Finland Population

Finland’s location has its mark on Finnish history and culture. The country is often described as the Nordic bridge between east and west.

Key figures and facts

• Capital: Helsinki
• Ethnic groups: Found 93.4%, Swedes 5.6%, Russians 0.5%, Esters 0.3%, Room 0.1%, Sami 0.1% (2006)
• Language: Finnish (official) 87.9%, Swedish (official) 5.2%, Russian 1.4%, other 5.5% (2017)
• Religion: Protestants 70.9%, Greek Orthodox 1.1%, other 28% (2017)
• Population: 5 523 000 (2017)
• Control Form: Republic
• Area: 338 420 Km2
• Currency: euro
• GNP per capita: 43 378 PPP $
• National Day: December 6th

Population of Finland

Finland’s population consists of three main groups, each representing three different waves of colonization: the Finns, which make up over 93 percent of the people, the Finns, who live mostly in the south and west, and the Sami.

Population of Finland by Year (Historical)

Year	Population	Annual Growth Rate	Population Density	Global Rank
2020	5,540,609	0.150%	18.2326	116
2019	5,532,045	0.170%	18.2045	116
2018	5,522,465	0.200%	18.1729	116
2017	5,511,260	0.250%	18.1361	116
2016	5,497,602	0.300%	18.0911	116
2015	5,481,011	0.430%	18.0365	116
2010	5,365,671	0.400%	17.6570	114
2005	5,258,816	0.270%	17.3054	112
2000	5,187,843	0.270%	17.0718	108
1995	5,118,894	0.490%	16.8449	104
1990	4,996,111	0.340%	16.4409	102
1985	4,911,109	0.510%	16.1612	100
1980	4,788,132	0.290%	15.7565	97
1975	4,718,638	0.460%	15.5278	93
1970	4,612,255	0.190%	15.1777	87
1965	4,568,487	0.600%	15.0337	81
1960	4,434,479	0.910%	14.5928	78
1955	4,238,164	1.120%	13.9467	76
1950	4,008,183	0.000%	13.1899	76

