Country
Countries A-Z
Finland
Republic of Finland
Suomen Tasavalta (Finnish)
Republiken Finland (Swedish)
Political Status: Independent since December 6, 1917; republic established July 17, 1919, under presidential-parliamentary system.
Area: 130,119 sq. mi. (337,009 sq. km.).
Population: 5,181,115 (2000C); 5,305,000 (2007E).
Major Urban Centers (2005E): HELSINKI (551,000), Espoo (239,000), Tampere (208,000), Turku (178,000).
Official Languages: Finnish, Swedish.
Monetary Unit: Euro (market rate November 1, 2008: 1 euro = $1.27US).
President: Tarja HALONEN (Finnish Social Democratic Party); reelected in second-round balloting on February 29, 2006, and inaugurated for a six-year term on March 1, 2006.
Prime Minister: Matti VANHANEN (Finnish Center); designated by the president on June 24, 2003, following the legislative election earlier that day; sworn in on June 24, 2003, as part of a three-party coalition government replacing Anneli JÄÄTTEENMÄKI (Finnish Center), who had resigned on June 18, 2003; ...