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Last reviewed: 21 May 2009

Country information

Map of Finland

FINLAND TODAY

Country Facts

Area: 390,920 sq km
Population: 5.3 million
Capital City: Helsinki – population 560,000 (capital region 1.2m)
Language(s): Finnish 91.51%. Swedish 5.49%. Increasing Russian-speaking minority (0.8%). Small Saami speaking community speak Inari and Skolt dialects. English is widely and well spoken, particularly in Helsinki.
Religions: Christianity. Main demoninations: Evangelican Lutheran 82.5% and Finnish Orthodox 1.1%.
Currency: euro
Major political parties:
Composition of Parliament (out of 200 seats) after March 2007 elections:
Centre – seats 51 / 23.1% of total vote / -4 from 2003 elections
National Coalition – 50 / 22.3 / +10
SDP – 45 / 21.4 / -8
Left Alliance – 17 / 8.8 / -2
Green League – 15 / 8.5 / +1
Swedish People’s Party – 9 / 4.6 / +1
Christian Democrats – 7 / 4.9 / 0
True Finns – 5 / 4.1 / +2
Others (Åland Islands) – 1 / 0.5 / 0
Government: Republic
Head of State: President Tarja Halonen
Prime Minister: Mr Matti Vanhanen
Minister for Foreign Affairs: Mr Alexander Stubb
Minister for Foreign Trade and Development: Paavo Väyrynen
Minister of Finance: Jyrki Katainen
Membership of international groups/organisations: European Union (EU), United Nations (UN), all the organisations of the United Nations family, the Council of Europe (COE), World Trade Organisation (WTO), Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the Nordic Council, the Barents Euro Arctic Council, the Council of Baltic Sea States and other regional bodies, Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

Public Holidays in 2009

1  January       New Year's Day
6  January       Epiphany
10 April           Good Friday
12 April           Easter Day
13 April           Easter Monday
1  May             May Day 
21 May            Ascension
31 May            Whitsunday
19 June            Midsummer Eve (partly)
20 June            Midsummer
31 October       All Saints
6  December     Independence Day  
24 December    Christmas Eve (partly)
25 December    Christmas Day
26 December    Boxing Day

DID YOU KNOW?

  • The Finns hold more Olympic medals per capita than any other nation - Paavo Nurmi and Lasse Viren are the best known Finnish athletes.
  • Finland's Saami community are the only indigenous population in the EU.
  • Finland's former President Martti Ahtisaari won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2008 for his work with international conflicts.
  • Finns drink more coffee per capita than any other nationality in the world. Belgium are second and Norway third.
  • Finnish speeding fines are based on your annual income. In 2004 the 27-year-old heir to a family-owned sausage empire received a record €170,000 ticket for driving at 80 kph in a 40 kph zone.
  • Finnish musical traditions are extremely strong, from Sibelius onwards. Finns such as Esa-Pekka Salonen conduct many of the world's leading orchestras.
  • There are very few original Finnish words whcih commence with the letters b, c, d, f, q, w, x or z. Most of them are loan words with Swedish, Germanic, Russian or English origins.
  • The Finnish language is not related to other Scandinavian languages or Russian but belongs to the Fenno-Ugrian family of languages.
  • Finland is home to the World Mosquito-Killing Championship, the World Mobile Phone-throwing Competition and an annual National Wife-carrying Competition (for which the first prize is the woman’s weight in lemonade).
  • Novelist JRR Tolkein was heavily inspired by the Kalevala, the Finnish National Epic, when writing his Middle-Earth stories. Tolkein’s acquaintance with and fascination for Finnish at Oxford led to his creation of the High Elvish language.
  • Finnish architects and designers such as Alvar Aalto have a very high international reputation.
  • Finland was the first country in the world to elect women MPs.
  • 10% of Finland’s land area is covered by water and 69% by forest.
  • Finland has 187,888 lakes and 179,584 islands. The surface area of Finland is growing by about 7 sq km a year due to uplift following the last ice age.
  • Finland is a market leader in IT and the mobile phone company Nokia is Finnish. Did you also know that Nokia started off as a factory making wellington boots?
  • Finland tops international league tables for education, literacy, honesty, and the sustainable use of natural resources, is in the top 3 for technological innovation, research and development, and internet use, and is one of the world's top 3 most competitive economies.

