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NAVIGATION
Republic of Finland
Suomen Tasavalta
GOVERNMENT
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Republic of Finland
conventional short form: Finland local short form: Suomi local long form: Suomen Tasavalta |
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Government type:
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republic |
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Capital:
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Helsinki |
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Administrative divisions:
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6 provinces (laanit, singular - laani); Aland, Etela-Suomen Laani, Ita-Suomen Laani, Lansi-Suomen Laani, Lappi, Oulun Laani |
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Independence:
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6 December 1917 (from Russia) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 6 December (1917) |
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Constitution:
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17 July 1919 |
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Legal system:
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civil law system based on Swedish law; Supreme Court may request legislation interpreting or modifying laws; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President Tarja HALONEN (since 1 March 2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Paavo LIPPONEN (since 13 April 1995) and Deputy Prime Minister Ville ITALA (since 31 August 2001) 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 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 note: government coalition - SDP, Kok, Leftist Alliance (People's Democratic Union and Democratic Alternative), SFP, and Green League election results: Tarja HALONEN elected president; percent of vote - Tarja HALONEN (SDP) 51.6%, Esko AHO (Kesk) 48.4% |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral Parliament or Eduskunta (200 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis to serve four-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - SDP 22.9%, Kesk 22.5%, Kok 21.0%, Leftist Alliance (Communist) 10.9%, SFP 5.1%, Green League 7.2%, SKL 4.2%; seats by party - SDP 51, Kesk 48, Kok 46, Leftist Alliance (Communist) 20, SFP 11, Green League 11, SKL 10, other 3 elections: last held 21 March 1999 (next to be held NA March 2003) |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus (judges appointed by the president) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Center Party or Kesk [Esko AHO]; Finnish Christian Democratic Party or SKL [C. P. Bjarne KALLIS]; Green League [Osmo SOININVAARA]; Leftist Alliance (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]; True Finns [Timo SOINI] |
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International organization participation:
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AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, 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, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNMOVIC, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Jukka Robert VALTASAARI
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York FAX: [1] (202) 298-6030 telephone: [1] (202) 298-5800 chancery: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Bonnie McELVEEN-HUNTER
embassy: Itainen Puistotie 14B, FIN-00140, Helsinki mailing address: APO AE 09723 telephone: [358] (9) 171931 FAX: [358] (9) 174681 |
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Flag description:
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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) |
ECONOMY
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Economy - overview:
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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 euro monetary system (EMU) on 1 January 1999 - will dominate the economic picture over the next several years. Growth in 2002 was held back by the global slowdown but will pick up in 2003 provided the world economy suffers no further blows. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $136.2 billion (2002 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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1.1% (2002 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $26,200 (2002 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 4%
industry: 34% services: 62% (2002 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: 4%
highest 10%: 22% (1991) (1991) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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26 (1991) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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1.9% (2002 est.) |
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Labor force:
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2.6 million (2000 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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public services 32%, industry 22%, commerce 14%, finance, insurance, and business services 10%, agriculture and forestry 8%, transport and communications 8%, construction 6% |
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Unemployment rate:
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8.5% (2002 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $36.1 billion
expenditures: $31 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
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Industries:
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metal products, electronics, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, copper refining, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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5% (2002 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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75.356 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 41%
hydro: 19% other: 12% (2000) nuclear: 28% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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81.961 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - exports:
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326 million kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - imports:
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12.206 billion kWh (2000) |
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Agriculture - products:
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barley, wheat, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy cattle; fish |
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Exports:
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$40.1 billion f.o.b. (2002) |
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Exports - commodities:
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machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals; timber, paper, pulp |
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Exports - partners:
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Germany 12.4%, US 9.7%, UK 9.6%, Sweden 8.4%, Russia 5.9%, France 4.6% (2001) |
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Imports:
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$31.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, transport equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile yarn and fabrics, grains |
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Imports - partners:
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Germany 14.5%, Sweden 10.2%, Russia 9.6%, US 6.9%, UK 6.4%, France 4.5% (2001) |
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Debt - external:
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$30 billion (December 1993) |
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Economic aid - donor:
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ODA, $379 million (1997) |
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Currency:
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euro (EUR); markka (FIM)
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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Currency code:
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EUR; FIM |
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Exchange rates:
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euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); markkaa per US dollar - 5.3441 (1998), 5.1914 (1997) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |