Finland: Geography

The World Factbook 1993: Finland Geography

Location: Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea between Sweden and Russia

Area: total area: 337,030 km2 land area: 305,470 km2 comparative area: slightly smaller than Montana

Land boundaries: total 2,628 km, Norway 729 km, Sweden 586 km, Russia 1,313 km

Coastline: 1,126 km (excludes islands and coastal indentations)

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 6 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm territorial sea: 4 nm

International disputes: none

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

Natural resources: timber, copper, zinc, iron ore, silver

Land use: arable land: 8% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 76% other: 16%

Irrigated land: 620 km2 (1989 est.)

Environment: permanently wet ground covers about 30% of land; population concentrated on small southwestern coastal plain

Note: long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national capital on European continent