GENERAL INFORMATION
Area
338,145 sq km (130,559 sq miles).
Population
5,206,295 (official estimate 2002).
Population Density
15.4 per sq km.
Capital
Helsinki.
Population: 559,716 (official estimate 2002).
Government
Republic.
Head of State: President Tarja Halonen since 2000.
Head of Government: Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen since 2003.
Language
There are two official languages: Finnish, spoken by 93.6 per cent of the population, and Swedish, spoken by 6 per cent of the population. About 1700 people speak Same (Lapp). English is taught as the first foreign language.
Religion
85 per cent Evangelical Lutheran, 10 per cent others including Finnish Orthodox, Baptists, Methodists, Free Church, Roman Catholic, Jews and Muslims.
Time
GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from last Saturday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).
Electricity
230 volts AC, 50Hz. Continental two-pin plugs are standard.
Communications
Telephone
Full IDD is available. Country code: 358. Outgoing international code: 990, 994 or 999. For international number enquiries and tariff information within Finland, callers should dial 020 208.
Mobile telephone
GSM 900/1800 networks available. Main operators include OY Radiolinja AB and Sonera.
Fax
Many hotels and businesses have fax facilities. Also available in post offices in Helsinki.
Internet
ISPs include Sonera and Kolumbus. Public access is available in Internet cafes. There are also many Internet booths in Helsinki.
Telegram
These can be left with the nearest post office or hotel desk.
Post
Letters and postcards sent by airmail usually take about three days to reach destinations within Europe. Stamps are available from post offices, book and paper shops, stations and hotels. Visitors can have mail sent to them via Poste Restante, Central Post Office, Mannerheimintie 11, 00100 Helsinki, which is open Mon-Fri 0800-2100, Sat 0900-1800, Sun 1100-2100. Generally, post offices are open Mon-Fri 0900-1700, closed Saturday. During winter, many town offices are open 0900-1800.
Press
There are over 200 daily newspapers, with the most popular including: Aamulehti, Helsingin Sanomat, Ilta-Sanomat and Iltalehti. Apu and Seura are weekly illustrated news magazines and are two of several periodicals. Kauppalehti is one of the leading business newspapers. There are no English-language newspapers published in Finland, but most UK and US daily newspapers are available, as well as international papers in many different languages.
Radio
BBC World Service and Voice of America can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online.
Public Holidays
Jan 1 2005: New Year’s Day.
Jan 6: Epiphany.
Mar 25-28: Easter.
May 1: May Day.
May 5: Ascension.
Jun 25: Midsummer’s Day.
Nov 1: All Saints’ Day.
Dec 6: Independence Day.
Dec 24-26: Christmas.
Jan 1 2006: New Year’s Day.
Jan 6: Epiphany.
Apr 14-17: Easter.
May 1: May Day.
May 25: Ascension.
Jun 24: Midsummer’s Day.
Nov 1: All Saints’ Day.
Dec 6: Independence Day.
Dec 24-26: Christmas.
Special Events
For a full list of special events, contact the Finnish Tourist Board (see General Info section). The following is a selection of special events occurring in Finland in 2005:
Feb:
21-27: Oulu Children's Theater Festival.
Mar 4-12: Musica nova Helsinki.
Apr 20-24: April Jazz Espoo.
Jun 28-Jul 7 : Kimito Island Music Festival.
Jul 27-31: Eteläpohjalaiset Spelit at Suupohja (folk music festival), Teuva.
Aug 19-Sep 9: Helsinki Festival.
Oct 18-23: Espoo International Piano Festival.
Nov 3-6: Tampere Jazz Happening.
Contact Information:
Location
Scandinavia, Europe.
Country dialing code
358.
Matkailun Edistämiskeskus (Finnish Tourist Board)
Head Office: Töölönkatu 11, PO Box 625, 00101 Helsinki, Finland
Tel: (9) 417 6911. Fax: (9) 4176 9333/99.
Embassy of Finland
38 Chesham Place, London SW1X 8HW, UK
Tel: (020) 7838 6200. Fax: (020) 7235 3680 or 7838 9703 (consular section).
Finnish Tourist Board
PO Box 33213, London W6 8JX, UK
Tel: (020) 7365 2512 (information and brochures) or 8600 5680 (press and trade section). Fax: (020) 8600 5681.
British Embassy
False
Embassy of Finland
3301 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA
Tel: (202) 298 5800. Fax: (202) 298 6030.
Consulates General in: Los Angeles and New York.
Finnish Tourist Board
PO Box 4649, Grand Central Station, New York, NY 10163, USA
Tel: (212) 885 9700. Fax: (212) 885 9710.
Embassy of the United States of America
Itäinen Puistotie 14, 00140 Helsinki, Finland
Tel: (9) 616 250 or 6162 5730 (consular). Fax: (9) 6162 5800.
Embassy of Finland
Suite 850, 55 Metcalfe Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1P 6L5, Canada
Tel: (613) 288 2233. Fax: (613) 288 2244.
Consulate General in: Toronto.
Honorary Consulate Generals in: Vancouver.
Honorary Consulates in: Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Montréal, Québec, Regina, St John, Sault Ste Marie, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, Timmins and Winnipeg.
Canadian Embassy
Street address: Pohjoisesplanadi 25B, 00101 Helsinki, Finland
Postal address: PO Box 779, 00101 Helsinki, Finland
Tel: (9) 228 530. Fax: (9) 601 060.
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