 Definition  Field Listing  Rank
Order
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Background: |
Finland was a province and then a grand duchy
under Sweden from the 12th to the 19th centuries and an autonomous
grand duchy of Russia after 1809. It won its complete independence
in 1917. During World War II, it was able to successfully defend its
freedom and resist invasions by the Soviet Union - albeit with some
loss of territory. In the subsequent half century, the Finns made a
remarkable transformation from a farm/forest economy to a
diversified modern industrial economy; per capita income is now on
par with Western Europe. As a member of the European Union, Finland
was the only Nordic state to join the euro system at its initiation
in January 1999. Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
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Location: |
Northern
Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Gulf of
Finland, between Sweden and Russia |
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Geographic coordinates: |
64 00 N, 26
00 E |
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Map references: |
Europe
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Area: |
total:
338,145 sq km
land: 304,473 sq km
water:
33,672 sq km |
|
Area - comparative: |
slightly
smaller than Montana |
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Land boundaries: |
total: 2,690 km
border countries: Norway 736
km, Sweden 614 km, Russia 1,340 km |
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Coastline: |
1,250 km
|
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Maritime claims: |
territorial sea: 12 nm (in the Gulf of Finland - 3 nm)
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of
exploitation
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm; extends to
continental shelf boundary with Sweden |
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Climate: |
cold
temperate; potentially subarctic but comparatively mild because of
moderating influence of the North Atlantic Current, Baltic Sea, and
more than 60,000 lakes |
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Terrain: |
mostly low,
flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low hills |
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Elevation extremes: |
lowest
point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Halti 1,328 m
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Natural resources: |
timber, iron
ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, nickel, gold, silver, limestone
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Land use: |
arable
land: 7.19%
permanent crops: 0.03%
other:
92.78% (2001) |
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Irrigated land: |
640 sq km
(1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards: |
NA |
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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 |
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Environment - international agreements: |
party
to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, 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:
Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants |
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Geography - note: |
long
boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national capital on
European continent; population concentrated on small southwestern
coastal plain Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
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Population: |
5,214,512
(July 2004 est.) |
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Age structure: |
0-14
years: 17.5% (male 466,036; female 448,339)
15-64
years: 66.7% (male 1,760,472; female 1,719,917)
65 years
and over: 15.7% (male 323,082; female 496,666) (2004 est.)
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Median age: |
total: 40.7 years
male: 39.1 years
female: 42.2 years (2004 est.) |
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Population growth rate: |
0.18% (2004
est.) |
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Birth rate: |
10.56
births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Death rate: |
9.69
deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Net migration rate: |
0.95
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Sex ratio: |
at
birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04
male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65
years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female
total population:
0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate: |
total:
3.59 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 3.91 deaths/1,000
live births
female: 3.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2004
est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 78.24 years
male: 74.73 years
female: 81.89 years (2004 est.) |
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Total fertility rate: |
1.73 children
born/woman (2004 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: |
less than
0.1% (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: |
1,500 (2003
est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths: |
less than 100
(2003 est.) |
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Nationality: |
noun:
Finn(s)
adjective: Finnish |
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Ethnic groups: |
Finn 93%,
Swede 6%, Sami 0.11%, Roma 0.12%, Tatar 0.02% |
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Religions: |
Evangelical
Lutheran 89%, Russian Orthodox 1%, none 9%, other 1% |
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Languages: |
Finnish
93.4% (official), Swedish 5.9% (official), small Sami- and
Russian-speaking minorities |
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Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100% (1980 est.)