HEALTH

Infant mortality rate: 3.0 deaths/1,000 live births (2005)

Life expectancy: males 75.8 years, females 82.8 years.

ECONOMY

Basic Economic Facts

GDP: €179 bn (2007) (source: Statistics Finland)
Annual growth: 4.4% (2007)
Inflation: 4.1% average in 2008)
Per capita income:
Unemployment: 6.6% (December 2008), 6.1% average in 2008.
Major Industries: Telecommunications; Electronics & Electrical Industry; Forest Industry; Machinery & Transport vehicles; Chemical Industry;shipbuilding; textiles and clothing.
Major trading partners: EU (Germany, Sweden, UK), Russia, USA

Germany was Finland's main export market in 2007. 57% of Finnish exports go to the EU. Russia is the largest source of Finnish imports. 14.1% of Finnish imports come from Russia. Russia is also a sizeable export market for Finnish goods and services. In 2005, Finland was the EU Member State with the largest share of exports oriented to the Russian market. In recent research, it has been shown that the total employment effect of economic activities related to Russia is 50,000 people or 2% of employed workers in Finland. The high-tech sectors are increasing their percentage of Finnish exports to Russia. In 2005, every fourth mobile phone exported from Finland was destined for Russia.

Finnish companies are increasingly making investments in Russia. According to the Bank of Finland's balance of payments figures, the stock of foreign direct investment in Russia by Finnish enterprises was €448 million. These investments tend to be situated in Northwest and Central Russia. A majority of investments have gone into the following sectors: forest industries; wholesale and retail; production of electricity and heating; and the food industry.

A high percentage of goods bound for Russia go through Finland. Many European companies prefer to ship their goods to Finnish ports and then allow Finnish transportation and logistics companies to ship the goods by rail or road to Russia. The value of transit exports going through Finland is about 5 times more than Finland's own exports to Russia. Approximately 32% of Russia's total imports arrive from Finland, either as direct imports or as transit.

HISTORY

Recent History

Finland's recent history has been a time of enormous change with the transformation from a desperately poor, primarily agricultural society in the 1920s to one of the world's most advanced nations in the space of one lifetime. The late 1990s were dominated by the growth of the Finnish economy and Finland's development as an EU Member State including their successful EU Presidencies in 1999 and 2006.

The rapid growth of the 1980s had been abruptly checked by the collapse of the Soviet Union (Finland's single largest trading partner - but on a clearing basis): between 1991 and 1993, Finnish GDP fell by 10%, unemployment quadrupled to 20% and public debt rose to record levels. This encouraged the Finns to refocus the economy towards high technology products aimed at Western Europe - a decision that has now paid off handsomely.

The collapse of the Soviet Union allowed Finland to step out of its political shadow. Finland saw its interests best represented within the European Union and became a full member in 1995. Membership of the EU did not change long standing de-facto commitment to its non-aligned status. The Maastricht Treaty did not establish a military alliance and allowed individual countries to continue with their own defence arrangements. Finland considered these provisions to be compatible with non-aligned status.

The government, (led by Paavo Lipponen 1999 - 2003) pursued economic policies, to meet the Maastricht Criteria for EMU. This included reining in public spending and cutting unemployment benefits despite strong union opposition. Finland was among the first wave of EU member states to adopt the euro. This followed a public debate that centred on Finland’s vulnerability to asymmetric shocks (such as the collapse of the Russian Rouble in 1998). As a result of the debate, Finland developed a unique "buffer fund" solution under which funds are set aside against possible future hard times. Finland became the only Nordic EU member to adopt the euro as the national currency.

The current Finnish Government has identified a number of areas that could be addressed over the coming years in order to improve Finland's international competitiveness:

  • further reform of the world leading education system focusing on universities and adult learning
  • more resources into Research and Development: target of +4% of GDP
  • addressing the growing demographic deficit
  • measures to attract more foreign investments
  • prioritising infrastructure investment on links crucial for international competitiveness.

Finland last held the EU Presidency from July-December 2006. A key theme was innovation. Other priority areas included improving the EU's global competitiveness, climate change;enlargement, developing a coherent external energy policy and EU-Russia relations. Finland held the Presidency in the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2007, was President of the Nordic Council (a separate role from the Nordic Council of Ministers) in 2008 and is currently (2009) chair of the Nordic Defence Co-operation Council. 

