Republic of Finland National
name: Suomen Tasavalta—Republiken Finland President: Tarja Halonen (2000) Prime Minister: Matti Vanhanen
(2003)
Current government officials
Land area: 117,942 sq mi (305,470 sq km);
total area: 130,558 sq mi (338,145 sq km) Population (2008 est.): 5,244,749 (growth
rate: 0.1%); birth rate: 10.3/1000; infant mortality rate: 3.5/1000;
life expectancy: 78.8; density per sq km: 17
Capital and largest city (2003 est.):
Helsinki, 1,162,900 (metro. area), 582,600 (city
proper) Other large cities:
Espoo, 229,500; Tampere, 201,200; Vantaa, 189,200; Turku,
178,100 Monetary unit: Euro (formerly
markka)
Languages:
Finnish 92%, Swedish 6% (both official); small
Sami- (Lapp) and Russian-speaking minorities
Ethnicity/race:
Finn 93.4%, Swede 5.7%, Sami (Lapp) 0.1%, Roma
0.2%, Estonian 0.2%
Religions:
Evangelical Lutheran 84%, Greek Orthodox 1%,
other Christian 1%, none 14%
National Holiday:
Independence Day, December 6 Literacy rate: 100% (2000 est.) Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2007 est.):
$185.5 billion; per capita $35,300. Real growth rate: 4.4%.
Inflation: 1.6%. Unemployment: 6.8%. Arable land:
7%. Agriculture: barley, wheat, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy
cattle; fish. Labor force: 2.68 million; agriculture and
forestry 8%, industry 22%, construction 6%, commerce 14%, finance,
insurance, and business services 10%, transport and communications 8%,
public services 32%. Industries: metals and metal products,
electronics, machinery and scientific instruments, shipbuilding, pulp
and paper, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing. Natural
resources: timber, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, nickel,
gold, silver, limestone. Exports: $92.62 billion f.o.b. (2007
est.): machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals; timber, paper, pulp
(1999). Imports: $76.36 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.): foodstuffs,
petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, transport equipment, iron
and steel, machinery, textile yarn and fabrics, grains. Major
trading partners: Sweden, Germany, Russia, UK, U.S., Netherlands,
Denmark, China (2006) . Communications:
Telephones: main lines in use: 1.92 million (2006); mobile
cellular: 5.67 million (2006). Radio broadcast stations: AM 2,
FM 186, shortwave 1 (1998). Television broadcast stations: 120
(plus 431 repeaters) (1999). Internet hosts: 2.323 million
(2007). Internet users: 2.925 million (2006). Transportation: Railways: total: 5,741 km
(2006). Highways: total: 78,189 km; paved: 50,633 km (including
653 km of expressways); unpaved: 27,556 km (2006). Waterways:
7,842 km note: includes Saimaa Canal system of 3,577 km; southern part
leased from Russia (2004). Ports and harbors: Hamina, Hanko,
Helsinki, Kotka, Naantali, Pori, Porvou, Raahe, Rauma, Turku.
Airports: 148 (2007). International
disputes: various groups in Finland advocate restoration of
Karelia and other areas ceded to the Soviet Union, but the Finnish
Government asserts no territorial demands.
Major sources and definitions
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