Facts about Finland
Population
5.3 million, giving an average density of 17 people per sq. km; annual growth rate 0.2%
Languages
92% Finnish, 6% Swedish
Education
72% of the population aged 25 to 65 have completed upper secondary or college education and 32% (the highest percentage in the EU countries) have university or other college qualifications.
Area
338,000 sq. kilometres (131,000 sq. miles), of which 10% is water; There are 188,000 lakes. 6% of the land is under cultivation, with barley and oats the main crops. Forests (mainly pine and spruce) cover 68% of the country.
Economy
GDP 2002: 140 billion euros, the annual change in volume 2.2%. Annual inflation rates of December 2003: 0.6%.
Climate
Monthly temperatures in Helsinki The climate is continental, somewhat tempered by the Gulf Stream. Summers are short with the ?long white nights? and winters are cold and snowy. The winter temperatures can drop down to -15?C in January and February, while in the north it's often below -30?C during the winter months. When summer rolls around and the midnight sun does its thing, expect about 15?C in the north and around 20?C in the south (although it can get above 30?C).
Currency
The currency unit of Finland is Euro (€), divided into 100 cents (snt). 1EUR ? 1.20USD. Traveller's cheques are accepted at all banks, travel agencies and hotels. Furthermore most international credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Diner?s Club etc. ) are widely accepted. However, cash is still the main means of payment. All banks are open Monday-Friday 9:15a.m.-4:15 p.m. (office hours may vary regionally). Furthermore automated money machines are widely accessible throughout the country.
The amount of spending money you will need will vary depending on your lifestyle. We recommend you to have approximately 150-200 USD per month. Below are examples of costs of some typical activities and items:
Movies 7 - 10 €
Haircut 15 - 50 €
Hamburger Meal 5 - 9 €
Shampoo 2 - 5 €
T-shirt 8 - 20 €
Pepsi-Max 1.5 Litres 2 €
Ice cream sandwich 1 €
School book 10 - 30 €
Monthly card for transport 30-60 €
Government
Sovereign parliamentary republic since 1917. From 1809-1917, autonomous Grand Duchy within the Russian Empire; before that part of the Kingdom of Sweden for centuries. The president is elected every six years. Executive power is vested in the President and presidential appointed Council of State which is accountable to the Parliament. The position has been held by Tarja Halonen since March 1, 2000, Finland's first ever female president. The 200 members of Parliament are elected for four-year terms. Finland has been a member of the European Union since January 1995.