Introduction to Finland

The country is called the Republic of Finland (Suomen Tasavalta).

The country’s name means “the country of lakes and swamps”

It covers an area of ??338,145 square kilometers.

The population is 5.2366 million (at the end of 2004). Finland has two official languages: Finnish, spoken by 93% of the population, and Swedish, the mother tongue of 6% of the population. Minority populations include Sami, Russians, Jews, etc. The majority of Finns (89%) are Lutherans, while about 1% of the population is Orthodox. The remainder include a small number of members of other Protestant denominations, Roman Catholics, Muslims and Jews. Approximately 12% of the population needed to be resettled after the Winter War. War reparations, unemployment, and uncertainty about Finland's prospects for independence led to large numbers of immigrants leaving Finland in the 1970s. In the 1990s, Finland began to receive a large number of refugees and immigrants.

The capital is Helsinki, with a population of 559,000 (at the end of 2004). The average temperature in summer is 16℃ and in winter -5℃.

The capital, Helsinki, is known as the "Pearl of the Baltic Sea". It is a modern, garden-like city with wide streets, prosperous commerce, modern architecture and medieval architecture with strong national characteristics, and numerous museums of various types in the city. Attracting tourists from all over.

Head of State President Tarja Halonen (female, Social Democratic Party member) took office on March 1, 2000. Re-elected on March 1, 2006.

Important holiday Independence Day (December 6)

The national flag is rectangular, with a length-to-width ratio of 18:11. The flag ground is white. A wide cross-shaped blue bar slightly to the left divides the flag into four white rectangles. Finland is known as the "Land of Thousand Lakes", with the Baltic Sea to the southwest. The blue on the flag symbolizes lakes, rivers and oceans; another said that it symbolizes the blue sky. One-third of Finland's territory is within the Arctic Circle, and the climate is cold. The white on the flag symbolizes the snow-covered land. The cross on the flag represents Finland's historically close ties with other Nordic countries. The flag was made around 1860 based on the suggestions of Finnish poet Tocharis Topelius.

The national emblem is a red shield. On the shield is a golden lion with a crown on its head, holding a sword in its front paws and a scimitar in its back paws. Nine white roses are dotted around the lion. The lion symbolizes the bravery and strength of the Finnish people, and the nine roses represent the nine provinces in Finnish history.

National anthem "Motherland"

National flower Lily of the Valley (Lily family)

Language Finnish

Currency Finnish Mark

< p>The time difference from Beijing is -6.00

International telephone code 358

Introduction

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Located in northern Europe. It borders Sweden, Norway, and Russia, the Gulf of Finland to the south, and the Gulf of Bothnia to the west. The coastline is 1,100 kilometers long. The terrain is high in the north and low in the south. There are highlands in the north and east, and most of the remaining areas are hills and plains. The inland water area accounts for 10% of the country's area. There are about 179,000 islands and about 188,000 lakes. It is known as the "Land of Thousand Lakes". One-third of the country's land is within the Arctic Circle. It has a temperate maritime climate. The average temperature is -14℃-3℃ in winter and 13℃-17℃ in summer. The average annual rainfall is 600 mm. Winters are cold, only milder in the south. From south to north, the average temperature in January is about -4-16℃; in July the temperature is 16-13℃. The annual precipitation is about 400-600 mm (one-third is graupel and snow). The forest area accounts for 71% of the total area, mainly pine and spruce. Rich in water resources. There are copper, zinc, gold, chromium, cobalt, titanium, vanadium and other mineral deposits.

The earliest residents of Finland were the Lapps, so Finland was also called Lapland. Later, the Finns moved in and established the Grand Duchy of Finland. It was ruled by Sweden in the second half of the twelfth century. After the Russo-Swedish War in 1809, it was merged into Imperial Russia and became a Grand Duchy. In December 1917, the Republic of Finland declared independence.

At the end of the Ice Age about 9,000 years ago, the ancestors of the Finns migrated here from the south and southeast.

