Finland Geography 1997

Location Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Gulfof Finland, between Sweden and Russia

Geographic coordinates 64 00 N, 26 00 E

Map references Europe

Area
total: 337,030 sq km
land: 305,470 sq km
water: 31,560 sq km

Area - comparative slightly smaller than Montana

Land boundaries
total : 2,628 km
border countries: Norway 729 km, Sweden 586 km, Russia 1,313 km

Coastline 1,126 km (excludes islands and coastal indentations)

Maritime claims
contiguous zone: 6 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm (in the Gulf of Finland - 3 nm)

Climate cold temperate; potentially subarctic, but comparatively mild becauseof moderating influence of the North Atlantic Current, Baltic Sea, and morethan 60,000 lakes

Terrain mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low hills

Elevation extremes
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Haltiatunturi 1,328 m

Natural resources timber, copper, zinc, iron ore, silver

Land use
arable land: 8%
permanent crops: NA%
permanent pastures : 0%
forests and woodland: 76%
other : 16% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land 640 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards NA

Environment - current issues air pollution from manufacturing and power plants contributing to acidrain; water pollution from industrial wastes, agricultural chemicals; habitatloss threatens wildlife populations

Environment - international agreements
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, MarineDumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified : Air Pollution-Sulphur 94

Geography - note long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national capitalon European continent; population concentrated on small southwestern coastal plain

NOTE: The information regarding Finland on this page is re-published from the 1997 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Finland Geography 1997 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Finland Geography 1997 should be addressed to the CIA.