World Factbook
Finland
Suomen tasavalta (Finnish)/ Republiken Finland (Swedish)
Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)
Flag
description: white with a blue cross extending to the edges of the flag; the cross is shifted to the left in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) meaning: the blue stands for the country's thousands of lakes, and the white for snow
Capital
name
Helsinki
etymology
the modern name is a Finnish derivation; King Gustav VASA of Sweden founded the city in 1550 as Helsingfors; the name came from Helsing , the Old Norwegian name for a local people, and the word fors , or "waterfall," referring to a waterfall at the city's original location on the Vantaa River
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
geographic coordinates
60 10 N, 24 56 E
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Citizenship
citizenship by birth
no
citizenship by descent only
at least one parent must be a citizen of Finland
dual citizenship recognized
yes
residency requirement for naturalization
6 years
Constitution
history
previous 1906, 1919; latest drafted 17 June 1997, approved by Parliament 11 June 1999, entered into force 1 March 2000
amendment process
proposed by Parliament; passage normally requires simple majority vote in two readings in the first parliamentary session and at least two-thirds majority vote in a single reading by the newly elected Parliament; proposals declared "urgent" by five-sixths of Parliament members can be passed by at least two-thirds majority vote in the first parliamentary session only
Country name
etymology
name derives from the Finns, an ethnic group in northeastern Europe; their name comes from the Germanic word finna , meaning "fish scale;" the local name, Suomi, may come from two local words: suo , meaning "marsh," and maa , meaning "land"
local long form
Suomen tasavalta (Finnish)/ Republiken Finland (Swedish)
local short form
Suomi (Finnish)/ Finland (Swedish)
conventional long form
Republic of Finland
conventional short form
Finland
Independence
6 December 1917 (from Russia)
Legal system
civil law system based on the Swedish model
Government type
parliamentary republic
Judicial branch
note
note: Finland has a dual judicial system; courts with civil and criminal jurisdiction, and administrative courts with jurisdiction for litigation between individuals and administrative organs of the state and communities
highest court(s)
Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus (consists of the court president and 18 judges); Supreme Administrative Court (consists of 21 judges, including the court president; organized into 3 chambers)
subordinate courts
6 Courts of Appeal; 8 regional administrative courts; 27 district courts; special courts for issues relating to markets, labor, insurance, impeachment, land, tenancy, and water rights
judge selection and term of office
Supreme Court and Supreme Administrative Court judges appointed by the president of the republic; judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 68
Executive branch
cabinet
Council of State or Valtioneuvosto appointed by the president, responsible to Parliament
chief of state
President Alexander STUBB (since 1 March 2024)
election results
2024: Alexander STUBB elected in the second round; percent of vote in the first round - Alexander STUBB (KoK) 27.2%, Pekka HAAVISTO (Vihr) 25.8%, Jussi HALLA-AHO (PS) 19.0%, Olli REHN (Kesk) 15.3%; percent of vote in second round - STUBB 51.6%, HAAVISTO 48.4% 2018: Sauli NIINISTO reelected president; percent of vote - Sauli NIINISTO (independent) 62.7%, Pekka HAAVISTO (Vihr) 12.4%, Laura HUHTASAARI (PS) 6.9%, Paavo VAYRYNEN (independent) 6.2%, Matti VANHANEN (Kesk) 4.1%, other 7.7%
head of government
Prime Minister Petteri ORPO (since 20 June 2023)
most recent election date
28 January 2024, with a runoff on 11 February 2024
election/appointment process
president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 6-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by Parliament
expected date of next election
by 28 January 2030
National holiday
Independence Day, 6 December (1917)
National color(s)
blue, white
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites
7 (6 cultural, 1 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales
Fortress of Suomenlinna (c); Old Rauma (c); Petäjävesi Old Church (c); Verla Groundwood and Board Mill (c); Bronze Age Burial Site of Sammallahdenmäki (c); High Coast / Kvarken Archipelago (n); Struve Geodetic Arc (c)
Political parties
Aland Coalition (a coalition of several political parties on the Aland Islands) Center Party or Kesk Christian Democrats or KD Finns Party or PS Green League or Vihr Left Alliance or Vas Movement Now or Liike Nyt National Coalition Party or Kok Social Democratic Party or SDP Swedish People's Party or RKP or SFP
Legislative branch
term in office
4 years
number of seats
200 (all directly elected)
electoral system
proportional representation
legislature name
Parliament (Eduskunta - Riksdagen)
scope of elections
full renewal
legislative structure
unicameral
most recent election date
4/2/2023
expected date of next election
April 2027
percentage of women in chamber
45.5%
parties elected and seats per party
National Coalition Party (KOK) (48); The Finns Party (PS) (46); Social Democratic Party (SDP) (43); Center Party (KESK) (23); The Greens (13); Left Alliance (Vas) (11); Other (16)
National anthem(s)
title
"Maamme" (Our Land)
history
in use since 1848; although never officially adopted, the anthem has been popular since a student group first sang it in 1848
lyrics/music
Paavo Eemil KAJANDER, Johan Ludvig RUNEBERG/Fredrik PACIUS
National symbol(s)
lion
Administrative divisions
19 regions ( maakunnat , singular - maakunta (Finnish); landskapen , singular - landskapet (Swedish)); Aland (Swedish), Ahvenanmaa (Finnish); Etela-Karjala (Finnish), Sodra Karelen (Swedish) [South Karelia]; Etela-Pohjanmaa (Finnish), Sodra Osterbotten (Swedish) [South Ostrobothnia]; Etela-Savo (Finnish), Sodra Savolax (Swedish) [South Savo]; Kanta-Hame (Finnish), Egentliga Tavastland (Swedish); Kainuu (Finnish), Kajanaland (Swedish); Keski-Pohjanmaa (Finnish), Mellersta Osterbotten (Swedish) [Central Ostrobothnia]; Keski-Suomi (Finnish), Mellersta Finland (Swedish) [Central Finland]; Kymenlaakso (Finnish), Kymmenedalen (Swedish); Lappi (Finnish), Lappland (Swedish); Paijat-Hame (Finnish), Paijanne-Tavastland (Swedish); Pirkanmaa (Finnish), Birkaland (Swedish) [Tampere]; Pohjanmaa (Finnish), Osterbotten (Swedish) [Ostrobothnia]; Pohjois-Karjala (Finnish), Norra Karelen (Swedish) [North Karelia]; Pohjois-Pohjanmaa (Finnish), Norra Osterbotten (Swedish) [North Ostrobothnia]; Pohjois-Savo (Finnish), Norra Savolax (Swedish) [North Savo]; Satakunta (Finnish and Swedish); Uusimaa (Finnish), Nyland (Swedish) [Newland]; Varsinais-Suomi (Finnish), Egentliga Finland (Swedish) [Southwest Finland]
Diplomatic representation in the US
FAX
[1] (202) 298-6030
chancery
3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone
[1] (202) 298-5800
chief of mission
Ambassador Leena-Kaisa MIKKOLA (since 18 September 2024)
consulate(s) general
Los Angeles, New York
email address and website
sanomat.WAS@gov.fi https://finlandabroad.fi/web/usa/mission
Diplomatic representation from the US
FAX
[358] (9) 174-681
embassy
Itainen Puistotie 14 B, 00140 Helsinki
telephone
[358] (9) 616-250
mailing address
5310 Helsinki Place, Washington DC 20521-5310
chief of mission
Ambassador Howard W. BRODIE (since 13 November 2025)
email address and website
HelsinkiACS@state.gov https://fi.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation
ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNSOM, UNTSO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction