IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO, ITU, MTCR, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer),
OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, UNTSO, UPU,
WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jaakko Tapani LAAJAVA
chancery: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Eric EDELMAN
embassy: Itainen Puistotie 14A, FIN-00140, Helsinki
mailing address: APO AE 09723

Flag description: 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

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 electronics 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. Forestry, an
important export earner, provides a secondary occupation for the
rural population. The economy has come back from the recession of
1990-92, which had been caused by economic overheating, depressed
foreign markets, and the dismantling of the barter system between
Finland and the former Soviet Union. 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 1999
probably will slow, perhaps to 3%, a barrier to any substantial drop
in unemployment.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$103.6 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 5.1% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$20,100 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 5%
industry: 32%
services: 63% (1997)

Population below poverty line: NA%