finland by nick jankoviak. geography bordered by sweden to the west, norway to the north, and russia...

Finland

By Nick Jankoviak

Geography

Bordered by Sweden to the west, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east

Geography • 130,160 square miles – a little smaller

than Montana (147,046 square miles )

Geography

• Capital – Helsinki (pop. 560,500)

• Highlands in the extreme northwest

• Terrain sits low but has many hills– Most of the country is less than 600 feet

above sea level

• More than 70% forested

• More than 60,000 lakes

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finland

Government

• Semi-presidential system or presidential-parlimentary system– President– Prime Minister

• Both are active participants in daily administration

Government

• Finland consisted of six provinces between the years 1997 and 2009. – The five mainland provinces were administered by

province boards composed of civil servants, each headed by a governor

– The island province of Aland enjoyed local autonomy • The island remains entirely Swedish-speaking

• Below the province level, the country was divided into cities, townships, and communes.

Government

• The six provinces of Finland were done away with on January 1, 2010.

• They were replaced with the Regional State Administrative Agencies and the Centers for Economic Development, Transportation and the Environment

• Both were to be set up on January 1, 2010

Government

• The Regional State

Administrative

AgenciesHead Offices

Branch Offices

http://www.vm.fi/vm/en/04_publications_and_documents/03_documents/20090925ALKUpr/alku_en_170909.pdf

Government

• The Centers

for Economic

Development,

Transportation and the Environment

Head offices

All three main areas of responsibility

Functions related to the responsibility areas of business and industry, labor force, competence, cultural activities, natural resources and the environment and sufficient staff numbers for services in the responsibility area of transport and infrastructure.

Functions related to the responsibility areas of business and industry, labor force, competence and cultural activities and sufficient staff numbers for services in the rest of the responsibility areas.

Branch offices


People

• Population is 5.3 million / 309 million in the US

• Religions include 89% Lutheran, 1.1% Orthodox, Other 1.2%, and None 15.1%

• Languages include 93% Finnish , 6% Swedish along with a small group of Lapp and Russian speaking minorities– Both Finnish and Swedish language is

considered official

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/fi.html

People

• Life expectancy is 76 yrs. for males and 83 yrs. for females / 76 years for males and 81 years for females in the US

• Literacy rate is 100% / Literacy rate for the US is 99%


Labor Force

• 2.69 million people are in the workforce / The US has 154.5 million people are in the workforce

• The unemployment rate is 8.6% / The unemployment rate in the US is 9.4%


Labor Force6%

21%

32%

15%

13%

6%

7%Public Service

Industry

Commerce

Finance, Insurance, andBusiness Services

Agrculture and Forestry

Transportation andCommunication

Construction

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Finland

Economy

• Mainly an agricultural country until the 1950’s

• Experienced prosperity in the 1970’s

• Severe depression in the early 1990’s

• Currently the country is ranked 1st in the 2009 Legatum Prosperity rating which measures quality of life

Economy Legatum Prosperity Rankings

• Includes 104 countries• Only in its 3rd year • Measures economic fundamentals,

democratic institutions, health, governance, social capital, entrepreneurship and innovation, education, safety and security, and personal freedom

• The United States ranks ninth http://www.prosperity.com/downloads/2009LegatumProsperityIndexFactsheet.pdf

Economy

• The total dollar value of all goods and services produced in 2009 (GDP) was $183.1 billion / GDP in the US was $14.26 trillion

• In 2009 the per capita income was $34,900 / The US per capita income was $46,400


Economy

• Export $57.88 billion / The US exports $994.7 billion– Export goods include electrical and optical equipment,

machinery, transport equipment, paper and pulp, chemicals, basic metals, timber

– Major markets include Russia 11.6%, Sweden 10%, Germany 10%, US 6.4% and Netherlands 5.1%

• Import $54.1 billion / The US imports $1.445 trillion– Import goods include petroleum and petroleum products,

chemicals, transport equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile yarn and fabrics, grains

– Major suppliers include Russia 16.2%, Germany 15.6%, Sweden 13.5%, Netherlands 6.3%, China 5% and UK 4.2%


Economy

• Natural resources include forests, minerals (copper, zinc, iron), farmland, fishing and hunting

• Metals and engineering (including electronics) and timber (including pulp and paper) are Finland's main industries

• The country's main agricultural products are dairy, meat, and grains

History of Finland First Inhabitants

• Many scholars argue that their original home was in what is now west-central Siberia

• The first inhabitants of Finland may have been the Sami (Lapp) people

• When the Finns arrived in their present territory they pushed the Lapps into the more remote northern arctic regions

History of FinlandSwedish Rule (1200 – 1809)

• Sweden’s King Eric conquered the country in 1157

• Swedish became the dominant language

• King Eric introduced Christianity

History of FinlandRussian Rule (1809 – 1917)

• In 1809, Finland was conquered by the armies of Czar Alexander I – Remained connected with the Russian Empire

until the end of 1917

• December 6, 1917, Finland declared its independence from Russia

History of Finland

• In 1918, the country experienced a brief but bitter civil war

• During World War II, Finland fought the Soviet Union twice– The Winter War of 1939-40 – the Continuation War of 1941-44

• The Lapland War of 1944-45– Finland fought against the Germans as they

withdrew their forces from northern Finland

The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS)