Finland also held the 2-year chairmanship of the Barents Euro-Arctic Council (BEAC) until 15 November 2007, when they handed over to the Russian Federation. Finland held the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) chairmanship in 2008.

Longer Historical Perspective

The earliest Finns lived in isolation until the Viking incursions around AD 800. Swedish-Russian rivalry over the area stamp much of subsequent Finnish history. For over 500 years, from the 12th century, Finland was a Swedish dependency. Close Finno-Swedish ties are today a legacy of those times. As a result of the Treaty of Tilsit in 1809 Finland became part of Russia as a Grand Duchy of the Czar, enjoying a high degree of autonomy. The 19th century was a period of national assertion, against the ancient dominance of the Swedish language, and from the 1890s against Czarist measures to impose Russian culture and political control.

On 6 December 1917 following the overthrow of the Kerensky Government in Russia, Finland declared its independence. In the civil war of 1918 a Finnish-German alliance defeated Finnish Communist faction and drove out the Russians. In 1919 the Finnish Republic was established and a new constitution introduced. In 1920 Finland joined the League of Nations. Mutual suspicions strained Finnish-Soviet relations in the 1920s and 1930s.

On 30 November 1939 the Soviet Union invaded Finland, starting the Winter War concluded with the Treaty of Moscow in March 1940. When Hitler’s Germany attacked the USSR in June 1941 the Finns were co-belligerents. In 1944 Finland signed an Armistice with the USSR. It ceded 12% of its territory to the Soviet Union and agreed to pay heavy reparations and to rid Finland of German troops still in its terrority (Lapland War). In 1947 Finland concluded a Peace Treaty with the Allied Powers; and in 1948 the Treaty of Friendship, Co-operation and Mutual Assistance with the USSR (the FCMA). It committed Finland to repelling attacks mounted by Germany or its allies on Finnish territory or on the Soviet Union through Finnish territory. It provided for joint military consultations in face of an 'established' threat of attack.

In 1955 Finland joined the Nordic Council and the UN. In 1956 Urho Kekkonen succeeded Paasikivi as Finland’s president, continuing his foreign policy of combining Finnish neutrality with special relations with the USSR (the 'Paasakivi-Kekkonen Line'). In October 1961 (the 'Note Crisis') Finland resisted Soviet pressure to invoke the consultation clause of the 1948 FCMA Treaty. Finland became an associate member of EFTA in the same year, joining the OECD in 1967 and entering agreements with the EEC on trade and with CMEA on scientific and economic co-operation in 1973.

In 1975 Helsinki was host to the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE), a tribute to Finland's neutral standing in the international community. In 1982 Social Democrat Prime Minister Mauno Koivisto took over the Finnish presidency committed to maintaining the Paasikivi-Kekkonen Line in foreign policy. Fears of Soviet objections to the transition proved groundless. In 1986 Finland became a full member of EFTA and joined the Council of Europe in 1989. The Finns joined the European Union in 1995 and were founder members of the Eurozone.

BBC Timeline of Finland

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Relations with Neighbours

Co-operation with the other Nordic countries is important to Finland, and it has been a member of the Nordic Council since 1955. Under the council's auspices, the Nordic countries have created a common labour market and have abolished immigration controls among themselves. The council also serves to co-ordinate social and cultural policies of the participating countries and has promoted increased co-operation in many fields.

Finland also focuses on the Baltics where historical and cultural links are also strong. Since the Baltic States regained their independence, Finland has given considerable aid and technical assistance, and supported the Baltic States accession to the EU. Under the Finnish Presidency of the EU both Latvia and Lithuania began formal negotiations to join the EU.

Finland shares the EU’s largest land border with Russia. The 2 countries share a close relationship and there is much bilateral activity. A lot of activity is also conducted through the European Union.

Relations with the International Community

Finland joined the United Nations in 1955 and is well represented in the UN civil service in proportion to its population and belongs to several of its specialised and related agencies. Finnish troops have participated in UN peacekeeping activities since 1956 (including in the Balkans), and the Finns continue to be one of the largest per capita contributors of peacekeepers in the world.

