Shine with facts about Finland

You won’t be ready for a PhD on Finland, but this page will give you enough info to impress at least your pals.

People

Population: 5.6 million, 18.3 inhabitants per km² ( 46.6 per square mile)
Life expectancy: Men 79 years, women 85 years
Languages: Official languages are Finnish (spoken by 85.9%) and Swedish (5.2%). Sámi is the mother tongue of about 2,000 people, members of the indigenous Sámi people of northern Lapland
Religion: Christianity; 65.2% Lutheran and about 1.1% Orthodox. In practice society is fairly secularised.

State & Government

Independence: Declared on December 6, 1917. Previously a grand duchy in the Russian empire for 108 years, and a part of Sweden for 600 years before that.
Form of government: Republic, parliamentary democracy
Parliament: 200 members in one chamber, elected every 4 years in a direct vote (next elections in 2027)
Cabinet: Multiparty coalition cabinet. The current Cabinet is run by Prime Minister Petteri Orpo.
Head of State: President of the Republic, elected every 6 years, two-term maximum. Currently Mr Sauli Niinistö, elected in 2012 and re-elected in 2018 (next elections in 2024).
International cooperation: Member of United Nations since 1955 and European Union since 1995.

Society & Economy

Key features: High standard of education, social security and healthcare, all financed by the state
GDP per capita: 42,441 euros (2022)
Main exports: Electrotechnical goods, metal products, machinery, transport equipment, wood and paper products, chemicals
Main imports: Raw materials, investment goods, energy, consumer goods (for example cars and textiles)
Currency unit: Euro

Geography & Climate

Area: 338,462 km² (131,991 square miles), the fifth-largest country in Western Europe
Greatest length from north to south: 1,157 km (717 miles)
Greatest width from east to west: 542 km (336 miles)
Capital: Helsinki (1.4 million inhabitants in metropolitan area)
Climate: Great contrasts – cold winters and fairly warm summers (2019 extremes: coldest day in Utsjoki -39.1 C/-38.4 F, warmest day in Porvoo 33.7 C/92.7 F)

Sources: Statistics Finland, National Board of Customs, Population Register Center, State Provincial Office of Lapland, Localfinland.fi

Updated June 2023

Business & innovation Webpick

University of Helsinki presents health and sustainability innovations at startup mega-event Slush

The University of Helsinki is at Slush, the world’s leading startup event (held annually in the Finnish capital – November 20–21 in 2024), to show off high-quality research that gives rise to future innovations and technologies.

Arts & culture Webpick

Adventure of a lifetime: Director Charlie McDowell films Finnish author Tove Jansson’s Summer Book

When American director Charlie McDowell set out to adapt Tove Jansson’s Summer Book in Finland’s archipelago, both he and the legendary actress Glenn Close found themselves profoundly affected by the untouched nature.

Life & society Finnishness

A Finnish word, sivistys, adds to wellbeing and helps solve future challenges

Finland’s Year of Sivistys 2024 spotlights a long-established concept of societal enlightenment and learning, and harnesses its strengths to face challenges now and in the future.

Arts & culture Architecture

Creating architecture and art from ice and snow in the Finnish far north

A rare, fascinating kind of construction expertise is on display in the wintery landscape of Finnish Lapland. We head north for a look at buildings made out of snow and ice.