Population:
5,068,931 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.34% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
12.41 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
9.84 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
0.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
5.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
75.93 years
male:
72.18 years
female:
79.86 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.79 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Finn(s)
adjective:
Finnish
Ethnic divisions:
Finn, Swede, Lapp, Gypsy, Tatar
Religions:
Evangelical Lutheran 89%, Greek Orthodox 1%, none 9%, other 1%
Languages:
Finnish 93.5% (official), Swedish 6.3% (official), small Lapp- and
Russian-speaking minorities
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)
total population:
100%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%
Labor force:
2.533 million
by occupation:
public services 30.4%, industry 20.9%, commerce 15.0%, finance,
insurance, and business services 10.2%, agriculture and forestry 8.6%,
transport and communications 7.7%, construction 7.2%
@Finland, Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Republic of Finland
conventional short form:
Finland
local long form:
Suomen Tasavalta
local short form:
Suomi
Digraph:
FI
Type:
republic
Capital:
Helsinki
Administrative divisions:
12 provinces (laanit, singular - laani); Ahvenanmaa, Hame,
Keski-Suomi, Kuopio, Kymi, Lappi, Mikkeli, Oulu, Pohjois-Karjala,
Turku ja Pori, Uusimaa, Vaasa
Independence:
6 December 1917 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 6 December (1917)
Constitution:
17 July 1919
Legal system:
civil law system based on Swedish law; Supreme Court may request
legislation interpreting or modifying laws; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:
President Martti AHTISAARI (since 1 March 1994); election last held 31
January - 6 February 1994 (next to be held January 2000); results -
Martti AHTISAARI 54%, Elisabeth REHN 46%
head of government:
Prime Minister Esko AHO (since 26 April 1991); Deputy Prime Minister
Pertti SALOLAINEN (since at least January 1992)
cabinet:
Council of State (Valtioneuvosto); appointed by the president,
responsible to Parliament
Legislative branch:
unicameral
Parliament (Eduskunta):
elections last held 17 March 1991 (next to be held March 1995);
results - Center Party 24.8%, Social Democratic Party 22.1%, National
Coalition (Conservative) Party 19.3%, Leftist Alliance (Communist)
10.1%, Green League 6.8%, Swedish People's Party 5.5%, Rural 4.8%,
Finnish Christian League 3.1%, Liberal People's Party 0.8%; seats -
(200 total) Center Party 55, Social Democratic Party 48, National
Coalition (Conservative) Party 40, Leftist Alliance (Communist) 19,
Swedish People's Party 12, Green League 10, Finnish Christian League
8, Rural 7, Liberal People's Party 1
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (Korkein Oikeus)
Political parties and leaders:
government coalition:
Center Party, Esko AHO; National Coalition (conservative) Party, Perti
SALOLAINEN; Swedish People's Party, (Johan) Ole NORRBACK; Finnish
Christian League, Toimi KANKAANNIEMI
other parties:
Social Democratic Party, Paavo LIPPONEN, acting chairman; Leftist
Alliance (Communist) People's Democratic League and Democratic
Alternative, Claes ANDERSON; Green League, Pekka SAURI; Rural Party,
Tina MAKELA; Liberal People's Party, Kalle MAATTA
Other political or pressure groups:
Finnish Communist Party-Unity, Yrjo HAKANEN; Constitutional Rightist
Party; Finnish Pensioners Party; Communist Workers Party, Timo
LAHDENMAKI
Member of:
AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN,
COCOM (cooperating), CSCE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA (associate), FAO, G-9,
GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO,
IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS,
MTCR, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMOGIP,
UNPROFOR, UNTSO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Jukka VALTASAARI
chancery:
3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
telephone:
(202) 363-2430
FAX:
(202) 363-8233
consulate(s) general:
Los Angeles and New York
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador John H. KELLY
embassy:
Itainen Puistotie 14A, SF-00140, Helsinki
mailing address:
APO AE 09723
telephone:
[358] (0) 171931
FAX:
[358] (0) 174681
Flag:
white with a blue cross that extends 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)
@Finland, Economy
