The world’s 25th richest nation as measured by Gross Domestic Product per capita, the Republic of Finland imported US$67.9 billion worth of products from around the globe during 2020. That dollar amount reflects a -7.9% decrease from $73.7 billion in 2019.

This article presents a quick reference snapshot of Finland’s main imported products in 2020, categorized by dollar amount and major trading partners.

The Nordic country in Northern Europe shares its eastern land border with Russia, Sweden to its east and Norway to its north. Finland also has coastlines along the Gulf of Bothnia to its west and the Baltic Sea’s Gulf of Finland to its south.

Data is organized by overall metrics then drill down to the most valuable Finnish imports during 2020 for each of Finland’s top 10 supplier countries. Those leading trading partners accounted for almost two-thirds (65.5%) of total Finnish import purchases.

Product categories shown summarize calculations at the two-digit Harmonized System code level. Two-digit codes enable higher-level insights and trends for Finnish imports and each of the top supplier countries.

Finland’s Main Imports from Germany

In 2020, Germany’s exports to Finland amounted to $10.5 billion or 15.4% of overall Finnish imports.

That dollar amount represents an -8.5% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the major product categories listed below represent 75.7% of Finland’s imports from Germany.

Vehicles: $2.2 billion
Machinery: $1.9 billion
Electronic equipment: $896 million
Pharmaceuticals: $528.3 million
Plastics: $485.5 million
Medical, technical equipment: $427.5 million
Iron or steel products: $314.4 million
Copper: $202.3 million
Inorganic chemicals: $163.2 million
Iron and steel: $159.8 million
Furniture, lighting, signs: $159.1 million
Other chemical goods: $155.3 million
Organic chemicals: $116.4 million
Cereal, milk preparations: $107.4 million
Tanning, dyeing extracts: $100.4 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Finnish imports from Germany under the pharmaceuticals product category via a 10.7% gain in revenue and medical or technical equipment (up 8.7%).

Posting the severest declines among Finland’s top 15 imported products were items made from iron or steel (down -42.4%), inorganic chemicals (down -23.6%), machinery (down -15.8%), organic chemicals (down -15.1%) then furniture, lighting and signs (down -11.4%).

Finland’s Main Imports from Sweden

In 2020, Sweden’s exports to Finland amounted to $7.4 billion or 11% of overall Finnish imports.

That dollar amount represents an -8.7% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 74.9% of Finland’s imports from Sweden.

Mineral fuels including oil: $1.5 billion
Machinery: $927.5 million
Vehicles: $836.6 million
Electronic equipment: $446.2 million
Ores, slag, ash: $406.4 million
Plastics: $260.1 million
Iron and steel: $256.4 million
Paper: $184.1 million
Iron or steel products: $159.4 million
Furniture, lighting, signs: $128.2 million
Cereal, milk preparations: $120.1 million
Medical, technical equipment: $116 million
Other food preparations: $104.9 million
Pharmaceuticals: $95.7 million
Other chemical goods: $84.5 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Finnish imports from Sweden under the pharmaceuticals product category via a 11.3% gain in revenue and electronic equipment (up 8.1%).

Posting the severest declines among Finland’s top 15 imported products were mineral fuels including oil (down -26.4%), ores, slag and ash (down -19.6%), furniture, lighting and signs (down -10.8%) then iron and steel as materials (down -8.8%).

Finland’s Main Imports from Russia

In 2020, Russia’s exports to Finland amounted to $6.6 billion or 9.7% of overall Finnish imports.

That dollar amount represents a -34.1% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 97.1% of Finland’s imports from Russia.

Mineral fuels including oil: $3.7 billion
Nickel: $990.1 million
Wood: $554.9 million
Organic chemicals: $287.5 million
Fertilizers: $160.4 million
Inorganic chemicals: $120.5 million
Rubber: $98.9 million
Ores, slag, ash: $95 million
Iron and steel: $92.4 million
Electronic equipment: $55.2 million
Aluminum: $53.9 million
Machinery: $49.7 million
Iron or steel products: $43.5 million
Food waste, animal fodder: $43.3 million
Copper: $43.2 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Finnish imports from Russia under the fertilizers product category via a 13.3% gain in revenue, machinery (up 11.1%) and nickel (up 10%).

Posting the severest declines among Finland’s top 15 imported products were copper including articles made from copper (down -29.2%), mineral fuels including oil (down -46.8%), organic chemicals (down -43.4%), electronic equipment (down -11%), inorganic chemicals (down -10.7%) then food waste and animal fodder (down -10.2%).

