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
| Finland’s area, km2, 1.1.2023 | |
|---|---|
| Area | 338 478 |
| Land area | 303 963 |
| Fresh water | 34 515 |
| Sea water | 52 427 |
| 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: 21.2.2023
Protected and wilderness areas on 1 January 2023
| Number | Area, ha | Water, ha | Water, % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protected areas | 14 513 | 2 502 650 | 454 859 | 18,2 |
| National parks | 41 | 1 017 400 | 182 852 | 18,0 |
| Strict nature reserves | 19 | 153 998 | 2 843 | 1,8 |
| Mire reserves | 163 | 487 644 | 12 374 | 2,5 |
| Herb-rich forest reserves | 45 | 1 050 | 11 | 1,0 |
| Old-growth forest reserves | 74 | 7 978 | 256 | 3,2 |
| Other state-owned protected areas | 743 | 417 254 | 39 593 | 9,5 |
| Private-owned nature reserves | 13 368 | 381 006 | 183 503 | 48,2 |
| Protected areas on Åland | 60 | 36 320 | 33 427 | 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
Data in Excel format (xlsx)
Updated: 3.3.2023
National parks and strict nature reserves on 1 January 2023
© Metsähallitus 2023
© National Land Survey of Finland 1/MML/23
Weather conditions
| Month | Mean daily temperature (centigrade) | Number of days with precipitation (precipitation ≥ 1,0 mm) |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helsinki | Sodankylä | Helsinki | Sodankylä | |||||
| 1991– 2020 |
2022 | 1991– 2020 |
2022 | 1991– 2020 |
2022 | 1991– 2020 |
2022 | |
| January | -3,1 | -2,1 | -12,5 | -11,6 | 12 | 15 | 10 | 6 |
| February | -3,8 | -1,0 | -12,1 | -11,1 | 9 | 12 | 8 | 7 |
| March | -0,7 | 1,0 | -7,1 | -3,9 | 8 | 3 | 8 | 3 |
| April | 4,4 | 4,2 | -0,8 | 0,1 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| May | 10,4 | 9,5 | 5,6 | 6,7 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 9 |
| June | 14,9 | 16,8 | 11,9 | 14,0 | 8 | 6 | 11 | 11 |
| July | 18,1 | 18,5 | 15,0 | 16,2 | 7 | 7 | 11 | 17 |
| August | 16,9 | 19,3 | 12,4 | 14,5 | 10 | 3 | 9 | 7 |
| September | 12,3 | 10,8 | 7,0 | 6,9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 6 |
| October | 6,6 | 8,8 | 0,0 | 2,0 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 12 |
| November | 2,4 | 3,3 | -5,8 | -5,5 | 12 | 15 | 11 | 5 |
| December | -0,7 | -1,6 | -9,6 | -10,2 | 11 | 16 | 10 | 15 |
| January– December |
6,5 | 7,3 | 0,3 | 1,5 | 110 | 113 | 111 | 105 |
oF = 9/5oC + 32
Air emissions
| 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2020 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenhouse gas emissions, mil. tonnes CO2 equivalent | 71,3 | 70,2 | 75,6 | 47,8 | 47,9 |
| Carbon dioxide 1), mil. tonnes | 52,6 | 52,8 | 59,2 | 33,6 | 33,5 |
| Sulphur (as SO2), thousand tonnes | 250 | 81 | 67 | 23 | 24 |
| Nitrogen oxides (as NO2), thousand tonnes | 298 | 235 | 179 | 98 | 97 |
1) Emissions from combustion of fossil fuels and peat
Greenhouse gas emissions and removals
GWP=AR5
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 24 Nov 2023