After King Erik of Sweden brought Christianity to Finland in 1154, the two countries have maintained very close relations for 700 years. Swedish has always been the first language in administrative and educational institutions, while Finnish did not receive attention until the rise of Finnish nationalism in the 19th century and the publication of Finland's first national poetic history, the Kalevala. In 1808, Finland was occupied by the troops of Tsar Alexander I. Since then, Finland has been an autonomous grand duchy within the Russian Empire until 1917. Shortly after the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia (October Revolution) on December 6, 1917, Finland declared its independence. In 1918 the country experienced a brief but unforgettable civil war. During World War II, Finland and the Soviet Union fought twice: the Winter War of 1939-1940 (in which Sweden provided partial assistance to Finland) and the Continuation War of 1941-1944 (Nazi Germany provided important help to Finland) .

During the Battle of Lapland from 1944 to 1945, Finland drove the Germans out of northern Finland. Several treaties signed with the Soviet Union in 1947 and 1948 stipulated Finland's obligations and restrictions towards the Soviet Union. Finland also made more territorial concessions based on the 1940 peace treaty. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Finland was finally able to decide its own destiny and joined the European Union in 1995.

Politics

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Overview

Since declaring independence on December 6, 1917, Finland has been An independent republic. Previously, Finland was a grand principality under the rule of the Russian Empire. Its historical foundation is the Scandinavian yeoman farmer society. Finland is the only Nordic country that has established a republican system on this basis, and the president of Finland has stronger political influence than the kings or monarchs of other Scandinavian countries.

Finland implements a democratic system of democracy and "parliamentary representation". The parliament is elected through direct elections in accordance with the principle of proportional representation. The people have political power and exercise it through the parliament. The Parliament is the highest authority in the country. It adopts a unicameral system and consists of 200 members. It is elected every four years.

Congress consists of a chamber and its 200 members. Members serve four-year terms and are elected through direct election and proportional voting. The President of the Republic of China is elected every six years. The current President Tarja Halonen (Social Democratic Party) took office in March 2000 and was re-elected in 2006. Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre Party) is responsible for managing the day-to-day affairs of the government. Finland officially became a member of the European Union on January 1, 1995.

From January to December 2006, Finland held the rotating EU presidency for the second time. During his tenure, he made active efforts to enhance the EU's international status and enhance the coherence of EU actions.

After the parliamentary election in March 2003, the Center Party, the Social Democratic Party and the Swedish People's Party formed a coalition government to govern. In terms of domestic affairs, the government strives to maintain stable growth of the national economy, increase employment rates, achieve central fiscal surplus, ensure social welfare, and develop education and scientific research; externally, the government actively participates in EU decision-making and promotes the implementation of policies in the northern EU and energy, nuclear safety and security in the Baltic Sea region. Development of cooperation in the field of environmental protection.

The Constitution

promulgated and came into effect on July 17, 1919. The Constitution stipulates that national legislative power is exercised jointly by the Parliament and the President of the Republic of China. The President is the head of state and has real powers such as managing foreign affairs and commanding the armed forces. He is elected every six years. In 1999, the Finnish Parliament passed a new constitution, and its name was changed from the "Government Organization Act" to the "Constitution". The new constitution strengthened the role of parliament and the government in the country's political life and reduced some of the powers of the president.

Parliament

Unicameral system, the highest authority and legislative body of the country. It consists of 200 members directly elected by voters for a four-year term. The main functions are legislation, government supervision, and financial supervision. The current parliament was elected in March 2003. The Center Party has 55 seats, the Social Democratic Party has 53 seats, the United Party has 41 seats, the Left Alliance has 19 seats, the Green Alliance has 14 seats, the Swedish People's Party has 9 seats, the Christian Union has 6 seats, and the Orthodox Finns Party has 3 seats. Speaker Paavo Lipponen (Social Democratic Party), elected on April 22, 2003.

Government

The current government was formed on April 17, 2003 by the Center Party, the Social Democratic Party, and the Swedish People's Party. *** has 18 cabinet members, including 8 female cabinet members.

