Demographics of Finland
Population pyramid of Finland in 2020
Population	5,603,851
Growth rate	0.7 (2023)[1]
Birth rate	7.8 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)
Death rate	10.9 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)
Life expectancy	81.76 years
• male	78.86 years
• female	84.79 years (2023)
Fertility rate	1.26 children born/woman (2023 est.)[2]
Infant mortality rate	2.13 deaths/1,000 live births
Net migration rate	10.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)
Age structure
0–14 years	14.9% (2023)[1]
15–64 years	61.8% (2023)[1]
65 and over	23.4% (2023)[1]
Sex ratio
Total	0.97 male(s)/female (2023)
At birth	1.05 male(s)/female
Under 15	1.05 male(s)/female
65 and over	0.63 male(s)/female
Nationality
Nationality	Finn
Major ethnic	Finnish (90.0% background)[1]
Language
Official	Finnish, Swedish
Spoken	Finnish, Swedish, Sámi

The demographics of Finland is monitored by the Statistics Finland (Finnish: Tilastokeskus, Swedish: Statistikcentralen). Finland has a population of over 5.6 million people, ranking it 19th out of 27 within the European Union. The average population density in Finland is 19 inhabitants per square kilometre (49/sq mi), making it the third most sparsely populated country in Europe, after Iceland and Norway. Population distribution is extremely uneven, with the majority of the population concentrated in the southern and western regions of the country. The majority of the Finnish population - approximately 73% - lives in urban areas. Approximately 1.58 million, or almost 30%, reside solely in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area. Conversely, the Arctic Lapland region contains only two inhabitants per square kilometre (5.2/sq mi).^[3]

Finland is a predominantly ethnically homogeneous country with a dominant ethnicity of Finnish descent. However, there are notable minority groups in the form of Finland-Swedes, Sámi, and Roma people, with important historical significance. The official languages are Finnish and Swedish, with the latter being the mother tongue of roughly 5.1% of the Finnish populace.^[1] Finland was a part of the Swedish kingdom for around 500 years.^[4]

Due to recent immigration, significant populations of ethnic Estonians, Russians, Iraqis, Chinese, Somalis, Kurds and Indians now reside in the country. Furthermore, by 2023, Ukrainians had become one of the largest ethnic group in the region.^[1]

As of 2023^[update], Statistics Finland publishes data on the foreign population using three distinct methodologies. The Finnish population includes persons of foreign origin and background, who make up 10.2% of the total population.^{[note 1]} In additional calculations, the proportion of persons born outside Finland is 9.6%. Individuals who have a first language other than Finnish, Swedish or Sámi account for 10.0%.^[1]

In the history of Finland, the first human settlement originated approximately 11,000 BC, following the end of the Ice Age.^[6] The initial settlers of present-day Finland were presumably hunter-gatherers. They were later replaced by the Sámi, followed by Finnic populations from the east, south and west. The initial dependable population information dates back to 1749 when Swedish officials initially recorded population statistics. Finland was a part of the Swedish Kingdom until it became an autonomous state within the Russian Empire in 1809, and finally gained independence in 1917.

In the late 19th and 20th centuries, significant emigration, primarily from rural areas, occurred to Sweden and North America, while Finland's primary immigrant source was other European countries. Approximately 300,000 Finnish nationals reside abroad and, according to estimates, the number of individuals of Finnish ancestry worldwide ranges from 1.6 to 2 million. Currently, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Germany, the United States, and Spain are the preferred destinations for most Finnish emigrants.^[7]

One of the primary challenges facing society in the future is adapting to demographic changes, particularly the aging of the population. The proportion of the working-age population is decreasing, resulting in projected labour shortages.^[8] However, immigration has significantly increased in recent years. If the current trend persists, the population of Finland will continue to increase and could even reach the milestone of 6 million people by 2040.^[9]

Population

As of 2023^[update], there are 5,604,558 people in Finland.^[2]

Demographic statistics according to the World Population Review in 2022.^[10]

• One birth every 11 minutes
• One death every 9 minutes
• One net migrant every 38 minutes
• Net gain of one person every 120 minutes

Historical population

The first human settlement in Finland originated around 11,000 BC, following the end of the Ice Age. The initial inhabitants of modern-day Finland were presumably hunter-gatherers. There is no information about the language spoken by the first inhabitants. However, it is known that the Finnish and Sámi languages emerged thousands of years later.^[6] Archaeological, linguistic, and genetic studies support the notion that the country was inhabited from south to north, with a population of a few thousand during prehistoric times. The Sámi people then succeeded the previous inhabitants, followed by the influx of Finnic people from the east, west, and south who eventually replaced them. Currently, the Sámi people number around 10,000 in Finland as a minority. Although they have lived north of the Arctic Circle for 7,000 years, they make up only 5% of the population of the province of Lapland.

