Environment and Nature
Finland in Figures is an information package about Finland and Finns.
On this page
- Geographical data
- Protected and wilderness areas
- National parks and strict nature reserves
- Weather conditions
- Air emissions
- Greenhouse gas emissions and removals
- Municipal waste by treatment method
Geographical data
| Area, km2, 1.1.2022 | |
|---|---|
| Area | 338 472 |
| Land area | 303 948 |
| Fresh water | 34 524 |
| Sea water | 52 433 |
| Total | 390 905 |
| Boundaries, km | |
| Sweden | 614 |
| Norway | 736 |
| Russia | 1 344 |
| Limit of territorial waters | 1 250 |
| Total | 3 944 |
| Greatest length, km | |
| Hanko–Utsjoki | 1 157 |
| Greatest width, km | |
| Närpiö–Ilomantsi | 542 |
| Highest point, m | |
| Halti | 1 324 |
| Longest river, km | |
| Kemijoki | 500 |
| Largest lakes, km2 | |
| Saimaa | 1 393 |
| Päijänne | 1 082 |
| Inarijärvi | 1 082 |
| Oulujärvi | 912 |
| Pielinen | 895 |
| Largest islands, km2 | |
| a) Sea | |
| Mainland Åland | 689 |
| Kemiönsaari | 545 |
| b) Inland waters | |
| Soisalo | 1 540 |
Lakes with an area of 500 m2 or more total about 168 000, of which around 57 000 with an area of over one hectare. Islands with an area of 100 m2 or more total about 187 000.
Sources: National Land Survey of Finland
Finnish Environment Institute
Updated: 21.1.2022
Protected and wilderness areas on 1 January 2022
| Number | Area, ha | Water, ha | Water, % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protected areas | 13 882 | 2 471 197 | 443 222 | 17,9 |
| National parks | 41 | 1 014 470 | 180 311 | 17,8 |
| Strict nature reserves | 19 | 154 152 | 2 843 | 1,8 |
| Mire reserves | 164 | 480 672 | 12 112 | 2,5 |
| Herb-rich forest reserves | 45 | 1 050 | 11 | 1,0 |
| Old-growth forest reserves | 75 | 8 375 | 269 | 3,2 |
| Other state-owned protected areas | 705 | 411 370 | 38 730 | 9,4 |
| Private-owned nature reserves | 12 774 | 364 954 | 175 897 | 48,2 |
| Protected areas on Åland | 59 | 36 154 | 33 049 | 91,4 |
| Wilderness reserves | 12 | 1 489 160 | 111 225 | 7,5 |
In addition, the Act on the Protection of Rapids protects a total of 53 individual rapids, river portions or catchment areas against power station construction. Corresponding acts have been passed on the protection of the Ounasjoki and Kyrönjoki rivers.
Sources: Ministry of the Environment
Metsähallitus
ÅSUB
Updated: 14.4.2022
National parks and strict nature reserves on 1 January 2022
© Metsähallitus 2022
© National Land Survey of Finland 1/MML/22
Weather conditions
| Month | Mean daily temperature (centigrade) | Number of days with precipitation 1) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helsinki | Sodankylä | Helsinki | Sodankylä | |||||
| 1991–2020 | 2021 | 1991–2020 | 2021 | 1991–2020 | 2021 | 1991–2020 | 2021 | |
| January | -3,1 | -3,5 | -12,5 | -14,3 | 12 | 16 | 10 | 10 |
| February | -3,8 | -6,6 | -12,1 | -13,7 | 9 | 4 | 8 | 6 |
| March | -0,7 | 0,0 | -7,1 | -5,2 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 5 |
| April | 4,4 | 5,0 | -0,8 | 0,8 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 8 |
| May | 10,4 | 10,3 | 5,6 | 4,5 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 11 |
| June | 14,9 | 19,3 | 11,9 | 15,2 | 8 | 4 | 11 | 8 |
| July | 18,1 | 21,4 | 15,0 | 16,9 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 10 |
| August | 16,9 | 15,9 | 12,4 | 11,8 | 10 | 13 | 9 | 10 |
| September | 12,3 | 10,4 | 7,0 | 5,9 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 4 |
| October | 6,6 | 8,7 | 0,0 | 1,4 | 10 | 12 | 9 | 17 |
| November | 2,4 | 2,7 | -5,8 | -7,1 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 12 |
| December | -0,7 | -5,3 | -9,6 | -13,0 | 11 | 8 | 10 | 9 |
oF = 9/5oC + 32
1) Precipitation ≥ 1,0 mm
Air emissions
| 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2019 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenhouse gas emissions, CO2 eq., mil. tonnes | 71,2 | 70,2 | 75,7 | 52,8 | 47,8 |
| Carbon dioxide 1), mil. tonnes | 52,5 | 52,7 | 59,1 | 38,0 | 33,4 |
| Sulphur (as SO2), thousand tonnes | 250 | 81 | 67 | 29 | 23 |
| Nitrogen oxides (as NO2), thousand tonnes | 298 | 235 | 179 | 113 | 98 |
1) Emissions from combustion of fossil fuels and peat
Greenhouse gas emissions and removals
1) Land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF).
Municipal waste by treatment method
Main topic: Environment and Nature
More statistical figures in the StatFin database
Finland in Figures only includes the key figures on Finland and Finns. You can find more figures on various sectors of society in the easy-to-use StatFin database.
The database also provides regional data, such as the population of municipalities.
Last updated 13 Jun 2022