• Thirty-five countries from around the world participated in PIRLS 2001

• Forty-one countries participated in PIRLS 2006

• Fifty-three countries are planning to participate in PIRLS 2011– Finland will participate in 2011

The Program for International Student Assessment (PISA)

• A system of international assessments that focus on 15-year-olds' capabilities in reading literacy, mathematics literacy, and science literacy

• Started in 2000• Administered every 3 years • Each administration includes assessments

of all three subjects, but assesses one of the subjects in depth

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:FinnishEducationChart.png#filelinks

Pre-primary Education

• During the year before compulsory education begins, the child can participate in pre-primary education

• Free• Local authorities may provide pre-primary education in

schools, day-care centers, and family day-care homes or in other appropriate places

• Participation in pre-primary education is voluntary but the local authority is obliged to provide pre-primary education

• Participation is traditionally high

Pre-primary Education Objectives

• Based on national core curriculum

• The aim of pre-primary education is that the child develops – Love of learning– Positive self-image– Acquires basic skills, knowledge and

capabilities

Pre-primary Eduaction

• Pre-primary education, meals, health care and travel are provided free of charge

• Pre-primary students are entitled to the same benefits as those in compulsory education

Basic Education

• Compulsory education starts in the year when a child has his/her seventh birthday

• 9 year basic education with a 10th year option

• Basic education is free of charge for pupils

• Textbooks and other materials, tools etc. are free of charge

• National Core Curriculum

Basic Education

• Students are offered a free daily meal • School health care and other welfare services

are free to students • Students in basic education living some distance

from school (about 3 miles) or the journey is considered dangerous are entitled to free transportation

• If the daily travel time exceeds three hours, the pupil is entitled to free board and lodging in a dormitory

Basic Education

• 190 days between mid-August and the beginning of June

• Schools are open 5 days a week • Morning and afternoon activities for students in

grades one through two and disabled students– Activities are mainly provided on weekdays between 7

a.m. and 5 p.m. during the school year– Moderate fees can be charged for the activities

Basic Education Objectives

• Support growth towards becoming a responsible citizen

• Provide students with the knowledge and skills needed in life

• Promote learning and equality in society as well as acquiring knowledge and skills that the students need in studying and developing themselves later in life

Post-basic Education

• Continue studying or enter working life • Additional voluntary education (10th

grade)– This year can be used by students to improve

knowledge base and/or improve certificate marks

• If education is continued, a choice is made between general upper secondary school and vocational education and training

General Upper Secondary Education

• Primarily free of charge– Students may have to pay for materials

• Usual age range is 16-19

• Admission requirement is completion of basic education

• Syllabus is designed to last three years, but students may complete it in 2 to 4 years

General Upper Secondary Education

• Prepares students for universities • The general upper secondary school ends in an

matriculation examination which yields eligibility for all higher education studies – Passing this exam also qualifies an individual for

vocational training

• Universities may also require entrance exams for acceptance – Highly competitive

Vocational Upper Secondary Education and Training

• Upper secondary vocational education and training is primarily free of charge for students– Students may have to pay for the materials

• Mainly aged 16-25 years– There are no age limits

• The scope of the qualification is 120 credits and it can be completed in 3 years


• Vocational schools provide students with the skills needed to perform a particular job

• Upon completion of their vocational qualifications, students are eligible to apply to universities and polytechnics– Students must take the maltriculation exam

and other necessary entrance exams for university courses


• Education is divided into eight main categories

• There are more than fifty trades

• Examples include machinist, electrician, forest worker, practical nurse, catering, etc…

Higher Education

• Higher education in Finland consists of two parallel sectors: polytechnics and universities – Polytechnics are working life oriented and

operate on the basis of higher expertise requirements set by working life

– Universities are characterized by scientific research and higher education based on it

Polytechnics

• Requirement for polytechnics is the completion of general upper secondary school or a vocational upper secondary qualification

• Provide instruction for expert functioning• Examples include technology and

communication, business and administration, tourism, catering, health care, and social services

• Polytechnics aim at training the professionals in reply to the labor market needs

Polytechnics

• Free of charge for the students

• Completing a degree takes 3.5 - 4.5 years

• Also includes a six-month on-the-job training period

Universities

• Promote independent research and scientific education

• Students generally receive a bachelor’s in three years and a master’s in five years

• Enrollment is highly competitive– Annual quotas limit enrollment

What are the keys to success in Finland?

• Teacher quality

• Decentralized

• Learning by doing

• Teachers given the freedom to set their own curriculum

• Free

References

• CIA – The World Factbook – Finland. (n.d.). Retrieved February 17, 2010, from

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/fi.html • In Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved February 17, 2010, from

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Finland • In Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved February 17, 2010, from

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:FinnishEducationChart.png#filelinks • In Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved February 17, 2010, from

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finland • Legatum Prosperity Index Factsheet. Retrieved February 17, 2010, from

http://www.prosperity.com/downloads/2009LegatumProsperityIndexFactsheet.pdf • Ministry of Finance, Finland. Retrieved February 17, 2010, from


finland by nick jankoviak. geography bordered by sweden to the west, norway to the north, and russia...

Documents

unemployment rate

labor force

usliteracy rate

provinces of finland

agricultural country

cultural activities

sufficient staff numbers

economic development