The current cabinet members are: Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre Party), Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Eero Heinaluoma (Social Democratic Party), Foreign Minister Erki Tuomioya ( Erkki Tuomioja, Social Democratic Party), Foreign Trade and Development Minister Mari Kiviniemi (female, Center Party), Justice Minister Leena Luhtanen (female, Social Democratic Party), Interior Minister Kari Ra Kari Rajamaki (Social Democratic Party), Regional Affairs Minister Hannes Manninen (Centre Party), Defense Minister Seppo Kaariainen (Centre Party), Second Finance Minister Ulla -Ulla-Maj Wideroos (female, Swedish People's Party), Education Minister Antti Kalliomaki (Social Democratic Party), Culture Minister Tanja Karpela , female, Center Party), Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Juha Korkeaoja (Centre Party), Minister of Transport and Communications Susanna Huovinen (female), Minister of Trade and Industry Mauri Pekarinen ( Mauri Pekkarinen, Center Party), Minister of Social Affairs and Health Tuula Haatainen (female, Social Democratic Party), Minister of Social Welfare Liisa Hyssala (female, Center Party), Minister of Labor Taliyah Tarja Filatov (female, Social Democratic Party), Environment Minister Jan-Erik Enestam (Swedish People's Party).

Website

Government website: http//www.valtioneuvosto.fi;

Parliament website: http://www.eduskunta.fi;

Ministry of Foreign Affairs website: http://formin.finland.fi;

Administrative divisions

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Finland first had 12 provinces (Finnish: singular l?ni, plural l?nit; Swedish: l?n). After the administrative divisions were reclassified in 1997, the existing provinces were reduced to 6:

?land ( Finnish: Ahvenanmaan maakunta; Swedish: ?land)

Eastern Finland (Finnish: It?-Suomen l?ni; Swedish: ?stra Finlands l?n)

Lapland Province (Finnish: Lapin l?ni; Swedish: Lapplands l?n)

Oulu Province (Finnish: Oulun l?ni; Swedish: Ule?borgs l?n)

Southern Finland (Finnish: Etel?-Suomen l?ni; Swedish: S?dra Finlands l?n)

Western Finland (Finnish: L?nsi -Suomen l?ni; Swedish: V?stra Finlands l?n)

Among them, ?land (?land) enjoys a high degree of autonomy.

Judiciary

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The highest judicial organs are the Supreme Court and the Supreme Administrative Court. The Supreme Court is composed of the president and 19 judges, and is responsible for hearing civil and criminal cases. The Supreme Administrative Court, composed of the president and 20 judges, is responsible for hearing administrative cases involving government agencies and provincial, municipal (county) agencies. The prosecuting authority is the procuratorate at all levels. There is also a National Legal Ombudsman, who has the right to attend cabinet meetings and supervise whether the decisions of the president, cabinet and various government departments comply with the provisions of the constitution. The presidents and judges of the Supreme Court and the Supreme Administrative Court, as well as the Supreme Prosecutor General, are appointed by the President. President of the Supreme Court, Pauliine Koskelo (female), took office in January 2006; President of the Supreme Administrative Court, Pekka Hallberg, took office in 1993; Supreme Prosecutor General Marti Matti Kuusimaki, who took office in 1997; State Legal Ombudsman Paavo Nikula, who took office in 1998. Parliamentary Legal Ombudsman Riitta-Leena PAUNIO, appointed in 2003.

Political parties

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Finland is a multi-party country. There were 21 political parties registered in the March 2003 parliamentary election. The main political parties are the Center Party, the Social Democratic Party and the United Party.

(1) Center Party of Finland: The ruling party, established in 1906. It was once called the Rural Residents' Alliance, the Farmers' Alliance and the Central Force. It was changed to its current name in June 1988. There are about 200,000 party members. He has been in the cabinet since World War II.

After the March 1987 parliamentary elections, he was excluded from the government. He won the parliamentary election in March 1991 and formed the government as the largest party. It lost the parliamentary election in March 1995, but it remained the second largest party in parliament. In the 2003 parliamentary election, he won again and formed the government again as the largest party. Advocate for maintaining the status of agriculture in the national economy. Externally, it advocates disarmament and détente. Chairman Matti Vanhanen (elected in October 2003).

(2) The Finnish Social Democratic Party: The ruling party, founded in 1899, formerly known as the Finnish Workers' Party, is the second largest party in parliament, with 59,000 members. He has been in power many times and formed a multi-party coalition government with the Center Party and the Swedish People's Party after the March 2003 parliamentary election. Advocate democracy and freedom, advocate the development of economic democracy, implement social changes that adapt to economic development, and establish democratic socialism. Actively engage in peacekeeping and disarmament activities internationally. Chairman Paavo Lipponen (first elected in June 1993 and re-elected twice in 2002).

