site of notorious penal settlements until 1951. The European Space Agency
launches its communication satellites from Kourou.
Geography French Guiana
Location: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
between Brazil and Suriname
Geographic coordinates: 4 00 N, 53 00 W
Map references: South America
Area: total: 91,000 sq km water: 1,850 sq km land: 89,150 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Indiana
Land boundaries: total: 1,183 km border countries: Brazil 673 km,
Suriname 510 km
Coastline: 378 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate: tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m
Natural resources: bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), cinnabar,
kaolin, fish
Land use: arable land: NEGL permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (90% forest,
10% other) (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: high frequency of heavy showers and severe
thunderstorms; flooding
Environment - current issues: NA
Geography - note: mostly an unsettled wilderness; the only
non-independent portion of the South American continent
People French Guiana
Population: 182,333 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 30.2% (male 28,140; female 26,876) 15-64
years: 64.2% (male 63,183; female 53,902) 65 years and over: 5.6%
(male 5,192; female 5,040) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.57% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 21.66 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 4.78 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: 8.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.17 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
1.03 male(s)/female total population: 1.13 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 13.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 79.99 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 3.13 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: French Guianese (singular and plural) adjective:
French Guianese
Ethnic groups: black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese,
Amerindian 12%, other 10%
Religions: Roman Catholic
Languages: French
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 83% male: 84% female: 82% (1982 est.)
Government French Guiana
Country name: Department of Guiana conventional short form: Dependency
status: overseas department of France
Government type: NA
Capital: Cayenne
Administrative divisions: none (overseas department of France)
Independence: none (overseas department of France)
National holiday: Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system: French legal system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France
(since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Henri MASSE (since NA
July 1999) elections: appointed by the French president on the
advice of the French Ministry of Interior; presidents of the General
and Regional Councils are appointed by the members of those councils
head of government: President of the General Council Joseph HO-TEN-YOU
(since NA March 2001); President of the Regional Council Antoine KARAM
(since 22 March 1992) cabinet: NA
Legislative branch: unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19
seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
and a unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (31 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections:
General Council - last held NA March 2000 (next to be held NA 2006);
Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2004)
election results: various left-wing parties 5, independents 7, other 2;
Regional Council - percent of vote by party - PS 28.28%, various left
parties 22.56%, RPR 15.91%, independents 8.6%, Walwari Committee 6%;
seats by party - PS 11, various left parties 9, RPR 6, independents 3,
Walwari Committee 2 note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on
27 September 1998 (next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent
of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; 2 seats were elected to the
French National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007);
results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA
Judicial branch: Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel (highest local court
based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe,
and French Guiana)
Political parties and leaders: Guyanese Democratic Action or ADG [Andre
LECANTE]; Guyanese Socialist Party or PSG [Marie-Claude VERDAN]; Guyana
Democratic Forces or FDG [Georges OTHILY]; Popular National Guyanese Party
or PNPG [Jose DORCY]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Roland HO-WEN-SZE];
Socialist Party or PS [Pierre RIBARDIERE]; Walwari Committee [Christine
TAUBIRA-DELANON]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: FZ, WCL, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas department of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas department
of France)
Flag description: the flag of France is used
Economy French Guiana
Economy - overview: The economy is tied closely to the French economy
through subsidies and imports. Besides the French space center at Kourou,
fishing and forestry are the most important economic activities. Forest
and woodland cover 90% of the country. The large reserves of tropical
hardwoods, not fully exploited, support an expanding sawmill industry
that provides sawn logs for export. Cultivation of crops is limited to
the coastal area, where the population is largely concentrated; rice
and manioc are the major crops. French Guiana is heavily dependent
on imports of food and energy. Unemployment is a serious problem,
particularly among younger workers.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $1 billion (1998 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,000 (1998 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (1992)
Labor force: 58,800 (1997)
Labor force - by occupation: services, government, and commerce 60.6%,
industry 21.2%, agriculture 18.2% (1980)
Unemployment rate: 21.4% (1998)
Budget: revenues: $225 million expenditures: $390 million, including
capital expenditures of $105 million (1996)
Industries: construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum,
gold mining
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 450 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0%
(2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 418.5 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: corn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sugar, cocoa,
vegetables, bananas; cattle, pigs, poultry
Exports: $155 million (f.o.b., 1997)
Exports - commodities: shrimp, timber, gold, rum, rosewood essence,
clothing
Exports - partners: France 62%, Switzerland 7%, US 2% (1997)
Imports: $625 million (c.i.f., 1997)
Imports - commodities: food (grains, processed meat), machinery and
transport equipment, fuels and chemicals
Imports - partners: France 52%, US 14%, Trinidad and Tobago 6% (1997)
Debt - external: $1.2 billion (1988)
Economic aid - recipient: $NA
Currency: euro (EUR); French franc (FRF)
Currency code: EUR; FRF
Exchange rates: Euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175
(2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar -
5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications French Guiana
Telephones - main lines in use: 47,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: NA
Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: fair open wire and
microwave radio relay system international: satellite earth station -
1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 14 (including 6 repeaters), shortwave
6 (including 5 repeaters) (1998)
Radios: 104,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 3 (plus eight low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 30,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .gf
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)
Internet users: 2,000 (2000)
Transportation French Guiana
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 1,817 km paved: 817 km unpaved: 1,000 km (1998)
Waterways: 3,300 km navigable by native craft note: 460 km navigable
by small oceangoing vessels and coastal and river steamers
Ports and harbors: Cayenne, Degrad des Cannes, Saint-Laurent du Maroni
Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)
Airports: 11 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m:
2 under 914 m: 1 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m:
5 (2001)
Military French Guiana
Military branches: no regular indigenous military forces; French Forces,
Gendarmerie
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 50,504 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 32,720
(2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues French Guiana
Disputes - international: Suriname claims area between Riviere Litani
and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa)
Illicit drugs: small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption;
minor transshipment point to Europe
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
========================================================================
Finland
Introduction
Finland
Background: Ruled by Sweden from the 12th to the 19th centuries and by
Russia from 1809, Finland finally won its independence in 1917. During
World War II, it was able to successfully defend its freedom and fend off
invasions by the Soviet Union and Germany. In the subsequent half century,
the Finns have made a remarkable transformation from a farm/forest economy
to a diversified modern industrial economy; per capita income is now
on par with Western Europe. As a member of the European Union, Finland
was the only Nordic state to join the euro system at its initiation in
January 1999.
