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 19 March 1995 (next to be held NA March 1999) election results : percent of vote by party - Social Democratic Party 28.3%, Center Party 19.9%, National Coalition (Conservative) Party 17.9%, Leftist Alliance (Communist) 11.2%, Swedish People's Party 5.1%, Green League 6.5%, Ecology Party 0.3%, Rural 1.3%, Finnish Christian League 3.0%, Liberal People's Party 0.6%, Young Finns 2.8%; seats by party - Social Democratic Party 63, Center Party 44, National Coalition (Conservative) Party 39, Leftist Alliance (Communist) 22, Swedish People's Party 11, Green League 9, Ecology Party 1, Rural 1, Finnish Christian League 7, Young Finns 2, Aaland Islands 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus, judges appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders:
government coalition : Social Democratic Party [Paavo LIPPONEN];
National Coalition (conservative) Party [Sauli NIINISTO]; Leftist
Alliance (Communist) People's Democratic League and Democratic
Alternative [Claes ANDERSSON]; Swedish People's Party [(Johan) Ole
NORRBACK]; Green League [Pekka HAAVISTO]
other : Center Party [Esko AHO]; Finnish Christian League [Toimi
KANKAANNIEMI]; Rural Party [Raimo VISTBACKA]; Liberal People's Party
[Tuulikki UKKOLA]; Greens Ecological Party or EPV; Young Finns [Risto
PENTTILA]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Finnish Communist Party-Unity
[Yrjo HAKANEN]; Constitutional Rightist Party; Finnish Pensioners
Party; Communist Workers Party [Timo LAHDENMAKI]
International organization participation: AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB,
Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, EBRD, ECE, EIB, ESA, EU,
FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO, ITU, MTCR, NACC (observer), NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG,
OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNPREDEP,
UNTAES, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO,
ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission : Ambassador Jaakko Tapani LAAJAVA 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
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Derek N. SHEARER embassy: Itainen Puistotie 14A, FIN-00140, Helsinki mailing address: APO AE 09723 telephone: [358] (9) 171931 FAX : [358] (9) 174681
Flag description: 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)
Economy
Economy - overview: Finland has a highly industrialized, largely free-market economy, with per capita output equaling that of the UK, France and Italy. 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. Forestry, an important export earner, provides a secondary occupation for the rural population. The economy has come back from the recession of 1990-92, which had 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 Finns voted in an October 1994 referendum to enter the EU, and Finland officially joined the Union on 1 January 1995. Attempts to cut the unacceptably high rate of unemployment and increasing integration with Western Europe will dominate the economic picture over the next few years.