(3) The Swedish People's Party: The ruling party, established in 1906. It is composed of Finnish Swedish people and has more than 30,000 party members. It maintains the social status and rights of Swedish residents internally and supports Finland’s official foreign policy externally. After the 2003 parliamentary election, it continued to govern in coalition with the Center Party and the Social Democratic Party. Chairman Jan-Erik Enestam (elected in 1998).

(4) The National Coalition Party: referred to as the United Party, an opposition party, established in 1918. The third largest party in parliament, with about 70,000 members. Mainly represents the interests of the bourgeoisie and advocates maintaining close economic and political relations with the West. It has been in power for three consecutive terms since 1987. It failed in the 2003 parliamentary election and became an opposition party. Chairman Jyrki Katainen (elected 2004).

(5) The Finnish Left Union: referred to as the Left Union. The opposition party currently has 34,200 members. In May 1990, it was formed by the merger of the Communist Party of Finland and the People's Democratic Union. It was proposed that the party's political activities and organizational forms should adapt to the changes in capitalist society in the future. Expand socialist elements within the socialist system. He joined the cabinet after the March 1995 parliamentary election and became an opposition party after the 2003 parliamentary election. Party Chairman Suvi-Anne Siimes (female).

(6) The Green League: The opposition party is composed of associations and regional associations with different ideas and has no individual members. It won 2 seats for the first time in the parliamentary election in March 1983; the first national conference was held in May. In the autumn of 1987, it was decided to establish the Green Alliance. After the parliamentary election in March 1991, the number of seats increased significantly, but he was unable to enter the cabinet due to differences on energy policy. He entered the cabinet after the March 1995 parliamentary election. In 2002, he withdrew from the government and became the opposition party after the parliament passed the plan to build a new nuclear power plant. Chairman Osmo Soininvaara (elected 2001).

(7) The Finnish Christian Union: The opposition party was established in 1958 with 18,000 members. It takes Christian teachings as the purpose of the alliance. It won its first seat in the 1960 parliamentary elections. Chairman Paivi Rasanen (female).

(8) The True Finns: formerly known as the Rural Party, an opposition party that split from the Finnish Center Force in 1959. There are 20,000 party members. Advocate for safeguarding the interests of small farmers, urban poor and small and medium-sized enterprises. Once claiming to be a staunch opponent of official policy, he later adjusted the policy. He joined the government for the first time after the 1983 parliamentary elections. In August 1990, he quit the government because his budget proposal for the national pension was not adopted. In opposition after the 1991 parliamentary elections. Chairman Timo Soini (elected 1997).

(9) The Finnish Communist Party: The opposition party was formed in April 1986 by the "minority" that split from the original Finnish Communist Party. After the Finnish Communist Party ceased its activities and merged into the "Left League" in 1990, the party continued its activities in the name of the Finnish Communist Party (Solidarity), claiming to inherit the tradition of the Finnish Communist Party. There are about 4,000 party members. In November 1994, the party held a party congress and decided to change its name to the Communist Party of China. Yrjo Hakkanen has been elected party chairman ever since.

Economy

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In the 1980s, Finland's economy continued to develop at an average annual growth rate of 3.7%. In the early 1990s, the economy experienced a severe recession.

Recovery began in 1993, and the economy has generally been developing well since 1994. The Finnish government completed economic structural adjustment in the early 1990s, increased the proportion of the knowledge-based economy in the national economy, attached great importance to scientific and technological investment, developed high-tech and information technology, and continued to implement fiscal austerity, encourage investment, cut social welfare, and reduce costs at the macro level. Policies such as income tax, accelerating the privatization process of state-owned enterprises, and improving employment have enabled the economy to maintain stable growth. In the mid-to-late 1990s, economic growth remained around 5%. It joined the euro in 1999 and the euro was officially put into circulation in January 2002, replacing the Finnish mark. The GDP in 2004 was 149.7 billion euros, an increase of 3.7% over the previous year, and the per capita GDP was 28,600 euros. In 2003, 2004 and 2005, it was named the "World's Most Competitive Country" by the World Economic Forum for three consecutive years.

