ts:
51.6%, Esko AHO (Kesk) 48.4%

Legislative branch: 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)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus (judges appointed by
the president)

Political parties and leaders: 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]

International organization participation: 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

Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador Jukka Robert VALTASAARI
consulate(s) general: 298-5800 chancery: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: 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

Flag description: 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 Finland

Economy - overview: 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 e