Finland is a keen participant in NATO's Partnership for Peace Programme and a strong proponent of the EU's enhanced Security and Defence Policy. It is also an observer in the North Atlantic Co-operation Council.

Finland is a member of the European Union (it held the EU Presidency in the second half of 1999 and also again in the second half of 2006).

Relations with the UK

There are excellent relations at all levels between Finland and the UK. Finland is a close partner for the UK in the EU, especially in promoting open trade, global competitiveness, innovation, the Single Market and the climate/energy agenda. The British community in Finland is approximately 3,000. Organisations fostering friendship and cultural links between Britain and Finland include FINNBRIT, the British Council (who have an office in Helsinki), Finn-Guild, the Finnish Institute and the Finnish Seamen's Mission in UK.

Recent Visits

Inward

  • Finnish Foreign Minister Kanerva met the Foreign Secretary in London on 16 October 2007
  • Finnish Finance Minister Katainen met the Chancellor in London on 7 November 2007.
  • Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen met the Prime Minister in London on 9 October 2008.
  • Finnish Foreign Minister Stubb met the Foreign Secretary in London on 20 November 2008.

Outward

  • The Lord Mayor of London visited, 5-9 June 2007
  • The Prime Minister's Strategy Unit visited 20-22 August 2007
  • Secretary of State for Skills, David Lammy visited 18-20 September 2007
  • Minister for the Cabinet Office, Ed Miliband, visited 10-12 February 2008
  • Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, visited 18-19 March 2008
  • The House of Commons Justice Committee visited 5-6 November 2008
  • Foreign Secretary, David Miliband attended OSCE Ministerial Council 4 December 2008

 

Map of FinlandGEOGRAPHY

With a total area of 390,920 sq km, Finland is the sixth largest country in Europe and is also one of the most northerly countries in the world: one quarter of its total area lies north of the Arctic Circle. The distance between the northernmost and southernmost points is 1,160km. Relative to its size, Finland has more lakes than any other country, 187,888

The country has land frontiers with Russia (1,269km), Norway (716km) and Sweden (586km), and a coastline of approximately 1,100km.

Principal commercial centres and towns and their populations:

  • Helsinki - approx 564,521
  • Espoo - approx 235,368 (part of the Helsinki conurbation but administrated separately)
  • Tampere - approx 206,368
  • Vantaa - approx 189,711 (part of the Helsinki conurbation but administrated separately)
  • Turku - approx 175,354
  • Oulu - approx 130,178

Climate

Winters are long with an average temperature between 0 degrees Centigrade and -15 degrees Centigrade (but can go much lower). Average Summer temperatures are between 16 degrees centigrade and 25 degrees centigrade. From December 2007 to February 2008 the average temperature for Southern and Central Finland was +1.5 to -4°C and in Northern Finland -3 to -8°C - the warmest for the century for which records have been taken. The Finnish Meteorological Institute attributed this to of mild southerly air currents and climate change. Winter 2008-2009 has resumed its traditional chilly service.

TRADE AND INVESTMENT

UK Exports to Finland (Goods)

The UK’s total visible trade with Finland for 2006 is up 23.7% to £1,817,363,899 on the previous year’s figures. The table below shows the top 10 UK exports to Finland for 2006.

UK Exports to Finland Jan - Dec 2006: Top 10 Divisions

Division & Description

£ Thousand

% CHANGE FROM 2005

Vehicles other than railway or tram rolling stock

457,055

87

Motor cars

411,828

109

Mineral fuels, mineral oils

261,688

64

Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and parts thereof

249,981

-9.2

Electrical machinery and equipment

200,436

0.7

Pharmaceutical products

58,108

-18.5

Plastics and plastic products

55,431

10.29

Optical, photographic, medical or surgical equipment

44,198

-5.6

Iron and steel

39,007

-15

Organic Chemicals

36,900

43

Total trade

1,817,363

23.7


This means that the UK is the fourth main exporter to the Finnish market behind Germany, Russia and Sweden. Finland is the UK's 26th largest export (goods) market and the 25th largest export market for services.

Finnish Exports to the UK (Goods)

The amount of Finnish visible exports was up by 23.5% to £2,807,039,8717. The table below shows the top 10 exports from Finland to the UK.