Geography Finland
Location: Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia,
and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia
Geographic coordinates: 64 00 N, 26 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 337,030 sq km water: 31,560 sq km land: 305,470 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: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of
exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM; extends to continental shelf
boundary with Sweden territorial sea: 12 NM (in the Gulf of Finland -
3 NM)
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
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Halti
1,328 m
Natural resources: timber, copper, zinc, iron ore, silver
Land use: arable land: 7% permanent crops: 0% other: 93% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 640 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: air pollution from manufacturing and power
plants contributing to acid rain; water pollution from industrial wastes,
agricultural chemicals; habitat loss threatens wildlife populations
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air
Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur
94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, 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-Persistent
Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography - note: long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost
national capital on European continent; population concentrated on small
southwestern coastal plain
People Finland
Population: 5,183,545 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 17.9% (male 471,920; female 454,082) 15-64
years: 66.9% (male 1,752,493; female 1,717,544) 65 years and over: 15.2%
(male 306,216; female 481,290) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.14% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 10.6 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 9.78 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
0.64 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 3.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 81.52 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 1.7 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.05% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 1,100 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Finn(s) adjective: Finnish
Ethnic groups: Finn 93%, Swede 6%, Sami 0.11%, Roma 0.12%, Tatar 0.02%
Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 89%, Russian Orthodox 1%, none 9%,
other 1%
Languages: Finnish 93.4% (official), Swedish 5.9% (official), small Lapp-
and Russian-speaking minorities
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 100% (1980 est.) male: NA% female: NA%
Government Finland
Country name: Republic of Finland conventional short form: Government
type: republic
Capital: Helsinki
Administrative divisions: 6 provinces (laanit, singular - laani);
Aland, Etela-Suomen Laani, Ita-Suomen Laani, Lansi-Suomen Laani, Lappi,
Oulun Laani
Independence: 6 December 1917 (from Russia)
National holiday: Independence Day, 6 December (1917)
Constitution: 17 July 1919
Legal system: civil law system based on Swedish law; Supreme Court may
request legislation interpreting or modifying laws; accepts compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Tarja HALONEN (since 1
March 2000) head of government: Prime Minister Paavo LIPPONEN (since 13
April 1995) and Deputy Prime Minister Ville ITALA (since 31 August 2001)
cabinet: Council of State or Valtioneuvosto appointed by the president,
responsible to Parliament elections: president elected by popular vote for
a six-year term; election last held 6 February 2000 (next to be held NA
February 2006); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed from
the majority party by the president after parliamentary elections note:
Union and Democratic Alternative), SFP, and Green League election results:
51.6%, Esko AHO (Kesk) 48.4%
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Eduskunta (200 seats;
members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis to serve
four-year terms) election results: percent of vote by party - SDP 22.9%,
Kesk 22.5%, Kok 21.0%, Leftist Alliance (Communist) 10.9%, SFP 5.1%,
Green League 7.2%, SKL 4.2%; seats by party - SDP 51, Kesk 48, Kok 46,
Leftist Alliance (Communist) 20, SFP 11, Green League 11, SKL 10, other
3 elections: last held 21 March 1999 (next to be held NA March 2003)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus (judges appointed by
the president)
Political parties and leaders: Center Party or Kesk [Esko AHO]; Finnish
Christian Democratic Party or SKL [C. P. Bjarne KALLIS]; Green League
[Osmo SOININVAARA]; Leftist Alliance (Communist) composed of People's
Democratic League and Democratic Alternative [Suvi-Anne SIIMES]; National
Coalition (conservative) Party or Kok [Ville ITALA]; Social Democratic
Party or SDP [Paavo LIPPONEN]; Swedish People's Party or SFP [Jan-Erik
ENESTAM]; True Finns [Timo SOINI]
International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group,
BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G-
9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NC, NEA,
NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOGIP,
UNMOP, UNMOVIC, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador Jukka Robert VALTASAARI
consulate(s) general: 298-5800 chancery: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Bonnie McELVEEN-HUNTER embassy: Itainen Puistotie 14B, FIN-00140,
Helsinki mailing address: APO AE 09723 telephone: [358] (9) 171931 FAX:
[358] (9) 174681
Flag description: white with a blue cross extending to the edges of
the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side
in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)
Economy Finland
Economy - overview: Finland has a highly industrialized, largely
free-market economy, with per capita output roughly that of the UK,
France, Germany, and Italy. Its key economic sector is manufacturing
