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 among the highest in Western Europe. A member of the European Union since 1995, Finland was the only Nordic state to join the euro system at its initiation in January 1999. In the 21st century, the key features of Finland's modern welfare state are a high standard of education, equality promotion, and national social security system - currently challenged by an aging population and the fluctuations of an export-driven economy.

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

slightly smaller than Montana

cold temperate; potentially subarctic but comparatively mild because of moderating influence of the North Atlantic Current, Baltic Sea, and more than 60,000 lakes

mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low hills

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

air pollution from manufacturing and power plants contributing to acid rain; water pollution from industrial wastes, agricultural chemicals; habitat loss threatens wildlife populations

long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national capital on European continent; population concentrated on small southwestern coastal plain

Finn 93.4%, Swede 5.6%, Russian 0.5%, Estonian 0.3%, Roma (Gypsy) 0.1%, Sami 0.1% (2006)

Finnish (official) 91.2%, Swedish (official) 5.5%, other (small Sami- and Russian-speaking minorities) 3.3% (2007)

Lutheran Church of Finland 82.5%, Orthodox Church 1.1%, other Christian 1.1%, other 0.1%, none 15.1% (2006)

5,262,930 (July 2012 est.)

10.36 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)

10.33 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)

0.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)

HELSINKI (capital) 1.107 million (2009)

5 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)

1.73 children born/woman (2012 est.)

2.735 physicians/1,000 population (2008)

6.52 beds/1,000 population (2008)

urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

fewer than 100 (2009 est.)

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]

6 December 1917 (from Russia)

Independence Day, 6 December (1917)

civil law system based on the Swedish model; note - the president may request the Supreme Court to review laws

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

18 years of age; universal

unicameral Parliament or Eduskunta (200 seats; members elected by popular vote on a proportional basis to serve four-year terms)

general courts - deal with criminal and civil cases (include district courts, Courts of Appeal, and the Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus, whose judges are appointed by the president); administrative courts

Center Party (Suomen Keskusta) or Kesk [Juha SIPILA]; Christian Democrats (Kristillisdemokraatit) or KD [Paivi RASANEN]; Green League (Vihrea litto) or Vihr [Ville NIINISTO]; Left Alliance (Vasemmistolitto) or Vas [Paavo ARHINMAKI]; National Coalition Party (Kansallinen Kokoomus) or Kok [Jyrki KATAINEN]; Social Democratic Party (Suomen Sosialidemokraattinen) or SDP [Jutta URPILAINEN]; Swedish People's Party (Svenska Folkpartiet) or SFP [Carl HAGLUND]; The Finns Party (Perussuomalaiset) or TF [Timo SOINI]

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), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

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

Finland has a highly industrialized, largely free-market economy with per capita output roughly that of Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Sweden. Trade is important with exports accounting for over one third of GDP in recent years. Finland is strongly competitive in manufacturing - principally the wood, metals, engineering, telecommunications, and electronics industries. Finland excels in high-tech exports such as mobile phones. 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. Finland had been one of the best performing economies within the EU in recent years and its banks and financial markets avoided the worst of global financial crisis. However, the world slowdown hit exports and domestic demand hard in 2009, with Finland experiencing one of the deepest contractions in the euro zone. A recovery of exports, domestic trade, and household consumption stimulated economic growth in 2010-11. The recession affected general government finances and the debt ratio, turning previously strong budget surpluses into deficits, but Finland has taken action to ensure it will meet EU deficit targets by 2013 and retains its triple-A credit rating. Finland's main challenge in 2013 will be to stimulate growth in the face of weak demand in EU export markets and government austerity measures meant to reduce its budget deficit. Longer-term, Finland must address a rapidly aging population and decreasing productivity that threaten competitiveness, fiscal sustainability, and economic growth.

$198.1 billion (2012 est.)

$197.5 billion (2011 est.)

$192.2 billion (2010 est.)

$247.2 billion (2012 est.)

2.679 million (2012 est.)

20% of GDP (2012 est.)

52.3% of GDP (2012 est.)

-1.9% of GDP (2012 est.)

53.5% of GDP (2012 est.)

49.2% of GDP (2011 est.)

1.5% (31 December 2012)

1.75% (31 December 2010)

1.9% (31 December 2012 est.)

2.68% (31 December 2011 est.)

$117 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$115.5 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$183.4 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$176.6 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$257.8 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$248.9 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$143.1 billion (31 December 2011)

$118.2 billion (31 December 2010)

$91.02 billion (31 December 2009)

barley, wheat, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy cattle; fish

-$3.6 billion (2012 est.)

-$1.86 billion (2011 est.)

$72.7 billion (2012 est.)

$78.83 billion (2011 est.)

electrical and optical equipment, machinery, transport equipment, paper and pulp, chemicals, basic metals; timber

Sweden 11.8%, Germany 10%, Russia 9.2%, Netherlands 6.8%, UK 5.2%, US 4.9%, China 4.7% (2011)

$72.23 billion (2012 est.)

$80.34 billion (2011 est.)

foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, transport equipment, iron and steel, machinery, computers, electronic industry products, textile yarn and fabrics, grains

Russia 17.6%, Sweden 13.6%, Germany 13.6%, Netherlands 7.6%, China 4.2% (2011)

$9.9 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$10.35 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$577 billion (31 December 2011)

$370.8 billion (30 June 2010)

$84.32 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$82.96 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$148.8 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$138.8 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

euros (EUR) per US dollar -

76.16 billion kWh (2010 est.)

77.66 billion kWh (2009 est.)

5.218 billion kWh (2010 est.)

15.72 billion kWh (2010 est.)

16.32 million kW (2009 est.)

52.5% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

16.4% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

19.1% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

12% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

0 bbl/day (2011 est.)

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

215,700 bbl/day (2009 est.)

0 bbl (1 January 2012 est.)

301,500 bbl/day (2009 est.)

204,800 bbl/day (2011 est.)

133,600 bbl/day (2009 est.)

103,100 bbl/day (2009 est.)

4.101 billion cu m (2011 est.)

0 cu m (1 January 2012 est.)

54.4 million Mt (2010 est.)

a mix of publicly-operated TV stations and privately-owned TV stations; the 2 publicly-owned TV stations recently expanded services and the largest private TV station has introduced several special-interest pay-TV channels; cable and satellite multi-channel subscription services are available; all TV signals have been broadcast digitally since September 2007; analog broadcasts via cable networks were terminated in February 2008; public broadcasting maintains a network of 13 national and 25 regional radio stations; a large number of private radio broadcasters (2008)

.fi; note - Aland Islands assigned .ax

4.763 million (2012)

4.393 million (2009)

7,842 km (includes Saimaa Canal system of 3,577 km; southern part leased from Russia; water transport is used frequently in the summer and is widely replaced with sledges on the ice in winter; there are 187,888 lakes in Finland that cover 31,500 km) (2011)

Helsinki, Kotka, Naantali, Porvoo, Raahe, Rauma

Finnish Defense Forces (FDF): Army, Navy (includes Coastal Defense Forces), Air Force (Suomen Ilmavoimat) (2007)

18 years of age for male voluntary and compulsory - and female voluntary - national military and nonmilitary service; service obligation 6-12 months; military obligation to age 60 (2012)

2% of GDP (2005 est.)

various groups in Finland advocate restoration of Karelia and other areas ceded to the Soviet Union, but the Finnish Government asserts no territorial demands