Finland vs. Sweden
Geography
| Finland | Sweden | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia | Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway |
| Geographic coordinates | 64 00 N, 26 00 E | 62 00 N, 15 00 E |
| Map references | Europe | Europe |
| Area | total: 338,145 sq km land: 303,815 sq km water: 34,330 sq km | total: 450,295 sq km land: 410,335 sq km water: 39,960 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly more than two times the size of Georgia; slightly smaller than Montana | almost three times the size of Georgia; slightly larger than California |
| Land boundaries | total: 2,563 km border countries (3): Norway 709 km, Sweden 545 km, Russia 1309 km | total: 2,211 km border countries (2): Finland 545 km, Norway 1666 km |
| Coastline | 1,250 km | 3,218 km |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm (in the Gulf of Finland - 3 nm) contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm; extends to continental shelf boundary with Sweden, Estonia, and Russia | territorial sea: 12 nm (adjustments made to return a portion of straits to high seas) exclusive economic zone: agreed boundaries or midlines continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
| 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 | temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly cloudy summers; subarctic in north |
| Terrain | mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low hills | mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west |
| Elevation extremes | highest point: Halti (alternatively Haltia, Haltitunturi, Haltiatunturi) 1,328 m lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m mean elevation: 164 m | highest point: Kebnekaise South 2,100 m lowest point: reclaimed bay of Lake Hammarsjon, near Kristianstad -2.4 m mean elevation: 320 m |
| Natural resources | timber, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, nickel, gold, silver, limestone | iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, tungsten, uranium, arsenic, feldspar, timber, hydropower |
| Land use | agricultural land: 7.5% (2018 est.) arable land: 7.4% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 0.1% (2018 est.) forest: 72.9% (2018 est.) other: 19.6% (2018 est.) | agricultural land: 7.5% (2018 est.) arable land: 6.4% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 1.1% (2018 est.) forest: 68.7% (2018 est.) other: 23.8% (2018 est.) |
| Irrigated land | 690 sq km (2012) | 1,640 sq km (2012) |
| Natural hazards | severe winters in the north | ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic |
| Environment - current issues | limited air pollution in urban centers; some water pollution from industrial wastes, agricultural chemicals; habitat loss threatens wildlife populations | marine pollution (Baltic Sea and North Sea); acid rain damage to soils and lakes; air pollution; inappropriate timber harvesting practices |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Geography - note | long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national capital on European continent; population concentrated on small southwestern coastal plain | strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas; Sweden has almost 100,000 lakes, the largest of which, Vanern, is the third largest in Europe |
| Total renewable water resources | 110 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | 174 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Population distribution | the vast majority of people are found in the south; the northern interior areas remain sparsely poplulated | most Swedes live in the south where the climate is milder and there is better connectivity to mainland Europe; population clusters are found all along the Baltic coast in the east; the interior areas of the north remain sparsely populated |
Source: CIA Factbook
