Forests in Finland

Finland is the most afforested country in Europe: 86 percent of its land area, or a total of 26 million hectares, is covered by forestry land. Research-based forestry has been carried on here for over a hundred years. The significance of forests for Finland's national economy and society is greater than anywhere else in Europe. From being a poor, northern country dependent on agriculture, Finland has prospered thanks to forestry and forest industry. At the moment, one quarter of Finland's export revenue is derived from the products of forest industry, especially of high-tech paper grades.

Finnish forest industry has undergone substantial expansion and internationalisation. Over half of the production of the forestry companies is located outside Finland. Since four fifths of timber sales revenues is received by ordinary citizens living in the vast Finnish countryside, forestry and forest industry are of benefit to the whole country. The number of forest holdings that are bigger than two hectares and owned by private families is nearly 450,000, and in addition forestry and forest industry is the most significant field of production in the country as well as the second one as an employer just after agriculture and agriculture-based industries.

Forestry has remained interesting for the forest owner, for – in contrast to almost anywhere else in the world – it has been profitable in a sustainable way. Since the 1950s, the annual growth of Finnish forests has increased from 55 million to some 80 million cubic metres per year, thanks to continuous advances in forest management.

Currently Finnish forests contain more timber than ever during a period of over 200 years. Moreover, nearly all forests with the exception of some strictly protected forests are freely accessible to everyone for hiking and the picking of berries and mushrooms.

	1. Finland – a land of forests.
	15. Economic significance of the forest sector, Export of goods from Finland by sector.
	6. Forest ownership in Finland.

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