male: NA
female: NA Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
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Country name: |
conventional long form: Republic of Finland
conventional short form: Finland
local long
form: Suomen Tasavalta
local short form: Suomi |
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Government type: |
republic
|
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Capital: |
Helsinki
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Administrative divisions: |
6 provinces
(laanit, singular - laani); Aland, Etela-Suomen Laani, Ita-Suomen
Laani, Lansi-Suomen Laani, Lappi, Oulun Laani |
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Independence: |
6 December
1917 (from Russia) |
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National holiday: |
Independence
Day, 6 December (1917) |
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Constitution: |
1 March 2000
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Legal system: |
civil law
system based on Swedish law; Supreme Court may request legislation
interpreting or modifying laws; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
with reservations |
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Suffrage: |
18 years of
age; universal |
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Executive branch: |
chief of
state: President Tarja HALONEN (since 1 March 2000)
head
of government: Prime Minister Matti VANHANEN (since 24 June
2003) and Deputy Prime Minister Antti KALLIOMAKI (since 17 April
2003); note - former Prime Minister Anneli JAATTEENMAKI resigned
cabinet: Council of State or Valtioneuvosto appointed by
the president, responsible to Parliament
elections:
president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last
held 16 January 2000 and 6 February 2000 (next to be held NA
February 2006); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed
from the majority party by the president after parliamentary
elections
election results: Tarja HALONEN elected
president; percent of vote - Tarja HALONEN (SDP) 51.6%, Esko AHO
(Kesk) 48.4%
note: government coalition - KESK, SDP, and
SFP |
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Legislative branch: |
unicameral
Parliament or Eduskunta (200 seats; members are elected by popular
vote on a proportional basis to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 16 March 2003 (next to be held NA
March 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party -
Kesk 24.7%, SDP 24.5%, Kok 18.5%, VAS 9.9%, VIHR 8%, KD 5.3%, SFP
4.6%; seats by party - Kesk 55, SDP 53, Kok 40, VAS 19, VIHR 14, KD
7, SFP 8, others 4 |
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Judicial branch: |
Supreme
Court or Korkein Oikeus (judges appointed by the president) |
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Political parties and leaders: |
Center Party
or Kesk [Matti VANHANEN]; Christian Democrats or KD [Bjarne KALLIS];
Green League or VIHR [Osmo SOININVAARA]; Left Alliance or VAS
composed of People's Democratic League and Democratic Alternative
[Suvi-Anne SIIMES]; National Coalition (conservative) Party or Kok
[Ville Heimo Antero ITALA]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Paavo
LIPPONEN]; Swedish People's Party or SFP [Jan-Erik ENESTAM] |
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International organization participation: |
AfDB, AsDB,
Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU,
FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE,
Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC |
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Diplomatic representation in the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Jukka Robert VALTASAARI
chancery:
3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 298-5800
FAX: [1] (202)
298-6030
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
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Diplomatic representation from the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador (vacant)
embassy: Itainen
Puistotie 14A, FIN-00140, Helsinki
mailing address: APO
AE 09723
telephone: [358] (9) 616250
FAX:
[358] (9) 174681 |
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Flag description: |
white with a
blue cross extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of
the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog
(Danish flag) Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
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Economy - overview: |
Finland has
a highly industrialized, largely free-market economy, with per
capita output roughly that of the UK, France, Germany, and Italy.
Its key economic sector is manufacturing - principally the wood,
metals, engineering, telecommunications, and electronics industries.
Trade is important, with exports equaling one-third of GDP. Except
for timber and several minerals, Finland depends on imports of raw
materials, energy, and some components for manufactured goods.
