Finland's Constitution is not a single law, but rather
a
collection of four laws that have constitutional status.
The most
important is the Constitution Act of 1919, which lays out
the
functions and relationships of the most important
government
entities, lists the basic rights of Finnish citizens and
the
legal institutions charged with their protection, and
makes
provisions for managing state finances and for organizing
the
defense forces and public offices. The second of the basic
laws
is the Parliament Act of 1928, a slightly modernized
version of
the Parliament Act of 1906, which established the
country's
democratically elected parliament, the Eduskunta, and
spelled out
its procedures. Two other basic laws date from 1922 and
involve
supervision of the cabinet or government: the
Responsibility of
Ministers Act, which details the legal responsibilities of
the
members of the cabinet and the chancellor of justice; and
the
High Court of Impeachment Act, which explains how they are
to be
made accountable for infractions of the law.
Two acts dealing with the self-determination of the
Aland
Islands also have constitutional status
(see
fig. 1). The
Autonomy Act of 1951 protects the Swedish character of the
archipelago, and a law of 1975 restricts the purchase and
ownership of land on the islands.
The Constitution Act of 1919, building on existing
Finnish
institutions, established a parliamentary system of
government
based on a division of powers among the legislative, the
executive, and the judicial branches of government. But
the
separation of powers is not complete, and the branches'
powers
and functions are overlapping and interlocking. Sovereign
power
rests with the Finnish people, who govern themselves
through the
Eduskunta. Sharing legislative power with the parliament,
however, is a president, who also wields supreme executive
power.
He exercises this power through the Council of State, a
cabinet
of ministers. In accordance with parliamentary norms, this
cabinet must resign if it loses the support of the
Eduskunta. The
judiciary is independent, yet it is bound by the laws
passed by
the Eduskunta, which, in turn, follows constitutional
norms in
drafting them. Like other Nordic countries, Finland has no
constitutional court. The Eduskunta, acting through its
Constitutional Committee, serves as the ultimate arbiter
of the
constitutionality of a law or legislative proposal.
Composed of
seventeen members, chosen to represent the party
composition of
the full chamber, the committee seeks expert opinion and
lets
itself be bound by legal precedents.
The Constitution may be amended if proposals to this
end meet
qualified or set majority requirements. The requirements
are such
that as few as one sixth of the Eduskunta's members can
prevent
the passage of amendments. The large number of Finnish
political
parties makes attaining qualified majorities nearly
impossible,
unless an amendment has widespread support. This protects
the
rights of minorities.
The individual rights of Finnish citizens are
delineated in
Section II of the Constitution Act, Article 5 through
Article 16,
and, with a single addition, there have remained unchanged
since
their adoption in 1919. The additional amendment, enacted
in
1972, promises all Finns the opportunity for gainful
employment,
to be provided by the state if necessary. The list of
rights is,
of necessity, rather general. How they are exercised,
protected,
and limited is set out in ordinary laws. The state
reserves for
itself the right to limit them "in time of war or
rebellion."
First and foremost, all citizens are equal under the
law,
with a constitutional guarantee of their rights to life,
honor,
personal freedom, and property. The reference to honor
provides
for protection against false and slanderous charges and
reflects
the importance of reputation in Finnish tradition. The
protection
of property and the requirement for full compensation if
it is
expropriated for public needs indicate the conservative
nature of
the Finnish Constitution. The right of freedom of movement
encompasses residence, protection from deportation, and
guaranteed readmittance into Finland. Only in special
cases, such
as convictions for criminal activity, are these freedoms
abridged. Complete freedom of religious worship and
association
is guaranteed, as is freedom from religion.
Finnish citizens are guaranteed free speech and the
right of
assembly, as well as the right to publish uncensored texts
or
pictures. The inviolability of the home is promised, and a
domicile can be searched only according to conditions set
by law.
Privacy of communications by mail, telegraph, or telephone
is
likewise provided for. A Finn may be tried only in a court
having
prescribed jurisdiction over him. The safeguarding of the
cultural affinities of the country's citizens is regarded
as a
fundamental right, and, as a consequence, the two
languages
spoken by native-born Finns, Finnish and Swedish, both
enjoy the
status of official language. The act stipulates that a
Finn may
use either of these two languages in a court of law and
may
obtain in that language all pertinent legal or official
documents. Finally, in accordance with its nature as a
republic,
Finland grants no noble or hereditary titles.
|
Background | | Finland was a province and then a grand duchy under Sweden from the 12th to the 19th centuries, and an autonomous grand duchy of Russia after 1809. It won its complete independence in 1917. During World War II, it was able to successfully defend its freedom and resist invasions by the Soviet Union - albeit with some loss of territory. In the subsequent half century, the Finns made a remarkable transformation from a farm/forest economy to a diversified modern industrial economy; per capita income is now among the highest in Western Europe. A member of the European Union since 1995, Finland was the only Nordic state to join the euro system at its initiation in January 1999.
