FINLAND
| Republic bordering on Norway and Sweden in the north-west and Russia on the whole
of the eastern frontier; coastline on the Gulf of Bothnia and the Gulf of Finland. Member
of the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA). One of the OECD
countries. Finland has adopted the euro currency. Some ports on the western and southern coastline may be closed by ice from mid-January to early April, except the ports of Turku and Hanko. |
|
| CAPITAL | Helsinki. |
| PRINCIPAL PORT | Hamina, Helsinki, Kokkola, Kotka, Loviisa, Oulu, Pori, Rauma, Turku, Uusikaupunki, Varkaus. |
| POPULATION | 5,175,783 (July 2001 estimate). |
| LANGUAGE(S) | Finnish, Swedish (official), small Lapp- and Russian-speaking minorities. |
| WEIGHTS AND MEASURES | Metric system. |
| ELECTRICITY SUPPLY | Domestic: 220v. 50 cycles single phase AC. Industrial: 380v. 50 cycles three phase AC. |
| CURRENCY(-IES) | The euro. |
| EXCHANGE RATE | 1 euro = £0.62610 sterling (fluctuating rate). |
| TIME | 2 hours ahead of GMT (1 hour ahead of BST). |
DIALLING CODE |
00 358. |
| PUBLIC HOLIDAYS | 1, 6 Jan; 1 May; 6, 24-26 Dec; in addition, the following which have variable dates: Good Friday; Easter Monday; Ascension Day. |
| EMBASSY(-IES) | 38 Chesham Place, London SW1X
8HW. Tel: 020 7838 6200, fax: 020 7235 3680, website: www.finemb.org.uk.
Office hours: Mon-Fri 0830-1630. Finland Trade Centre: 177-179 Hammersmith Road, London W6 8BS. Tel: 020 8600 7260; fax: 020 8600 7261. Department of Trade and Industry DTI/EEB, Kingsgate House, 66-74 Victoria Street, London SW1E 6SW. Tel: 020 7215 5134/4783, fax: 020 7215 8884, website: www.dti.gov.uk |
| BRITISH EMBASSY | Itainen Puistotie 17, 00140 Helsinki, Finland. Tel: 00 358 9 2286 5100; fax: 00 358 9 2286 5284, 5262, 5272, e-mail info@ukembassy.fi - website: www.ukembassy.fi |
| CHAMBER(S) OF COMMERCE | Central Chamber of Commerce in
Finland, Keskuskauppakamari, Aleksanterinkatu 17, PL 1000, 00100 Helsinki. Tel: 00 358 9
69 69 69, fax: 00 358 9 65 03 03. Business Organisation: Finnish-British Trade Association, Etela Esplanaadi 2. 00130 Helsinki 10. |