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This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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@Finland

Introduction Finland

Background:
Finland was a province and then a grand duchy under Sweden from the
12th to the 19th centuries and an autonomous grand duchy of Russia
after 1809. It won its complete independence in 1917. During World
War II, it was able to successfully defend its freedom and resist
invasions by the Soviet Union - albeit with some loss of territory.
In the subsequent half century, the Finns made a remarkable
transformation from a farm/forest economy to a diversified modern
industrial economy; per capita income is now on par with Western
Europe. As a member of the European Union, Finland was the only
Nordic state to join the euro system at its initiation in January
1999.

Geography Finland

Location:
Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and
Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia

Geographic coordinates:
64 00 N, 26 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 338,145 sq km
land: 304,473 sq km
water: 33,672 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Montana

Land boundaries:
total: 2,681 km
border countries: Norway 727 km, Sweden 614 km, Russia 1,340 km

Coastline:
1,250 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm (in the Gulf of Finland - 3 nm)
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm; extends to continental shelf boundary
with Sweden

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

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Haltiatunturi 1,328 m

Natural resources:
timber, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, nickel, gold,
silver, limestone

Land use:
arable land: 7.19%
permanent crops: 0.03%
other: 92.78% (2001)

Irrigated land:
640 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

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

Environment - internat