Access to THE WORLD FACTBOOK 1994 provided courtesy of
the libraries of the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
======================================================
National Trade Data Bank
ITEM ID     : CI WOFACT WO0081
DATE        : Oct 28, 1994
 
AGENCY      : CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
PROGRAM     : WORLD FACTBOOK
TITLE       : World Factbook: Finland
 
Source key      : CI 
Program key     : CI WOFACT 
Update sched.   : Annually         
Data type       : TEXT 
End year        : 1994
Date of record  : 19941020
Keywords 3      :  
Keywords 3      : | Finland 
 
 
                                  Finland
 
 
                                 Geography
 
Location:
     Nordic State, Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea between Sweden
     and Russia
Map references:
     Arctic Region, Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
     337,030 sq km
land area:
     305,470 sq km
comparative area:
     slightly smaller than Montana
Land boundaries:
     total 2,628 km, Norway 729 km, Sweden 586 km, Russia 1,313 km
Coastline:
     1,126 km (excludes islands and coastal indentations)
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone:
     6 nm
continental shelf:
     200-m depth or to depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone:
     12 nm
territorial sea:
     4 nm
International disputes:
     none
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
Terrain:
     mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low
     hills
Natural resources:
     timber, copper, zinc, iron ore, silver
Land use:
arable land:
     8%
permanent crops:
     0%
meadows and pastures:
     0%
forest and woodland:
     76%
other:
     16%
Irrigated land:
     620 sq km (1989 est.)
 
 
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
natural hazards:
     NA
international agreements:
     party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
     Pollution-Sulphur, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic
     Treaty, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous
     Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban,
     Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber, Wetlands,
     Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
     Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea
Note:
     long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national capital
     on European continent; population concentrated on small southwestern
     coastal plain
 
                                  People
 
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%
 
                                Government
 
Names:
conventional long form:
     Republic of Finland
conventional short form:
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)
 
                                  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
 
                              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
 
                              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)
 
 
 
===========================================================================
This section of THE WORLD FACTBOOK 1994 produced by the United States
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was derived from the US Dept. of Commerce
Economics and Statistics Division's NATIONAL TRADE DATA BANK (NTDB) CD-ROM,
November, 1994, SuDoc No. C 1.88:994/11/v.1-2 / Presented by Raleigh Muns,
(srcmuns@umslvma.umsl.edu) University of Missouri-St. Louis Libraries.