The reliable population data is available from 1749, when Sweden first compiled population statistics. At that time, the population of Finland stood at 410,400 individuals. The threshold of one million inhabitants was surpassed subsequent to the Finnish War (1808-1809) in 1811, upon the annexation of the Old Finland region. The milestone of five million inhabitants was reached in 1991.^[11]

Exceeding the million population milestones:^[11]

1. million in 1811
2. million in 1879
3. million in 1912
4. million in 1950
5. million in 1991

Until the beginning of the 20th century, annual population growth fluctuated between 1% and 2%. There were a few exceptional years of negative growth during times of war and destruction.^[11] The significant demographic and economic transformations that took place in Finland post-World War II impacted the composition of Finnish families. Over time, family sizes reduced noticeably, declining from an average of 3.6 individuals in 1950 to an average of 2.7 in 1975. Despite this change, family structures remained relatively constant during the 25-year period, with 24.4% of families consisting of a man and a woman, 61.9% comprising a couple and children, 11.8% consisting of a woman with offspring, and 1.9% consisting of a man with offspring. There were no substantial differences in percentages compared to 1950.^[12]

Nonetheless, fewer children were born per family; the average decreased from 2.24 in 1950 to 1.7 in the 1980s. Large families were infrequent, with only 2% having four or more children, while 51% had a single child; 38% had two children, and 9% had three children.^[12] Population growth declined to below 0.5% in the 1970s, and to approximately 0.2% in the 1990s. In recent years, however, population growth has recovered partially, rising to approximately 0.5%, partly due to increased immigration.^[11]

Distribution and density

As of 2023^[update], the population density of Finland was 18.4 persons per square kilometre.^[1] The region of Uusimaa was the most densely populated region with around 193 persons per square kilometre, while Lapland was the least densely populated region with only around two persons per square kilometre.^[1] The populace is heavily clustered in the west and south of Finland, where the largest urban centres are situated.^[13] There are a total of nine cities in Finland with more than 100,000 residents.^[8]

The geographical center of population (Weber point) of the Finnish population is currently located in Hauho, in the village of Sappee, now part of the town of Hämeenlinna. The coordinates of this point are 61' 17" N, 25' 07" E.^[14]

Fertility

As of 2023^[update], the birth rate dropped to its lowest level on record since 1776 with a total fertility rate of 1.26. A total of 43,320 children were born, and 38,179 (85%) of them were delivered by women who speak Finnish, Swedish or Sámi, the country's national languages.^[2] As of 2020^[update], the average age of first-time mothers was 29.7 years old. The mean age of women who have given birth to a live child was 31.3 years.^[15]

As of 2021^[update], people with a foreign background in Finland had higher fertility rates than those with Finnish roots. Women of foreign descent, either born abroad (1.7) or in Finland (1.65), had the most substantial total fertility rates, averaging 1.45 for all women in Finland. Women of Finnish lineage had a slightly higher fertility rate of 1.4. For men, the total fertility rate was just above 1.3, with Finnish men slightly under the average. In contrast, men of foreign origin, whether born abroad or in Finland, exhibited a fertility rate of approximately 1.45 each. Since 2018, the most frequent countries of affiliation for women of foreign origin delivering infants have been former Soviet Union countries, Somalia, and Iraq.^[17]

Historical fertility rates

In the 18th century, Finland recorded a fertility rate of 5-6 children per woman, but population growth was hindered by high infant mortality, with approximately 1 in 5 infants dying before their first birthday. Fertility remained relatively steady in the 19th century, with occasional variations. During times of conflict, such as the Finnish war, and periods of famine, birth rates declined, but eventually normalised. Presently, some developing countries have fertility rates similar to those of Finland in the 18th and 19th centuries.^[18]

As the 19th century drew to a close, the traditional agrarian society began to crumble. Simultaneously, the industrial and service sectors witnessed a surge in job opportunities, and urban migration intensified. Manufacturing plants mushroomed in proximity to rivers. Fewer children being born played a role in the rising living standards. However, it is important to note that contraceptive methods were limited to the rhythm method and interrupted intercourse.^[18]