FINLAND

Finland is situated in the north of Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Gulf of Finland. The total size of its territory is 304,473 sq km and has a population of 5.5 million. Finland is a republic, with Helsinki as its capital. Finland is situated in the north of Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Gulf of Finland. The total size of its territory is 304,473 sq km and has a population of 5.5 million. Finland is a republic, with Helsinki as its capital. The president, who is directly elected by the people, has real power over foreign affairs, EU policy and major military decisions. In all other matters, the parliament is the the country’s highest authority. Finland attaches special importance to principles such as democracy, the rule of law and human rights, in line with long-established Nordic values. Finland is a member of EU, cooperates with NATO in the PfP programme and in UN peacekeeping operations. The currency of Finland is Euro.

Finland has an advanced industrial economy. The metal, engineering and electronics industries account for about 60 % of export revenues, the forest products industry for about 20 %. Finland is one of the leading countries in Internet use. Today, there are more mobile phones than fixed network subscriptions. Finland is also called ‘the land of the thousand lakes’, as inland lakes and rivers make up 10% of the country. The forests cover almost two thirds of the land mass.