Major Cities in Finland by Population

Rank	City	Population
1	Helsinki	558,346
2	Espoo	256,649
3	Tampere	202,576
4	Vantaa	189,947
5	Turku	175,834
6	Oulu	128,507
7	Lahti	98,715
8	Kuopio	88,993
9	Jyvaeskylae	84,915
10	Pori	76,661
11	Lappeenranta	59,165
12	Vaasa	56,903
13	Kotka	54,505
14	Joensuu	53,277
15	Haemeenlinna	47,150
16	Porvoo	47,081
17	Mikkeli	46,439
18	Hyvinge	43,404
19	Jaervenpaeae	38,037
20	Nurmijaervi	36,962
21	Rauma	36,439
22	Mellunkylae	36,249
23	Lohja	35,849
24	Vuosaari	35,715
25	Kokkola	35,475
26	Kajaani	35,264
27	Rovaniemi	34,670
28	Tuusula	34,614
29	Kirkkonummi	32,809
30	Seinaejoki	32,038
31	Kerava	31,236
32	Kouvola	31,022
33	Imatra	29,504
34	Nokia	28,565
35	Savonlinna	27,242
36	Kallio	26,940
37	Riihimaeki	26,340
38	Kaarela	26,303
39	Vihti	26,169
40	Salo	24,789
41	Kangasala	24,180
42	Raisio	23,486
43	Karhula	22,756
44	Kemi	22,530
45	Iisalmi	22,477
46	Varkaus	22,254
47	Raahe	22,106
48	Yloejaervi	22,029
49	Hamina	21,601
50	Kaarina	21,573
51	Tornio	21,125
52	Heinola	20,738
53	Hollola	20,294
54	Valkeakoski	20,265
55	Siilinjaervi	20,098
56	Lauttasaari	19,889
57	Sibbo	19,319
58	Jakobstad	19,127
59	Lempaeaelae	17,985
60	Maentsaelae	17,963
61	Forssa	17,741
62	Kuusamo	17,289
63	Munkkiniemi	17,223
64	Haukipudas	17,187
65	Korsholm	17,065
66	Laukaa	16,982
67	Anjala	16,668
68	Uusikaupunki	16,115
69	Janakkala	15,587
70	Pirkkala	15,504
71	Laensi-Turunmaa	15,387
72	Lovisa	15,355
73	Jaemsae	15,150
74	Lieto	15,147
75	Vammala	14,871
76	Nastola	14,800
77	Orimattila	14,492
78	Kauhajoki	14,415
79	Ekenaes	14,266
80	Kempele	14,182
81	Lapua	13,980
82	Lieksa	13,592
83	Naantali	13,496
84	AEaenekoski	13,295
85	Ylivieska	13,048
86	Kontiolahti	12,300
87	Kankaanpaeae	12,270
88	Ulvila	12,203
89	Pieksaemaeki	12,056
90	Kiiminki	11,958
91	Pargas	11,851
92	Nurmo	11,797
93	Ilmajoki	11,582
94	Liperi	11,275
95	Keuruu	10,831
96	Leppaevirta	10,825
97	Kurikka	10,517
98	Nivala	10,499
99	Joutseno	10,492
100	Pedersoere	10,325
101	Sotkamo	10,257
102	AElajaervi	10,197
103	Kuhmo	10,103
104	Paimio	10,015
105	Saarijaervi	9,900
106	Haemeenkyroe	9,885
107	Suomussalmi	9,863
108	Hanko	9,851
109	Somero	9,729
110	Kitee	9,666
111	Kiuruvesi	9,619
112	Oulunsalo	9,445
113	Pudasjaervi	9,348
114	Alavus	9,311
115	Halikko	9,233
116	Eura	9,227
117	Keminmaa	8,869
118	Huittinen	8,841
119	Sodankylae	8,831
120	Kemijaervi	8,772
121	Kalajoki	8,758
122	Karis	8,742
123	Orivesi	8,735
124	Muurame	8,715
125	Karkkila	8,700
126	Nurmes	8,693
127	Alajaervi	8,682
128	Elimaeki	8,640
129	Kauniainen	8,577
130	Jalasjaervi	8,551
131	Asikkala	8,429
132	Laitila	8,292
133	Kokemaeki	8,279
134	Toijala	8,189
135	Oulainen	8,189
136	Akaa	8,147
137	Muhos	8,121
138	Hausjaervi	8,040
139	Kauhava	7,785
140	Laihia	7,671
141	Loppi	7,657
142	Outokumpu	7,627
143	Haapavesi	7,606
144	Kristinestad	7,601
145	Virrat	7,596
146	Haapajaervi	7,516
147	Harjavalta	7,461
148	Suonenjoki	7,457
149	Viitasaari	7,400
150	Jaemsaenkoski	7,331
151	Lapinlahti	7,239
152	Nykarleby	7,227
153	Ikaalinen	7,198
154	Iitti	7,135
155	Parkano	7,102
156	Pyhaeselkae	7,099
157	Juva	7,054
158	Liminka	6,947
159	Inari	6,938
160	Eno	6,780
161	Maentyharju	6,760
162	AEhtaeri	6,724
163	Kronoby	6,702
164	Piikkioe	6,442
165	Ii	6,435
166	Tammela	6,408
167	Nilsiae	6,363
168	Maenttae	6,348
169	Ilomantsi	6,297
170	Mynaemaeki	6,160
171	Kangasniemi	6,100
172	Vuokatti	6,072
173	Pyhaejaervi	6,027
174	Pyhaejaervi	5,983
175	Teuva	5,981
176	Noormarkku	5,965
177	Juuka	5,924
178	Masku	5,863
179	Kannus	5,857
180	Kerimaeki	5,730
181	Pernioe	5,698
182	Nakkila	5,681
183	Ruokolahti	5,669
184	Kittilae	5,602
185	Eurajoki	5,545
186	Tyrnaevae	5,525
187	Lammi	5,523
188	Ylistaro	5,469
189	Jokioinen	5,457
190	Urjala	5,431
191	Joroinen	5,425
192	Pielavesi	5,410
193	Malax	5,406
194	Juankoski	5,403
195	Viiala	5,361
196	Vilppula	5,311
197	Suolahti	5,288
198	Hankasalmi	5,261
199	Ruovesi	5,203
200	Luumaeki	5,194
201	Sievi	5,170
202	Pohja	5,146
203	Siuntio	5,118
204	Inga	5,094
205	Ristiina	5,060
206	Ylitornio	4,993
207	Korpilahti	4,939
208	Isokyroe	4,929

Ethnic conditions

Most Sami people, who together make up less than 6,000 people, live in the north. Outside the northern areas most of the Sami live in Helsinki. Utsjoki is the only municipality with a Sami majority. Since 1992, Sami has had official language status in some municipalities in the north. Incidentally, many Sami have lost their mother tongue due to pressure from the larger community. See also the section below about languages ​​and the article about Sami.

