Environment and nature

Finland in Figures is an information package about Finland and Finns. 

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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

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.

National parks and strict nature reserves on 1 January 2024

Content available in Excel format

© 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

Air emissions

  1990 2000 2010 2020 2021 2022
Greenhouse gas emissions, mil. tonnes CO2 equivalent 71,3 70,2 75,5 47,7 47,6 46,0
Carbon dioxide 1), mil. tonnes 52,5 52,7 59,1 33,6 33,3 32,2
Sulphur (as SO2), thousand tonnes 250 81 67 23 24 24
Nitrogen oxides (as NO2), thousand tonnes 298 235 179 98 98 93

1) Emissions from combustion of fossil fuels and peat

Greenhouse gas emissions and removals

Greenhouse gas emissions and removals

1) Land use, land-use change and forestry

Municipal waste by treatment method

Content available in Excel format.

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 26 Mar 2024