Introduction
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 gained complete independence in 1917. During World War II, Finland successfully defended its independence through cooperation with Germany and resisted subsequent invasions by the Soviet Union, albeit with some loss of territory. During the next half-century, Finland transformed from a farm/forest economy to a diversified modern industrial economy; per-capita income is among the highest in Western Europe. A member of the EU since 1995, Finland was the only Nordic state to join the euro single currency at its initiation in January 1999. In the 21st century, the key features of Finland's modern welfare state are high-quality education, promotion of equality, and a national social welfare system, although the system is currently facing the challenges of an aging population and the fluctuations of an export-driven economy. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Finland opted to join NATO; it became the organization's 31st member in April 2023.
Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.
Geography
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 - comparative
slightly more than two times the size of Georgia; slightly smaller than Montana
Land boundaries
total: 2,563 km
border countries (3): Norway 709 km; Sweden 545 km; Russia 1,309 km
Coastline
1,250 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm (in the Gulf of Finland - 3 nm)
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm; extends to continental shelf boundary with Sweden, Estonia, and Russia
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
highest point: Halti (alternatively Haltia, Haltitunturi, Haltiatunturi) 1,328 m
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
mean elevation: 164 m
Natural resources
timber, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, nickel, gold, silver, limestone
Land use
agricultural land: 7.5% (2018 est.)
arable land: 7.4% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 0.1% (2018 est.)
forest: 72.9% (2018 est.)
other: 19.6% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land
80 sq km (2015)
Major lakes (area sq km)
fresh water lake(s): Saimaa - 1,760 sq km; Paijanne - 1,090 sq km; Inarijarvi - 1,000 sq km; Oulujarvi - 900 sq km; Pielinen - 850 sq km
Population distribution
the vast majority of people are found in the south; the northern interior areas remain sparsely populated
Natural hazards
severe winters in the north
Geography - note
long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national capital on European continent; population concentrated on small southwestern coastal plain
People and Society
Population
total: 5,626,414
male: 2,773,656
female: 2,852,758 (2024 est.)
comparison rankings: female 118; male 119; total 118
Nationality
noun: Finn(s)
adjective: Finnish
Ethnic groups
Finnish, Swedish, Russian, Estonian, Romani, Sami
note: 90.9% of the population has a Finnish background (2022 est.)
Languages
Finnish (official) 85.9%, Swedish (official) 5.2%, Russian 1.7%, other 7.2% (2022 est.)
major-language sample(s):
World Factbook, korvaamaton perustietolähde. (Finnish)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions
Lutheran 66.6%, Greek Orthodox 1.1%, other 1.7%, none 30.6% (2022 est.)
Demographic profile
Finland has a relatively high fertility rate for Europe at about 1.75 children per woman in 2023. Finnish women have high labor force participation rates, and their educational attainment is higher than that of Finnish men. Finland’s family policy, like other Nordic countries, puts an emphasis on reconciling work and family life. Both parents can stay at home with an earnings-based allowance until the baby is about 11 months old. Finland also has a publicly subsidized childcare system. Alternatively, parents can choose to take care of a small child through home care leave with a flat allowance rate. These benefits have encouraged fathers to do a greater share of housework and childcare, although women still perform the lion’s share of domestic work. In other instances, women have reduced the burden of household work by outsourcing domestic chores, rather than men taking on more of the responsibilities. Finland has high family size ideals compared to other European countries, and childlessness and one-child families are not favored. The proportion of couples having at least three children has been growing since the 1970s.
Finland has historically been a country of emigration. In the 20th century, Finns emigrated largely in two waves. Before World War II, the majority of Finns went to North America, and after World War II most went to Sweden, where industrialization was generating much-needed jobs that offered higher salaries and a better standard of living. In the 1980s and early 1990s, Finnish returnees (mainly from Sweden) began to outnumber Finnish emigrants. Also arriving in Finland between April 1990 and 2010, were Ingrian Finns – descendants of ethnic Finns who settled near St. Petersburg, Russia, in the 17th century – who immigrated to Finland under the Right of Return Law. In addition, the country has absorbed immigrants from Russia, Estonia, the former Yugoslavia, and Sweden for a variety of reasons, most commonly for marriage and family reunification. Finland has also accepted refugees and asylum seekers from Somalia, Iraq, China, and Thailand.