It was previously believed that the Finno-Ugric groups originated from a common abode in central Russia. This is now considered less likely, as no past findings suggest a sudden immigration of a new tribe. Probably there was a gradual immigration of various tribes living in the areas around the Gulf of Finland.

The ethnic differences in the population are very small today, and when talking about groups of Sami, Tavastarians, Karelians and Finns from “the real Finland”, this is more to suggest a place of origin than to give expression to different cultural backgrounds.

The Swedish-speaking population has declined both absolutely and relatively. The decline is partly due to lower natural population growth and a large emigration to both Sweden and the US. The Swedish-speaking population lives mainly in the coastal area in the southwest and in Åland. See also Finns in Finland.

In addition to Finnish and Swedish, the largest groups of foreign native speakers are in descending order: Russian, Estonian, Arabic, Somali, English, Kurdish, Chinese, Persian, Albanian, Vietnamese, Thai, Spanish, Turkish, German and Polish.

Population trends

Historically, the population has shown a relatively rapid increase. It can be mentioned that in 1965 Finland had a population five times as large as when it was separated from Sweden in 1809. The rapid growth is partly due to the fact that emigration had not been as great as in Norway and Sweden, and that the birth surplus was also high. Emigration began in the 1870s and reached its greatest extent in 1901–1913. The emigrants came mostly from Österbotten and Åland.

Comparing the population in Sweden and Finland in the period 1880-1905, Sweden’s population increased by only 10%, while Finland had an increase of 40%. During the period 1905-1965, Sweden’s population increased by 46%, while Finland had an increase of 65%. In 2004, the population was 5, 2 million.

The birth rate has been declining since the 1880s, at first slowly, but by 1910 much faster. The birth rate increased somewhat immediately before and during the Second World War, but has since decreased; in 2004 it was 10.6 ‰. Mortality has also decreased over time, in 1936–1939 it was 13–15 ‰ and in 2004 9.7 ‰. Infant mortality is among the lowest in the world, 1.9 per 1,000 live births in 2015, but no further back than in 1938 it was 67.8 per 1,000. The average age of first-borns has increased from 28.1 years in 2007 to 29.1 years in 2016.

Average life expectancy has risen all the time, while the frequency of births has decreased, which has led to a significant change in population structure. The proportion below 15 years and over 60 years is almost equal. Life expectancy is 84.1 years for women and 78.4 years for men (2016).

Finland in numbers

Sort	1917	2016
Population	3 134 300	5 503 297
Life expectancy for men	43.4	78.4
Life expectancy for women	49.1	84.1
Most popular first names for men	Eino	Onni
Most popular first names for women	Anna	Sofia
Student Exams	1128	30 617
Married	20 004	24 464
divorces	368	13 541
Number of rooms per dwelling including kitchen	2.4	3.7
Number of people per household	5.3	2.0
Coffee consumption per person	1.7 kg	9.9 kg
Sugar consumption per person	7.1 kg	29.3 kg
Total number of cars	1754	3 957 153
Employees in agriculture and forestry	70.1%	4.1%
Employees in industry	11.5%	21.8%
Employees in service industry and management	10.9%	73.7%

Figures from Statistics Finland in Finland.

Settlement Pattern

Finland has a low population density (16.2 people per km²). The population density is greatest in the southwestern and middle parts of the country and in a strip north along the coast. Lapland, on the other hand, is very sparsely populated (two people per km²). Nevertheless, there has been a relatively strong population increase in the country’s northern parts. However, the migration to the north has completely slowed, while the flow to the urban areas, especially in the south, has increased in scope.

Urbanization started relatively late in Finland compared to the other Nordic countries, and the cities are relatively young. They are concentrated to the coast and to low lying areas.

The population of the largest municipalities in 2017

Municipal	Census 2017
Helsinki	635 181
Espoo	274 583
Tammersfors	228 274
Vanda	219 341
Oulu	200 526
To live	187 604
Jyvaskyla	138 850
Lahti	119 452
Kuopio	117 740
Kouvola	85 306
Pori	85 059
Joensuu	75 848
Lappeenranta	72 872
Hämeenlinna	67 850
Vasa	67 620
Rovaniemi	62 231
Seinäjoki	62 052
St. Michel	54 517
Kotka	54 187
Salo	53 546
Porvoo	50 144
Kokkola	47 723
Lojo	47 149
Hyvinkää	46 596
Nurmijärvi	42 010
Järvenpää	41 529
Rauma	39 614
Kirkkonummi	39 033
Tuusula	38 588
Kajaani	37 521
Kerava	35 511
Savonlinna	35 242

Figures from Statistics Finland in Finland.