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, 1.1.2024 | |
|---|---|
| Area | 338 485 |
| - Land area | 303 985 |
| - Fresh water | 34 500 |
| Sea water | 52 420 |
| 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 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: 13.2.2024
Protected and wilderness areas on 1 January 2024
| Number | Area, ha | Water, ha | Water, % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protected areas | 15 133 | 2 550 739 | 479 835 | 18,8 |
| National parks | 41 | 1 017 609 | 180 353 | 17,7 |
| Strict nature reserves | 19 | 153 998 | 2 843 | 1,8 |
| Mire reserves | 162 | 492 067 | 12 388 | 2,5 |
| Herb-rich forest reserves | 45 | 1 059 | 11 | 1,0 |
| Old-growth forest reserves | 73 | 7 725 | 254 | 3,3 |
| Other state-owned protected areas | 744 | 421 511 | 39 691 | 9,4 |
| Private-owned nature reserves | 13 990 | 420 451 | 210 867 | 50,2 |
| Protected areas on Åland | 59 | 36 319 | 33 428 | 92,0 |
| Wilderness reserves | 12 | 1 489 311 | 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
Protected and wilderness areas (xlsx)
Updated: 26.3.2024
National parks and strict nature reserves on 1 January 2024
© Metsähallitus 2024
© National Land Survey of Finland 1/MML/24
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
Source: Statistics Finland, greenhouse gases
Greenhouse gas emissions and removals (xlsx)
Updated: 19.3.2024
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 20 Dec 2024