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|
Location | | Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia
|
|
Area(sq km) | | total: 338,145 sq km
land: 303,815 sq km
water: 34,330 sq km
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|
Geographic coordinates | | 64 00 N, 26 00 E
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|
Land boundaries(km) | | total: 2,654 km
border countries: Norway 727 km, Sweden 614 km, Russia 1,313 km
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|
Coastline(km) | | 1,250 km
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|
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
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|
Elevation extremes(m) | | lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Haltiatunturi 1,328 m
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|
Natural resources | | timber, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, nickel, gold, silver, limestone
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|
Land use(%) | | arable land: 6.54%
permanent crops: 0.02%
other: 93.44% (2005)
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|
Irrigated land(sq km) | | 640 sq km (2003)
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|
Total renewable water resources(cu km) | | 110 cu km (2005)
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|
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) | | total: 2.33 cu km/yr (14%/84%/3%)
per capita: 444 cu m/yr (1999)
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|
Natural hazards | | NA
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Environment - current issues | | air pollution from manufacturing and power plants contributing to acid rain; water pollution from industrial wastes, agricultural chemicals; habitat loss threatens wildlife populations
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Environment - international agreements | | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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|
Geography - note | | long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national capital on European continent; population concentrated on small southwestern coastal plain
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|
Population | | 5,250,275 (July 2009 est.)
|
|
Age structure(%) | | 0-14 years: 16.4% (male 438,425/female 422,777)
15-64 years: 66.8% (male 1,773,495/female 1,732,792)
65 years and over: 16.8% (male 357,811/female 524,975) (2009 est.)
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|
Median age(years) | | total: 42.1 years
male: 40.5 years
female: 43.7 years (2009 est.)
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|
Population growth rate(%) | | 0.098% (2009 est.)
|
|
Birth rate(births/1,000 population) | | 10.38 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
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|
Death rate(deaths/1,000 population) | | 10.07 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
|
|
Net migration rate(migrant(s)/1,000 population) | | 0.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
|
|
Urbanization(%) | | urban population: 63% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
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|
Sex ratio(male(s)/female) | | at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
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|
Infant mortality rate(deaths/1,000 live births) | | total: 3.47 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 3.78 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
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|
Life expectancy at birth(years) | | total population: 78.97 years
male: 75.48 years
female: 82.61 years (2009 est.)
|
|
Total fertility rate(children born/woman) | | 1.73 children born/woman (2009 est.)
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|
Nationality | | noun: Finn(s)
adjective: Finnish
|
|
Ethnic groups(%) | | Finn 93.4%, Swede 5.6%, Russian 0.5%, Estonian 0.3%, Roma (Gypsy) 0.1%, Sami 0.1% (2006)
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|
Religions(%) | | Lutheran Church of Finland 82.5%, Orthodox Church 1.1%, other Christian 1.1%, other 0.1%, none 15.1% (2006)
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Languages(%) | | Finnish 91.2% (official), Swedish 5.5% (official), other 3.3% (small Sami- and Russian-speaking minorities) (2007)
|
|
Country name | | conventional long form: Republic of Finland
conventional short form: Finland
local long form: Suomen tasavalta/Republiken Finland
local short form: Suomi/Finland
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|
Government type | | republic
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|
Capital | | name: Helsinki
geographic coordinates: 60 10 N, 24 56 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
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|
Administrative divisions | | 6 provinces (laanit, singular - laani); Ahvenanmaan Laani (Aland), Etela-Suomen Laani (Southern Finland), Ita-Suomen Laani (Eastern Finland), Lansi-Suomen Laani (Western Finland), Lapin Laani (Lapland), Oulun Laani
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Constitution | | 1-Mar-00
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Legal system | | civil law system based on Swedish law; the president may request the Supreme Court to review laws; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
|
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Suffrage | | 18 years of age; universal
|
|
Executive branch | | chief of state: President Tarja HALONEN (since 1 March 2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Matti VANHANEN (since 24 June 2003); Deputy Prime Minister Jyrki KATAINEN (since 19 April 2007)
cabinet: Council of State or Valtioneuvosto appointed by the president, responsible to parliament
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 15 January 2006 (next to be held in January 2012); the president appoints the prime minister and deputy prime minister from the majority party or the majority coalition after parliamentary elections and the parliament must approve the appointment; Prime Minister VANHANEN reelected 17 April 2007
