Finland is a constitutional republic with a directly elected head of state (President), a Parliament, a head of government (Prime Minister), and an independent judiciary.

The Government maintained effective control of the police, all security organizations, and the armed forces. There were no reports that security forces committed human rights abuses.

The economy was primarily market-based, and it provided citizens with a high standard of living. The population was approximately 5.2 million, and economic growth was estimated at 1.4 percent.

The Government generally respected the human rights of its citizens, and the law and judiciary provided effective means of dealing with individual instances of abuse. Societal violence against women was a problem, which the Government took steps to address. There were reports of trafficking in persons for prostitution.