​Finland as a State information package

Finland is a state. The Library of Parliament was once the national library of the Finnish state. But what exactly does that mean? This information package sheds light on the concept of state, the history of the concept, how a state operates and what its future might be.


​​Text: Timo Turja, March 2015, updated April 2019, e-mail: firstname.lastname@parliament.fi

Saatavilla myös: Suomi valtiona -tietopaketti
Tillgänglig också: Informationspaket om Finland som stat

Definition of a state

The state as a person of international law should possess the following qualifications: a permanent population; a defined territory; government; and capacity to enter into relations with the other states.

Constitution as the foundation of the state

The state is governed according to a constitution. A constitution is a set of legal principles that determines the government and basic rights within a state.

National economy

For the state to be able to function, it needs revenue, which is collected through taxation. The state budget is approved by the Parliament. Managing state finances is the responsibility of the Ministry of Finance.

The history of the development of statehood in Finland

The establishment of a state is not just a legislative and legal matter. For a state to be acknowledged, it is required that people living within its territory are conscious of being members of the state.

State administration

Constitution as the foundation of the state.

A state in the global context

Statehood requires the recognition of other states. International and bilateral treaties between states reinforce the status of a state within the international community.