Age structure
0-14 years: 16.2% (male 464,939/female 444,585)
15-64 years: 60.3% (male 1,725,072/female 1,668,604)
65 years and over: 23.5% (2024 est.) (male 583,645/female 739,569)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 62.1
youth dependency ratio: 25
elderly dependency ratio: 37.1
potential support ratio: 2.7 (2021 est.)
Median age
total: 43.3 years (2024 est.)
male: 41.8 years
female: 44.9 years
comparison ranking: total 36
Population distribution
the vast majority of people are found in the south; the northern interior areas remain sparsely populated
Urbanization
urban population: 85.8% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.42% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
1.338 million HELSINKI (capital) (2023)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
29.5 years (2020 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 2.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
male: 2.3 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 1.9 deaths/1,000 live births
comparison ranking: total 221
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 82.2 years (2024 est.)
male: 79.3 years
female: 85.2 years
comparison ranking: total population 31
Gross reproduction rate
0.85 (2024 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
85.5% (2015)
note: percent of women aged 18-49
Drinking water source
improved: urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved: urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
Current health expenditure
9.6% of GDP (2020)
Physician density
4.64 physicians/1,000 population (2018)
Hospital bed density
3.6 beds/1,000 population (2018)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved: urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
Alcohol consumption per capita
total: 8.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 3.76 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 1.59 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 1.96 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0.91 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: total 41
Tobacco use
total: 21.6% (2020 est.)
male: 26.9% (2020 est.)
female: 16.3% (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: total 75
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
57.2% (2023 est.)
Child marriage
women married by age 18: 0.1% (2017 est.)
Literacy
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 19 years
male: 18 years
female: 20 years (2020)
Environment
Environment - current issues
limited air pollution in urban centers; some water pollution from industrial wastes, agricultural chemicals; habitat loss threatens wildlife populations
Environment - international agreements
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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
Land use
agricultural land: 7.5% (2018 est.)
arable land: 7.4% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 0.1% (2018 est.)
forest: 72.9% (2018 est.)
other: 19.6% (2018 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 85.8% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.42% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Air pollutants
particulate matter emissions: 5.47 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 45.87 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 4.46 megatons (2020 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.738 million tons (2015 est.)
municipal solid waste recycled annually: 769,926 tons (2015 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 28.1% (2015 est.)
Major lakes (area sq km)
fresh water lake(s): Saimaa - 1,760 sq km; Paijanne - 1,090 sq km; Inarijarvi - 1,000 sq km; Oulujarvi - 900 sq km; Pielinen - 850 sq km
Total water withdrawal
municipal: 1 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
industrial: 2 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
agricultural: 500 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Total renewable water resources
110 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Geoparks
total global geoparks and regional networks: 4 (2024)
global geoparks and regional networks: Impact Crater Lake - Lappajarvi; Rokua; Lauhanvuori-Haemeenkangas; Saimaa; Salpausselka (2024)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: Republic of Finland
conventional short form: Finland
local long form: Suomen tasavalta (Finnish)/ Republiken Finland (Swedish)
local short form: Suomi (Finnish)/ Finland (Swedish)
etymology: name may derive from the ancient Fenni peoples who are first described as living in northeastern Europe in the first centuries A.D.
