Finland - Government
Based on the etymolgy of Finland, it was name derives from the Finns, an ethnic group in northeastern Europe; their name comes from the Germanic word finna, meaning "fish scale;" the local name, Suomi, may come from two local words: suo, meaning "marsh," and maa, meaning "land". The Government system in this country is the parliamentary republic type and the different Administrative divisions includes: 19 regions (maakunnat, singular - maakunta (Finnish); landskapen, singular - landskapet (Swedish)); Aland (Swedish), Ahvenanmaa (Finnish); Etela-Karjala (Finnish), Sodra Karelen (Swedish) [South Karelia]; Etela-Pohjanmaa (Finnish), Sodra Osterbotten (Swedish) [South Ostrobothnia]; Etela-Savo (Finnish), Sodra Savolax (Swedish) [South Savo]; Kanta-Hame (Finnish), Egentliga Tavastland (Swedish); Kainuu (Finnish), Kajanaland (Swedish); Keski-Pohjanmaa (Finnish), Mellersta Osterbotten (Swedish) [Central Ostrobothnia]; Keski-Suomi (Finnish), Mellersta Finland (Swedish) [Central Finland]; Kymenlaakso (Finnish), Kymmenedalen (Swedish); Lappi (Finnish), Lappland (Swedish); Paijat-Hame (Finnish), Paijanne-Tavastland (Swedish); Pirkanmaa (Finnish), Birkaland (Swedish) [Tampere]; Pohjanmaa (Finnish), Osterbotten (Swedish) [Ostrobothnia]; Pohjois-Karjala (Finnish), Norra Karelen (Swedish) [North Karelia]; Pohjois-Pohjanmaa (Finnish), Norra Osterbotten (Swedish) [North Ostrobothnia]; Pohjois-Savo (Finnish), Norra Savolax (Swedish) [North Savo]; Satakunta (Finnish and Swedish); Uusimaa (Finnish), Nyland (Swedish) [Newland]; Varsinais-Suomi (Finnish), Egentliga Finland (Swedish) [Southwest Finland]
National symbols
Lion.
The flag
The National flag of Finland has 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); the blue stands for the country's thousands of lakes, and the white for snow.
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The National Anthem
| Title | "Maamme" (Our Land) |
|---|---|
| Lyric/music | Johan Ludvig RUNEBERG/Fredrik PACIUS |
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note: in use since 1848; although never officially adopted by law, the anthem has been popular since it was first sung by a student group in 1848; Estonia's anthem uses the same melody as that of Finland
More about the government of Finland
| Date of Independence | 6 December 1917 (from Russia) |
|---|---|
| National holiday | Independence Day, 6 December (1917) |
| Legal system | civil law system based on the Swedish model |
| International law organization participation | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
| Constitution | |
| History | Previous 1906, 1919; latest drafted 17 June 1997, approved by Parliament 11 June 1999, entered into force 1 March 2000 |
| Amendment process | Proposed by Parliament; passage normally requires simple majority vote in two readings in the first parliamentary session and at least two-thirds majority vote in a single reading by the newly elected Parliament; proposals declared "urgent" by five-sixths of Parliament members can be passed by at least two-thirds majority vote in the first parliamentary session only |
| Citizenship | |
| Citizenship by birth | no |
| Citizenship by descent only | at least one parent must be a citizen of Finland |
| Dual citizenship recognized | yes |
| Residency requirement for naturalization | 6 years |
| Executive Branch | |
| Chief of state | President Alexander STUBB (since 1 March 2024) |
| Head of government | Prime Minister Petteri ORPO (since 20 June 2023) |
| Cabinet | Council of State or Valtioneuvosto appointed by the president, responsible to Parliament |
| Elections/appointments | president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 6-year term (eligible for a second term); first round held on 28 January 2024, with a runoff on 11 February 2024 (next to be held by 28 January 2030); prime minister appointed by Parliament |
| Election results | 2024: Alexander STUBB elected in the second round; percent of vote in the first round - Alexander STUBB (KoK) 27.2%, Pekka HAAVISTO (Vihr) 25.8%, Jussi HALLA-AHO (PS) 19.0%, Olli REHN (Kesk) 15.3%; percent of vote in second round - STUBB 51.6%, HAAVISTO 48.4% 2018: Sauli NIINISTO reelected president; percent of vote - Sauli NIINISTO (independent) 62.7%, Pekka HAAVISTO (Vihr) 12.4%, Laura HUHTASAARI (PS) 6.9%, Paavo VAYRYNEN (independent) 6.2%, Matti VANHANEN (Kesk) 4.1%, other 7.7% |
| Legislative branch | |
| Legislature name | Parliament (Eduskunta - Riksdagen) |
| Legislative structure | Unicameral |
| Number of seats | 200 (all directly elected) |
| Electoral system | Proportional representation |
| Scope of elections | Full renewal |
| Term in office | 4 years |
| Most recent election date | 4/2/2023 |
| Parties elected and seats per party | National Coalition Party (KOK) (48); The Finns Party (PS) (46); Social Democratic Party (SDP) (43); Center Party (KESK) (23); The Greens (13); Left Alliance (Vas) (11); Other (16) |
| Percentage of women in chamber | 45.5% |
| Expected date of next election | April 2027 |
| Judicial branch | |
| Highest court(s) | Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus (consists of the court president and 18 judges); Supreme Administrative Court (consists of 21 judges, including the court president; organized into 3 chambers) |
| Judge selection and term of office | Supreme Court and Supreme Administrative Court judges appointed by the president of the republic; judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 68 |
| Subordinate courts | 6 Courts of Appeal; 8 regional administrative courts; 27 district courts; special courts for issues relating to markets, labor, insurance, impeachment, land, tenancy, and water rights |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | |
| Chief of mission | Ambassador Leena-Kaisa MIKKOLA (since 18 September 2024) |
| Chancery | 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 |
| Telephone | [1] (202) 298-5800 |
| FAX | [1] (202) 298-6030 |
| Email address and website | [email protected] https://finlandabroad.fi/web/usa/mission |
| Consulate(s) general | Los Angeles, New York |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | |
| Chief of mission | Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Christopher KRAFFT (since September 2024) |
| Embassy | Itainen Puistotie 14 B, 00140 Helsinki |
| Mailing address | 5310 Helsinki Place, Washington DC 20521-5310 |
| Telephone | [358] (9) 616-250 |
| FAX | [358] (9) 174-681 |
| Email address and website | [email protected] https://fi.usembassy.gov/ |
| National heritage | |
| Total World Heritage Sites | 7 (6 cultural, 1 natural) |
| Selected World Heritage Site locales | Fortress of Suomenlinna (c); Old Rauma (c); Petäjävesi Old Church (c); Verla Groundwood and Board Mill (c); Bronze Age Burial Site of Sammallahdenmäki (c); High Coast / Kvarken Archipelago (n); Struve Geodetic Arc (c) |
Key Political parties and their leaders in Finland
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International organization participation
All Important Facts about Finland
Want to know more about Finland? Check all different factbooks for Finland below.
