Finland (Finnish name - Suomi) is the seventh largest European country with an area of 338,000 square metres and a population of 5.3 million people. Population density is low: 17 people per square kilometre. 92% of inhabitants are Finns, and 6% are Swedes. Other ethnic groups include Russians, Saami, and Tatars. Predominant religion is Lutheran; a little over 1% of the inhabitants are Orthodox Christian. By its structure, the state is unitary, administratively divided into six provinces. Capital: Helsinki (568.500 inhabitants). Independence was proclaimed on December 6, 1917.
Form of Government: parliamentary republic with a strong institution of presidential authority. The supreme executive powers belong to the President elected by universal suffrage for a period of six years with a possibility of re-election for the second term. In January 2006 Tarja Halonen was re-elected. The first woman to hold this office since March 2000, she originated from the ranks of the Social Democratic Party. The head of state is in charge of foreign policy together with the Government, approves legislative acts and resolutions, appoints members of the Government and supreme government officials, acts as the Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Force.
Parliament has one chamber. It consists of 200 deputies elected once every four years. It legislates, and elects and commissions the candidacy of the Prime Minister. After the elections in March 2007 it has representatives of eight parties: the Centre Party, the National Coalition Party, the Social Democratic Party of Finland, the Leftist Alliance, the Green League, the Swedish People's Party, the Christian Democrats, and True Finns.
The Government is formed on the basis of the outcome of parliamentary elections by way of consultations between parties. Prime Minister (re-elected in April 2007): Matti Vanhanen (Finnish Centre party), Minister of Foreign Affairs from April 2008: Alexander Stubb (NCP).
Finland ranks 15 in OECD in terms of GDP per capita (ca $31,000). Finland is a capital net exporter, and has a modern innovative system. Its economy is one of the most competitive in the world.
Currently over 60% of GDP is generated in the service sector. The industry accounts for 28% of GDP, and agriculture and forestry account for less than 4%. The basis of Finnish industry is machine and instrument-making industry, metal processing (50% of production), and timber and paper industry (18%). Finland specialises in the production of telecommunications equipment, paper and cardboard, pulp and paper industry equipment, handling machinery, special steel grades and non-ferrous metals.
Finland is a member of the UN, and a majority of universal international organisations. It joined the EU in 1995. The foreign and security policy of Finland is based on the principle of non-membership in military unions. In its bilateral relations Finland stresses the development of contacts with geographically close countries in Northern Europe, including the Baltic states and Russia.
Finland is one of the countries actively implementing a government policy on science and technology. R&D accounts for over 3.3% of GNP. The country actively develops new forms of innovative activities. Technoparks have been established at leading universities and research centres to make efficient use of the creative potential of undergraduate and post-graduate students. They unite research institutions with production and service companies in order to speed up the process of application of the results of scientific research and new technologies to production.
Finland pursues a policy of active development of culture and the arts. The state maintains all the largest cultural objects. In addition, the state budget grants subsidies to municipalities to hold various cultural events. One of the most prominent events in the cultural life is the annual summer opera festival in the city of Savonlinna.