Finland’s Main Imports from China

In 2020, China’s exports to Finland amounted to $6.1 billion or 9.0% of overall Finnish imports.

That dollar amount represents a 11.3% gain compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 89.9% of Finland’s imports from the mainland China.

Electronic equipment: $1.9 billion
Machinery: $1.3 billion
Clothing (not knit or crochet): $335.7 million
Other textiles, worn clothing: $298.2 million
Furniture, lighting, signs: $271.3 million
Toys, games: $215.2 million
Knit or crochet clothing: $210.5 million
Medical, technical equipment: $191.4 million
Iron or steel products: $173.3 million
Plastics: $171.9 million
Vehicles: $124.7 million
Footwear: $99.8 million
Leather, animal gut articles: $77.2 million
Rubber: $70.5 million
Base metal tools, cutlery: $57.3 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Finnish imports from China under the miscellaneous textiles including worn clothing product category via a 386.3% gain in revenue, plastics as a material (up 35%), rubber (up 18.1%), machinery (up 14%) and electronic equipment (up 13.2%).

Posting the severest declines among Finland’s top 15 imported products were items made from leather or animal gut (down -16%) and footwear (down -10.8%).

Finland’s Main Imports from Netherlands

In 2020, the Netherlands’ exports to Finland amounted to $3.1 billion or 9.0% of overall Finnish imports.

That dollar amount represents a -5.6% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 68% of Finland’s imports from the Netherlands.

Machinery: $351.5 million
Mineral fuels including oil: $300.9 million
Animal/vegetable fats and oils: $297.3 million
Electronic equipment: $210.1 million
Plastics: $205.4 million
Pharmaceuticals: $125.4 million
Live trees and plants: $93.6 million
Vehicles: $92.7 million
Vegetables: $81.3 million
Medical, technical equipment: $80.3 million
Organic chemicals: $61.6 million
Beverages: $59.8 million
Fruits, nuts: $52.6 million
Iron or steel products: $47.9 million
Iron and steel: $47.2 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Finnish imports from the Netherlands under the animal or vegetable fats and oils product category via a 57.2% gain in revenue and pharmaceuticals (up 11.4%).

Posting the severest declines among Finland’s top 15 imported products were vehicles (down -23.7%), mineral fuels including oil (down -22.3%), machinery (down -17.5%), medical or technical equipment (down -16%), organic chemicals (down -14.4%) and beverages (down -14.4%).

Finland’s Main Imports from the US

In 2020, the United States’ exports to Finland amounted to $2.3 billion or 3.4% of overall Finnish imports.

That dollar amount represents a -6.6% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 85.9% of Finland’s imports from America.

Machinery: $359.7 million
Medical, technical equipment: $339.1 million
Electronic equipment: $219.6 million
Pharmaceuticals: $183.1 million
Vehicles: $160.7 million
Other chemical goods: $153.1 million
Mineral fuels including oil: $140.6 million
Plastics: $99.3 million
Organic chemicals: $97 million
Aircraft, spacecraft: $71.4 million
Beverages: $44.7 million
Salt, sulphur, stone, cement: $38.7 million
Ores, slag, ash: $37.9 million
Inorganic chemicals: $24.6 million
Perfumes, cosmetics: $23 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Finnish imports from the United States under the organic chemicals product category via a 173% gain in revenue, miscellaneous chemical goods (up 50%), aircraft and spacecraft (up 40.2%), vehicles (up 39.2%) and beverages (up 37.1%).

Posting the severest declines among Finland’s top 15 imported products were electronic equipment (down -38.1%), ores, slag and ash (down -36%), machinery (down -25.2%), mineral fuels including oil (down -19.7%), perfumes and cosmetics (down -15.8%) and inorganic chemicals (down -14.5%).

Finland’s Main Imports from Estonia

In 2020, Estonia’s exports to Finland amounted to $2.3 billion or 3.4% of overall Finnish imports.

That dollar amount represents a 2.2% gain compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 73.9% of Finland’s imports from Estonia.