- principally the wood, metals, engineering, telecommunications,
and electronics industries. Trade is important, with exports equaling
almost one-third of GDP. Except for timber and several minerals, Finland
depends on imports of raw materials, energy, and some components for
manufactured goods. Because of the climate, agricultural development
is limited to maintaining self-sufficiency in basic products. Forestry,
an important export earner, provides a secondary occupation for the
rural population. Rapidly increasing integration with Western Europe -
Finland was one of the 11 countries joining the euro monetary system
(EMU) on 1 January 1999 - will dominate the economic picture over the
next several years. Growth in 2001 was held back by the global slowdown
and will likely be anemic again in 2002.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $133.5 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 0.6% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $25,800 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 28% services: 69%
(2000)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.2%
highest 10%: 21.6% (1991)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: 25.6 (1991)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.6% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 2.6 million (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: public services 32%, industry 22%, commerce
14%, finance, insurance, and business services 10%, agriculture and
forestry 8%, transport and communications 8%, construction 6%
Unemployment rate: 9.4% (2001 est.)
Budget: revenues: $36.1 billion expenditures: $31 billion, including
capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Industries: metal products, electronics, shipbuilding, pulp and paper,
copper refining, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing
Industrial production growth rate: 5.1% (2001)
Electricity - production: 75.356 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 40.86% hydro: 19.22%
other: 11.6% (2000) nuclear: 28.32%
Electricity - consumption: 81.961 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 326 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 12.206 billion kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: barley, wheat, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy
cattle; fish
Exports: $40.1 billion (f.o.b., 2001)
Exports - commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals;
timber, paper, pulp
Exports - partners: Germany 12.5%, Sweden 9.3%, UK 9.1%, US 7.4%,
France 5.2%, Italy 4.4% (2000)
Imports: $31.2 billion (f.o.b., 2001)
Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum products,
chemicals, transport equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile yarn
and fabrics, grains
Imports - partners: Germany 14.2%, Sweden 10.3%, Russia 9.4%, US 7.1%,
UK 6.4%, Japan 5.3% (2000)
Debt - external: $30 billion (December 1993)
Economic aid - donor: ODA, $379 million (1997)
Currency: markka (FIM); euro (EUR) note: on 1 January 1999, the
European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be
used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002,
the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the
member countries
Currency code: FIM; EUR
Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175
(2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); markkaa per US dollar - 5.3441
(1998), 5.1914 (1997)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Finland
Telephones - main lines in use: 2.861 million (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 2,162,574 (1997)
Telephone system: general assessment: modern system with excellent
service domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and an extensive cellular
net provide domestic needs international: 1 submarine cable; satellite
earth stations - access to Intelsat transmission service via a Swedish
satellite earth station, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions);
note - Finland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic
countries (Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 186, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios: 7.7 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 130 (plus 385 repeaters) (1995)
Televisions: 3.2 million (1997)
Internet country code: .fi
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 23 (2000)
Internet users: 2.27 million (2000)
Transportation Finland
Railways: total: 5,865 km broad gauge: 5,865 km 1.524-m gauge (2,234
km electrified; 480 km double- or multiple-track) (2000 est.)
Highways: total: 77,831 km paved: 49,789 km (including 444 km of
expressways) unpaved: 28,042 km (1999)
Waterways: 6,675 km note: includes Saimaa Canal; 3,700 km suitable for
large ships
Pipelines: natural gas 580 km
Ports and harbors: Hamina, Helsinki, Kokkola, Kotka, Loviisa, Oulu,
Pori, Rauma, Turku, Uusikaupunki, Varkaus
Merchant marine: total: 98 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,172,404
GRT/1,144,139 DWT ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 26, chemical tanker 5,
passenger 1, petroleum tanker 11, roll on/roll off 36, short-sea passenger
10 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Airports: 160 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 73 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047
m: 26 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 22 under 914 m: 12 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 87 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m:
82 (2001)
Military Finland
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Frontier Guard (including
Sea Guard)
Military manpower - military age: 17 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,240,762 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,024,379
(2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 33,883
(2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1.8 billion (FY98/99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2% (FY98/99)