62% (2002 est.)
agriculture: 42%


industry: 11%


services: 47% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $25,800 (2002 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 1.6% (2002 est.) 4.4% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates 64 00 N, 26 00 E 8 00 S, 159 00 E
Geography - note long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national capital on European continent; population concentrated on small southwestern coastal plain strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea
Government - note - June 2003 Prime Minister Sir Allan KEMAKEZA sought the intervention of Australia to aid in restoring order; parliament approved the request for intervention in July 2003; troops from Australia, NZ, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga arrived 24 July 2003; by 2006, the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) had been scaled back to 259 police officers and 20 military, in addition to civilian technical advisers; in response to rioting that broke out in mid-April 2006, Australia dispatched an addtional 220 troops and 70 police officers to help restore order
Highways total: 77,943 km


paved: 50,305 km (including 750 km of expressways)


unpaved: 27,688 km (2001)
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Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 4.2%


highest 10%: 21.6% (1991)
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Imports 318,300 bbl/day (2001) NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, transport equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile yarn and fabrics, grains (1999) food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners Germany 14.5%, Sweden 10.9%, Russia 9.9%, UK 5.7%, France 4.3%, Denmark 4.2% (2002) Australia 25.8%, Singapore 25.3%, NZ 4.6%, Fiji 4.2%, Papua New Guinea 4.1% (2005)
Independence 6 December 1917 (from Russia) 7 July 1978 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 5% (2002 est.) NA%
Industries metal products, electronics, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, copper refining, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing fish (tuna), mining, timber
Infant mortality rate total: 3.73 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 4.21 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 3.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
total: 20.63 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 23.54 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 17.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1.9% (2002 est.) 6.6% (2005 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 ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 3 (2002) -
Irrigated land 640 sq km (1998 est.) NA
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus (judges appointed by the president) Court of Appeal
Labor force 2.6 million (2000 est.) 249,200 (1999)
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% agriculture: 75%


industry: 5%


services: 20% (2000 est.)
Land boundaries total: 2,628 km


border countries: Norway 729 km, Sweden 586 km, Russia 1,313 km
0 km
Land use arable land: 6.98%


permanent crops: 0.01%


other: 93.01% (1998 est.)
arable land: 0.62%


permanent crops: 2.04%


other: 97.34% (2005)
Languages Finnish 93.4% (official), Swedish 5.9% (official), small Sami- and Russian-speaking minorities Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca; English is official but spoken by only 1%-2% of the population


note: 120 indigenous languages
Legal system civil law system based on Swedish law; Supreme Court may request legislation interpreting or modifying laws; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations English common law, which is widely disregarded
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 16 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2007)


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
unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members elected from single-member constituencies by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 5 April 2006 (next to be held in 2010)


election results: percent of vote by party - National Party 6.9%, SIPRA 6.3%, Democratic 4.9%, PAP 6.3%, LAFARI 2.8%, Liberal 5%, SOCRED 4.3%, independents 60.3%; seats by party - National Party 4, SIPRA 4, Democratic 3, PAP 3, LAFARI 2, Liberal 2, SOCRED 2, independents 30
Life expectancy at birth total population: 77.92 years


male: 74.28 years


female: 81.68 years (2003 est.)
total population: 72.91 years


male: 70.4 years


female: 75.55 years (2006 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 100% (1980 est.)


male: NA%


female: NA%
definition: NA


total population: NA


male: NA


female: NA
Location Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea
Map references Europe Oceania
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)
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines


territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm
Merchant marine total: 93 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,181,687 GRT/1,185,653 DWT


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


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 1, Sweden 1 (2002 est.)
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Military branches Army, Navy, Air Force, Frontier Guard (including Sea Guard) no regular military forces; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $1.8 billion (FY98/99) NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2% (FY98/99) NA
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) Independence Day, 7 July (1978)
Nationality noun: Finn(s)


adjective: Finnish
noun: Solomon Islander(s)


adjective: Solomon Islander
Natural hazards NA typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity
Natural resources timber, copper, zinc, iron ore, silver fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel
Net migration rate 0.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 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] Association of Independent Members or AIM [Thomas CHAN]; Christian Alliance Solomon Islands or CASI [Edward RONIA]; LAFARI Party [John GARO]; National Party [Francis HILLY]; People's Alliance Party or PAP [Sir Allan KEMAKEZA]; Social Credit Party or SOCRED [Manasseh Damukana SOGAVARE]; Solomon First Party [David QUAN]; Solomon Islands Democratic Party [Gabriel SURI]; Solomon Islands Labor Party or SILP [Joses TUHANUKU]; Solomon Islands Liberal Party [Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU]; Solomon Islands Party for Rural Advancement or SIPRA [Job D. TAUSINGA]; United Party [Sir Peter KENILOREA]


note: in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid coalitions
Political pressure groups and leaders - Isatabu Freedom Movement (IFM); Malaita Eagle Force (MEF); note - these rival armed ethnic factions crippled the Solomon Islands in a wave of violence from 1999 to 2003
Population 5,190,785 (July 2003 est.) 552,438 (July 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 0.14% (2003 est.) 2.61% (2006 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) AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (2004)
Railways total: 5,850 km


broad gauge: 5,850 km 1.524-m gauge (2,400 km electrified) (2002)
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Religions Evangelical Lutheran 89%, Russian Orthodox 1%, none 9%, other 1% Church of Melanesia 32.8%, Roman Catholic 19%, South Seas Evangelical 17%, Seventh-Day Adventist 11.2%, United Church 10.3%, Christian Fellowship Church 2.4%, other Christian 4.4%, other 2.4%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.2% (1999 census)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


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


total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female


total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 21 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: modern system with excellent service


domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and an extensive cellular net provide 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)
general assessment: NA


domestic: NA


international: country code - 677; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 2,847,900 (2001) 7,400 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular 3,728,600 (2001) 6,000 (2005)
Television broadcast stations 120 (plus 431 repeaters) (1999) -
Terrain mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low hills mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls
Total fertility rate 1.7 children born/woman (2003 est.) 3.91 children born/woman (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate 8.5% (2002 est.) NA%
Waterways 6,675 km


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