Electronic equipment: $387.7 million
Furniture, lighting, signs: $229.6 million
Machinery: $214.3 million
Wood: $169.5 million
Mineral fuels including oil: $138.7 million
Iron or steel products: $137.2 million
Medical, technical equipment: $81.4 million
Vehicles: $75.5 million
Stone, plaster, cement: $48.7 million
Plastics: $46.8 million
Other food preparations: $33.9 million
Cereal, milk preparations: $32.3 million
Dairy, eggs, honey: $32.2 million
Glass: $26.7 million
Clothing (not knit or crochet): $26.2 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Finnish imports from Estonia under the mineral fuels including oil product category via a 461.5% gain in revenue, cereal or milk preparations (up 18.1%), miscellaneous food preparations (up 16.7%), medical or technical equipment (up 11.1%) and items made from iron or steel (up 9.8%).

Posting the severest declines among Finland’s top 15 imported products were unknitted and non-crocheted clothing (down -15.1%), glass (down -14.7%) and wood (down -11.3%).

Finland’s Main Imports from France

In 2020, France’s exports to Finland amounted to $2.1 billion or 3.2% of overall Finnish imports.

That dollar amount represents an -8.9% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 77% of Finland’s imports from France.

Aircraft, spacecraft: $409.9 million
Vehicles: $274.2 million
Machinery: $239.6 million
Pharmaceuticals: $132.3 million
Electronic equipment: $115.7 million
Plastics: $112.2 million
Beverages: $75.3 million
Modified starches, enzymes: $45 million
Salt, sulphur, stone, cement: $44.4 million
Other chemical goods: $42.3 million
Medical, technical equipment: $39.8 million
Iron and steel: $37.9 million
Perfumes, cosmetics: $31.8 million
Mineral fuels including oil: $29.6 million
Cereal, milk preparations: $24.2 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Finnish imports from France under the medical or technical equipment product category via an 8.3% gain in revenue and miscellaneous chemical goods (up 5%).

Posting the severest declines among Finland’s top 15 imported products were modified starches or enzymes (down -30.4%), machinery (down -26.7%), iron and steel as materials (down -21.9%), perfumes and cosmetics (down -21.3%), vehicles (down -18%) and beverages (down -17.7%).

Finland’s Main Imports from Poland

In 2020, Poland’s exports to Finland amounted to $2 billion or 3.0% of overall Finnish imports.

That dollar amount represents a -2.5% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 71.7% of Finland’s imports from Poland.

Machinery: $334.1 million
Electronic equipment: $242.8 million
Vehicles: $166.7 million
Iron or steel products: $131.5 million
Furniture, lighting, signs: $125.9 million
Plastics: $112.7 million
Pharmaceuticals: $85.2 million
Furskins and artificial fur: $57 million
Meat: $40 million
Paper: $35.4 million
Medical, technical equipment: $30.9 million
Iron and steel: $30.7 million
Aluminum: $24.3 million
Stone, plaster, cement: $23.7 million
Fruits, nuts: $22.3 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Finnish imports from Poland under the aluminum product category via a 24.3% gain in revenue, stone, plaster and cement (up 11.7%) then fruits and nuts (up 11.2%).

Posting the severest declines among Finland’s top 15 imported products were vehicles (down -16.1%), furskins and artificial fur (down -8.9%) and paper (down -8.5%).

Finland’s Main Imports from Italy

In 2020, Italy’s exports to Finland amounted to $1.9 billion or 2.8% of overall Finnish imports.

That dollar amount represents a -3.9% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 79.7% of Finland’s imports from Italy.

Machinery: $435.7 million
Vehicles: $164.1 million
Electronic equipment: $152.4 million
Iron or steel products: $132.2 million
Plastics: $106.3 million
Beverages: $68.4 million
Furniture, lighting, signs: $57.3 million
Pharmaceuticals: $54.1 million
Fruits, nuts: $44.4 million
Iron and steel: $41.9 million
Medical, technical equipment: $38 million
Cereal, milk preparations: $36.1 million
Rubber: $27 million
Vegetable/fruit preparations: $25.6 million
Aluminum: $22.7 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Finnish imports from Italy under the fruits and nuts product category via a 26.9% gain in revenue, cereal or milk preparations (up 18.9%), vegetable or fruit preparations (up 13.8%) and beverages (up 11.2%).

Posting the severest declines among Finland’s top 15 imported products were aluminum (down -21.9%), rubber (down -18.8%), pharmaceuticals (down -11.9%) and machinery (down -11.2%).

References

Independent insights and analysis presented in this article are based on researched facts and statistics sourced from the following educational sources.

International Trade Centre, Trade Map.

Richest Country Reports, Top 50 Richest Countries by GDP per Capita.

Wikipedia, Finland, Borders of Finland.

World’s Top Exports, Import News.

Finland’s Main Imports by Top Supplier Countries