election results: percent of vote - Tarja HALONEN (SDP) 46.3%, Sauli NIINISTO (Kok) 24.1%, Matti VANHANEN (Kesk) 18.6%, Heidi HAUTALA (VIHR) 3.5%; a runoff election between HALONEN and NIINISTO was held 29 January 2006 - HALONEN 51.8%, NIINISTO 48.2%; Matti VANHANEN reelected prime minister; election results 121-71
note: government coalition - Kesk, KOK, VIHR, and SFP
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Legislative branch | | unicameral Parliament or Eduskunta (200 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 18 March 2007 (next to be held March 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - Kesk 23.1%, Kok 22.3%, SDP 21.4%, VAS 8.8%, VIHR 8.5%, KD 4.9%, SFP 4.5%, True Finns 4.1%, other 3.4%; seats by party - Kesk 51, Kok 50, SDP 45, VAS 17, VIHR 15, SFP 9, KD 7, True Finns 5, other 1
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Judicial branch | | Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus (judges appointed by the president)
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|
International organization participation | | ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G-9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
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Flag description | | white with a blue cross extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag); the blue represents the thousands of lakes scattered across the country, while the white is for the snow that covers the land in winter
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Economy - overview | | Finland has a highly industrialized, largely free-market economy with per capita output roughly that of the UK, France, Germany, and Italy. Its key economic sector is manufacturing - principally the wood, metals, engineering, telecommunications, and electronics industries. Trade is important; Finland's ratio of exports to GDP has risen from a quarter to 37% over the past 15 years. Finland excels in high-tech exports such as mobile phones. Except for timber and several minerals, Finland depends on imports of raw materials, energy, and some components for manufactured goods. Because of the climate, agricultural development is limited to maintaining self-sufficiency in basic products. Forestry, an important export earner, provides a secondary occupation for the rural population. Although Finland has been one of the best performing economies within the EU in recent years and its banks and financial markets have avoided the worst of global financial crisis, the world slowdown has hit export growth and domestic demand and will serve as a brake on economic growth in 2009 and 2010. The slowdown of construction, other investment, and exports will cause unemployment to rise. During 2009, unemployment will climb to over 8% of the labor force. Long-term challenges include the need to address a rapidly aging population and decreasing productivity that threaten competitiveness, fiscal sustainability, and economic growth.
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|
GDP (purchasing power parity) | | $194 billion (2008 est.)
$192.4 billion (2007 est.)
$184.8 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
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|
GDP (official exchange rate) | | $271.9 billion (2008 est.)
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|
GDP - real growth rate(%) | | 0.8% (2008 est.)
4.1% (2007 est.)
4.9% (2006 est.)
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|
GDP - per capita (PPP) | | $37,000 (2008 est.)
$36,700 (2007 est.)
$35,300 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
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GDP - composition by sector(%) | | agriculture: 2.8%
industry: 32.4%
services: 64.9% (2008 est.)
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Labor force | | 2.703 million (2008 est.)
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|
Labor force - by occupation(%) | | agriculture and forestry 4.5%, industry 18.3%, construction 7.3%, commerce 16%, finance, insurance, and business services 14.5%, transport and communications 7%, public services 32.4% (2008)
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Unemployment rate(%) | | 6.4% (2008 est.)
6.9% (2007 est.)
|
|
Population below poverty line(%) | | NA%
|
|
Household income or consumption by percentage share(%) | | lowest 10%: 3.6%
highest 10%: 24.7% (2007)
|
|
Distribution of family income - Gini index | | 29.5 (2007)
25.6 (1991)
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|
Investment (gross fixed)(% of GDP) | | 20.6% of GDP (2008 est.)
|
|
Budget | | revenues: $143.8 billion
expenditures: $132.3 billion (2008 est.)
|
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices)(%) | | 4.1% (2008 est.)
2.5% (2007 est.)
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|
Stock of money | | $NA (31December 2008)
$NA (31 December 2007)
note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders
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Stock of quasi money | | $NA (31 December 2008)
$NA (31 December 2007)
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Stock of domestic credit | | $241.1 billion (31 December 2008)
$225.4 billion (31 December 2007)
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|
Market value of publicly traded shares | | $NA (31 December 2008)
$369.2 billion (31 December 2007)
$265.5 billion (31 December 2006)
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|
Public debt(% of GDP) | | 33.7% of GDP (2008 est.)
46.8% of GDP (2004 est.)
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Agriculture - products | | barley, wheat, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy cattle; fish
|
|
Industries | | metals and metal products, electronics, machinery and scientific instruments, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing
|
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Industrial production growth rate(%) | | 0.4% (2008 est.)
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Current account balance | | $5.518 billion (2008 est.)
