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GeographyLocation
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 World Ranking: 65
Total 338,145 sq km
Land 303,815 sq km Water 34,330 sq km Area - comparative
Slightly smaller than Montana
Land boundaries
Total 2,654 km
Border countries Norway 727 km, Sweden 614 km, Russia 1,313 km Coastline
1,250 km
Maritime claims
Territorial sea
12 nm (in the Gulf of Finland - 3 nm) Contiguous zone 24 nmExclusive fishing zone 12 nm; extends to continental shelf boundary with Sweden Continental shelf 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation 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 extremes
Lowest point Baltic Sea 0 m
Highest point Halti (alternatively Haltia, Haltitunturi, Haltiatunturi) 1,328 m Natural resources
Timber, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, nickel, gold, silver, limestone Land use
Arable land 6.54%
Permanent crops 0.02% Other 93.44% (2005) Irrigated land
770 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources
110 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)
Total 2.33 cu km/yr (14%/84%/3%)
Per capita 444 cu m/yr (1999) Natural hazards
NA
Environment - current issues
Air pollution from manufacturing and power plants contributing to acid rain; water pollution from industrial wastes, agricultural chemicals; habitat loss threatens wildlife populations Environment - international agreements
Party to
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling Signed, but not ratified None of the selected agreements Geography - note
Long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national capital on European continent; population concentrated on small southwestern coastal plain
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Finland (Helsinki):
 
GPS points from Finland (Helsinki)
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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.