Finnish Exports to the UK: Top 10 Divisions

Division & Description

£ Thousand

% CHANGE

Electrical machinery and equipment

 

 

Paper and Paperboard

 

 

Wood and articles of wood

286,144

3.3

Mineral fuels, mineral oils

183,179

619

Iron and steel

161,467

120

Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and parts thereof

126,177

1.14

Plastics and plastic products

65,907

-0.36

Organic Chemicals

54,982

40.2

Optical, photographic, medical or surgical equipment

42,194

13.1

Vehicles other than railway or tram rolling stock

39,384

-17.7

Total trade

2,807,039

23.5


The UK is Finland’s fourth largest export market after Russia, Sweden and Germany, with 6.5% of Finnish exports going to the UK. Finland continues to enjoy a surplus on her trade in goods with the UK with an increased figure of £989,675,972. Finland is the 27th largest source of imports into the UK.

Trade in Services

The UK's export of services to Finland in 2006, the last year for which figures are available, was worth £1,094 million. While Finland's export of services to the UK in 2004 was worth £338 million. The UK's balance of exports in services to Finland has traditionally been strong and 2006 was no exception with a balance of £756 million in the UK's favour. This is a 51% increase on 2005. Finland is the UK's 25th largest export market for services in 2005.

Overseas Direct Investment

The Office of UK National Statistics state that in 2005, Finnish companies had invested £252 million into the UK (net foreign direct investment). This makes Finland the 7th largest investor from the EU25 into the UK.

In 2005, the UK was the third biggest foreign investor in Finland behind Sweden and the Netherlands. Net Direct Investment into Finland by UK companies in 2005 was £701 million. This is a significant increase on the previous 2 years. According to Invest in Finland, 17 UK companies established themselves in Finland in 2006.

UK Trade & Investment Country Profile: Finland

POLITICS

Finland is a Republic whose Constitution combines a 1-chamber Parliament with a President who shares executive powers with the government in foreign policy and defence. The President is elected for a 6-year term by direct popular vote. Tarja Halonen, the country's first female President, was inaugurated in March 2000 and was re-elected in January 2006. She was formerly the Social Democrat Foreign Minister.

There are 200 members of Parliament and elections (proportional representation) take place every 4 years. Elections were held on 18 March 2007. The Centre Party emerged as the largest party, followed closely by the National Coalition Party.

Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen’s (Centre) second Cabinet took office on 19 April 2007. The present Cabinet is a majority cabinet formed by the Centre Party, the National Coalition Party, the Green League and the Swedish People’s Party of Finland. The Cabinet has a total of 20 ministers. In the ministerial roles, the Centre Party and the National Coalition share 8 positions, and the Green Party and the Swedish People’s Party have 2 each. Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alexander Stubb, represents the National Coalition Party.

In the last European Parliamentary elections (2004) the Conservatives won the largest share of votes, closely followed by the Centre Party and SDP. The results meant the following distribution of MEP seats:

National Coalition Party (Group of the European People's Party):4
Centre Party (European Liberal Democrats): 4
Social Democratic Party (Socialist Group): 3
Green League (Group of the Greens):
Left Alliance (European United Left): 1
Swedish People's Party (European Liberal Democrats): 1

Dates of next elections: parliamentary elections: March 2011.
Municipal elections: 2012. European Parliamentary elections; Spring 2009.

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Contacts

Finland, Helsinki, British Embassy

Address:

British Embassy
Itäinen Puistotie 17
00140 Helsinki
Finland

Telephone:

+358 (0)9 2286 5100

Fax:

+358 (0)9 2286 5284 Chancery Section
+358 (0)9 2286 5262 Consular and Visa

Email: info.helsinki@fco.gov.uk

Email: commercial.helsinki@fco.gov.uk

Email: helsinki.consularenquiries@fco.gov.uk

Office hours:

Office hours: Mon-Fri: 09.00-17.00
Visa Section: 09:00-12:00
Consular Section: 09:00-12:00 and 13:00-15:00

(by appointment only - appointments should be made at least 24 hours in advance)

 

Website: http://ukinfinland.fco.gov.uk

Website: http://ukinfinland.fco.gov.uk/en/visas