Long-form name: Republic of Finland

Type: republic

Capital: Helsinki

Administrative divisions: 12 provinces (laanit, singular--laani); Ahvenanmaa, Hame, Keski-Suomi, Kuopio, Kymi, Lappi, Mikkeli, Oulu, Pohjois-Karjala, Turku ja Pori, Uusimaa, Vaasa

Independence: 6 December 1917 (from Soviet Union)

Constitution: 17 July 1919

Legal system: civil law system based on Swedish law; Supreme Court may request legislation interpreting or modifying laws; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

National holiday: Independence Day, 6 December (1917)

Branches: legislative authority rests jointly with president and unicameral legislature (Eduskunta); executive power vested in president and exercised through coalition Cabinet responsible to parliament; Supreme Court, four superior courts, 193 lower courts

Leaders: @m5Chief of State--President Mauno KOIVISTO (since 27 January 1982); @m5Head of Government--Prime Minister Harri HOLKERI (since 30 April 1987); Deputy Prime Minister Kalevi SORSA (since NA )

Suffrage: universal, 18 years and over; not compulsory

Elections: parliamentary, every four years (next in March 1991); presidential, every six years (next in January 1994)

Political parties and leaders: Social Democratic Party, Pertti Paasio; Center Party, Paavo Vayrynen; People's Democratic League (majority Communist front), Reijo Kakela; National Coalition (Conservative) Party, Ilkka Suominen; Liberal People's Party, Kyosti Lallukka; Swedish People's Party, Christoffer Taxell; Rural Party, Pekka Vennamo; Finnish Communist Party (majority Communist faction), Jarmo Wahlstrom; Finnish Communist Party-Unity (minority faction), Jouko Kajanoja; Democratic Alternative (minority Communist front), Kristiina Halkola; Finnish Christian League, Esko Almgren; Constitutional Rightist Party; Finnish Pensioners Party; Greens

Voting strength: (1987 parliamentary election) 24.3% Social Democratic (56 seats), 23.9% Conservative (53 seats), 18.6% Center-Liberal (40 seats), 9.4% People's Democratic League (16 seats), 6.3% Rural (9 seats), 5.3% Swedish Peoples (13 seats), 4.3% Democratic Alternative (4 seats), 4.0% Greens (4 seats), 2.6% Christian League (5 seats), 1.2% Pensioners (no seats), 0.1% Constitutional Rightist (no seats)

Communists: 28,000 registered members; an additional 45,000 persons belong to People's Democratic League

Member of: ADB, CCC, CEMA (special cooperation agreement), DAC, EC (free trade agreement), EFTA (associate), ESA (associate), FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAC, ICAO, ICES, ICO, IDA, IDB--Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, ILZSG, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, ITU, IWC--International Wheat Council, Nordic Council, OECD, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WSG

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Jukka VALTASAARI; Chancery at 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington DC 20016; telephone (202) 363-2430; there are Finnish Consulates General in Los Angeles and New York, and Consulates in Chicago and Houston; US--Ambassador Rockwell A. SCHNABEL; Embassy at Itainen Puistotie 14ASF-00140, Helsinki (mailing address is APO New York 09664); telephone Õ358å (0) 171931

Flag: white with a blue cross that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the @m5Dannebrog (Danish flag)

NOTE: The information regarding Finland on this page is re-published from the 1989 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Finland Government 1989 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Finland Government 1989 should be addressed to the CIA.