The main industries are wood (logging, processing) and papermaking, followed by oil refining, machinery, shipbuilding, steel, non-ferrous metallurgy, textiles, etc. Dairy animal husbandry is developed. Cultivated land only accounts for 9% of the total area. Most of it is planted with feed crops, and the rest is planted with wheat, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, etc. 40-50% of export revenue is wood, wood products, paper and pulp, and the remainder is metal products and livestock products (meat, dairy products), etc. Imports are dominated by machinery, coal, petroleum, metals, transportation equipment, cotton and tobacco. External transportation focuses on sea transportation; transportation in the inland lake area is important. There are canals connecting many lakes with a voyage of more than 6,600 kilometers. The tourism industry is developed.

The main economic indicators in 2004 are as follows:

Gross domestic product: 149.7 billion euros.

Gross domestic product per capita: 28,600 euros.

Gross domestic product growth rate: 3.7%.

Currency name: Euro

Exchange rate: 1 US dollar = 0.8840 euros (2003)

Inflation rate: 0.9%

< p>Unemployment rate: 9.0%

Resources

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The forest coverage rate is as high as 66.7%, about 20.247 million hectares, and the per capita occupation is 3.89 hectares, with a timber reserve of 2.048 billion cubic meters. Mineral resources include more copper and small amounts of iron, nickel, vanadium, cobalt, etc. Peat resources are abundant, with proven reserves of approximately 70 billion cubic meters, equivalent to 4 billion tons of oil. There are two nuclear power plants (four nuclear reactors).

Industry

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In 2003, the industrial output value was 40.012 billion euros, accounting for approximately 31.1% of the GDP. The industrial employed population is 642,000, accounting for approximately 34.2% of the total labor force. The industry has developed rapidly in the 1990s and has transformed from labor and capital intensive to technology intensive. Wood processing, papermaking and forestry machinery manufacturing based on forests are the pillars of the economy and are world-leading. The entire forest industry output accounts for 5% of the world's total output. It is the world's second largest exporter of paper and cardboard (accounting for 5% of the world's total output). 25% of exports) and the world’s fourth largest pulp exporter. In recent years, the chemical and electronic industries have developed rapidly. The output of major industrial products in 2003 was as follows:

2001 2002 2003

Round materials (million cubic meters) 53.3 54.2 55

Pulp (million cubic meters) 27.6 27.8

(Data source: Finnish Statistical Yearbook 2004)

Information industry

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The developed information industry has greatly promoted the development of the country's economy. The output value in 2003 was 3.392 billion euros, accounting for 2.8% of GDP. Finland is one of the countries with the highest Internet access ratio and per capita mobile phone ownership. In 2003, there were 219 access terminals per 1,000 people, and the mobile phone penetration rate was 91%.

Agriculture and forestry

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The forestry industry is developed and the country is more than self-sufficient in agricultural and livestock products. The output value of agriculture and forestry in 2003 was 4.367 billion euros, accounting for 3% of the GDP that year. Agriculture and forestry are closely integrated, and almost all farmers manage a certain amount of forest land. In 2002, the cultivated land was approximately 2.2155 million hectares, and the labor force engaged in agriculture and forestry was 113,000, accounting for approximately 5.1% of the total labor force. The output of the main agricultural and livestock products is as follows (unit: 10,000 tons):

2001 2002 2003

Wheat 48.9 56.9 67.9

Barley 178.7 173.9 169.7

< p>Oats 128.7 150.8 129.5

Rye 6.4 7.3 7.3

Milk (100 million liters) 23.8 23.8 23.2

Butter 6.1 6.1 5.8

Meat 34.0 35.9 37.4

Eggs 5.7 5.5 5.6

(Data source: Finnish Statistical Yearbook 2004)

Service industry

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The service industry is developed and has become more complete since the 1980s. It is basically divided into two categories: private service industry and public management service industry. Mainly including commerce, trade, hotels, restaurants, banks, insurance, social services and public services.

In 2003, the output value of the service industry was 78.08 billion euros, accounting for 54.4% of the GDP, and the employed population was 695,000, accounting for 31.2% of the total labor force.

