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: 338,145 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 303,815 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 34,330 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 66

Area - comparative:
slightly more than two times the size of Georgia; slightly smaller than Montana
Area comparison map: slightly more than two times the size of Georgia; slightly smaller than Montana

Land boundaries:
total: 2,563 km
[see also: Land boundaries - total country ranks ]
border countries (3): Norway 709 km, Sweden 545 km, Russia 1,309 km

Coastline:
1,250 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm (in the Gulf of Finland - 3 nm)
[see also: Maritime claims - territorial sea country ranks ]
contiguous zone: 24 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - contiguous zone country ranks ]
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm; extends to continental shelf boundary with Sweden, Estonia, and Russia
[see also: Maritime claims - exclusive fishing zone country ranks ]
continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
[see also: Maritime claims - continental shelf country ranks ]

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
More Climate Details

Terrain:
mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low hills

Elevation:
mean elevation: 164 m
[see also: Elevation - mean elevation country ranks ]
elevation extremes: lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Halti (alternatively Haltia, Haltitunturi, Haltiatunturi) 1,328 m

Natural resources:
timber, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, nickel, gold, silver, limestone

Land use:
agricultural land: 7.5% arable land 7.4%; permanent crops 0%; permanent pasture 0.1%
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
forest: 72.9%
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 19.6% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
690 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Population - distribution:
the vast majority of people are found in the south; the northern interior areas remain sparsely populated

Natural hazards:
severe winters in the north

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-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national capital on European continent; population concentrated on small southwestern coastal plain