Finland Key Facts

Northeastern Europe.

GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).

338,144 sq km (130,558 sq miles).

5.3 million (2009 estimate).

17 per sq km.

Helsinki. Population: 561,000 (census 2005).

The history and politics of Finland has been shaped by its location, wedged between Sweden to the west, Norway to the north and Russia to the east. The national character of the Finns has been further coloured by the water-logged landscape - the country is hemmed in by the Gulf of Bothnia and the Gulf of Finland and 10% of its landmass lies underwater. Finland has more islands than any other country on earth - 30,000 off the Finnish coast and a further 98,000 islands in its 188,000 inland lakes - and the Saimaa Lake system in the southeast of the country is the largest inland water system in Europe.

By European standards, Finland is very sparsely populated. Around 69% of the country is covered by the pine forests that define the northern coniferous zone. In the south and southwest, the forest is mainly pine, fir and birch; in Lapland, in the far north, scattered dwarf birch forests give way to Arctic tundra. Most of the national forests are managed for timber, which is used for the manufacture of furniture, paper and fibreboards and for domestic heating and warming Finland's 1.6 million saunas. Finland's forests are said to be the most sustainably managed in Europe. Only 8% of the land is used for agriculture - more than 50% of Finns work in manufacturing or the service sector.

Member since 1995.

Republic. Before 1917, Finland was a Grand Duchy of the Russian Empire.

President Tarja Halonen since 2000.

Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen since 2003.

Social Democrat Tarja Halonen became the first woman to hold the post of president in 2000, and was re-elected for a further six-year term in 2006. The prime minister is Matti Vanhanen, whose Centre Party came to power in 2003 in a coalition with the Social Democrats and Swedish People's Party.

In the March 2007 elections, the Centre Party triumphed by only one seat over the conservative National Coalition Party, with whom they formed a governing coalition, forcing the Social Democrats into opposition. This swing to the right mirrors trends in other north European countries in recent years. The Swedish People's Party, the Left Alliance, and the Green League also form part of the government, along with a number of minority parties. A single seat in the Finnish parliament is held by a minister elected by the 27,000 people of the autonomous district of Åland in the Åland Sea.

There are two official languages: Finnish, mother tongue for 91.6% of the population, and Swedish, first language of 5.5% of the population. Swedish Finns have a distinct cultural identity and often speak English more fluently than they speak Finnish. The Finnish language is related to only Estonian and Hungarian. Around 2,000 people in Lapland speak one of the dialects of the Sámi language, while Karelian dialects still survive amongst older people in the east of the country. English is taught as the first foreign language.

86% Lutheran, 1% Finnish Orthodox; there are also Baptists, Methodists, Free Church, Roman Catholics, Jews and Muslims.

220 (230) volts AC, 50Hz. European two-pin plugs are standard.

Shaking hands is customary as a greeting and guests are expected to refrain from drinking until the host or hostess toasts their health with kippis or skol (cheers). Most Finns prefer practical, casual clothing, except for special occasions. Many younger Finns rebel against this social norm through body piercing, dressing in 'Gothic' clothes and listening to heavy rock bands such as Lordi. Although renowned for their liberal attitudes, Finns can appear to be rather reserved with strangers, so do not be alarmed if conversations start slowly. Shoes should be removed when entering someone's home.