Finland (2004) | Svalbard (2003) | |
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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: 17.5% (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.) |
0-14 years: NA%
15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% (2003 est.) |
Agriculture - products | barley, wheat, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy cattle; fish | - |
Airports | 148 (2003 est.) | 4 (2002) |
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.) |
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1523 m: 1 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 73
914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 69 (2004 est.) |
total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2002) |
Area | total: 338,145 sq km
land: 304,473 sq km water: 33,672 sq km |
total: 62,049 sq km
land: 62,049 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Spitsbergen and Bjornoya (Bear Island) |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Montana | slightly smaller than West Virginia |
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. | First discovered by the Norwegians in the 12th century, the islands served as an international whaling base during the 17th and 18th centuries. Norway's sovereignty was recognized in 1920; five years later it officially took over the territory. |
Birth rate | 10.56 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) | NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $87.03 billion
expenditures: $81.62 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.) |
revenues: $11.5 million
expenditures: $11.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.) |
Capital | Helsinki | Longyearbyen |
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 | arctic, tempered by warm North Atlantic Current; cool summers, cold winters; North Atlantic Current flows along west and north coasts of Spitsbergen, keeping water open and navigable most of the year |
Coastline | 1,250 km | 3,587 km |
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 |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Svalbard (sometimes referred to as Spitzbergen) |
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 |
Norwegian krone (NOK) |
Death rate | 9.69 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) | NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | $30 billion (December 1993) | - |
Dependency status | - | territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice, through a governor (sysselmann) residing in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen; by treaty (9 February 1920) sovereignty was awarded to Norway |
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 |
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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 |
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Disputes - international | none | despite recent discussions, Russia and Norway dispute their maritime limits in the Barents Sea and Russia's fishing rights beyond Svalbard's territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty zone |
Economic aid - donor | ODA, $379 million (2001) | - |
Economic aid - recipient | - | $8.2 million from Norway (1998) |
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. | Coal mining is the major economic activity on Svalbard. The treaty of 9 February 1920 gives the 41 signatories equal rights to exploit mineral deposits, subject to Norwegian regulation. Although US, UK, Dutch, and Swedish coal companies have mined in the past, the only companies still mining are Norwegian and Russian. The settlements on Svalbard are essentially company towns. The Norwegian state-owned coal company employs nearly 60% of the Norwegian population on the island, runs many of the local services, and provides most of the local infrastructure. There is also some trapping of seal, polar bear, fox, and walrus. |
Electricity - consumption | 76.18 billion kWh (2001) | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | 1.81 billion kWh (2001) | - |
Electricity - imports | 11.77 billion kWh (2001) | - |
Electricity - production | 71.2 billion kWh (2001) | NA kWh |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: 58%
hydro: 42% nuclear: 0% other: 0% |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Halti 1,328 m |
lowest point: Arctic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Newtontoppen 1,717 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 | NA |
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 |
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Ethnic groups | Finn 93.4%, Swede 5.7%, Russian 0.4%, Estonian 0.2%, Roma 0.2%, Sami 0.1% | Norwegian 55.4%, Russian and Ukrainian 44.3%, other 0.3% (1998) |
Exchange rates | euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999) | Norwegian kroner per US dollar - 7.9838 (2002), 8.9917 (2001), 8.8018 (2000), 7.7992 (1999), 7.5451 (1998) |
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 February 2006); the president appoints the prime minister and deputy prime minister from the majority party or the majority coalition after Parliamentary elections and the Parliament must approve the appointment 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: King HARALD V of Norway (since 17 January 1991)
head of government: Governor Morten RUUD (since NA November 1998) and Assistant Governor Odd Redar HUMLEGAARD (since NA) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor and assistant governor responsible to the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice |
Exports | 101,000 bbl/day (2001) | $NA |
Exports - commodities | machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals; timber, paper, pulp (1999) | - |
Exports - partners | Germany 11.8%, Sweden 9.9%, US 8.2%, UK 8%, Russia 7.5%, Netherlands 4.8% (2003) | - |
Fiscal 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) | the flag of Norway is used |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $142.2 billion (2003 est.) | purchasing power parity - $NA |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 4.3%
industry: 32.7% services: 62.9% (2003 est.) |
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GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $27,400 (2003 est.) | purchasing power parity - $NA |
GDP - real growth rate | 1.9% (2003 est.) | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 64 00 N, 26 00 E | 78 00 N, 20 00 E |