Government type
parliamentary republic
Capital
name: Helsinki
geographic coordinates: 60 10 N, 24 56 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
etymology: the name may derive from the Swedish helsing, an archaic name for "neck" (hals), and which may refer to a narrowing of the Vantaa River that flows into the Gulf of Finland at Helsinki; fors refers to "rapids," so helsing fors meaning becomes "the narrows' rapids"
Administrative divisions
19 regions (maakunnat, singular - maakunta (Finnish); landskapen, singular - landskapet (Swedish)); Aland (Swedish), Ahvenanmaa (Finnish); Etela-Karjala (Finnish), Sodra Karelen (Swedish) [South Karelia]; Etela-Pohjanmaa (Finnish), Sodra Osterbotten (Swedish) [South Ostrobothnia]; Etela-Savo (Finnish), Sodra Savolax (Swedish) [South Savo]; Kanta-Hame (Finnish), Egentliga Tavastland (Swedish); Kainuu (Finnish), Kajanaland (Swedish); Keski-Pohjanmaa (Finnish), Mellersta Osterbotten (Swedish) [Central Ostrobothnia]; Keski-Suomi (Finnish), Mellersta Finland (Swedish) [Central Finland]; Kymenlaakso (Finnish), Kymmenedalen (Swedish); Lappi (Finnish), Lappland (Swedish); Paijat-Hame (Finnish), Paijanne-Tavastland (Swedish); Pirkanmaa (Finnish), Birkaland (Swedish) [Tampere]; Pohjanmaa (Finnish), Osterbotten (Swedish) [Ostrobothnia]; Pohjois-Karjala (Finnish), Norra Karelen (Swedish) [North Karelia]; Pohjois-Pohjanmaa (Finnish), Norra Osterbotten (Swedish) [North Ostrobothnia]; Pohjois-Savo (Finnish), Norra Savolax (Swedish) [North Savo]; Satakunta (Finnish and Swedish); Uusimaa (Finnish), Nyland (Swedish) [Newland]; Varsinais-Suomi (Finnish), Egentliga Finland (Swedish) [Southwest Finland]
Independence
6 December 1917 (from Russia)
National holiday
Independence Day, 6 December (1917)
Legal system
civil law system based on the Swedish model
Constitution
history: previous 1906, 1919; latest drafted 17 June 1997, approved by Parliament 11 June 1999, entered into force 1 March 2000
amendments: proposed by Parliament; passage normally requires simple majority vote in two readings in the first parliamentary session and at least two-thirds majority vote in a single reading by the newly elected Parliament; proposals declared "urgent" by five-sixths of Parliament members can be passed by at least two-thirds majority vote in the first parliamentary session only; amended several times, last in 2018
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Finland
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: 6 years
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state: President Alexander STUBB (since 1 March 2024)
head of government: Prime Minister Petteri ORPO (since 20 June 2023)
cabinet: Council of State or Valtioneuvosto appointed by the president, responsible to Parliament
elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 6-year term (eligible for a second term); first round held on 28 January 2024 with a runoff on 11 February 2024 (next to be held by 28 January 2030); prime minister appointed by Parliament
election results:
2024: Alexander STUBB elected in the second round; percent of vote in the first round - Alexander STUBB (KoK) 27.2%, Pekka HAAVISTO (Vihr) 25.8%, Jussi HALLA-AHO (PS) 19.0%, Olli REHN (Kesk) 15.3%; percent of vote in second round - STUBB 51.6%, HAAVISTO 48.4%
2018: Sauli NIINISTO reelected president; percent of vote - Sauli NIINISTO (independent) 62.7%, Pekka HAAVISTO (Vihr) 12.4%, Laura HUHTASAARI (PS) 6.9%, Paavo VAYRYNEN (independent) 6.2%, Matti VANHANEN (Kesk) 4.1%, other 7.7%
Legislative branch
description: unicameral Parliament or Eduskunta (200 seats; 199 members directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and 1 member in the province of Aland directly elected by simple majority vote; members serve 4-year terms)
elections: last held on 2 April 2023 (next to be held on 30 April 2027)
election results: percent of vote by party/coalition - Kok 24%, PS 23%, SDP 21.5%. Center Party 11.5%, Vihr 6.5%, Vas 5.5%, SFP 4.5%, KD 2.5%, Aland 0.5%; Movement Now 0.5%; seats by party/coalition - Kok 48, PS 46, SDP 43, Center Party 23, Vihr 13, Vas 11, SFP 9, KD 5; Aland 1; Movement Now 1; composition - men 108, women 92, percentage women 46%
Judicial branch
highest court(s): Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus (consists of the court president and 18 judges); Supreme Administrative Court (consists of 21 judges, including the court president and organized into 3 chambers); note - Finland has a dual judicial system - courts with civil and criminal jurisdiction and administrative courts with jurisdiction for litigation between individuals and administrative organs of the state and communities
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court and Supreme Administrative Court judges appointed by the president of the republic; judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 68
subordinate courts: 6 Courts of Appeal; 8 regional administrative courts; 27 district courts; special courts for issues relating to markets, labor, insurance, impeachment, land, tenancy, and water rights
Political parties
Aland Coalition (a coalition of several political parties on the Aland Islands)
Center Party or Kesk
Christian Democrats or KD
Finns Party or PS
Green League or Vihr
Left Alliance or Vas
Movement Now or Liike Nyt
National Coalition Party or Kok
Social Democratic Party or SDP
Swedish People's Party or RKP or SFP
International organization participation
ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNSOM, UNTSO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Mikko Tapani HAUTALA (since 17 September 2020)
chancery: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 298-5800
FAX: [1] (202) 298-6030
email address and website:
[email protected]
