• Capital City: Helsinki
  
• Population: 5.2 million (UN, 2003)
  
• Major languages: Finnish, Swedish
  
• Major religion: Christianity
  
• Life expectancy: 74 years (men), 81 years (women) (UN)
  
• Monetary unit: 1 Euro = 100 cents
  
• Main exports: Machinery and electronics, paper and paper products, chemicals
  
• Internet domain: .fi
  
• Average annual income: US $23,780 (World Bank, 2001)
  
• International dialling code: +358

THE MEDIA

The public service operator, YLE, provides national radio and television programming. New operators are emerging in a market dominated until recently by YLE and a long-established and strong private broadcaster, MTV, both having an equivalent share of the market.

• The press
  
  • Helsingin Sanomat - Helsinki independent, English page
    
  • Ilta-Sanomat - Helsinki evening
    
  • Hufvudstadsbladet - Helsinki, independent, Swedish
    
  • Kauppalehti - Helsinki, business news, English page
    
  • Aamulehti - Tampere, independent broadsheet
    
  • Turun Sanomat - Turku, independent
    
  • Demari - Helsinki, organ of Social Democratic Party
    
  • Kansan Uutiset - Helsinki, organ of Left Alliance
    
  • Iltalehti - Helsinki, evening tabloid
    
    
    
    
• Television
  
  • Yleisradio Oy (YLE) - Finnish TV, state-owned, broadcasting several channels in Finnish and Swedish
    
  • MTV3 - commercial
    
  • Nelonen (Channel 4) - commercial
    
    
    
    
    
• Radio
  
  • Yleisradio Oy (YLE) - state-owned, operating several channels in Finnish, Swedish and Sa'mi (Lappish)
    
  • Radio Finland - external broadcaster
    
  • Classic FM - commercial
    
  • Kiss FM - commercial
    
  • Radio Nova - commercial
    
  • NRJ - commercial

 

• News agency
  • STT News Agency - in Finnish and Swedish