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
- Greenhouse gas emissions and removals
- Treatment methods of municipal waste
Geographical data
| Finland’s area, km2, 1.1.2025 | |
|---|---|
| Area | 338 491 |
| - Land area | 304 000 |
| - Fresh water | 34 491 |
| Sea water | 52 416 |
| Total | 390 906 |
| 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 above sea level | |
| 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 | |
| Sea | |
| - Mainland Åland | 689 |
| - Kemiönsaari | 545 |
| 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: 4.2.2025
Protected and wilderness areas on 1 January 2025
| Number | Area, ha | Water, ha | Water, % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protected areas | 15 733 | 2 551 890 | 492 309 | 19,3 |
| National parks | 41 | 1 023 638 | 185 656 | 18,1 |
| Strict nature reserves | 19 | 154 021 | 2 843 | 1,8 |
| Mire reserves | 162 | 494 497 | 12 399 | 2,5 |
| Herb-rich forest reserves | 45 | 1 059 | 11 | 1,1 |
| Old-growth forest reserves | 73 | 7 847 | 254 | 3,2 |
| Other state-owned protected areas | 936 | 433 719 | 73 175 | 16,9 |
| Private-owned nature reserves | 14 381 | 393 334 | 177 877 | 45,2 |
| Protected areas on Åland | 76 | 43 775 | 40 093 | 91,6 |
| Wilderness reserves | 12 | 1 489 321 | 111 220 | 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
Government of Åland
Protected and wilderness areas (xlsx)
Updated: 11.2.2025
National parks and strict nature reserves on 1 January 2025
© Metsähallitus 2025
© National Land Survey of Finland 1/MML/25
Weather conditions
| Month | Mean daily temperature (centigrade) | Number of days with precipitation (precipitation ≥ 1,0 mm) |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helsinki | Sodankylä | Helsinki | Sodankylä | |||||
| 1991– 2020 |
2023 | 1991– 2020 |
2023 | 1991– 2020 |
2023 | 1991– 2020 |
2023 | |
| January | -3,1 | -0,8 | -12,5 | -7,7 | 12 | 14 | 10 | 14 |
| February | -3,8 | -1,3 | -12,1 | -8,8 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 7 |
| March | -0,7 | -0,4 | -7,1 | -10,7 | 8 | 11 | 8 | 9 |
| April | 4,4 | 5,9 | -0,8 | 0,1 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 5 |
| May | 10,4 | 10,9 | 5,6 | 8,3 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 6 |
| June | 14,9 | 17,0 | 11,9 | 13,9 | 8 | 3 | 11 | 6 |
| July | 18,1 | 16,9 | 15,0 | 14,5 | 7 | 13 | 11 | 8 |
| August | 16,9 | 17,8 | 12,4 | 14,6 | 10 | 13 | 9 | 12 |
| September | 12,3 | 15,8 | 7,0 | 10,0 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 15 |
| October | 6,6 | 5,6 | 0,0 | -2,7 | 10 | 15 | 9 | 8 |
| November | 2,4 | 0,8 | -5,8 | -10,9 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 7 |
| December | -0,7 | -3,3 | -9,6 | -11,5 | 11 | 14 | 10 | 5 |
| January– December |
6,5 | 7,1 | 0,3 | 0,8 | 110 | 117 | 111 | 102 |
oF = 9/5oC + 32
Greenhouse gas emissions and removals
1) Land use, land-use change and forestry sector
* preliminary data
Source: Statistics Finland, greenhouse gases
Greenhouse gas emissions and removals (xlsx)
Updated: 15.1.2025
Treatment methods of municipal waste
Waste generated in households and waste comparable to household waste generated in production, especially in the service industries
Source: Statistics Finland, waste statistics
Treatment methods of municipal waste (xlsx)
Updated: 20.12.2024
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 11 Feb 2025