https://finlandabroad.fi/web/usa/mission
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Douglas HICKEY (since 11 May 2022)
embassy: Itainen Puistotie 14 B, 00140 Helsinki
mailing address: 5310 Helsinki Place, Washington DC 20521-5310
telephone: [358] (9) 616-250
FAX: [358] (9) 174-681
email address and website:
[email protected]
https://fi.usembassy.gov/
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); the blue represents the thousands of lakes scattered across the country, while the white is for the snow that covers the land in winter
National symbol(s)
lion; national colors: blue, white
National anthem
name: "Maamme" (Our Land)
lyrics/music: Johan Ludvig RUNEBERG/Fredrik PACIUS
note: in use since 1848; although never officially adopted by law, the anthem has been popular since it was first sung by a student group in 1848; Estonia's anthem uses the same melody as that of Finland
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites: 7 (6 cultural, 1 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Fortress of Suomenlinna (c); Old Rauma (c); Petäjävesi Old Church (c); Verla Groundwood and Board Mill (c); Bronze Age Burial Site of Sammallahdenmäki (c); High Coast / Kvarken Archipelago (n); Struve Geodetic Arc (c)
Economy
Economic overview
high-income, export-based EU and eurozone economy; major timber, metals, engineering, telecom, and electronics industries; emerging from recession triggered by inflation, weak consumer and export demand, and lower private investment; labor market reform plan to address structural rigidities
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$321.126 billion (2023 est.)
$324.486 billion (2022 est.)
$320.209 billion (2021 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
comparison ranking: 58
Real GDP growth rate
-1.04% (2023 est.)
1.34% (2022 est.)
2.84% (2021 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
comparison ranking: 200
Real GDP per capita
$57,500 (2023 est.)
$58,400 (2022 est.)
$57,800 (2021 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
comparison ranking: 31
GDP (official exchange rate)
$300.187 billion (2023 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
6.25% (2023 est.)
7.12% (2022 est.)
2.19% (2021 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices
comparison ranking: 132
Credit ratings
Fitch rating: AA+ (2016)
Moody's rating: Aa1 (2016)
Standard & Poors rating: AA+ (2014)
note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 2.7% (2017 est.)
industry: 28.2% (2017 est.)
services: 69.1% (2017 est.)
comparison rankings: services 75; industry 91; agriculture 157
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption: 54.4% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 22.9% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 22.1% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 0.4% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 38.5% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -38.2% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products
milk, barley, oats, wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, pork, chicken, peas, beef (2022)
note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Industries
metals and metal products, electronics, machinery and scientific instruments, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing
Industrial production growth rate
-2.72% (2023 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
comparison ranking: 189
Labor force
2.88 million (2023 est.)
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
comparison ranking: 113
Unemployment rate
7.16% (2023 est.)
6.72% (2022 est.)
7.61% (2021 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment
comparison ranking: 138
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 15.9% (2023 est.)
male: 16.4% (2023 est.)
female: 15.5% (2023 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
comparison ranking: total 90
Population below poverty line
12.2% (2022 est.)
note: % of population with income below national poverty line
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
27.7 (2021 est.)
note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
comparison ranking: 139
Average household expenditures
on food: 12% of household expenditures (2021 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 5% of household expenditures (2021 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 3.8% (2021 est.)
highest 10%: 22.9% (2021 est.)
note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Remittances
0.23% of GDP (2023 est.)
0.23% of GDP (2022 est.)
0.23% of GDP (2021 est.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Budget
revenues: $140.643 billion (2020 est.)
expenditures: $153.635 billion (2020 est.)
note: Central Government Budget data; these numbers represent a significant reduction from previous official reporting
Public debt
61.3% of GDP (2017 est.)
note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions
comparison ranking: 78
Taxes and other revenues
21.08% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
comparison ranking: 79
Current account balance
-$4.364 billion (2023 est.)
-$7.074 billion (2022 est.)
$1.222 billion (2021 est.)
note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
comparison ranking: 177
Exports
$122.953 billion (2023 est.)
$127.706 billion (2022 est.)
$116.762 billion (2021 est.)
note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
comparison ranking: 44
Exports - partners
Germany 11%, US 10%, Sweden 10%, Netherlands 7%, China 5% (2022)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Exports - commodities
paper, refined petroleum, steel, wood pulp, wood (2022)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Imports
$124.221 billion (2023 est.)
