Finland
| Population | 5.3 m |
| Capital | Helsinki |
| Surface area | 304,500 km2 |
| Official Languages | Finnish and Swedish |
| Gross domestic product (GDP) (in euros) | 141.8 bn |
| GDP as a % of EU-27, based on 2009 data | 1.2 |
| GDP per capita by purchasing power standards (indexed to EU average of 100) | 115.1 |
| Currency | Euro |
| Human development index (HDI), an index based on life expectancy, education and GDP (max. 1) | 0.952 |
| World rank in HDI | 11/177 |
| Key economic sectors | Services (64); industry (33); agriculture (4) |
| Leading Companies | Nokia (mobile telephones); Fortum (energy company); Sampo (insurance company) |
| Unemployment in January 2010 | 9.0% (source: http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/tgm/table) |
| Main religious denominations (numbers in thousands) | Lutheran (152); Estonian Orthodox Church (144) |
| Political system | The President is elected for six years, and is responsible for foreign affairs ‘in cooperation with the government’. The unicameral parliament is charged with responsibility for domestic and EU affairs. The prime minister is selected by parliament. |
| Electoral system | The president is elected by a two-ballot majoritarian system. Parliament is divided into fifteen sections representing electoral districts, and the number of seats won per section is proportionate to the votes cast per party in those districts. |
| Current (March 2010) leaders | President: Tarja Halonen (b. 1943), since March 2000 Prime minister: Matti Vanhanen (b. 1955), since June 2003 |
| Previous leaders: | Presidents: Martti Ahtisaari (1994-2000); Mauno Koivisto (1982-94) Prime ministers: Anneli Tuulikki Jäätteenmäki (2003); Paavo Lipponen (1995-2003); Esko Aho (1991-95) llas (2002-03) |
| Joined the EU/EC | 1995 |
| Commissioner from country in Barroso II College of Commissioners, and portfolio | Olli Rehn (Economic and Monetary Affairs) |
| Number of MEPs | 13/754 |
| Turnout in 2009 EP elections (%) | 40.3 |
| Member of eurozone | Yes (founder member) |
Except where a specific reference is inserted, the sources for this profile are either Neill Nugent’s book itself, or Barry Turner (ed.), The Statesman’s Yearbook Online, Basingstoke and New York: Palgrave Macmillan. If your library subscribes, you can gain access at
http://www.statesmansyearbook.com