ABSTRACT
Finland joined the European Community (EC) in 1995, along with its Scandinavian neighbours Sweden and Austria. While being one of the largest countries in the EC, Finland is the least densely populated country with only 16 people per km2. At the local level, Finland is divided into Provinces and Counties and at a lower level, Municipalities. The Provincial and County administrations take on much of the management and implementation role of the national government. In common with its neighbour, Sweden, Finland has a high degree of central authority for environmental issues. The National Forestry Board is responsible for the management of the state-owned forests. The environmental land-use agenda of Finland tends to be dominated by the issue of acid rainfall which affects both Finnish forests and bodies of water. With its entry into the European Community, Finland was given only a short run in period during which the national legislation was to be aligned with the European legislation.