$134.575 billion (2022 est.)
$116.72 billion (2021 est.)
note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
comparison ranking: 42
Imports - partners
Sweden 15%, Germany 14%, China 8%, Norway 7%, Netherlands 6% (2022)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Imports - commodities
crude petroleum, refined petroleum, cars, garments, electricity (2022)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$16.929 billion (2023 est.)
$16.036 billion (2022 est.)
$16.744 billion (2021 est.)
note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
comparison ranking: 73
Exchange rates
euros (EUR) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
0.925 (2023 est.)
0.95 (2022 est.)
0.845 (2021 est.)
0.876 (2020 est.)
0.893 (2019 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Electricity
installed generating capacity: 24.784 million kW (2022 est.)
consumption: 80.082 billion kWh (2022 est.)
exports: 6.896 billion kWh (2022 est.)
imports: 19.825 billion kWh (2022 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 3.009 billion kWh (2022 est.)
comparison rankings: transmission/distribution losses 140; imports 9; exports 32; consumption 39; installed generating capacity 41
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 9.9% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
nuclear: 34.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
solar: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
wind: 17% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
hydroelectricity: 19.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
biomass and waste: 19% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Nuclear energy
Number of operational nuclear reactors: 5 (2023)
Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 4.93GW (2023 est.)
Percent of total electricity production: 42% (2023 est.)
Coal
production: 808,000 metric tons (2022 est.)
consumption: 4.141 million metric tons (2022 est.)
exports: 37,000 metric tons (2022 est.)
imports: 4.068 million metric tons (2022 est.)
Petroleum
total petroleum production: 8,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 175,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Natural gas
consumption: 1.157 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
exports: 106.77 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
imports: 1.372 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
36.006 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 8.577 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 25.198 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 2.231 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
comparison ranking: total emissions 67
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 186,000 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2022 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 120
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 7.13 million (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 129 (2022 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 111
Telecommunication systems
general assessment: Finland’s telecom market is among the more progressive in Europe, with operators having been at the forefront in deploying technologies and with the regulator being among the first to auction spectrum for 5G use; these efforts have been supported by the government which is working towards its target of providing a broadband service of at least 100Mb/s by 2025; 5G services were available to more than 40% of the population by early 2021, and take-up among subscribers has been strong although most will remain with LTE in the short term; the country enjoys one of the highest broadband and mobile subscription rates in the region, with customers able to make use of the latest iterations of technologies including DOCSIS3.1, LTE-A, 5G, and GPON fiber infrastructure; Finland has emerged as one of the pioneers in 5G; the auction of spectrum in the 700MHz and 3.5GHh bands has enabled network operators to extend the availability of LTE services nationally and to prepare for 5G services; Spectrum in the 2.5GHz band was auctioned in mid-2020 and has since enabled the MNOs to widen their 5G footprint considerably; there is an ongoing shift away from DSL to fiber and mobile networks (2021)
domestic: fixed-line 4 per 100 subscriptions and nearly 129 per 100 mobile-cellular (2021)
international: country code - 358; landing points for Botnia, BCS North-1 & 2, SFL, SFS-4, C-Lion1, Eastern Lights, Baltic Sea Submarine Cable, FEC, and EESF-2 & 3 submarine cables that provide links to many Finland points, Estonia, Sweden, Germany, and Russia; satellite earth stations - access to Intelsat transmission service via a Swedish satellite earth station, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Finland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) (2019)
Broadcast media
a mix of 3 publicly operated TV stations and numerous privately owned TV stations; several free and special-interest pay-TV channels; cable and satellite multi-channel subscription services are available; all TV signals are broadcast digitally; Internet television, such as Netflix and others, is available; public broadcasting maintains a network of 13 national and 25 regional radio stations; a large number of private radio broadcasters and access to Internet radio
Internet users
total: 5.115 million (2021 est.)
