Le Nord : revue internationale des Pays de Nord - 01.06.1939, Blaðsíða 115
CHRONIQUE TRIMESTRIELLE 107
form attitude in this matter. The
refugee problem was also the sub-
ject of deliberation. The Finnish
and Swedish Ministers gave infor-
mation on the Finnish-Swedish plan
which had been drawn up to en-
sure the neutrality of the Aland
Island’s.
The next conference of the Fore-
í'bii Ministers of the four countries
ls proposed to be held before the
Assembly of the League of Nations
meets in September.
At the end of last year the popu-
J-ation of Helsinki was 311,465. The
towns next in order were: — Vii-
Puri, 82,913; Tampere, 75,845; and
Turku, 73,700.
Among other interesting statistical
details it may be mentioned that the
Alien population of Finland, which
^as 24,924 in 1932, had decreased
£o 21,854 at the end of 1937. More
than one half of the foreigners were
composed of refugees from Russia
who have come to Finland since the
Revolution.
The Swedes form the largest
group after Russians. Their number
is 1,211. There are 583 Germans,
293 Estonians, 240 Danes, 132
Poles, 113 Italians, 119 English, and
109 Norwegians.
In comparison with the total
Population of the country, the alien
Population is distinctly small.
Tourist traffic between Finland
and other countries continued its
upward trend last year. A total of
118,983 visitors came to Finland, of
which 78,110 were foreigners. The
corresponding figures for 1937 were
107,203 and 73,613. Those leaving
the country numbered 117,306, of
which 76,747 were foreigners. The
corresponding figures for 1937 were
106,849 and 72,201.
Finland’s foreign trade, which
reached its peak in 1937, was
reduced considerably last year. Im-
ports were unchanged in volume,
but their value, at 8,612,3 million
marks was 7,5 per cent. less than in
the previous year. The volume of
exports was 11,0 per cent. lower
than in 1937 although, as the re-
duction in value amounted to only
10.1 per cent., the total value was
8.431.1 million marks.
The reduction in imports mainly
affected raw materials and machine-
ry. Industrial products, foodstuffs
and luxuries increased slightly. The
reduction in exports was mainly due
to the decreased exports of timber
and the considerable fall in the price
of sawn timber. There was also
decrease in the exports of paper and
pulp, while exports of animal food-
stuffs increased.
The downward trend of exports
has effected a change in the income
of the rural population. During the
felling season of 1937—1938 a re-