Overview: Finland has a highly industrialized, largely free market economy, with per capita output two-thirds of the US figure. Its key economic sector is manufacturing - principally the wood, metals, and engineering industries. Trade is important, with the export of goods representing about 30% 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. The economy, which experienced an average of 4.9% annual growth between 1987 and 1989, sank into deep recession in 1991 as growth contracted by 6.5%. The recession - which continued in 1992 with growth contracting by 4.1% - has been caused by economic overheating, depressed foreign markets, and the dismantling of the barter system between Finland and the former Soviet Union under which Soviet oil and gas had been exchanged for Finnish manufactured goods. The Finnish Government has proposed efforts to increase industrial competitiveness and efficiency by an increase in exports to Western markets, cuts in public expenditures, partial privatization of state enterprises, and changes in monetary policy. In June 1991 Helsinki had tied the markka to the European Union's (EU) European Currency Unit (ECU) to promote stability. Ongoing speculation resulting from a lack of confidence in the government's policies forced Helsinki to devalue the markka by about 12% in November 1991 and to indefinitely break the link in September 1992. The devaluations have boosted the competitiveness of Finnish exports to the extent the recession bottomed out in 1993 with renewed economic growth expected in 1994. Unemployment probably will remain a serious problem during the next few years, with the majority of Finnish firms facing a weak domestic market and the troubled German and Swedish export markets. Declining revenues, increased transfer payments, and extensive funding to bail out the banking system pushed the central government's budget deficit to nearly 13% in 1993. Helsinki continues to harmonize its economic policies with those of the EU during Finland's current EU membership bid. In early 1995, Finland is expected to join the European Union (formerly the European Community), thus broadening European economic unity. National product: GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $81.1 billion (1993) National product real growth rate: -2.6% (1993) National product per capita: $16,100 (1993) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.1% (1992) Unemployment rate: 22% (1993) Budget: revenues: $26.8 billion expenditures: $40.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992) Exports: $23.4 billion (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: timber, paper and pulp, ships, machinery, clothing and footwear partners: EC 53.2% (Germany 15.6%, UK 10.7%), EFTA 19.5% (Sweden 12.8%), US 5.9%, Japan 1.3%, Russia 2.8% (1992) Imports: $18 billion (c.i.f., 1993 est.) commodities: foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, transport equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile yarn and fabrics, fodder grains partners: EC 47.2% (Germany 16.9%, UK 8.7%), EFTA 19.0% (Sweden 11.7%), US 6.1%, Japan 5.5%, Russia 7.1% (1992) External debt: $30 billion (December 1993) Industrial production: growth rate 7.6% (1992 est.) Electricity: capacity: 13,500,000 kW production: 55.3 billion kWh consumption per capita: 11,050 kWh (1992) Industries: metal products, shipbuilding, forestry and wood processing (pulp, paper), copper refining, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing Agriculture: accounts for 5% of GDP (including forestry); livestock production, especially dairy cattle, predominates; forestry is an important export earner and a secondary occupation for the rural population; main crops - cereals, sugar beets, potatoes; 85% self-sufficient, but short of foodgrains and fodder grains; annual fish catch about 160,000 metric tons Economic aid: donor: ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $2.7 billion Currency: 1 markka (FMk) or Finmark = 100 pennia Exchange rates: markkaa (FMk) per US$1 - 5.6920 (January 1994), 5.7123 (1993), 4.4794 (1992), 4.0440 (1991), 3.8235 (1990), 4.2912 (1989) Fiscal year: calendar year
@Finland, Communications
Railroads:
5,924 km total; Finnish State Railways (VR) operate a total of 5,863
km 1,524-mm gauge, of which 480 km are multiple track and 1,710 km are
electrified
Highways:
total:
76,631 km (1991)
paved:
bituminous concrete, bituminous treated soil 46,745 km
unpaved:
gravel 29,886 km
Inland waterways:
6,675 km total (including Saimaa Canal); 3,700 km suitable for
steamers
Pipelines:
natural gas 580 km
Ports:
Helsinki, Oulu, Pori, Rauma, Turku
Merchant marine:
93 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,040,905 GRT/1,143,276 DWT,
bulk 7, cargo 20, chemical tanker 5, liquefied gas 3, oil tanker 15,
passenger 3, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 30,
short-sea passenger 9
Airports:
total:
160
usable:
157
with permanent-surface runways:
66
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
26
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
20
Telecommunications:
good service from cable and microwave radio relay network; 3,140,000
telephones; broadcast stations - 6 AM, 105 FM, 235 TV; 1 submarine
cable; INTELSAT satellite transmission service via Swedish earth
station and a receive-only INTELSAT earth station near Helsinki
@Finland, Defense Forces
Branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Frontier Guard (including Coast Guard)
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49 1,323,322; fit for military service 1,089,300; reach
military age (17) annually 33,594 (1994 est.)
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $1.6 billion, about 1.5% of GDP (1993)
@France, Geography