Geography - note | long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national capital on European continent; population concentrated on small southwestern coastal plain | northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway; consists of nine main islands; glaciers and snowfields cover 60% of the total area |
Highways | total: 78,137 km
paved: 50,398 km (including 750 km of expressways) unpaved: 27,739 km (2003) |
total: NA km
paved: NA km unpaved: NA km |
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 |
Imports - commodities | foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, transport equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile yarn and fabrics, grains (1999) | - |
Imports - partners | Germany 16.2%, Sweden 14.1%, Russia 11.7%, Netherlands 6.3%, Denmark 5.7%, UK 5.3%, France 4.3% (2003) | - |
Independence | 6 December 1917 (from Russia) | none (territory of Norway) |
Industrial production growth rate | 0.8% (2003 est.) | NA% |
Industries | metal products, electronics, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, copper refining, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing | - |
Infant mortality rate | total: 3.59 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 3.91 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
total: NA%
male: NA% female: NA% |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 0.9% (2003 est.) | NA% |
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, MIGA, 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, WTO, ZC | none |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 13 (Svalbard and Jan Mayen) (2000) |
Irrigated land | 640 sq km (1998 est.) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus (judges appointed by the president) | - |
Labor force | 2.599 million (2003 est.) | NA |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture and forestry 8%, industry 22%, construction 6%, commerce 14%, finance, insurance, and business services 10%, transport and communications 8%, public services 32% | - |
Land boundaries | total: 2,690 km
border countries: Norway 736 km, Sweden 614 km, Russia 1,340 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land: 7.19%
permanent crops: 0.03% other: 92.78% (2001) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (no trees, and the only bushes are crowberry and cloudberry) (1998 est.) |
Languages | Finnish 93.4% (official), Swedish 5.9% (official), small Sami- and Russian-speaking minorities | Russian, Norwegian |
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 | NA |
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 |
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Life expectancy at birth | total population: 78.24 years
male: 74.73 years female: 81.89 years (2004 est.) |
total population: NA years
male: NA years female: NA years (2003 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100% (2000 est.) male: NA female: NA |
NA |
Location | Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia | Northern Europe, islands between the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea, Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea, north of Norway |
Map references | Europe | Arctic Region |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm (in the Gulf of Finland - 3 nm)
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm; extends to continental shelf boundary with Sweden |
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM unilaterally claimed by Norway but not recognized by Russia
territorial sea: 4 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 90 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,152,175 GRT/1,053,906 DWT
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 registered in other countries: 39 (2004 est.) |
none (2002 est.) |
Military - note | - | demilitarized by treaty (9 February 1920) |
Military branches | Army, Navy, Air Force | - |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $1.8 billion (FY98/99) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 2% (FY98/99) | - |
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.) | - |
National holiday | Independence Day, 6 December (1917) | NA |
Nationality | noun: Finn(s)
adjective: Finnish |
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Natural hazards | NA | ice floes often block the entrance to Bellsund (a transit point for coal export) on the west coast and occasionally make parts of the northeastern coast inaccessible to maritime traffic |
Natural resources | timber, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, nickel, gold, silver, limestone | coal, copper, iron ore, phosphate, zinc, wildlife, fish |
Net migration rate | 0.95 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Pipelines | gas 694 km (2004) | - |
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] | - |
Population | 5,214,512 (July 2004 est.) | 2,811 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.18% (2004 est.) | -0.02% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Hamina, Helsinki, Kokkola, Kotka, Loviisa, Oulu, Pori, Rauma, Turku, Uusikaupunki, Varkaus | Barentsburg, Longyearbyen, Ny-Alesund, Pyramiden |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 186, shortwave 1 (1998) | AM 1, FM 1 (plus 2 repeaters), shortwave 0 (1998) |
Railways | total: 5,851 km
broad gauge: 5,851 km 1.524-m gauge (2,400 km electrified) (2003) |
0 km |
Religions | Evangelical Lutheran 89%, Russian Orthodox 1%, none 9%, other 1% | - |
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.) |
NA (2003 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | - |
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) |
general assessment: probably adequate
domestic: local telephone service international: satellite earth station - 1 of unknown type (for communication with Norwegian mainland only) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 2.548 million (2003) | NA |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 4.7 million (2003) | NA |
Television broadcast stations | 120 (plus 431 repeaters) (1999) | NA |
Terrain | mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low hills | wild, rugged mountains; much of high land ice covered; west coast clear of ice about one-half of the year; fjords along west and north coasts |
Total fertility rate | 1.73 children born/woman (2004 est.) | NA children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 9% (2003 est.) | - |
Waterways | 7,842 km
note: includes Saimaa Canal system of 3,577 km; southern part leased from Russia (2004) |
none |