Because of the climate, agricultural development is limited to
maintaining self-sufficiency in basic products. Forestry, an
important export earner, provides a secondary occupation for the
rural population. Rapidly increasing integration with Western Europe
- Finland was one of the 12 countries joining the European Economic
and Monetary Union (EMU) - will dominate the economic picture over
the next several years. Growth in 2003 was held back by the global
slowdown but will pick up in 2004 provided the world economy suffers
no further blows. |
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GDP: |
purchasing
power parity - $142.2 billion (2003 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate: |
1.9% (2003
est.) |
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GDP - per capita: |
purchasing
power parity - $27,400 (2003 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture: 4.3%
industry: 32.7%
services: 62.9% (2003 est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed): |
18% of GDP
(2003) |
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Population below poverty line: |
NA |
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Household income or consumption by percentage
share: |
lowest
10%: 4.2%
highest 10%: 21.6% (1991) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini
index: |
25.6 (1991)
|
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Inflation rate (consumer prices): |
0.9% (2003
est.) |
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Labor force: |
2.599 million
(2003 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation: |
agriculture
and forestry 8%, industry 22%, construction 6%, commerce 14%,
finance, insurance, and business services 10%, transport and
communications 8%, public services 32% |
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Unemployment rate: |
9% (2003
est.) |
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Budget: |
revenues: $87.03 billion
expenditures: $81.62
billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.) |
|
Public debt: |
48.7% of GDP
(2003) |
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Agriculture - products: |
barley,
wheat, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy cattle; fish |
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Industries: |
metal
products, electronics, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, copper
refining, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing |
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Industrial production growth rate: |
0.8% (2003
est.) |
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Electricity - production: |
71.2 billion
kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - consumption: |
76.18 billion
kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - exports: |
1.81 billion
kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - imports: |
11.77
billion kWh (2001) |
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Oil - production: |
0 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption: |
211,400
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
|
Oil - exports: |
101,000
bbl/day (2001) |
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Oil - imports: |
318,300
bbl/day (2001) |
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Natural gas - production: |
0 cu m (2001
est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption: |
4.557 billion
cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - exports: |
0 cu m (2001
est.) |
|
Natural gas - imports: |
4.567 billion
cu m (2001 est.) |
|
Current account balance: |
$10.3 billion
(2003) |
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Exports: |
$54.28
billion f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
|
Exports - commodities: |
machinery
and equipment, chemicals, metals; timber, paper, pulp (1999) |
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Exports - partners: |
Germany
11.8%, Sweden 9.9%, US 8.2%, UK 8%, Russia 7.5%, Netherlands 4.8%
(2003 est.) |
|
Imports: |
$37.35
billion f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Imports - commodities: |
foodstuffs,
petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, transport equipment,
iron and steel, machinery, textile yarn and fabrics, grains (1999)
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Imports - partners: |
Germany
16.2%, Sweden 14.1%, Russia 11.7%, Netherlands 6.3%, Denmark 5.7%,
UK 5.3%, France 4.3% (2003 est.) |
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Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: |
$11.17
billion (2003) |
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Debt - external: |
$30 billion
(December 1993) |
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Economic aid - donor: |
ODA, $379
million (2001) |
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Currency: |
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union
introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial
institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became
the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member
countries |
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Currency code: |
EUR |
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Exchange rates: |
euros per US
dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000),
0.9386 (1999) |
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Fiscal year: |
calendar
year Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
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Railways: |
total:
5,851 km
broad gauge: 5,851 km 1.524-m gauge (2,400 km
electrified) (2003) |
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Highways: |
total:
78,137 km
paved: 50,398 km (including 750 km of
expressways)
unpaved: 27,739 km (2003) |
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Waterways: |
7,842 km
note: includes Saimaa Canal system of 3,577 km; southern
part leased from Russia (2004) |
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Pipelines: |
gas 694 km
(2003) |
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Ports and harbors: |
Hamina,
Helsinki, Kokkola, Kotka, Loviisa, Oulu, Pori, Rauma, Turku,
Uusikaupunki, Varkaus |
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Merchant marine: |
total: 90 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,152,175
GRT/1,053,906 DWT
by type: bulk 9, cargo 26, chemical
tanker 5, container 1, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 9, roll on/roll
off 28, short-sea/passenger 10
foreign-owned: Estonia 1
registered in other countries: 39 (2003 est.) |
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Airports: |
148 (2003
est.) |
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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 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways: |
total: 73
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914
m: 69 (2003 est.) Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
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Disputes - international: |
none
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