|
|
|
Finland: Geography
|
|
|
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: 6.98%
permanent crops: 0.01%
other: 93.01% (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
|
|
|
|
|
|
