the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark,
Iceland, Norway, and Sweden)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 186, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios:
7.7 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
120 (plus 431 repeaters) (1999)
Televisions:
3.2 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.fi
Internet hosts:
1,219,173 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2002)
Internet users:
2.65 million (2002)
Transportation Finland
Railways: total: 5,851 km broad gauge: 5,851 km 1.524-m gauge (2,400 km electrified) (2004)
Highways:
total: 78,197 km
paved: 50,539 km (including 794 km of expressways)
unpaved: 27,658 km (2004)
Waterways:
7,842 km
note: includes Saimaa Canal system of 3,577 km; southern part leased
from Russia (2004)
Pipelines:
gas 694 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:
Hamina, Hanko, Helsinki, Kotka, Naantali, Pori, Porvou, Raahe,
Rauma, Turku
Merchant marine:
total: 94 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,152,175 GRT/1,053,906 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 27, chemical tanker 6, container 1,
passenger 5, passenger/cargo 20, petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll
off 25
foreign-owned: 2 (Norway 1, United States 1)
registered in other countries: 42 (2005)
Airports:
148 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 75 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 27 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 13 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 73 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 69 (2004 est.)
Military Finland
Military branches:
Finnish Defense Forces: Army, Navy (includes Coastal Defense
Forces), Air Force (2003)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service
(October 2004)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 18–49: 1,121,275 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18–49: 913,617 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males: 32,040 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$1.8 billion (FY98/99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2% (FY98/99)
Transnational Issues Finland
Disputes - international:
various groups in Finland advocate restoration of Karelia and other
areas ceded to the Soviet Union, but the Finnish Government asserts
no territorial demands
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@France
Introduction France
Background:
Although ultimately a victor in World Wars I and II, France
suffered extensive losses in its empire, wealth, manpower, and rank
as a dominant nation-state. Nevertheless, France today is one of the
most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European
nations. Since 1958, it has constructed a presidential democracy
resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier parliamentary
democracies. In recent years, its reconciliation and cooperation
with Germany have proved central to the economic integration of
Europe, including the introduction of a common exchange currency,
the euro, in January 1999. At present, France is at the forefront of
efforts to develop the EU's military capabilities to supplement
progress toward an EU foreign policy.
Geography France
Location:
Western Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay and English Channel,
between Belgium and Spain, southeast of the UK; bordering the
Mediterranean Sea, between Italy and Spain
Geographic coordinates:
46 00 N, 2 00 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 547,030 sq km
land: 545,630 sq km
water: 1,400 sq km
note: includes only metropolitan France; excludes the overseas
administrative divisions
Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of Colorado
Land boundaries:
total: 2,889 km
border countries: Andorra 56.6 km, Belgium 620 km, Germany 451 km,
Italy 488 km, Luxembourg 73 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Spain 623 km,
Switzerland 573 km
Coastline:
3,427 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (does not apply to the Mediterranean)
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:
generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters and hot
summers along the Mediterranean; occasional strong, cold, dry,
north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral
Terrain:
mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west;
remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Rhone River delta −2 m
highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m
Natural resources:
coal, iron ore, bauxite,