Tourism

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In 2003, 4.33 million foreign tourists came to Finland, and tourism revenue was 1.655 billion euros, accounting for 1.655 billion euros, accounting for 10% of the domestic total. 1.15% of GDP. Tourists mainly come from Sweden, Russia, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, etc. The main tourist spots are Helsinki, Turku, the Eastern Lake District, the Northern Rab region and the island of ?land.

Tourism items:

Picking

Going to the wild to pick wild berries and wild mushrooms is one of the ways to appreciate the pure nature of Finland. In other countries, you may need to pay a fee and there are regional restrictions, but under the protection of Finland's national regulations Everyman's Rights, you can pick at will.

In Finland, 67% of people will do this as a summer activity.

Astronomical landscape

Polar night and polar day

Since most of Finland’s Lapland province is located within the Arctic Circle, you can see the polar night and polar day. In extreme daylight, the midnight sky will not be dark, and even on the southern coast, there are 19-20 hours of sunshine.

Northern Lights

On cold, dry nights, the greater the latitude, the more opportunities to see the Northern Lights. Utsjoki in the north, the dates for viewing the Northern Lights each year From November 25th to January 17th

Transportation

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The transportation industry is developed, mainly railways and highways. Transportation situation in 2003:

Railway: total length is 5,851 kilometers, 41% is electrified, passenger volume is 3.3 billion passenger kilometers, and freight volume is 10 billion ton kilometers.

Roads: Total length is 78,197 kilometers, including 653 kilometers of expressways. There are 2.63 million motor vehicles of all kinds, including about 2.275 million cars, 10,400 buses and 359,400 trucks, with a passenger volume of 7.7 billion passenger kilometers and a freight volume of 26.9 billion ton kilometers.

Water transport: 630 merchant ships, with a total tonnage of 1.484 million tons; inland waterways are 9,149 kilometers long, with a passenger volume of 10 million person-km, and freight volumes of 400 million ton-kilometers; coastal routes are 9,534 kilometers long, with a passenger volume of 137 million person-km , cargo volume is 2.5 billion ton-kilometers; there are nearly 30 water transport ports, with a total throughput of 3.1 billion tons. Important ports are Helsinki, Turku, Kotka and Pori.

Air transport: 157 airports, 4 airlines, 697 civil aircraft, 35 international routes; passenger volume 1.1 billion passenger kilometers; cargo volume 2 million ton kilometers; international airports include Helsinki and Turku and Tampere et al.

Pipeline: 580 kilometers of natural gas pipelines.

Fiscal Finance

National fiscal revenue and expenditure (unit: 100 million euros):

2001 2002 2003

Income (excluding debt ) 354.26 363.53 364.13

Expenditure 360.72 355.11 368.97

Difference -6.46 +8.42 -4.84

(Data source: Finnish Statistical Yearbook 2004)

In 2003, foreign exchange reserves were 8.045 billion euros, including 515 million euros in gold reserves; the current account surplus of the balance of payments was 10.599 billion euros, and the cumulative net foreign debt was 63.32 billion euros, accounting for 44.2% of the GDP.

Foreign Trade

In 2003, the export volume was 46.378 billion euros, accounting for 57% of the GDP, and it has trade relations with about 50 countries. The foreign trade situation in recent years is as follows (unit: 100 million euros):

2001 2002 2003

Export 478 472.45 463.78

Import 358.91 356.11 367.75

Difference 119.1 116.34 96.03

(Data source: 2004 Finnish Statistical Yearbook)

Finnish exports mainly include machinery and equipment, chemical products, metals, paper and cardboard, etc.; imported goods Mainly include food, petroleum and petroleum products, steel, textiles, feed, etc. The main trading partners are EU countries. In 2003, imports and exports to EU countries accounted for 55% and 53% of total imports and exports respectively, imports and exports to other European countries accounted for 13% and 9% respectively, imports and exports to North America accounted for 5% and 9.2%, and imports and exports to the Economic Cooperation and Development The import and export of members of the organization accounted for 73% and 74%, and the import and export to developing countries accounted for 12% and 14%. In 2003, Finland's main trading partners were Germany, Sweden, Russia, Britain and the United States.

Foreign Investment

Finland’s direct investment countries are mainly Sweden and other EU countries. Foreign direct investment in Finland mainly comes from countries such as Sweden, the Netherlands and the United States. In 2003, Finland's foreign direct investment was 54.396 billion euros, and foreign investment in Finland was 36.738 billion euros.

