Geography & environment — Finland
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources.
Profile updated 2026-06-02
⚡ Geography & environment at a glance
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources. Key figure for Finland: Europe
Immigration rules and fees change frequently — confirm current requirements on official government or embassy websites.
Location & size
- Geographic Location
Europe
- Geographic Coordinates
64 00 N, 26 00 E
- Total Area
130,558 Square Miles 338,145 Square Kilometers
- Land Area
117,303 Square Miles 303,815 Square Kilometers
- Water Area
13,255 Square Miles 34,330 Square Kilometers
- Land Boundaries
1,649 Miles 2,654 Kilometers
- Border Countries
Norway 729 km, Sweden 586 km, Russia 1,313 km
- Coastline
777 Miles 1,250 Kilometers
Physical geography
- Terrain
Mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low hills
- Highest Point
1,328 Meters
- Highest Point Location
Halti 1,328 m
- Lowest Point Location
Baltic Sea 0 m
- Natural Resources
Timber, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, nickel, gold, silver, limestone
- Irrigated Land
264 Square Miles 685 Square Kilometers
Climate & time
- Time Zone
UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Daylight saving time
+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Climate
- Climate
Virtually all of Finland lies between latitudes 60°N and 70°N, but the Gulf Stream and the prevalence of warm westerly winds make the climate several degrees warmer than elsewhere at the same latitude. Summers are short and mild, and the days are long. In June and July only a 2-3 hour period of twilight separates sunset from sunrise. In the extreme north the sun does not set for 73 days during the mid-summer period. Precipitation, averaging 63cm (25 inches) annually, is distributed over all seasons. Winters are long and cold. Snow is possible from October through April, with January through March having the heaviest accumulations. Temperatures may vary from north to south, as does the snow coverage from one winter to the next. Despite Helsinki’s location on the Gulf of Finland, the humidity is low. The city’s average temperature is +5°C (42°F). February and July mean temperatures are -5°C (23°F) and +17°C (63°F) respectively. Average temperatures in Lapland are -12°C (10°F) in January and +17°C (63°F) in July.
- Terrain
Mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low hills
- Location
Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia
- Total Area
130,558 Square Miles 338,145 Square Kilometers
- Border Countries
Norway 729 km, Sweden 586 km, Russia 1,313 km
Environment
- 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