percent of population: 93% (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total 92
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 1.846 million (2020 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 33 (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: total 59
Transportation
National air transport system
number of registered air carriers: 3 (2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 77
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 13,364,839 (2018)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 957.64 million (2018) mt-km
Heliports
15 (2024)
Pipelines
1,288 km gas transmission pipes, 1,976 km distribution pipes (2016)
Roadways
total: 108,637 km (2019)
private and forest roads: 350,000 km (2012)
urban: 26,000 km (2012)
comparison ranking: total 47
Waterways
8,000 km (2013) (includes Saimaa Canal system of 3,577 km; southern part leased from Russia; water transport used frequently in the summer and widely replaced with sledges on the ice in winter; there are 187,888 lakes in Finland that cover 31,500 km); Finland also maintains 8,200 km of coastal fairways
comparison ranking: 19
Merchant marine
total: 282 (2023)
by type: bulk carrier 9, general cargo 75, oil tanker 4, other 194
comparison ranking: total 57
Ports
total ports: 37 (2024)
large: 5
medium: 7
small: 11
very small: 14
ports with oil terminals: 21
key ports: Helsinki, Kaskinen, Kokkola, Kotka, Kristinestad, Mantyluoto, Oulu, Pietarsaari, Pori, Rauma, Turku, Vaasa
Military and Security
Military and security forces
Finnish Defense Forces (FDF; Puolustusvoimat): Army (Maavoimat), Navy (Merivoimat), Air Force (Ilmavoimat) (2024)
note: the Border Guard (Rajavartiolaitos) and National Police are under the Ministry of the Interior; the Border Guard becomes part of the FDF in wartime
Military expenditures
2.4% of GDP (2024 est.)
2.5% of GDP (2023)
2% of GDP (2022)
1.9% of GDP (2021)
1.5% of GDP (2020)
comparison ranking: 47
Military and security service personnel strengths
approximately 31,000 active-duty personnel (23,000 Army; 5,000 Navy; 3,000 Air Force) (2024)
note: active-duty figures include about 21,000 conscripts carrying out their obligated military service (approximately 17,000 Army; 3,500 Navy; 1,000 Air Force)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the military's inventory consists of a wide mix of mostly modern US, European, Israeli, South Korean, and domestically produced weapons systems; in recent years, the US has been the leading supplier of arms; the Finnish defense industry produces a variety of military equipment, including wheeled armored vehicles and naval vessels; it also cooperates with other European countries and the US (2023)
Military service age and obligation
at age 18, all Finnish men are obligated to serve 5.5-12 months of service within a branch of the military or the Border Guard (length of service depends on the type of duty); women 18-29 may volunteer for service; there is also an option to perform non-military service which lasts for 8.5 or 11.5 months; after completing their initial conscript obligation, individuals enter the reserves and remain eligible for mobilization until the age of 50 for rank-and-file and 60 for non-commissioned and commissioned officers (2023)
note 1: the military trains approximately 21,000 conscripts each year; women have served on a voluntary basis since 1995, and as of 2022 made up about 19% of the military's full-time personnel
note 2: Finland has had conscription since 1951
Military deployments
165 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (2024)
Military - note
the Finnish Defense Forces (FDF) are focused primarily on territorial defense, which is based on having a large, trained reserve force created by general conscription; active-duty FDF units absorb and train more than 20,000 conscripts annually; the resulting pool of trained reservists gives the FDF a wartime strength of approximately 280,000 and a total reserve of some 900,000 citizens with military service; other FDF responsibilities include support to international peacekeeping operations and some domestic security duties, such as assisting the National Police in maintaining law and order in crises
the FDF is also focused on fulfilling its new commitment to NATO; following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Finland reassessed its security policy situation and applied for NATO membership, gaining entry in April 2023; as a member of the Alliance, Finland is part of NATO’s collective defense and is covered by the security guarantees enshrined in Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty); Finland had been part of NATO’s Partnership for Peace program since 1994, and the FDF exercised with some NATO members and participated in NATO-led military missions in the Balkans, Afghanistan, and Iraq; in 2024, it joined NATO's Air Policing mission in Eastern Europe
Finland is a signatory of the EU’s Common Security and Defense Policy and actively participates in EU crisis management missions and operations; the FDF also cooperates closely with the militaries of other Nordic countries through the Nordic Defense Cooperation structure (NORDEFCO; established 2009), which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden and involves cooperation in such areas as armaments, education, human resources, training and exercises, and operations; Sweden, the UK, and the US are close bi-lateral defense partners; in 2022, Finland signed a mutual security agreement with the UK, and since 2014 has been part of the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force, a pool of high-readiness military forces from 10 Baltic and Scandinavian countries designed to respond to a wide range of contingencies in the North Atlantic, Baltic Sea, and High North regions (2024)
Transnational Issues
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees (country of origin): 9,175 (Iraq) (mid-year 2022); 66,195 (Ukraine) (as of 29 February 2024)
stateless persons: 3,546 (2022)