$10.12 billion (2007 est.)
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|
Exports | | $96.62 billion (2008 est.)
$90.2 billion (2007 est.)
|
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Exports - commodities(%) | | electrical and optical equipment, machinery, transport equipment, paper and pulp, chemicals, basic metals; timber
|
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Exports - partners(%) | | Russia 11.6%, Sweden 10%, Germany 10%, US 6.4%, UK 5.5%, Netherlands 5.1% (2008)
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|
Imports | | $87.51 billion (2008 est.)
$78.22 billion (2007 est.)
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Imports - commodities(%) | | foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, transport equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile yarn and fabrics, grains
|
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Imports - partners(%) | | Russia 16.3%, Germany 15.7%, Sweden 13.6%, Netherlands 6.3%, China 5.1%, UK 4.2% (2008)
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | | $8.346 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
$8.385 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
|
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Debt - external | | $339.5 billion (31 December 2008)
$314.1 billion (31 December 2007)
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Stock of direct foreign investment - at home | | $84.44 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
$88.69 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
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|
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad | | $116 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
$114.2 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
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Exchange rates | | euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)
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Currency (code) | | euro (EUR)
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Telephones - main lines in use | | 1.65 million (2008)
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Telephones - mobile cellular | | 6.83 million (2008)
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Telephone system | | general assessment: modern system with excellent service
domestic: digital fiber-optic fixed-line network and an extensive cellular network provide domestic needs
international: country code - 358; submarine cables provide links to Estonia and Sweden; satellite earth stations - access to Intelsat transmission service via a Swedish satellite earth station, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Finland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden)
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Internet country code | | .fi; note - Aland Islands assigned .ax
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Internet users | | 4.383 million (2008)
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Airports | | 148 (2009)
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Pipelines(km) | | gas 694 km (2008)
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Roadways(km) | | total: 78,141 km
paved: 50,914 km (includes 700 km of expressways)
unpaved: 27,227 km (2009)
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Ports and terminals | | Hamina, Helsinki, Kokkola, Kotka, Naantali, Pori, Raahe, Rauma, Turku
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Military branches | | Finnish Defense Forces (FDF): Army, Navy (includes Coastal Defense Forces), Air Force (Suomen Ilmavoimat) (2007)
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Military service age and obligation(years of age) | | 18 years of age for male voluntary and compulsory - and female voluntary - national military and nonmilitary service; service obligation 6-12 months; mandatory retirement at age 60 (2008)
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Manpower available for military service | | males age 16-49: 1,169,910
females age 16-49: 1,121,187 (2008 est.)
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Manpower fit for military service | | males age 16-49: 962,479
females age 16-49: 920,297 (2009 est.)
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Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually | | male: 33,784
female: 32,621 (2009 est.)
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Military expenditures(% of GDP) | | 2% of GDP (2005 est.)
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Disputes - international | | various groups in Finland advocate restoration of Karelia and other areas ceded to the Soviet Union, but the Finnish Government asserts no territorial demands
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Electricity - production(kWh) | | 77.24 billion kWh (2007 est.)
|
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Electricity - production by source(%) | | fossil fuel: 39%
hydro: 18.7%
nuclear: 30.4%
other: 11.8% (2001)
|
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Electricity - consumption(kWh) | | 86.9 billion kWh (2008)
|
|
Electricity - exports(kWh) | | 3.335 billion kWh (2008 est.)
|
|
Electricity - imports(kWh) | | 16.11 billion kWh (2008 est.)
|
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Oil - production(bbl/day) | | 9,789 bbl/day (2008 est.)
|
|
Oil - consumption(bbl/day) | | 215,600 bbl/day (2008 est.)
|
|
Oil - exports(bbl/day) | | 133,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
|
|
Oil - imports(bbl/day) | | 347,400 bbl/day (2008 est.)
|
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Economic aid - donor | | ODA, $1.023 billion (2007)
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Oil - proved reserves(bbl) | | 0 bbl
|
|
Natural gas - production(cu m) | | 0 cu m (2008 est.)
|
|
Natural gas - consumption(cu m) | | 4.735 billion cu m (2008 est.)
|
|
Natural gas - exports(cu m) | | 0 cu m (2008)
|
|
Natural gas - proved reserves(cu m) | | 0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
|
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate(%) | | less than 0.1% (2007 est.)
|
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | | 2,400 (2007 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - deaths | | fewer than 100 (2003 est.)
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Literacy(%) | | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100% (2000 est.)
|
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School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)(years) | | total: 17 years
male: 17 years
female: 18 years (2006)
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Education expenditures(% of GDP) | | 6.4% of GDP (2005)
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