Official Name: Suomen Tasavalta (Finnish); Republiken Finland (Swedish) (Republic of Finland).

Area: Europe

Size: 338,145 km²

Coastline: 1,250 km

Independence: from Bolshevist Russia December 6, 1917 

Form of Govt.: Multiparty republic

Head of Govt.: Prime Minister

Capital: Helsinki

Largest City: Helsinki

Demographics (2005): 5,282,866,    16 /km² 

Finnish 97.6 %, Russians 0.6 %, Roma 0.12%, Sami 0.11%, Finnish Tatars 0.02%, Other 1.55%

GDP per Capita (2005): $31,208

Languages: Finnish, Swedish

Geography: Finland is a low lying plateau formed by glaciers. Most of the mountains have rounded ridge tops and more than 50% of eastern Finland is hilly. There are over 55,000 lakes and forests cover 65% of the land area with pine, spruce, birch trees and European oak. Off the southwest coast lies Saaristomeri which is the country's largest archipelago with over 17,000 islands and skerries. The principal rivers are the Tornionjoki and Kemi which flow south to the Gulf of Bothnia as well as the Oulu River which also flows to the Gulf of Bothnia through the center of the country.

Climate: Finland has a temperate climate with continental winds bringing cold spells in winter and heat waves in summer. However, the westerly winds in summer also bring warm air currents from the Atlantic Ocean. Rainfall occurs all year round and the average annual precipitation in the north varies from 500 mm to 600 mm where most of it falls as snow, while in the south it varies from 600 mm to 700 mm. Average temperature ranges in Helsinki are from -9 to -4 degrees in February to 12 to 23 degrees in July.