World Factbook
Finland
Suomen tasavalta (Finnish)/ Republiken Finland (Swedish)
Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)
Area
land
303,815 sq km
water
34,330 sq km
total
338,145 sq km
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
Terrain
mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low hills
Land use
other
18.4% (2023 est.)
forest
74.2% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
7.4% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 7.4% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 0% (2023 est.)
Location
Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia
Coastline
1,250 km
Elevation
lowest point
Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point
Halti (alternatively Haltia, Haltitunturi, Haltiatunturi) 1,328 m
mean elevation
164 m
Irrigated land
80 sq km (2016)
Map references
Europe
Land boundaries
total
2,563 km
border countries
Norway 709 km; Sweden 545 km; Russia 1,309 km
Maritime claims
contiguous zone
24 nm
territorial sea
12 nm (in the Gulf of Finland - 3 nm)
continental shelf
200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone
12 nm; extends to continental shelf boundary with Sweden, Estonia, and Russia
Natural hazards
severe winters in the north
Geography - note
long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national capital on European continent; population concentrated on small southwestern coastal plain
Natural resources
timber, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, nickel, gold, silver, limestone
Area - comparative
slightly more than two times the size of Georgia; slightly smaller than Montana
Geographic coordinates
64 00 N, 26 00 E
Population distribution
the vast majority of people are found in the south; the northern interior areas remain sparsely populated
Major lakes (area sq km)
fresh water lake(s)
Saimaa - 1,760 sq km; Paijanne - 1,090 sq km; Inarijarvi - 1,000 sq km; Oulujarvi - 900 sq km; Pielinen - 850 sq km