Foreign Aid

Finland’s economic recession in the early 1990s forced the government to significantly reduce foreign aid, which increased after 1994.

The situation of foreign aid is as follows (unit: 100 million euros):

2001 2002 2003

Total amount 4.35 4.9 4.94

Percentage of GDP 0.32% 0.35% 0.35 %

(Data source: Finnish Statistical Yearbook 2004)

The main recipient countries are: Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, Kenya, Vietnam, Egypt, Nicaragua, China, Ethiopia and Nepal .

Famous companies

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UPM-Kymmene is the world’s third largest paper and paper products manufacturer with a century-old history Historically, Finland has 930,000 hectares of forest, with an average annual consumption of forest wood of 240,000 cubic meters. It mainly produces paper pulp, cardboard and packaging film. In 2003, it had 33,000 employees, net sales of 9.9 billion euros, and profit of 1.06 billion euros. In 1999, it invested US$600 million to establish UPM (Changshu) Paper Mill in Jiangsu, with an annual output of 350,000 tons of high-quality cultural paper. In 2003, its turnover in China was US$500 million. In September 2005, the second papermaking production line invested and built by UPM in Changshu, Jiangsu Province was officially put into operation. Finnish Prime Minister Vanhanen attended the celebration.

Nokia Group was founded in 1865. It was engaged in the papermaking, chemical, and rubber industries in its early days, and began to enter the telecommunications market in the 1960s. It mainly produces mobile and fixed telecommunications network equipment and mobile phones. It has 17 factories in 9 countries and R&D centers in 14 countries. It has become the world's largest mobile phone manufacturer and the world's leading supplier of digital mobile and fixed networks. business. In 2003, it had 51,400 employees, sales of 29.455 billion euros, and profit of 5.345 billion euros. China has become Nokia's second largest market in the world, with its cumulative investment in China exceeding 2.3 billion euros. In 2001, sales revenue in China was 3.4 billion euros and exports were 2.5 billion euros. In May 2000, Nokia Star Network (International) Industrial Park was completed in Beijing.

Stora Enso Paper Group (StoraEnso) was formed in 1998 through the merger of Swedish Stora Paper Company and Finnish Enso Paper Company. It is one of the world's largest forestry production groups, mainly producing magazine paper, newsprint, packaging paper and office paper. In 2004, it had 45,000 employees and sales of 12.4 billion euros. In 1998, a factory with an annual output of 120,000 tons of offset paper was established in Suzhou.

Fortum Engineering Co., Ltd. (Fortum) is one of the major energy companies in Europe. It is composed of Neste Engineering Co., Ltd., IVO Co., Ltd. and others. Its business scope includes oil and natural gas, electricity and thermal energy, engineering construction, operation and maintenance, and its business involves almost all energy fields. In 2004, the company had 13,000 employees, sales of 11.7 billion euros, and profit of 1.9 billion euros. Fortum has been operating in the Chinese market for 20 years, mainly providing services and system equipment in the fields of oil, natural gas, solar energy, district heating, thermoelectric hybrid products and environmental protection technology.

Kesko was formed in 1940 by the merger of four retailers. In the 1990s, it began to implement chain operations and achieved rapid development. The company is mainly engaged in the wholesale and retail of food, household items, etc., as well as the circulation and sales of construction decoration and agricultural products. In 2003, it had 15,000 employees, sales of 7.07 billion euros, and profit of 162 million euros.

Military The president is the supreme commander of the military. The Defense Council is the highest advisory body. The Prime Minister is responsible for leading civilian aspects of defense activities. The Commander-in-Chief of the Defense Forces is responsible for the military aspects of defense activities. The Commander-in-Chief of the Defense Forces, Admiral Juhani Kaskeala, took office on June 4, 2001. A universal compulsory military service system is implemented, with a service period of 6-12 months.

The standing armed forces are 41,500, including 27,300 for the Army; 3,000 for the Navy, with a total ship tonnage of 13,000 tons; and 4,500 for the Air Force, with the main combat aircraft being F-18C.

The defense budget in 2003 was 2.006 billion euros, accounting for 5.4% of the government budget.