Finland is a country located in northern Europe, bordered by Sweden to the west, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east. It has a population of around 5.5 million people and covers an area of approximately 338,000 square kilometers.

The Finnish government operates as a parliamentary democracy, with a president as the head of state and a prime minister as the head of government. The country is known for its strong welfare state and social security programs, with high levels of education and healthcare provided to citizens.

Finland is a member of the European Union and uses the euro as its currency. The country has a highly developed economy, driven by a mix of manufacturing, services, and technology industries. Major Finnish companies include Nokia, Kone, and UPM-Kymmene.

Finland is also known for its natural beauty, with vast forests, thousands of lakes, and a long coastline. The country experiences a wide range of weather patterns, from long and snowy winters to mild and sunny summers. Popular tourist activities in Finland include skiing, snowboarding, hiking, fishing, and visiting its many saunas. The country is also famous for the Northern Lights, a natural phenomenon visible in the northern parts of the country during the winter months.

Telephone Code
358

Local Emergency Phone
112

Vaccinations
See WHO recommendations

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

Currency (Code)
Euros (EUR)

Electricity/Voltage/Plug Type(s)
230 V / 50 Hz / plug types(s): C, F

Major Languages
Finnish, Swedish, Russian

Major Religions
Lutheran 67.8%, Greek Orthodox 1.1%, other 1.7%, unspecified 29.4%

Potable Water
Yes

International Driving Permit
Suggested

Road Driving Side
Right

Tourist Destinations
Turku Castle; Porvoo; Lake Saimaa region (includes Savonlinna and Castle Olavinlinna); Orthodox Church in Tampere; Lemmenjoki National Park; Helsinki churches (Uspensky and Lutheran Cathedrals, Temppeliaukio Church); Suomenlinna Fortress

Major Sports
Soccer, ice hockey, ski jumping, cross-country skiing

Cultural Practices
When invited to a Finn's home, it is considered polite to arrive punctually and to offer to bring a dish.

Tipping Guidelines
Tips are not expected as a service charge is always included at restaurants, but you may leave a small tip of 5-10% for excellent service. Tipping at hotels is fairly rare, but a few euros for good service is appreciated. Round up for taxis.

Souvenirs
Knitted traditional Lappish clothing, reindeer and elk decorative and food items, glass bird statues, stone necklaces

Traditional Cuisine
Rye Bread and Karelian stew — pork and beef with carrots, onions, and spices

Geography
Area
total: 338,145 sq km
land: 303,815 sq km
water: 34,330 sq km

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

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

People and Society
Population
5,614,571 (2023 est.)

Ethnic groups
Finnish, Swedish, Russian, Estonian, Romani, Sami

Languages
Finnish (official) 86.5%, Swedish (official) 5.2%, Russian 1.6%, other 6.7% (2021 est.)

Religions
Lutheran 66.6%, Greek Orthodox 1.1%, other 1.7%, none 30.6% (2021 est.)

Population growth rate
0.22% (2023 est.)

Government
Government type
parliamentary republic

Capital
name: Helsinki

Economy
Economic overview
highly industrialized, export-based EU economy and euro user; high per capita GDP; major timber, metals, engineering, telecommunications, and electronics industries; manageable public debts; rigid labor laws impose higher regulatory burdens

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$270.143 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita
$48,800 (2021 est.)

Agricultural products
milk, barley, oats, wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, rye, pork, poultry, beef

Industries
metals and metal products, electronics, machinery and scientific instruments, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing

Exports
$116.905 billion (2021 est.)

Exports - partners
Germany 14%, Sweden 10%, United States 8%, Netherlands 6%, China 6%, Russia 5% (2019)

Exports - commodities
refined petroleum, paper and wood pulp products, cars, stainless steel, lumber (2019)

Imports
$116.277 billion (2021 est.)

Imports - partners
Germany 16%, Sweden 14%, Russia 13%, China 6%, Netherlands 6% (2019)

Imports - commodities
crude petroleum, cars and vehicle parts, refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, packaged medicines (2019)